Small holes in front yard

geeco1

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jul 16, 2009
Messages
373
OK, all of you yard/pest guru's, help me out here. This year, I have noticed that I have hundreds of holes in my front yard. Each hole is about 1 inch in diameter, maybe a little more. On many holes, I can see a wear pattern where "something" has been going in and out of the hole. This is the first year that I have ever had this. I don't think that they are moles, as they don't have the tell-tell mole run and hills (although I do have a few of those, but I have my own way of dealing with moles:D). I would say snakes, but that would be ALOT of snakes:eek: They don't have the "mud tower" like crawdads. Help!!

Any thoughts???
 

jlinder

Lieutenant Junior Grade
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Jul 5, 2004
Messages
1,086
Re: Small holes in front yard

When I lived up north I had a similar problem with Voles. (similar to moles) The cure was something called milky spore disease which is a power you spread on the lawn. Does not hurt the grass but makes the voles leave.
 

scooper77515

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Sep 3, 2010
Messages
747
Re: Small holes in front yard

Do you have squirrels? We recently got squirrels in our yard. Three of them, sometimes 5, and all of a sudden, holes like you describe.

They are burying all the nuts and treats we set out for them. They don't always fill the holes back in completely, leaving a thumb sized, knuckle- to 2-knuckle-deep hole.
 

jeeperman

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Aug 2, 2001
Messages
1,513
Re: Small holes in front yard

Snakes do not make their own holes.
Gophers?

The neighbors kid walking around your yard at 3am with a horseshoes stake just to drive you crazy.
 

LippCJ7

Vice Admiral
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Sep 20, 2010
Messages
5,431
Re: Small holes in front yard

Voles, better go get some poison bait, now that they have discovered your little party they will be back regularly poison bait is what works best drop a little bit (almond size) down as many holes as you can. If you have snow sitting on the ground for awhile you get a real good idea of the highway system they make in your lawn when the snow melts off
 

OldePharte

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 17, 2008
Messages
633
Re: Small holes in front yard

We too have, for the first time, found dozens of small (about quarter to half-dollar) sized holes about 3 to 4 inches deep. I sent photos to the Mo Dept of Conservation for their input. But an internet search led me to think that they are from armadillos, opossums, or skunks. All look for grubs and dig to get at them.

And yes, for all you southerners, we do have armadillos this far north.
 

j_k_bisson

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Oct 6, 2010
Messages
1,082
Re: Small holes in front yard

Did you get your yard airated? lol Just joking, no Idea what made them. But have you did not have to pay the kids that come by every year with those messy machines.....
 

scooper77515

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Sep 3, 2010
Messages
747
Re: Small holes in front yard

take a picture of the hole and post it here.

I will post pics of my hole (man, that sounds HORRIBLE!) and see if they look the same. I know for a fact mine are from squirrels, as i watch them dig them.

We are under severe drought conditions right now, so the holes may look a little different, but you should be able to get the gist of it.
 

highcountry

Seaman
Joined
Aug 11, 2008
Messages
50
Re: Small holes in front yard

All I can say is if it turns out to be night crawlers leaving 1" around holes you can send me some and your going to make a fortune.
 

mommicked

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Dec 15, 2009
Messages
1,700
Re: Small holes in front yard

Squirrel holes usually end in 3 or five inches, where they buried acorns and hickory nuts in the fall.Moles and Voles dig tunnels that go on forever in soft soils.
 

Fireman431

Rear Admiral
Joined
Sep 17, 2007
Messages
4,292
Re: Small holes in front yard

Your children are screwing with you. They were poking holes in the yard with the handle of a wooden spoon...watching dad go nuts fixing an issue that wasn't there.
 

cribber

Lieutenant
Joined
May 29, 2008
Messages
1,338
Re: Small holes in front yard

We have crows in our yard that make the same type holes looking for grubs... looks almost like thr holes squirrels dig.
 

geeco1

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jul 16, 2009
Messages
373
Re: Small holes in front yard

I'll try to get a picture in the next day or two. I don't think that they are squirrels because they go in at an angle and go pretty deep. On some of them, the grass is worn down where whatever it is, comes and goes. I am thinking voles also. I never had them that I know of. I probably have 1000 holes :(
 

rbh

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Mar 21, 2009
Messages
7,939
Re: Small holes in front yard

LOOK, if they are dew worms/night crawlers, take two ground rods beat them into the ground 20 feet apart, find a big "CAT" battery (you do know what I mean???) get some jumper cabes that will strech between the poles.

Soak the ground good, put on a good pair of rubber boots, attach the jumper cables!!!

and look for the little squiglers!!!!!


WILL ALSO MAKE FURRY RODENTS JUMP!!! :D
 

NoKlu

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Feb 23, 2008
Messages
786
Re: Small holes in front yard

That's how they invented that game whack a mole.
 

scooper77515

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Sep 3, 2010
Messages
747
Re: Small holes in front yard

Yeah, the squirrel holes aren't very deep. Just half a finger deep or so, so if yours are deeper...
 

greenbush future

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Aug 28, 2009
Messages
1,814
Re: Small holes in front yard

My guess is shunks looking for grubs. Very comon here in Michigan and if you can get rid of the grubs your stinker goes away too. Voles are up here too but because they are bug eaters I dont mind them at all, dont have that many of them anyways. In more moist conditions I get crayfish that dig holes about the size you speak of, but they go much deeper that 3-6 inches and they do have what they excavate around the top of the hole.
 
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