Gophers live in tunnel networks beneath the ground, where they’re able to eat, sleep, breed, and raise their young without worrying about predators. In Riverside County, the soil is predominantly loamy, which makes it especially easy for the local gopher population to excavate spanning tunnel systems. These gopher tunnels often spread through our yards, and the first sign of the gophers’ presence tends to be mounds of dirt they push out of the soil.
Gopher mounds are built for a few different reasons, but the main reason for them is that gophers need to remove dirt from their tunnels to keep them from filling up. As gophers travel beneath the ground to feed on plant roots and bulbs, they push the loose soil to the surface. This burrowing behavior creates the mounds you see in your yard, which will often be fan-shaped or crescent-shaped. Essentially, the mounds are byproducts of gophers clearing space underground.
However, gophers in the Riverside area sometimes build mounds deliberately. One of the reasons they do this is to protect their burrows from predators. Local gopher predators include coyotes, stray cats, snakes, and owls. By sealing the entrances to their tunnels with soil, gophers protect themselves from these predators, and also from drying winds. That’s why you rarely see an open hole in the middle of a gopher mound.
Gophers may also make mounds in your yard to mark their territory. Each gopher has its own tunnel system, and the mounds mark where one individual is actively digging and expanding its territory.
If gophers have been ruining your lawn with their mounds, it may be time to bring in professionals that can get rid of these destructive rodents. Connect with Go-Pher the Kill Pest Control today if you’re in need of gopher control services in the greater Riverside area!
