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Most types of lizards are active during warm summer daylight, especially when temperatures rise above 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Some lizards take cover under rocks or burrows on sweltering days to escape the heat, reemerging in the cooler afternoon. It is important to note that lizards are cold-blooded creatures that depend on their environment to regulate their body temperature.

Voles are attracted to areas with lots of vegetation that they can hide in. Since they eat mostly grasses, tubers, and bulbs, a robust garden can attract voles that wouldn’t have looked twice at a barren rock garden. Voles also like to hide out in dense ground cover, so that can attract them as well.

Like many animals, gophers are bothered by strong scents. Peppermint oil, eucalyptus oil,  and coffee grounds can be used as deterrents against these pests. Similarly, you can try planting lavender, rosemary, sage, geraniums, or pine trees, as these plants all have strong smells that can ward away gophers. While it may be less pleasant to work with, coyote urine scares gophers by tricking the pests into thinking your yard is a predator hot spot.

Groundhogs love to eat a variety of plant matter. This includes beans, peas, sunflowers, tender greens such as leafy vegetables, clover, dandelion, and alfalfa, and sweet fruits such as apples and berries. Groundhogs eat up to a pound and a half of plant matter each day, so household gardens often become their prime target.