Top 3 Signs of Moles to Look For
October 1, 2025
Telling the difference between a gopher and a mole can be tricky since they both leave behind piles of dirt. Let’s get into some easy ways to identify moles and their activity!
1. The shape and location of the mounds
Moles dig differently than gophers do so their mounds are going to look different!
As you can see these mounds are tall and the dirt is chunky. This is because moles basically bulldoze their way through the soil which causes the dirt to erupt out of the ground in this shape.
Another easy way to tell if it’s a mole is not just these tall mounds but also mounds appearing along the edges of things like pavers, bender boards, etc.
2. Lack of plant damage
Moles are carnivorous so they do not eat our plants! They are going after bugs and other invertebrates that live in the soil. They may dig near plants to get to these bugs and disrupt the roots but they will never eat the plants themselves.
3. Activity seen all throughout property
Moles create far more expansive tunnel systems than gophers do. They can actually dig up to 17ft/hour so they can cover the length of a football field in a day! This means that if you are seeing these kinds of mounds in multiple areas on your property it could still just be a single mole. They will often go between the front and back yards or even your yards and any nearby open space.