Know Your Varmints

Gophers are vegetarians, probably even vegans if we think about it. They build tunnel systems underground and stuff them full of grass and vegetables they harvest right at ground level. They don't range far, but they can be numerous. Their dirt piles kill grass, and they'll take entire vegetable gardens down from below, just like you see in cartoons. They can kill trees and roses if they have enough time to eat the roots.

Moles are fascinating. Strictly carnivorous and having the activity level of hummingbirds, they are in constant motion in search of bugs. They don't eat your plants, but they can accidentally disrupt irrigation and roots with their relentless tunneling. They never come out in the open. Their front feet are huge digging paddles, and their fur has no "wrong way" to rub it, so they can scurry forward and backward easily in a tight tunnel. They range widely in a short time and can push up tremendous volumes of soil in unsightly circular mounds. They have a habit of tracking along curbs and patio edges.

Meadow voles (sometimes called field mice) are small mice that live in communal tunnel systems in lawns and planting beds. They are prolific breeders and total busybodies, wearing paths in the ground between their holes and their foraging grounds. They feed on grass and plants near the ground. They will harvest their favorite plants by chewing through them just above ground level. Where a gopher would plug his hole when he's done feeding or venting dirt, voles leave the golfball-sized holes open. Other than the open holes, their most notable indicators are the runways they make in a lawn.

Members of the mink family, skunks are  skilled diggers. During winter and spring, the females often nest under houses or decks to have their young. Dog owners know the heartbreak of having to clean up Rover when he's gotten too close. Skunks aren't climbers, so it's possible to keep them out of your yard with a fence that comes tightly down to the ground, even if it isn't very tall.

Fun Fact: skunks' spray is an eye irritant.  Its smell is of no value to the skunk and really just a side effect of its chemical makeup. They deliberately aim for the eyes. If you find yourself cornered, hide your face and they probably won't fire. Now explain that to your dog!

Raccoons are vandals. Our urban customers call them "trash pandas". They aren't pandas, nor baboons, nor honey badgers, but they are ferocious and fearless. They will eat worms, grubs, small vertebrates, and berries. In a yard, they can be a nuisance in the dry season by tearing up irrigated lawns to find a meal underneath. They can roll up a newly sodded lawn like a carpet, night after night. With their power and monkey-like hands, almost no fence can keep them out, so exclusion from a yard is almost impossible . If they break into your walls or attic, it's a major worry. They love a pond or pool to keep their hands clean so they can feel what it is they pick up in the dark.

 Never let your dog fight one.

In the Bay Area, the ground squirrels we have look a lot like tree squirrels and are nearly as big, but they have taller, bobcat-style ears. They are very active during the daytime, so if you have them around, you've probably seen them. The biggest problem they pose is their burrowing. They dig dens with open entrances that easily become craters in athletic fields. They are also notorious for undermining foundations of buildings. These are different animals than the chipmunk-style ground squirrels you see in the Sierra Nevada.