Here’s how to figure out what’s destroying your lawn.

It’s annoying to discover unsightly holes, mounds, or tunnels in your lawn or garden beds. But figuring out what’s excavating without your permission isn’t straightforward. “There’s some sleuthing required,” says Robert Pierce, PhD, associate professor and state extension fisheries and wildlife specialist at the University of Missouri. “You’ll need to gather information to figure out what might be causing the damage.”

Before you spend time and money to control an issue, make sure you’re correctly identifying the offender because management techniques vary for different animals. “It’s really a process of an elimination,” says Mike Mengak, PhD, professor emeritus and wildlife specialist at the University of Georgia. “You may have 20 possible culprits that can be narrowed down to the two or three of the most likely suspects.”

While a game cam is an option, you may not necessarily capture images of the creature that’s doing the damage, especially if it is a small animal such as a chipmunk or vole. And there’s always a chance that you are guessing incorrectly. “It could just be your neighbor’s dog,” says Mengak. “You can’t overlook the obvious.”

Here’s what information to gather when you’re trying to figure out what’s digging in your yard, according to Pierce and Mengak:

Meet The Experts

Robert Pierce, PhD, is an associate professor and state extension fisheries and wildlife specialist at the University of Missouri.
Mike Mengak, PhD, is professor emeritus and wildlife specialist at the University of Georgia.

What Wildlife Lives In Your Area?

The first step is to know what animals live in your region. Your local university coop extension service (find yours here) is a great starting place to learn about local wildlife issues.

Where is the damage observed?

Is the damage in an area that’s a grassy meadow, along a tree line at the back of your property, or in the middle of your landscaped beds? Knowing what kind of habitat certain types of wildlife prefer can help with identification.

What time of year is it?

Certain damage is more prevalent during specific seasons. For example, denning mothers may be more inclined to dig out a space where they can raise their babies in the spring.

What time of day does the damage occur?

Animals have a time of day when they’re most active. If you wake up to find scratched up garden beds or lawns, it’s not a turkey, for example, because they roost in trees to stay out of danger from predators overnight.

How does the hole or damage look?

Take note the shape of the hole (flat or raised?), whether or not soil is mounded up, and the size (a quarter or a soccer ball?), which are all clues to the animal responsible.

Are there tracks or droppings near the damage?

This isn’t always easy to see, but the Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management offers information on identifying tracks and animal droppings, which may be helpful for figuring out potential culprits.

Common Animals That Dig Holes In Yards

There are many different critters who may be digging up your lawn and garden, but here are a few of the most common in the Southeast, according to Pierce and Mengak:

Armadillos

Armadillos burrow in forest areas, but their damage usually consists of dozens of shallow holes a few inches deep in your yard or garden. You also may see three-toed tracks with claw marks. Armadillos are nocturnal but occasionally move around during the day.

Groundhogs

Groundhogs prefer to live near pastures, along the edges of woods, or under sheds or structures. Their main burrow entrance is 10 to 12-inch diameter hole with burrow systems that are 30 feet in length. They’re active during the day.

Moles

Moles are insectivores, tunneling to find food. They leave behind distinctive raised ridges of soil that appear above their tunnels, which are 5 or more inches below the ground surface. You’ll see long, straight travel tunnels and tunnels that zig-zag around, as well as the occasional volcano-like mound of soil, which is 2 to 12 inches tall. They feed day and night because all that tunneling requires a lot of calories to sustain.

Voles

Vole damage is often confused for mole damage. However, voles may be spotted occasionally, while moles, which spend most of their lives underground, are seldom seen. Voles, which are herbivores, construct surface or underground runways in areas of heavy ground cover. They live in colonies and can have runways about one to two inches wide, with four to five flat entrance holes to the burrows concentrated in a small area. Voles feed and tunnel day and night.

Raccoons

Raccoons are clever, opportunistic feeders, eating whatever’s readily available, including plant and animal matter, garbage, pet food, bird seed, vegetable gardens, and eggs from chicken coops. They also may neatly lift and flip sod over with their front paws, and they may enlarge existing holes to create a new den. They’re mostly active at night but also forage at dawn and dusk.

Rodents

Many different types of rodents may be digging up your yard, including squirrels, chipmunks, and even rats. For example, squirrels will bury and dig up nuts in the lawn and mulched beds, while chipmunks tend to make holes near stumps, buildings and brush piles. Rat tunnels, which may have an opening that’s 3 inches in diameter, are found in less conspicuous spots, such as near wood piles.

Skunks

Skunks are primarily insectivores, so they dig for their dinners. A common sign of skunks is the presence of 1 to 3-inch cone-shaped holes all over your lawn where skunks have foraged for grubs and worms. They are nocturnal but will occasionally forage in daylight, especially if it’s a nursing mother.

Wild Turkeys

Turkeys don’t cause a lot of damage, but in the late summer, fall, and winter, they flock together, with up to 20 to 30 turkeys in a group. Turkeys may scratch up newly-seeded lawns, landscaped areas, or gardens. But unless you see them doing the damage, research has found that the damage most people think is caused by turkeys is often the work of other wildlife such as raccoons, deer or voles. Other birds, such as crows and jays, also may damage lawns.

Other Animals

While you may be tempted to blame other animals such as opossums or snakes, or even coyotes for making holes or burrows in your yard, these creatures are more likely to use existing animal holes for their dens.

When To Hire A Nuisance Wildlife Specialist

If you have a persistent wildlife issue, damage you can’t positively identify, or an animal denning in an area close to or under your home, you may want to seek the help of a nuisance wildlife removal expert. Contact your state’s wildlife agency for assistance.