You may have one or all three! It can be difficult to tell the difference between moles, gophers and voles because the signs are similar. Determining which vermin is under your lawn requires a bit of investigation. Each animal leaves behind distinct clues. At LandCare, we are expertly trained to identify what animals you have. Usually it is one of these six varieties of vermin, though.

When you see your lawn speckled with mounds, you likely have a mole or gopher infestation. The mounds are the entrances to tunnels dug by moles, gophers and voles. Gopher mounds are often confused with molehills, but are different and require different traps. Stay safe and call in the experts when you see mounds in your yard.

There are a several reasons we don’t recommend gopher repellent. Gopher repellents do not solve underlying vermin infestation problems, they just move them. While a gopher repellent may cause the animal to tunnel away, it may just reappear on another part of your lawn or in your neighbor’s yard (and that’s no way to be popular in the neighborhood). Chemical-based repellents also lose effectiveness when wet. After strong rainfalls, chemicals can wash away leaving your yard susceptible to gophers again.

Many homeowners try sonic repellents before they call us. We often find these to be ineffective – we have caught hundreds of moles literally right next to these so-called repellents. Save your money and call LandCare first.

But don’t just take our word for it! Oregon State University Extension Service’s publication, Controlling Moles, confirms. According to the article, “Mole traps and recommended poisoned bait, properly placed, are the two most effective methods for controlling moles.”

(See this answered fully in our “Monthly Mole Question” series.)

Aside from being unsightly, mole and gopher lawn damage can present a hazard to livestock and farm equipment.

The presence of moles, voles and gophers increases weed growth, reduces crop yields, and increases soil erosion. Seeds harvested in fields with gopher or mole activity have to be cleaned more, causing additional time and labor costs. Voles also eat tree roots. Even a small number of voles can cause substantial damage to trees by gnawing on the trunks and roots. These effects can be devastating to both homeowners and farmers.

When we are called to a property to get rid of the moles, gophers and voles, we do our best to fix the damage created as we go. Other services set traps and leave, but LandCare Mole and Gopher checks traps periodically throughout the week, so it’s easier for our team to fix any damage and remove animals as we go.

LandCare Mole and Gopher is fully equipped to handle both large- and small-scale problems. Everywhere moles and gophers cause problems in Western Oregon, your gopher and mole trap expert is there to help. You can count on LandCare Mole and Gopher to quickly and efficiently fix your pest problem, no matter the size.

LandCare Mole and Gopher serves Western Oregon. See our full zip code list above.

Send us an e-mail via our contact page or call us at (503) 897-5200.