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Protect Your Lawn
Gopher & Mole Control
Humane trapping and removal to protect your lawn.
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California's Most Damaging Lawn Pests
Identify Your Pest
Pocket Gopher
Size:6–8 inches long
Color:Brown fur matching local soil color
Key Fact:Creates crescent-shaped dirt mounds; tunnels up to 6 feet deep
Mole
Size:5–7 inches long
Color:Gray to dark brown velvety fur
Key Fact:Digs up to 18 feet per hour with paddle-like front paws
Vole
Size:4–6 inches long
Color:Brown to gray, mouse-like with short tail
Key Fact:Creates surface runways through grass; reproduces rapidly
Self-Service
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Skip the phone queue -- schedule your pest inspection in under 60 seconds, 24/7.
Pick Your Time
Choose a date that works
Instant Confirmation
No waiting for callbacks
No Obligation
Free estimates included
Prepare for Your Appointment
1
Flag Active Mounds
Mark active mound locations with small flags or stakes so your technician can quickly identify problem areas.
2
Note the Timeline
Record when new mounds first appeared and how quickly they've spread. This helps assess activity levels.
3
Water Your Yard Lightly
Lightly water the day before your appointment. Moist soil makes tunnels easier to locate and treat.
4
Keep Pets Inside
Keep pets indoors during treatment for their well-being and to let the technician work uninterrupted.
5
Clear the Treatment Area
Remove garden tools, hoses, and other items from areas near active mounds for full technician access.
6
Photograph the Damage
Take photos of garden or landscape damage. This helps your technician understand the scope immediately.
Your technician will guide you on arrival.
🔍 Did You Know?
Signs of Gopher or Mole Activity
Crescent-shaped dirt mounds indicate gophers, while raised surface ridges signal moles. Wilting or dying plants, uneven ground, and holes appearing overnight are all telltale signs of burrowing pest activity in your yard.
What Attracts Them to Your Yard
Gophers are drawn to gardens, flower beds, and root-heavy lawns. Moles follow grubs, earthworms, and other soil insects. Well-irrigated, nutrient-rich lawns provide an ideal habitat for both pests.
Property Damage Risks
Gophers destroy plant roots, vegetable gardens, and irrigation lines. Mole tunnels undermine lawns, sidewalks, and driveways. A single gopher can move over a ton of soil per year, causing serious landscape and structural damage.
When They're Most Active
Gophers and moles are active year-round in California, but tunneling increases in spring and fall when soil is moist and easy to dig. You may notice more mounds after rain or irrigation.
Why DIY Methods Often Fail
Vibration stakes, flooding, and gas cartridges rarely work—gophers seal off tunnels and moles simply dig new routes. Without locating the main tunnel system, store-bought traps are usually placed incorrectly and miss the target entirely.
When to Call a Professional
If you see fresh mounds appearing daily, plants dying without explanation, or your irrigation system keeps breaking, it's time for professional help. Early intervention prevents extensive lawn and landscape damage that becomes costly to repair.
✅ What You Can Do
Install Gopher Wire
Place galvanized gopher wire mesh under new lawns, raised beds, and around valuable plants to block root access.
Use Gopher Baskets
Plant trees and shrubs inside wire baskets to protect root systems. Especially effective for newly planted landscaping.
Reduce Grubs in Your Lawn
Moles follow their food. Treating your lawn for grubs and soil insects makes it less attractive to hungry moles.
Act at the First Mound
Don't wait for extensive damage. Call a professional the moment you spot fresh mounds or raised tunnels.
Plant Natural Deterrents
Gophers dislike gopher spurge, lavender, rosemary, and daffodils. Planting these around garden beds can discourage tunneling.
Encourage Natural Predators
Install owl nesting boxes to attract barn owls, which consume up to 1,000 rodents per year per family.
⚠️ What to Avoid
Don't Flood Tunnels
Pouring water into tunnels rarely works—they simply dig new passages. It wastes water and can destabilize your lawn.
Skip the Gopher Bombs
Gas cartridges are largely ineffective—gophers quickly seal off tunnels. They also pose a risk to pets and children.
Avoid Harsh Poisons Near Pets
Strong rodenticides risk secondary poisoning if pets eat a poisoned gopher. Professional trapping is the family-friendly alternative.
Don't Trust Vibration Devices
Solar-powered vibration stakes and ultrasonic repellers have no proven effectiveness. Studies show gophers quickly ignore them.
Moles vs. Gophers
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Mole Control
Surface tunnels damage your lawn's health and appearance.
- 🪱 Feed on grubs, worms, underground insects
- 🕳️ Create surface tunnels and molehills
- 🌿 Eco-friendly rodenticide bait treatment
- 🪤 Humane trapping methods
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Gopher Control
Deep tunnels destroy root systems and damage landscaping.
- 🌱 Feed on plant roots and vegetation
- 🕳️ Create crescent-shaped dirt mounds
- 🪤 Humane trapping (no harsh poisons)
- 🐕 Pet-friendly approach
Our Treatment Approach
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Thorough Inspection
Map tunnel systems and identify the burrowing pest.
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Humane Trapping
Gentle trapping with no harsh chemicals.
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Eco-Friendly Baits
Eco-friendly bait that mimics natural food sources.
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Ongoing Monitoring
Follow-up visits to keep your lawn protected.
Protect Your Investment
Early intervention prevents extensive lawn damage.
6ft
Depth of gopher tunnels
18hrs
Moles dig per day
100%
Satisfaction guaranteed
Humane & Family-Friendly
We use trapping over harsh rodenticides to protect your pets and family.
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Pet-Friendly Methods
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EcoWise Certified
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Family-Friendly
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Diamond Certified
Save Your Lawn from Damage!
Serving Marin, Sonoma, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa & Solano Counties
Schedule Free Quote (833) ECO-ATCO