Homeowner makes a troubling discovery while walking around their backyard: 'These just popped up over night'

A homeowner had a scary realization just as spooky season was around the corner: An unexpected guest had moved into their garden. 

"Help! I'm being invaded!" they implored on Reddit's r/gardening. "I think this might be mole hills? … What can I do to get rid of them? These just popped up over night."

Dozens of Reddit users weighed in, and they mostly believed the critter was a gopher. 

"That is a gopher, not a mole. The 2nd pic is a perfect example of the horseshoe shaped mounds they make as opposed to moles where it's more of a volcano with the hole directly in the middle," one commenter wrote. 

At first, one might think a gopher's role in aerating the soil and improving its health would be a boon for anyone lucky enough to have one move in. However, a "single gopher can ruin a garden in a short time," according to the University of California's IPM program. Their gnawing ways can also damage irrigation lines, sprinkler systems, and other infrastructure. 

"Oh boy, this has me triggered, and I feel so sorry for you," another Redditor shared. "These look like pocket gophers, they are terrible. They almost crumbled the foundation [on] my home. It took over a year to get rid of these things."

In fact, the user said they eventually needed to call in a gopher expert to deal with the situation. 

Other Redditors jokingly suggested another alternative. 

"You even seen Caddy shack? Try that," one said. 

"Gophers not golfers!" another quipped. 

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Still, others offered more practical advice.

"The best non-lethal defense I've found for moles is planting marigolds as a border plant. They hate the stuff. I still get moles, but they stay out of my garden beds," someone advised. 

"Seems a lot of critters hate them," another agreed. 

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