Gophers vs. Moles

Gophers vs. Moles

Gophers and moles are often mistaken for one another because they look and act similar. They are both small-to-medium sized creatures that dig tunnels underground, create holes that look unattractive and eventually damage our landscaping. It is important to distinguish between the two, as the pest control treatments vary depending on which one it is. But the question remains: what are the differences between gophers and moles if they’re so similar?

Appearance

 While both have small furry bodies that are made for digging tunnels, there are some distinct differences between the gopher and the mole. The gopher is about the size of a squirrel but has some rat-like features, in that it has round ears, long teeth, a skinny tail, whiskers, and small eyes. The gopher’s teeth grow continuously throughout life, so gophers must chew constantly to keep their teeth worn down to a safe level.

Moles are easily distinguished by their long pink snout and pink feet. Moles are small, dark colored creatures with cylindrical bodies that range from 6 to 8 inches in length. A mole’s eyes are extremely tiny and often covered by skin or hair making it difficult for the animal to see where it is going. Moles have an excellent sense of touch which they use when tunneling through soil – their long claws give them great claw-to-soil contact. Their noses are very strong, which allows them to identify worms by scent alone several inches below ground.Their feet are more webbed than claw-like, opposite of gophers.

Tunnels

Gophers and moles also differ in the types of tunnels and the reasons for digging them. Gophers dig extensive tunnels that lead to burrows deep underground. A burrow can connect with another one, but each gopher lives alone in its own burrow, unless it is a mother with her young or it is mating season. The mounds above ground are quite flat, usually fan- or crescent-shaped, with a small off-center hole. Since gophers live at least one foot underground, the only reason they make an above-ground appearance is to look for a meal. Gophers are herbivores and mostly enjoy roots and bulbs of plants. They can even eat whole plants! If plants and other decorations are disappearing from a garden, chances are good it is a gopher. 

Moles do not enjoy plants, so their tunnels are not made to lead to delicious garden vegetables. They prefer to eat small creatures like worms, grubs, and various insects. Since they are constantly swimming through the soil and digging from the surface to deep underground, sometimes more so than gophers, moles need to eat almost 80% of their body weight daily. But their tunnels can still damage greenery, as their paths go around roots and create an interruption between roots and the nutrients it needs. Mounds from a mole’s tunnel are a rounder, volcano shape that are more noticeable than a gopher’s when it comes time to mow the lawn. 

Habitat Preferences

We have established that both gophers and moles make tunnels and burrows, but they have different preferences in terms of their climate and tunneling habits. Gophers do more of their daily activity in the spring and fall, when the weather is not too extreme. They prefer a dry climate without much rain. Strangely, they prefer moist areas, like lawns and gardens, for their tunneling since it is more likely to produce their favorite meals. They can create multiple mounds in a day while they are digging their tunnels. Even though gophers prefer to each live alone in their own burrows, there can be a large population density per acre if the food is good. There are some cases where there are around sixty gophers per acre! A good way to tell if gophers are digging new tunnels is if the dirt on a mound is soft and seems like new dirt. They work fast, so there will likely be multiple in a day.

Moles are not as focused on making a system for their fellow moles; rather, their digging is a result of feverishly searching for their next meal. Their tunnels do not typically damage roots, but they do leave huge mounds in lawns and create “cliffs” underground as they dig for insects. Moles are most active in the spring, and usually only in the mornings and evenings. They are more likely to come out of their tunnels than gophers, especially after it rains. Moles in general stay closer to the surface than gophers, so their runways are usually obvious by raised dirt in the shape of their path. 

Pest Control Can Help

DIY pest control is likely not strong enough to handle these smart creatures. If there is just one gopher or mole, you might be able to drive it away by placing a powder substance, like coffee grounds or red pepper, inside a fresh mound. It can be a fix, albeit a likely temporary one. Mouse traps are one method that some swear by, but it will not be effective when the gophers and moles are rapidly reproducing. Anything unnatural placed in the mounds, like cat litter or poison, has the potential to damage landscaping even more. 

If you have pesky gophers or moles making a mess of your yard, it may be time to call in the experts. Pest control technicians are equipped to solve the gopher or mole problem as they can take the time to find every possible mound and tunnel. Mounds belong on a baseball diamond, not on your beautiful garden or lawn. 

Citations

Gophers vs. moles (what’re the differences?). (n.d.). Pest Strategies. Retrieved February 18, 2022, from https://www.peststrategies.com/pest-guides/gopher-guides/gopher-vs-mole/

Kidadl Team. (2021, November 23). Gopher vs. mole: Burrowing into the differences between the two. Kidadl. Available at https://kidadl.com/fun-facts/gopher-vs-mole-burrowing-into-the-differences-between-the-two (Accessed February 18, 2022). 

Pokorny, K. (2015, April). Moles, voles and gophers dig the garden. Oregon State University: OSU Extension Service. Available at https://extension.oregonstate.edu/news/moles-voles-gophers-dig-garden (Accessed on February 18, 2022).

Waite, L. (2019, July 12). If there are gophers in your yard, follow these tips to get rid of them. Record Searchlight. Available at https://www.redding.com/story/life/2019/07/12/master-gardeners-how-get-rid-gophers-and-their-mounds-yard/1701020001/ (Accessed on February 18, 2022).