Moles vs. gophers
- To: "'perennials@mallorn.com'" <perennials@mallorn.com>
- Subject: Moles vs. gophers
- From: "* S* <S*@lhs.org>
- Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1998 08:01:02 -0700
A comment..... If the little furry varmints ate your bulbs, what you
probably have is gophers, not moles.
Moles are primarily carnivorous, and 99% of their diet consists of
earthworms, insects, grubs, etc. They only rarely eat any type of
vegetation. the main damage they do in gardens, besides the visible
"mounds", comes when their burrowing exposes roots or tips plants over.
Gophers, on the other hands, are rabid vegetarians. These are the guys
that will, literally, suck an entire plant underground, leaving only a
hole. They love to munch on plants, roots, bulbs, etc, and have
voracious appetites.
In general, gophers cause a lot more problem in gardens than do moles.
In moderation, moles can even do a fair amount of good, re: their
ability to move and aerate soil.
If either rodent is such a serious problem in your yard that you are
planning a campaign of eradication, it's important to know which one
you've got.
(I keep trying to get Ernie the poodle interested in digging for moles,
but he just won't 'bite.')
Sue P.
SPesznec@lhs.org Portland, Oregon
(USDA zone 8, Sunset zone 6)
> I ordered from Breck's about ten years ago.
> I recall they sent nice, beautiful, bulbs and have a
> great guarantee policy. After about two years, the
> moles around here loved most of them and gave them
> the thumbs up, said they were wonderful for late-night
> snacks.
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