Gopher and Mole Control in Southern California

Gophers and moles are the two most common burrowing rodent pests in Southern California yards. Both create underground tunnel systems and surface evidence of their activity, but they are very different animals that require different control methods. If you have mysterious soil disturbance in your lawn and are not sure which pest is responsible, this guide will help you identify the culprit and understand what professional control involves.

Rodent Guys specializes in both gopher control and mole control across Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, and Riverside counties. We identify the pest on the first visit and apply the appropriate treatment — chemical-free, pet-safe, and backed by a 60-day guarantee.

Gopher vs. Mole — How to Tell the Difference

The easiest way to tell gophers and moles apart is by the evidence they leave on the surface. See our full gopher vs. mole vs. vole identification guide for photos and detailed descriptions, but here is the quick version:

Gopher signs: Fan-shaped or crescent mounds of loose, fluffy soil pushed to the surface. The mound has a plugged entry hole off to one side. Gophers rarely appear above ground — you will see mounds but almost never the animal itself. Fresh mounds appear overnight and the soil is noticeably mounded above the lawn surface.

Mole signs: Volcano-shaped mounds, or raised surface ridges pushing up the turf in winding paths across the lawn. Mole surface tunnels look like someone dragged a finger under the sod, lifting it in a raised line. Moles are more active near the surface than gophers and their tunneling is often visible as it happens.

One important distinction: gophers eat plant roots and bulbs, so you may notice plants wilting or dying as their root systems are severed. Moles eat earthworms and grubs — they do not eat plants directly, though their tunneling causes significant indirect damage to lawns and plant roots.

Gopher Control — How It Works

Pocket gophers are solitary and territorial. A single gopher is typically responsible for all the mounds on a residential property. The gopher creates an extensive tunnel system — sometimes covering hundreds of square feet — with a main runway and lateral branches leading to food sources.

Effective gopher control requires locating the main tunnel runway and placing traps or applying carbon monoxide treatment where the gopher travels regularly. Traps placed only in lateral tunnels often fail because the gopher detects disturbance and avoids that section. Our technicians probe the soil to locate the main runway before setting any traps.

Because gophers are territorial, eliminating the resident gopher removes activity immediately. However, neighboring gophers can colonize the vacated territory over time — which is why many homeowners in high-pressure areas opt for monthly maintenance plans rather than one-time service.

Mole Control — How It Works

Moles are insectivores that follow earthworm concentrations through the soil. Unlike gophers, moles do not have fixed tunnel systems — they create new tunnels as they hunt, which means their activity patterns shift constantly. This makes mole control more challenging than gopher control in some respects.

Professional mole control uses specialized traps placed in active surface tunnels. Identifying which tunnels are currently active — versus abandoned tunnels from days earlier — is key to effective placement. Our technicians press down sections of raised tunnel and check the next day to see which sections have been re-raised, indicating current use. Traps go into the active sections.

Moles are not as territorial as gophers, so new moles can move into a yard after elimination. Properties near open space, parks, or areas with high earthworm populations are most susceptible to recurring mole activity.

Can You Have Both Gophers and Moles?

Yes — though it is uncommon. Gophers and moles occupy different ecological niches. Gophers are herbivores that compete with each other for plant food resources. Moles are insectivores following earthworm and grub concentrations. The two animals do not directly compete, so a property with good soil and active irrigation can support both simultaneously.

If you have both fan-shaped gopher mounds and raised mole ridges on the same property, our technicians will treat both during the same service. The treatment methods are different for each animal but can be deployed in the same visit.

Why Chemical-Free Control Matters for Both Pests

Most gopher control companies rely on rodenticide bait as their primary method. Bait is inexpensive and fast to deploy, but it creates risks that trapping and carbon monoxide do not. Dogs and cats can be poisoned by eating bait directly or scavenging a bait-killed animal. Hawks, owls, and foxes that feed on poisoned gophers or moles suffer secondary poisoning that can be fatal.

There is no safe rodenticide bait for mole control — moles are insectivores and do not eat grain-based baits. The only effective mole control methods are trapping and carbon monoxide, which is exactly what Rodent Guys uses for both pests.

Service Areas for Gopher and Mole Control

Rodent Guys provides gopher and mole control services throughout Southern California. Active service areas include:

Los Angeles County: Los Angeles, Pasadena, Long Beach, Burbank, Torrance, Whittier, La Verne, Claremont, and more.

Orange County: Irvine, Anaheim, Huntington Beach, Fullerton, Newport Beach, Mission Viejo, and more.

San Bernardino County: Rancho Cucamonga, Ontario, San Bernardino, Upland, Chino Hills, Redlands, and more.

Riverside County: Riverside, Corona, Moreno Valley, Eastvale, Lake Elsinore, and more.

View the full service area list to confirm your city.

Related Articles

• Gopher vs. Mole vs. Vole — Identification Guide
• Do Moles Damage Plants? Understanding Indirect Mole Damage
• What Do Moles Eat? Moles and Your Plants
• What Is a Gopher Controller?
• Professional Gopher Control Services in Southern California
• Carbon Monoxide Gopher Control — How It Works
• Why Gopher Poison Is Dangerous for Pets
• What Does the 60-Day Guarantee Cover?

Call 909-599-4711 for professional gopher and mole control anywhere in Southern California. Chemical-free methods, pet-safe, 60-day guarantee.