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Jan 17, 2024 · By Joanna Marie / Jan. 17, 2024 11:15 am EST. If you've spotted mysterious holes and tunnels in your yard, it's like stepping into a wildlife detective story. Each hole you see, varying in size and shape, is a clue pointing to different backyard critters, offering a small glimpse into their world.
- Moles
- Voles
- Crawfish
- Cicada Killer Wasps
- Ground-Nesting Bees
- Earthworms
- Grubs
- Identifying Unique Damage
- When to Call A Professional
- Timing Control Efforts
Moles create small, volcano-shaped dirt mounds tunneling below the surface. Tunnels are about 2 inches wide. Moles eat grubs and earthworms, damaging grass roots. Control moles with kill traps like scissors or harpoons. Repellents with castor oil or capsaicin may also deter moles. Reduce their food source by using grub-killing nematodes.
Voles bore 1 to 2-inch wide burrows near the lawn surface. They eat grass roots causing dead brown patches. Burrows have clean, beveled edges and surface runways. Trapping is most effectivefor voles. Poison baits are available but must be used carefully. Mowing your lawn short makes it less attractive to voles.
Crawfish dig 2-inch wide, 6 to 12-inch deep holes. Excavated dirt forms a mound around the hole. Crawfish eat plants, worms, and insects. Spreading insecticide over infested areas can reduce populations. Encouraging natural predators like birds helps too. Carefully fill holes to avoid colony collapse.
These large wasps dig 1/2-inch wide tunnels and insert cicadas as food for larvae. Holes go straight down and may have loose soil. Cicada killers rarely sting unless provoked. Control is usually unnecessary since they do not damage turf. Mark and avoid nesting areas for safety. Dust insecticides can kill wasps if control is needed.
Solitary bees dig 1/4-inch wide holes straight down into soil. Some form dense colonies with many close holes — watch for bees entering and exiting holes during daylight.
Earthworms leave small piles around 1/4 to 1/2 inch holes from pushing castings up while feeding. This disrupts grass growth but improves soil health. Reduce castings by avoiding over-fertilizing and irrigating which stimulates earthworms. Annually top dress lawns with compost to incorporate castings. Some insecticides also reduce populations.
Beetle larvae called grubs feed on grass roots, weakening and damaging turf. Animals like raccoons dig random, shallow holes searching for grubs. Apply beneficial nematodes or milky sporesin summer to kill grubs. Avoid excess nitrogen fertilization encouraging grubs. Let grass grow longer to encourage predators. Filling animal holes and planting gr...
For holes not matching those above, look for other clues like hole size, shape, and location. Also, look for chewed plants, clipped leaves, dug-up bulbs, or pulled grass. Unique damage may come from skunks, armadillos, rabbits, or ground squirrels. Once identified, solutions can target the specific pest. Call your County Extension Office if you are...
Severe infestations and dangerous pests like yellowjackets often require calling a professional pest control company. Though expensive, professionals have proper equipment and training to effectively and safely treat large nests that DIY methods may not solve. Professionals can also diagnose mysterious damage, spotting clues a homeowner may miss. T...
Know when pests are most active and vulnerable. For example, late summer and early fall are best for treating grubs with nematodes. Spring is optimal for trapping burrowing rodents. Identify holes as soon as you spot them within the same season they occur. This allows starting treatment before populations grow and damage worsens. A quick response a...
Jun 8, 2021 · If you are experiencing holes in your yard, there is a variety of things that could be causing them. Animals, children at play, rotten roots, flooding and irrigation problems are the usual suspects. Small holes in yards are generally from insects, invertebrates or burrowing rodents.
- Bonnie L. Grant
- Earthworm holes. Earthworms are tube-shaped, legless, segmented worms found in any healthy yard’s soil. They are a healthy part of the soil because they dig small holes that aerate the lawn as they turn over the soil to feed.
- Voles. Voles can also make holes in your yard; the best way to know the cause is to look out for the characteristics. You can detect their presence if there’s round rodent waste (droppings) with chewed grass clippings near the holes, then the culprit is voles.
- Gophers. Gophers can make mounds of dirt and dig up holes in a lawn overnight. Being vegetarian, you’ll also see signs of vegetation damage. They eat the roots and blades of your grass, and you’re likely to find some grass blades inside their tunnels.
- Moles. Moles hardly leave openings to their holes above the ground. They feed on grubs and other soil organisms, such as earthworms, and as such, they dig tunnels about 10 inches deep beneath the surface of your yard.
- Birds. If you are very observant, you may see small holes as if something was poked into the ground, but no mounds or loose soil. These are probably caused by birds looking for food.
- Earthworms. If the soil in your yard has a healthy population of earthworms, you may find 1-inch high piles of small, granular pellets of soil. These castings were passed through the body of earthworms the night before and were brought to the surface as tunnels were cleared.
- Insects. There are many insects that spend the winter in the soil, during which time they transform from a larva into an adult. In the spring and early summer, especially after a rain, you may see nickel-size holes caused by their emergence.
- Solitary Bees. There are also insects that prefer to live in the ground during their adult stage. Many bees, for example, are solitary and will dig cylindrical tunnels in loose soil as they create chambers for egg-laying.
Feb 2, 2024 · When wondering what animal digs holes in the yard, homeowners may discover that groundhogs, voles, or gophers might be the culprits. Groundhog holes are medium-size holes or burrows that lead...
Mar 14, 2022 · Holes in yards or lawns are pretty normal, some common causes are: small earthworms. voles. moles. rats. gophers. insects. chipmunks and squirrels. armadillos. birds. crayfish. pets. children. Navigation show. Causes of Holes in Your Lawn. Finding the cause is your first step. Knowing who is digging holes helps you regulate and control your lawn.
