Many homeowners experience the frustration of waking up to a disturbed lawn, finding patches of grass torn up or small holes. This damage often points to various animals seeking food or shelter, each leaving distinct clues. Understanding these behaviors helps identify the specific culprit and address the issue effectively.
Animals Searching for Food
Animals frequently dig in lawns when foraging for insects, grubs, or other subterranean food sources. This type of damage typically appears as irregularly shaped patches of overturned sod, shallow holes, or divots where the animal has rooted around. The primary attractant for many of these animals is often the presence of beetle larvae, commonly known as grubs, which feed on grass roots just beneath the surface.
Skunks are nocturnal foragers that use their strong front claws and keen sense of smell to locate grubs and other soil-dwelling insects. Their digging often results in numerous small, cone-shaped holes, typically 3-4 inches wide. Raccoons also forage for grubs, worms, and other invertebrates, but their digging tends to be more destructive, often peeling back sections of sod as if rolling up a carpet, tearing up larger areas of turf.
Armadillos, prevalent in warmer climates, create distinct, shallow holes, usually 1-3 inches deep and 3-5 inches wide, as they root for insects, earthworms, and grubs. They use powerful claws to dig and long, sticky tongues to capture prey.
Tunneling Pests
Other animals damage lawns by constructing underground tunnel systems for shelter, nesting, or to access plant roots. Their activity is often characterized by visible soil mounds or raised ridges indicating subsurface tunnels.
Moles are well-known for their extensive tunneling, which results in characteristic volcano-shaped mounds of soil, typically 6-12 inches in diameter, without a visible entrance hole. These mounds are formed when moles push excavated soil to the surface from their deep tunnels. They also create raised ridges across the lawn, which are surface runways used for hunting earthworms and insects.
Gophers, on the other hand, create crescent-shaped or fan-shaped mounds of soil, with a visible plugged hole usually located to one side of the mound. They primarily feed on plant roots and bulbs, pulling vegetation into their tunnels.
Voles, smaller rodents that resemble mice, construct shallow tunnels just beneath the surface, often creating visible runways through the grass. These runways are usually 1-2 inches wide and are created as voles move between feeding areas and their burrows. Voles also dig small, inconspicuous burrow entrances, usually about 1.5-2 inches in diameter, near shrubs or ground cover, and their damage often includes gnawing on the base of plants.
Clues for Identification
Observing specific clues beyond the digging pattern helps identify the animal responsible for lawn damage. Examining animal tracks, scat (droppings), and noting the time of day when digging occurs provides valuable insights.
Raccoons leave distinct five-toed paw prints that often resemble miniature human hands, especially in soft soil. Their scat is typically tubular, dark, and may contain undigested food items like berries or insect parts.
Skunks also have five toes, but their tracks show longer claws. Their scat is similar to a cat’s, often containing insect exoskeletons.
Armadillo tracks are unique, showing three prominent claw marks from their front feet and five smaller toes on their hind feet. Their scat is usually round and dark.
Moles are rarely seen, but their activity is almost exclusively nocturnal or crepuscular. Their presence is identified by characteristic mounds and tunnels. Gophers are primarily active underground, and their crescent-shaped mounds clearly indicate their presence. Voles are active both day and night, with small tunnels and gnaw marks on plants helping distinguish them.
Other Occasional Diggers
While less frequent culprits for widespread damage, other animals occasionally dig up grass for various reasons. These instances are often more localized or erratic compared to the systematic foraging or tunneling of wildlife pests. Understanding these behaviors helps differentiate them from more persistent issues.
Domestic dogs, for example, might dig out of boredom, to bury toys or bones, or to chase underground prey like moles or voles. Their digging tends to be more sporadic and often deeper, characterized by excavated holes rather than surface disturbance or tunneling. The size and shape of the hole can vary significantly depending on the dog’s breed and size.
Squirrels are another common occasional digger, primarily burying or retrieving nuts and seeds. Their digging results in numerous small, shallow holes, usually 1-2 inches in diameter and depth, often concentrated around trees or garden beds where they store their caches. This type of digging is usually less destructive to the overall lawn compared to the extensive damage caused by larger foraging animals or tunneling pests.