Gopher Removal - Is Your Yard Full of Gopher Holes?

Gophers are a year round pest that can begin to cause problems on your Arizona property at any time.

Once they show up in your yard, they feed on the roots of plants and trees. Their burrowing habits can also lead to damaged underground cable lines and irrigation systems. 

Gophers tend to reproduce in the spring and fall, which means that their activity becomes more noticeable when their young begin to make burrows of their own.

Seeing gopher holes is a sign that you need to take action immediately to secure your property.

How to Detect Gopher Activity

There are several other types of animals that can leave holes in your yard. Ground squirrels, pack rats and other rodents commonly burrow into the ground. All of these can be considered pests that need to be controlled. 

However, you can tell if you have gophers on your property by their distinctive burrows. Unlike many other types of pests, gophers prefer to plug the entrances to their burrows. They typically leave a crescent or horseshoe shaped mound that reflects how they pushed the soil out of the burrow and to the top of the ground.

Types of Gopher Removal Methods

There are several types of gopher control methods that we can use around your property. In most cases, we find that physically removing gophers from their burrows is effective. 

We can use traps to capture the critters as they enter or exit their main holes. Since gophers can bite and transmit diseases, it is best to leave this part of the removal up to professionals. Traps often mean having to handle live gophers, which can be dangerous. 

There are also other treatments such as sprays and baits that can be used to control gophers.

Ways to Practice Exclusion

When you have vulnerable plants such as trees on your property, we may recommend that you implement exclusionary practices. 

You can take fine wire mesh fencing and place it around trees and gardens. When you put the fencing up, it is important to bury it about 18 inches below the ground to prevent gophers from burrowing beneath it to get to the roots. This is also effective for reinforcing the fence line around your property if it is located near a field or untended lot. 

Is Your Yard Full of Gopher Holes Video

 

Tips to Prevent Future Gopher Problems

Removing gophers is just the first step in the process of achieving a pest-free lawn. They can come back if there is an active population in your area. 

In addition to using exclusionary practices, you can also implement habitat modification methods. Gophers tend to prefer landscapes with tall grass and places to hide as they run to their burrows. Make sure to control weeds on your property, and keep the grass trimmed to an appropriate height. 

It doesn’t take long for gophers to destroy a landscape, and you may find it difficult to control a pest that spends most of their time underground. Removing them before they have a chance to breed again helps you eliminate them from your property so that your plant life can thrive.

Custom Weed & Pest Control has been in business since 1989, serving the greater Phoenix metro area for both residential and commercial. We offer organic, natural and chemical pest control, with customized service to meet your specific needs.

Related Page: How to Get Rid of Gophers