Gopher and Mole Control in Southern California — No Poisons

Gophers and moles are both burrowing pests that cause significant lawn and garden damage in Southern California, but they require different identification and control approaches. Understanding which pest you have is the first step to effective treatment.

Gophers leave large fan-shaped or horseshoe-shaped dirt mounds. They feed on plant roots, killing plants from below. They rarely appear above ground. The fan-shaped mound with a plugged hole on one side is the definitive gopher sign.

Moles leave raised surface ridges running across the lawn and smaller, rounder molehills. They feed on earthworms and grubs, not plants. Turf feels soft and spongy above mole tunnels. Moles are far less common than gophers in Southern California.