It can be upsetting to wake up in the morning and see mounds of dirt scattered throughout a yard. Moles and gophers are anatomically engineered to move large amounts of soil in little time. Before an eviction process can take place one must identify who’s living in the yard.
Moles and gophers both spend the majority of their lives underground. They are both territorial critters. There are key differences between mole and gopher tunnels.
Moles dig tunnels to create traps for the food they’re targeting. Moles consume insects, earthworms, beetles and other invertebrates that live in the soil. When invertebrates travel through the soil and come to a mole tunnel they fall into that tunnel. Moles can then move quickly and consume the grubs that have fallen. This method of hunting is extremely effective for the moles. The aftermath is destroyed roots and lines/ridges of dead grass in the yard. The soil the moles have moved manifests as mounds through the yard.
Gophers referred to as pocket gophers build elaborate tunnel systems under ground where they spend the majority of their lives. Gophers hold the ability to create tunnel systems spanning thousands of linear feet. When gophers push and deposit the soil they have moved it appears in a yard as kidney/ horseshoe shaped piles of dirt. Gophers will seal the hole at the surface with an earthen plug/ finely ground soil.
Moles and gophers hold the ability to move tremendous amounts of dirt in little time. Moles are mainly moving dirt for feeding. Gophers move dirt to build their shelter and create food storage areas. Moles leave behind ridges and lines of dead grass in the yard. Moles push dirt straight up while pocket gophers push dirt at a 45 degree angle. The result of this digging manifests in horseshoe shaped piles of dirt for gophers and circular mounds for moles. For more information contact the wildlife professionals at Critter Evictors!