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Gophers tunnel deep in the earth, leaving mounds (usually “U” shaped) of fine, powdery soil at the surface. See picture above. Their nests and food chamber can be 6 feet deep. Gophers are herbivores, preferring herbaceous plants, shrubs, and trees. If a shrub dies overnight, it is usually a sign that a gopher has eaten the roots. Trapping and applying poison deep in the tunnel are the common methods of ridding your garden of gophers. A wire basket surrounding a newly planted tree or shrub will protect the roots from these pests. A ”pest note” with information on gophers and the treatment can be accessed at http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu./PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7433.html. or call your local Master Gardeners desk to have a hard copy sent to you.
Moles are insect-eating mammals that tunnel along the surface of the earth and leave round (not “U” shaped) mounds of soil as they excavate their tunnels. The soil in the mound of a mole has clumps of dirt in it rather than powdery soil as in the mound of the gopher. They sometimes eat the roots of tender plants but are most commonly a problem when they disrupt flower and vegetable beds and burrow through lawns. Mole traps can be used but keep in mind that mole traps differ from gopher traps. Check out the “Pest Note” at http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74115.html for information on mole control. The picture below is of a mole making an escape. The picture was originally uploaded by rightee on Flickr.
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