You wake up one morning to find what looks like an animal has dug holes in your yard. You don’t know what it is, so you call a local wildlife expert for help. After talking on the phone with them for about 30 minutes, they finally say that it’s most likely a raccoon. Now, what do you do? This blog post will provide all the information you need to get rid of the pesky pest invading your yard!
Figuring Out What Animal Is Digging Holes In Your Yard
Do you have a camera that records your yard? Then simply watch the recorded footage to see the pest that’s digging holes on your property. On the other hand, if you don’t have a camera, then the only way to figure out the answer to your question is by looking for clues.
Here are seven animals that are popular for digging holes — and the clues they leave behind
1. Groundhogs
Groundhogs are the most likely culprits if you find large dirt mounds all over your lawn leave. These burrowing pests leave a few telltale signs behind, including droppings and what looks like mud on your grass blades. If you don’t spot any of those clues in your yard, then it’s probably not groundhogs that have been digging up holes on your property.
2. Skunks
Skunks are another creature popular for invading yards. They, too, leave behind droppings and sometimes damage gardens and plants. The telltale sign that a skunk dug up the hole in your yard is that the hole is large with smooth edges.
3. Moles
Moles are another creature that leaves behind telltale clues when it is digging. Namely, their tunnels. So look for raised mounds of dirt and long, winding tunnels in your yard to determine if moles have been the ones wreaking havoc.
4. Voles
Voles are also responsible for what looks like a mole tunnel or hole in your yard. Vole tunnels, however, look different from what you’d expect from moles. For one thing, they’re usually closer together and smaller than what you might imagine a typical mole tunnel would be like.
One more clue that voles have been digging holes on your property is if the edges of the hole aren’t smooth — that’s because their feet can grip grass blades better to help them move underground more easily.
5. Wasps
Wasps digging what looks like holes in your yard can be a sign of danger. Wasps typically build their nests underground. So what you’re seeing is actually not a hole but the opening to one of these nests.
This means that there’s an active wasp nest in or near your yard — and they could come out at any given moment! If this has been going on for some time now, then it’ll be best to call pest control right away before things get worse.
6. Raccoons
Raccoons are probably tied with groundhogs as the most common culprits of holes in yards. They’re often attracted to areas where there’s food, like compost piles or pet food bowls.
So what kind of clues can you look for to determine if a raccoon is the one who’s been digging up your yard? One sign is that the hole is deep and has a pile of dirt nearby. Additionally, you might see footprints around the hole or evidence of what they’ve been eating like overturned trash cans.
7. Pocket Gophers
Pocket gophers are yet another creature that can dig what looks like holes in your yard. This is especially true if you live in the Midwest or near the Rockies, where these pests thrive best.
One way to tell if pocket gophers have been digging up your property is if there are mounds of dirt with grass growing through it near the hole. They also leave behind an obvious hole about half a foot wide and deep enough for them to fit into comfortably.
Taking the Necessary Steps to Stop Animals from Digging Holes In Your Yard
If you know which animal is digging holes in your yard, then simply use repellents that are known to keep them away. But in case you can’t find out the identity of the invader, here are the steps you can take to keep any and all pests away from your yard.
1. Seed Regularly
Seeding your yard regularly is one approach to prevent animals from digging holes there. They won’t be interested in anything other than grass as there will be nothing else growing underground or above ground. This technique works best for little mouse and chipmunk burrows. It also prevents rabbits, but not foxes, who are generally too big for this method to work.
2. Use Humane Traps
If you want to capture animals who are digging holes in your yard without injuring them, use a humane trap that gets the job done without harming the animal. After they’ve been caught, notify the animal control authorities and leave it up to them what to do next.
3. Throw the Grub Away
Another method to prevent animals from digging holes in your yard is to kill the grubs. This can be done by applying a powder or liquid that prevents them from maturing healthy enough for development. The only disadvantage to this method is that if you don’t know how to do it, you’ll probably need help from a pest control service.
4. Use a Fence
When animals can’t find a simple way in, they depart. As a result, obtaining a fence or another physical barrier can assist decrease the number of animals that enter your yard.
This solution is ideal for households with pets since fences allow your pets to roam outdoors while preventing them from getting out of the property.
5. Use Cayenne Pepper
Applying cayenne pepper to your yard is another approach to keeping animals from digging holes there. The animal will detect it and avoid returning due to its strong spicy smell.
6. Use Soap and Water
Keeping animals away by applying soap and water to your yard is one of the simplest methods. Just like cayenne pepper, animals dislike the scents of dish soap or any other cleanser.
7. Use Beneficial Nemetodes
What are nematodes, you ask? They are microscopic worms that prey on garden pests like grubs and other larvae. They’re a fantastic choice since they kill the grubs and other larvae that dig holes in your yard, allowing them to decompose — which makes them a double win for you because they eliminate grubs while improving your soil quality.
Wrapping Up
No matter which pest invades your yard, if you take the steps discussed in this post, you will be able to keep them away. Before you close this tab, drop a comment below mentioning the step you believe will work best for your yard. Also, if you can think of any other ways of keeping animals from digging holes in someone’s yard, please share that as well.
