The sole purpose of a gopher’s life seems to be the destruction of plants and land and they are active 365 days a year.
Pocket gophers are one of the most serious and difficult pests to control. They are medium-sized rodents 6-8 inches long with a 1-2 inch tail. They weigh about half a pound and the color of their fur can vary from black to brown. The fur will resemble the color of the soil where they live. They have short necks and powerful forequarters with large claws on the front paws and large incisors.
Pocket gophers also get their name because of the fur-lined pouches on the sides of their head. These pouches are great for carrying food or storing it temporarily. They have very poor eyesight as they live most of their time below the ground but they do have a good sense of smell and are very sensitive to vibrations in the ground.
Damage That Pocket Gophers Left Behind
Signs that you’re having issues with gophers is their burrowing activity. They are most active in the spring and fall when soil is ideal for digging.
The most unique that pocket gophers leave behind are horseshoe-shaped mounds on the surface. The entrance to their burrows can be identified by the small piles of loose dirt that covers the opening. Soil that is soft and easier to the tunnel is ideal.
The way they burrow can remove vegetation as they feed on weeds, grasses, crops and garden plants. This includes the roots of plants, bulbs and tubers like peanuts and potatoes. They will kill grass and leave unsightly above ground mounds behind that can also interfere with irrigation wires they can even kill young tress by girdling the bark.
They will most likely flee when they feel threatened and might attack other animals, including cats and people and can inflict serious bites with their long, sharp teeth.
Pocket Gopher Control Methods
You can try to keep gophers away by sprinkling hot spices in the areas that you don’t want them or burying chicken wire beneath the areas where you want to keep gophers away. Mixing broken glass in the soil where you don’t want them can also deter them.
You can try putting a garden hose into the entrance of the burrow attached to your vehicle’s exhaust pipe or gas-powered lawn mower. With the engine running, you can start to cover any openings you find
Another one is you can also try dropping some gum down into the burrow. It’s been rumored to interfere with their internal organs.
While moth balls are also disliked by gophers and traps can catch them. Poisons are very effective and may be more convenient than trapping. They can provide long-term control that can help with future gophers as the bait can remain potent for a long time
Pocket Gopher Prevention
It’s a challenge to control gophers. Gophers will not go away on their own and having them anywhere is a nuisance.
The best thing you can do is have a complete inspection done by professionals to determine the best control methods to take.
Call on the experienced professionals at Pestcom Pest Management today!