There are actually 35 species of gopher, all of which live in North and Central America. They are well-known for being excellent diggers, creating tunnels under gardens and farms that can effectively destroy the ground above, damaging crops and plants alike.
In fact, gophers are surprisingly cute looking, but the damage they do to your garden is very real. Once you realize you have an issue with gophers it’s best to get the local pest control professionals in to help you sort them out.
You should also identify what other pests you’re likely to face in your area, click here to find out more from your local experts.
- Lawn Damage
This is one of the biggest hazards and often the clue that you have a gopher problem.
If you take a look out of your windows and spot several mounds of mud then you know the gophers have been active. As they create a tunnel they push the earth behind and in front of them. When they reach the surface again the earth goes up with them and creates a mound. It’s effectively an exit home for their tunnels.
That’s the real issue, the mounds look unsightly but the tunnels are causing structural instability in your garden.
You may also find that the gophers are eating through the roots of your grass, causing patches of grass to go brown and die.
- Flower & Trees Suffer
Gophers are vegetarian but they like flower roots, tree roots, and even bulbs that are starting to grow. You’ll notice your plants are starting to wilt because their roots are damaged and they can’t absorb the water they need.
But, gophers don’t have to stay underground. They will also come up in your garden and eat the flower heads, you’ll notice that they are going missing.
- Uneven Ground
Assuming the garden hasn’t collapsed under you, the mounds will still create a trip hazard as you move around your garden. A pile of mud may not seem enough to hurt you. However, under the mud is nothing, that means pushing your foot into the mud can cause the ground to collapse and you could seriously injure your foot or leg.
Of course, if the gopher happens to be near the mound it may try to bite your foot as a form of protection.
- Diseases
The bite can be relatively nasty but, gophers can also carry diseases that can make you ill. One of the most concerning is rabies. All mammals have the capability of carrying this disease and if they bite you, you’ll become infected.
Alongside this, gophers can carry the plague, monkeypox, and even hantavirus. All of these can make you seriously ill and you will need medical assistance.
Considering the damage a gopher can do and the potential threat to your health, it is very important to take prompt action and remove them from your garden, with the help of your local professional.
