Groundhog
Groundhog Day is celebrated every year on February 2, and in 2021, it falls on Tuesday. It’s a day when townsfolk in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, gather in Gobbler’s Knob to watch as an unsuspecting furry marmot is plucked from his burrow to predict the weather for the rest of the winter. If Phil does see his shadow (meaning the Sun is shining), winter will not end early, and we’ll have another 6 weeks left of it. If Phil doesn’t see his shadow (cloudy) we’ll have an early spring. Since Punxsutawney Phil first began prognosticating the weather back in 1887, he has predicted an early end to winter
only 18 times. However, his accuracy rate is only 39%. In the south, we call also defer to General Beauregard Lee in Atlanta, Georgia or Pardon Me Pete in Tampa, Florida.
But, what is a groundhog? Are gophers and groundhogs the same animal? Despite their similar appearances and burrowing habits, groundhogs and gophers don’t have a whole lot in common—they don’t even belong to the same family. For example, gophers belong to the family Geomyidae, a group that includes pocket gophers, kangaroo rats, and pocket mice. Groundhogs, meanwhile, are members of the Sciuridae (meaning shadow-tail) family and belong to the genus Marmota. Marmots are diurnal ground squirrels. There are 15 species of marmot, and groundhogs are one of them.
Science aside, there are plenty of other visible differences between the two animals. Gophers, for example, have hairless tails, protruding yellow or brownish teeth, and fur-lined cheek pockets for storing food—all traits that make them different from groundhogs. The feet of gophers are often pink, while groundhogs have brown or black feet. And while the tiny gopher tends to weigh around two or so pounds, groundhogs can grow to around 13 pounds.
While both types of rodent eat mostly vegetation, gophers prefer roots and tubers while groundhogs like vegetation and fruits. This means that the former animals rarely emerge from their burrows, while the latter are more commonly seen out and about. In the spring, gophers make what is called eskers, or winding mounds of soil. The southeastern pocket gopher, Geomys pinetis, is also known as the sandy-mounder in Florida.
Southeastern Pocket Gopher
The southeastern pocket gopher is tan to gray-brown in color. The feet and naked tail are light colored. The southeastern pocket gopher requires deep, well-drained sandy soils. It is most abundant in longleaf pine/turkey oak sandhill habitats, but it is also found in coastal strand, sand pine scrub, and upland hammock habitats.
Gophers dig extensive tunnel systems and are rarely seen on the surface. The average tunnel length is 145 feet (44 m) and at least one tunnel was followed for 525 feet (159 m). The soil gophers remove while digging their tunnels is pushed to the surface to form the characteristic rows of sand mounds. Mound building seems to be more intense during the cooler months, especially spring and fall, and slower in the summer. In the spring, pocket gophers push up 1-3 mounds per day. Based on mound construction, gophers seem to be more active at night and around dusk and dawn, but they may be active at any time of day.
Pocket Gopher Mounds
Many amphibians and reptiles use pocket gopher mounds as homes, including Florida’s unique mole skinks. The pocket gopher tunnels themselves serve as habitat for many unique invertebrates found nowhere else.
So, groundhogs for guesses on the arrival of spring. But, when the pocket gophers are making lots of mounds, spring is truly here. Happy Groundhog’s Day.
Latest posts by Sheila Dunning (see all)
FAQs
If you're still scratching your head about which interloper you're dealing with, start by taking a look at the tail: gophers' tails are hairless and thin, like a rat's; groundhogs' tails are thick and bushy.
Was it a groundhog or gopher in Caddyshack? ›
Bill Murray played the hilarious golf course groundskeeper in "Caddyshack," determined to keep a pesky gopher from ruining his lush fairways. He will play a similar role in "Bill Murray and Brian Doyle Murray's Extra Innings," an unscripted series that debuts Monday on Facebook, Entertainment Weekly reported.
Is it a problem to have a groundhog in your yard? ›
Besides eating your garden, a groundhog's digging can damage a home's foundation, dislodge a retaining wall and create holes large enough for your mower to fall into. A common problem on farmsteads is livestock or people breaking their legs when they step into a groundhog hole.
How do you get rid of groundhogs and gophers? ›
Natural Ways to Get Rid of Groundhogs
- Lay Down Kitty Litter (Most Effective) Cats are natural groundhog predators. ...
- Try Epsom Salt. ...
- Spray a Commercial Repellent. ...
- Set Up Motion-Detecting Water Sprinklers. ...
- Install Row Covers and Fencing. ...
- Trap and Relocate Them. ...
- Get Rid of Groundhog Nests. ...
- Use Natural Scent of Herbs and Spices.
Wide teeth marks on plants, fruit, and bark. Burrow entrances next to piles of dirt. Deep burrow holes in the lawn.
Do groundhogs dig holes in your yard? ›
The groundhog digs holes in your yard, garden, or dirt areas to look for food during the spring months. It can create problems when they dig under your foundation or wall, causing it to crack and crumble over time.
Do groundhogs share the same hole? ›
A groundhog hole may have an adult groundhog one day and be empty the next. Or, it may be home to an entirely different species another day like an opossum, raccoon, or skunk.
Did I see a groundhog or a beaver? ›
Beavers have wide, flattened tails, while groundhogs have short, fluffy ones. However, there are plenty of other ways to tell them apart: Size – Groundhogs typically weigh about 3 kg, while beavers, North America's largest native rodent, can weigh up to 32kg. The world's largest rodent is the capybara.
Is Punxsutawney Phil a marmot or groundhog? ›
The annual event dates to 1887 when a group of groundhog hunters first dubbed themselves "The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club" and proclaimed Punxsutawney Phil to be the one-and-only weather prognosticating groundhog. Since then, thousands of people gather each February 2 to watch the groundhog emerge.
What do groundhogs hate the most? ›
What do groundhogs hate the most? Groundhogs hate the smells of pepper, garlic, rosemary, lavender, cayenne, talcum powder, basil, chives, mint, sage, thyme and oregano.
Groundhogs hate the taste of Epsom salts. Sprinkle them around the perimeter of your garden and near burrow entrances and exits. You may also try placing a tin pie plate filled with the salts near the plants.
Should I fill in a groundhog hole? ›
Groundhog (woodchuck) holes can be eyesores in your lawn and cause damage to your plants and property. While plugging holes is a great control technique, groundhogs may dig themselves out and create new holes unless you take extra measures.
What is groundhog's worst enemy? ›
The primary predators of groundhogs are hawks, foxes, coyotes, bobcats, dogs and humans. However, motorized vehicles kill many groundhogs each year.
Does Irish Spring Soap keep groundhogs away? ›
All you have to do is keep the soap in the wrapper, punch holes through the paper, then place the bar of Irish Spring at the entrance to their den. This little trick allegedly keeps groundhogs away.
Is it safe to pick up a groundhog? ›
The Bottom Line About Catching Groundhogs
They can be trapped and moved to a new location or eliminated, if you prefer. If you're considering catching a groundhog, make sure to wear proper safety equipment like thick gloves and do research on the trapping or exterminating laws in your area.
Do groundhogs try to get in your house? ›
Additionally, groundhogs can get into your property and set up shop in your basem*nt!
How do you identify a gopher? ›
The gopher's body parts help a great deal for identification. Gophers have large, clawed paws for digging, small ears and eyes, a short, sparsely haired tail, a relatively flat head, are brownish to blackish in color and range in size from 4-18 inches.
