There are more than 100 different species of gophers in the United States. Notorious for burrowing complex tunnel systems below ground and wreaking havoc in residential and commercial lawns, a gopher problem can be calamitous. These herbivore rodents have long front teeth that continuously grow, tiny ears, and short tails. If you have a gopher problem, Allswell Here provides pest control in San Diego including effective gopher control.
Do You Have Gophers In Your Yard?
How can you tell a gopher is in your yard? The most obvious sign you will see are raised patches of earth where they have tunneled, or you may see a decline in vegetation and lawn quality. Gophers eat all sorts of plants and will even munch on the roots of trees. For some trees, becoming gopher food leaves the plant life susceptible to disease and rot. Unfortunately, some property owners don’t take notice of these small changes until an accident happens like they’ve stepped in a tunnel and injured themselves.
What Attracts Gophers To Your Yard?
Gophers are attracted to lawns for the same reason most pests are inclined to move into residential habitats, they need food, water, and shelter free from predators. Gophers are particularly attracted to vegetable gardens where they gladly dine on root vegetables, alfalfa, and anything else that might be in season. Gopher control in the garden is important because the last thing you want is for this destructive rodent to become a permanent guest or destroy your hard work.
Can Gophers Cause Irreparable Damage To Your Lawn?
One single gopher isn’t much of a nuisance, but this rodent multiplies quickly and will have five to six live pups per litter. In ideal conditions, gophers will breed up to three times a year. Although they are mostly solitary creatures, one gopher can be responsible for a lot of destruction. Their pups will burrow on their own once they reach a month old and they will skyrocket the number of tunnels in your yard.
Furthermore, other pests like to make homes out of gopher holes too, like yellow jackets. If a tunnel is compromised, the gopher will just burrow around it, but you may face the consequences. Another thing you should know about is that these rodents have the potential to harm structural foundations. If a gopher tunnels under a large structure, like a shed or your house, it can damage the building’s physical integrity. Due to the injury risk, vegetation losses, and alarming structural support issues that gophers can cause in your lawn, gopher control is a necessity.
Rodent control in San Diego can be a little tricky. Due to the conservation status of the Michoacan pocket gopher, big pocket gopher, tropical pocket gopher, and desert pocket gopher, professional pest control services are highly recommended. In many areas, removing, trapping, or killing one of these species can earn you a hefty fine, so it is important to let professional wildlife services handle the situation.
What Is The Best Way To Keep Gophers Away?
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure when it comes to gopher control in San Diego. Rather than attempting to trap gophers, you can take steps to prevent them.
Some non-lethal gopher control options that work well:
- Gophers are herbivores but they find some plants repulsive. Sage, daffodils, thyme, iris, and geranium are a few plants to place on the borders of your property to discourage gophers.
- Repel gophers on your property with fabric softening sheets. Drop them in every hole you find and hope they take the hint! They hate the smell.
- Install an underground mesh. This option is good on the edge of your property or in areas you definitely don’t want gophers burrowing like around your vegetable garden or home. This option is a little more expensive and a tad more time-consuming but it’s one of the most effective and humane options.
When gophers have you feeling like you’re living in an arcade game, or before you are at your wit's end, give Allswell Here a call. We have a team of experts who can help you with your gopher problem efficiently and humanely with our effective home pest control services.