Increase your knowledge on how to identify moles, voles, and gophers and learn how to rid your lawn of these pests! The size of the animals, shape of their mounds, and how to get rid of them. A gopher has large incisors that extend outside its mouth, smallish eyes and ears, and fur-lined cheek pouches used for carrying food -- thus the name pocket gopher. In this article, the difference between moles and gophers will be highlighted in more detail. Moles rarely come out of their tunnels – they poke a hole in the ground and then push the dirt straight up. One of the main differences between moles and gophers is what they eat. One telltale sign of rodents versus moles is this: Rodents make clearly visible entry and exit holes to the tunnels. If you notice the signs of a gopher in your yard chances are you only dealing with one, maybe two, rodent/s. The signs of each creature’s presence is also unique. Gophers . The shape of mounds also differs considerably between gophers and moles. (With Pictures), How To Keep Bugs Out Of Your Campsite in 5 Steps. Because gopher are herbivores, another sure-fire way to tell you have them is to see if your plants, shrubs, trees, and other vegetation is damaged or eaten. Moles and gophers are wild animals -- don't attempt to pick up a live one. Moles and Gophers are very similar creatures.They disturb your garden by making deep tunnels and holes.. For one thing, gophers are strict vegetarians that eat trees, shrubs, and grasses. A mole is 4 to 7 inches in length with paddle-shaped feet and prominent digging claws. Figuring out the differences in gophers vs. moles can help you get rid of them faster! Although they're both burrowing creatures, there are enough distinctions between them, especially in their dietary requirements, that it creates variations in how you approach, and deal with, their presence in your yard, garden, or fields. Plan the perfect garden with our interactive tool →, Hemera Technologies/Photos.com/Getty Images. Your email address will not be published. Voles, moles and gophers (including groundhogs, pocket gophers and prairie dogs) are often lumped together in discussions regarding wildlife problems that result in torn up, damaged landscaping. However, gophers love plants and find tuberous vegetables, such as carrots and potatoes, especially delicious. Gophers have a rat type of look, while moles have a snout and swollen feet. To look for moles, search for “cone-like” entry points, or mole-hills in your lawn. But, moles also don’t care about the look of your garden and lawn, and will make tunnels that can destroy it. This is what creates the cone-shaped mound. The key difference between Moles and Gophers is that the Moles are mammals belonging to the Order Soricomorpha while Gophers are mammals belonging to Order Rodentia. Copyright Leaf Group Ltd. // Leaf Group Lifestyle. Gopher is an umbrella term that describes a number of species of small borrowing rodents including pocket gopher (also known as true gophers), the ground squirrel, certain species of prairie dog and Richardson's ground squirrel. The connecting tunnels will have a “plug,” or a closing at the end. In contrast to gophers, moles don’t have external ears. Gophers have long, yellowish incisor teeth that are always exposed. These plugs are around 10 to 20 inches in diameter. Learn the difference between moles, voles, and gophers in order to chose the proper treatment plan for your lawn. They only grow to about 6 or 7 inches and have a prominent snout. Gophers and moles are two of the most common lawn and garden pests. While moles, gophers, and voles can do damage to your property, the damage differs between each animal. Gopher burrows are hard to see aboveground. This is because all 3 utilize tunnel systems and cause damage to … Pests like gophers, moles, voles, and ground squirrels can sabotage lawns and leave unsightly tunnels and holes across the surface. 2. Determine what they're consuming. One reason moles are often mistaken for rodents is that rodents like pocket gophers and voles often take safe passage in abandoned mole tunnels. Gopher push dirt to the surface at an angle, resulting in crescent or irregular shaped mounds, and plugs are often visible. Gophers are generally solitary creatures, though some of the ground squirrels in their species do create communities. Piles of dirt left by moles, or molehills, are circular and have holes directly in the center. Knowing the difference between gopher holes vs mole holes is quite helpful, and there are several key indicators: Mole tunnels make obvious ridges in the surface of a lawn. The way to tell the difference between a mole mound and a gopher mound is that mole mounds are circular, compared to pocket gophers, which are crescent shaped or semicircular. Moles like coarse soil, and don’t make nearly as many tunnels as gophers. Moles are notoriously averse to people. Although some eradication and barrier methods work for both pests, others are specific to one -- so it's good to know thine enemy. Gophers are rodent-looking herbivores, and can be active all throughout the day. These pests live their lives primarily hidden or underground, making themselves scarcely seen in … They disturb your garden by making deep tunnels and holes. There are plenty of differences between gophers and moles. To an untrained eye, the difference between a vole vs. mole can be subtle and it can also be difficult to distinguish a vole vs. a shrew, which is why any pest in the yard needs a professional assessment. Learn which plants thrive in your Hardiness Zone with our new interactive map! To look for gophers, search for a main tunnel with several connecting tunnels. The short black-to-brownish-gray fur has no grain, which allows the mole to move easily forward and backwards in the tunnels. All Rights Reserved. Moles are also borrowing creatures and belong to Talpidae family. However, many homeowners are unaware that certain insects, like the mole cricket, can be just as frustrating to homeowners. In these two different species of rodent, the biggest difference is diet. They can grow between 5 to 14 inches long, depending on the species and region. Moles are rarely found in Colorado, and only in the very eastern plains. Gophers look a bit like miniature groundhogs, with small ears, beady eyes, and short, brown hair. It has an elongated head and snout, small eyes, and no external ears. Mole mounds, however, appear circular and have a plug in the middle that may or not be easily seen. Moles - Moles use and reuse some, not all, of their surface tunnels repeatedly. Gophers vs. Moles – What’s the Difference? Whether you have bed bugs, cockroaches, termites, spiders, or don’t know what problem you have, Pest Brigade is the solution. Moles are insectivores, which means they mostly eat earthworms and insects, although the Townsend’s mole might devour tubers and roots. Tik Tok Hack Reveals Bugs Hiding In Strawberries, WSDA Traps First Asian Giant Hornet In Birch Bay, WA (July 2020 Update), Pest Control Tips For Reopening Your Business After COVID-19, Are Earwigs Dangerous? They average around 12 inches in length, vary in color and have four large incisor teeth that are always exposed. Gopher mounds range from 8 inches to well over 12 inches, depending on the species. Some simple observations will help you determine whether pocket gophers or moles are messing with your landscape. Often confused for one another, these three animals are in fact distinct and differ in their habits and destruction. Their tunnel entries are around 2 inches in diameter, and are around 16 to 18 inches deep. Gophers do not have the huge spade-like feet like moles do, but they can certainly do as much, if not more damage. Moles, voles and gophers can all be sources of major lawn destruction, but they're all their own entirely distinct critters. Gophers vs. Moles. Moles often dig just below the surface, unlike gophers. Moles make symmetrical, conical and chunky piles of soil in lawns. Typically, gophers produce a mound that is more or less dune-, fan-, or bean-shaped, with a visible, slightly crowned basal soil plug. Some people don’t mind having moles in their lawn, as they can help get rid of other infestations that are attacking your garden. You are unlikely going to notice them. Figuring out the differences in gophers vs. moles can help you get rid of them faster!. Step on a tunnel to compress the soil. Required fields are marked *. Your email address will not be published. Gophers will burrow in firm and tough soil that can maintain their tunnels. Although some eradication and barrier methods work for both pests, others are specific to one -- so it's good to know thine enemy. Moles push dirt straight up resulting in regular conical shaped mounds shown at left (the "plug" in the center of the mound as shown in this picture is rarely seen). Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The tunnels are dug at a rate of 18 feet per hour and can add 150 feet of new tunnels in law… The soil of the mole mound is finer than that of a gopher mound. The only time they typically will stop or slow down burrowing is during the colder months of the year. Moles and Gophers are very similar creatures. The Difference Between a Gopher and Mole Gophers are medium-sized rodents with fur-lined pouches outside of their mouths. Although gophers and models are both rodents, they have some distinct features that tell them apart. Copyright 2020 PestBrigade.com | All rights reserved. Repelling Gophers and Moles Do not overwater your soil. Moles are practically blind insectivores. To start, gophers are larger than moles; their size is the same as that of a small squirrel, while moles are usually equivalent in size to a human’s thumb. Gophers and moles are two of the most common lawn and garden pests. Moles eat insects, while gophers eat plants. Gophers don’t have the same prominent snout as a mole, but do have larger eyes and teeth. Gophers are often mistaken for moles. Gophers and moles are two of the most common lawn and garden pests. They are 6-8 inches in length, and they have pointy snouts along with paddle-like forefeet. Moreover. Moles, voles, and gophers are three critters that can wreck havoc on lawns and flower beds. Understanding The Differences. A well-watered lawn and garden can quickly become home to a number of burrowing pests. Visit Terminix.com to find out the difference between these pests to determine what’s digging up your yard and how to best save your garden. Other differences abound as well. Moles have small teeth and tiny eyes. You won’t find a mole eating treats from your vegetable garden as moles mainly eat insects. If you are outside that area, the species causing damage is one of the other four. Moles, voles, and gophers are all similarly-sized mammals. If you see a tunnel entry with “fluffy” or fresh dirty, the gopher is still burrowing. Gopher mounds are flatter compared to mole mounds; they're fan-shaped with an exit hole on one side. Similar to gophers, moles have long claws, which they use to dig in the soil. If you're unsure as to which type of animal is putting a damper on your formerly meticulous yard, a few handy hints might help you figure out who specifically is responsible. What is a Mole? 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