Fresh piles of dirt in the lawn every morning, a shrub that wilts and then pulls out of the ground with no roots, a drip line chewed in half: that is usually a pocket gopher. In irrigated yards across Ventura, Santa Barbara and Los Angeles counties, gophers dig all year. Cal Termite & Pest Control handles gopher control for homes from our offices in Ventura, Woodland Hills and Santa Barbara.
Is it a gopher?
Gophers, moles and ground squirrels all dig, but they leave different signs. According to UC IPM:
- Pocket gophers push up crescent- or horseshoe-shaped mounds of loose soil, with the plugged tunnel opening off to one side. They feed on roots, bulbs and plants, and sometimes pull whole plants down into the tunnel.
- Moles leave round, volcano-shaped mounds with the plug in the center, and often raised ridges across the lawn where they tunnel just under the surface. They eat insects and worms, not plants. Cal Termite does not treat moles, so if we find mole mounds instead of gopher mounds, we will tell you.
- Ground squirrels leave open burrow holes without a mound of fresh soil over them, and you usually see the squirrels themselves during the day.
Signs you have gophers
- New mounds of dark, moist soil, often several a day from a single gopher.
- Plants, vegetables or young trees that wilt suddenly, or disappear into the ground.
- Chewed drip tubing, sprinkler lines or low-voltage wiring.
- Small plugged holes with a ring of clipped plants around them. These are feeding holes, and they show up without a mound.
UC IPM notes that one gopher’s burrow system can cover 200 to 2,000 square feet, with feeding tunnels 6 to 12 inches below the surface. That is why one animal can damage a whole lawn or garden bed, and why gophers in irrigated yards push up mounds in any season.
How we handle gophers
- Free inspection. We inspect the yard with you, look at fresh mounds and damage, and confirm it is gophers and not moles or squirrels. You get a written quote before any work starts.
- Finding the main tunnels. Gophers are controlled underground, in the tunnels they are using now. Fresh mounds tell us where the gopher has been working, and we locate the main runs from there.
- Trapping and baiting. We do both. Traps go into the main tunnels, and bait goes below ground in the active runs, applied by the label. Whether we trap, bait or do both depends on the layout of the yard and who uses it, including kids, pets and vegetable gardens, and we tell you which before we start.
- Protecting what matters. We point out where wire baskets for new plantings, or wire mesh under raised beds, will keep gophers out for good.
- Follow-up. Gophers from a neighboring lot can move into an empty burrow system. If gophers come back after treatment, we come back free.
What does not work
A lot of gopher products sold to homeowners do not hold up. UC IPM reports that repellent plants such as gopher purge and castor bean, vibrating and ultrasonic stakes, and smoke or gas cartridges are not effective at controlling gophers. Barn owls do eat gophers, but UC IPM says owl boxes on their own will not keep gophers to a level most homeowners accept.
How you can help
- Leave the newest mounds alone until we visit. They show us where the gopher is working.
- Tell us where pets dig or play, and where the kids spend time in the yard.
- Plant new shrubs and trees in wire baskets, and line the bottom of raised beds with wire mesh.
- Keep an eye out for new mounds after treatment and call us if they show up.
Gopher control near our offices: Ventura | Woodland Hills | Santa Barbara
Common questions
Are gophers active in winter?
Yes. UC IPM says gophers are active all year. In irrigated lawns and gardens, you can see new mounds in any month. In unwatered areas, UC IPM says mounding is heaviest in winter and spring, when the soil is moist and easy to dig.
Will the gophers come back?
Gophers from neighboring yards, fields or hillsides can move into an empty burrow system. Checking for fresh mounds after treatment catches that early, and if gophers come back after treatment, we come back free.
Is gopher control safe around my dog?
We work below ground in the active tunnels and choose methods with your pets in mind. Tell us about your animals at the inspection and we will explain what we plan to use and any precautions.
Do you trap or bait gophers?
Both. We trap in the main tunnels and bait below ground in the active runs, and we choose the mix for your yard after the inspection. Tell us about pets and kids who use the yard, because that affects which we use.
Do you treat moles or voles?
No. Cal Termite handles gophers, not moles or voles. If the mounds turn out to be mole mounds, we will tell you at the inspection.
What affects the cost?
The size of the yard, how many areas have fresh mounds, and whether gophers are coming in from open land next door. You get a written price after the free inspection.
Why homeowners call Cal Termite for gophers
- Same-day service is available.
- Free inspection, followed by a written quote.
- Free come-backs if gophers return after treatment.
- Registered with the California Structural Pest Control Board, PR 7556.
- Award-winning pest control, rated 5 stars by 750+ customers.
- Local offices in Ventura, Woodland Hills and Santa Barbara.
Related services: Pest Control Services | Rodent Control | Tick Control | Snail and Slug Control