A Guide to Common Backyard Pests in California
August 1, 2025
We only handle three specific critters: gophers, moles, and voles – but there a few other commonly found pests that can cause disturbances to your yards!
First let’s go over the common signs of the critters that we handle:
- Gophers: live underground, create lopsided/crescent shaped mounds of dirt, eat the roots of plants
- Moles: live underground, create large volcanic mounds, often tunnel along edges of walkways or other hard surfaces, carnivorous so they will not eat your plants
- Voles: mostly live underground, they leave behind small clean, open holes, also eat plants, are a type of mouse
Now, what are some of the other animals we commonly get calls about?
Rats or Mice
While we do take care of a kind of mouse we don’t handle all mice and rats. This is primarily because they are also considered indoor pests. Rats do often create outdoor nests that some customers think may be gopher or mole activity but rats don’t dig the same way that those critters do so rats won’t leave behind the telltale pushed up mounds of dirt.
We do have a referral that can help take care of current infestations and help prevent future indoor infestations! They are called C & T Rodent Control and they service Contra Costa County. If you live outside of that county we recommend checking with neighbors or your local Nextdoor site for referrals!
Raccoons
We get a lot of calls about what turns out to be raccoon activity in the late summer and early fall. Raccoons will begin digging and pulling up lawns in search of food like grubs. Raccoon activity will look like something came through and literally pulled up sections of lawn instead of the pushed up dirt like gophers and moles.
We also don’t deal with these guys but we often refer customers to a company called Animal Damage Control to help with them and other bigger animals!
Squirrels
Ground Squirrels
We used to offer services for ground squirrels but we no longer do because of a bill that passed earlier this year in California (you can read more here). Ground squirrels leave behind huge burrows, often on hillsides or near trees but they can burrow near foundations, driveways, and other structural elements.
While we no longer take care of these critters we do have a referral that can help, they’re called McCauley Agricultural.
Tree Squirrels
Tree squirrels don’t often cause too many issues but they can get into attics and chimneys or eat desirable plants. They are also fairly protected so it can be difficult to take care of them.
Tree squirrels will also sometimes bury little nuts and seeds in the ground that can look like other critter activity. If you dig around a little you’ll find what they buried and find that it doesn’t connect to a bigger tunnel system.
Animal Damage Control does also offer some services for them if you find yourself in need of assistance!