Nothing is worse than spending time and money on creating a beautiful yard for you and your family to spend time in, only to notice dirt mounds. Dirt mounds could be a sign of either moles or gophers, both of which are very common in California. Gophers and moles are two of the most damaging animals you could have infesting your lawn. For over 35+ years, our EcoWise-certified mole and gopher control experts have been safely removing these animals without harming them, your family, or your pets. Give ATCO a call today at 415-898-2282 to schedule your mole and gopher trapping today!

Moles are a small species of rodent that tend to tunnel along the surface of the ground, with their tunnels often being found along walkways and planters. While they’re unlikely to invade your home, these pests can damage your lawn’s health and appearance. Moles feed on lawn insects like grubs, worms, and other underground pests, which is why they’re attracted to your lawn in the first place. For our mole trapping, our team at ATCO uses safe trapping and/or eco-friendly rodenticide bait that mimics a worm to eliminate these destructive pests.

Because of how damaging moles can be to your lawn, it’s important to know the warning signs that you may have a mole infestation. If you notice these signs, call the professional mole control experts at ATCO to safely remove these animals from your lawn.

The signs of moles in your yard include:

• Molehills—circular, symmetrical dirt mounds on your lawn.
• Surface tunnels—large ridges that moles use to connect their hills and feed. Mole dig tunnels around 18 hours a day.
• Dead patches of grass—only if you see bare patches of grass in addition to molehills and surface tunnels (otherwise it could be another lawn issue).
• Squishy grass that pulls up easily—this is a sign of grubs, which moles feed on in addition to earthworms.

Gophers are large underground rodents that create deep tunnels in your yard, typically up to six feet deep. Additionally, they can transmit various diseases to your pets if they come into contact. Our gopher control relies on safely trapping to remove gophers in order to protect the beloved family and pets of our customers. The strength of the rodenticide needed to eliminate a gopher would be deadly to a cat or dog if they encountered it, and so we believe trapping is a wiser option for professional gopher trapping.

Gophers are the largest rodent you may see in your yard—compared to moles, voles, or squirrels—meaning they can cause the most damage to your lawn. They are shy creatures, however, so it’s unlikely you may see them above ground. It’s best to keep an eye out for these signs of gophers during the spring and fall, when they’re most active. 

The signs of gophers in your yard include:

• Dirt mounds—similar to moles, gophers leave mounds above grounds. These mounds can be identified by their crescent or fan shape.
• Lawn or garden damage—gophers feed on plant roots, meaning it’s possible to notice dead patches of grass, damaged plants in your garden, and even missing plants as they may take the plant underground with them.
• Damaged sprinkler lines or underground wires—as gophers tunnel and live underground, it’s likely they may damage any underground utility work.

We service Alameda County, Contra Costa County, Marin County, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara , Solano County, and Sonoma County. If you need our assistance, check out the list below to see if your town is part of our service area: