Identifying small holes in a yard often raises questions about their origin. Understanding what squirrel holes look like helps homeowners and gardeners. Recognizing their distinct features differentiates them from other burrowing animals, providing insight into squirrel behaviors like foraging and shelter.
General Appearance of Squirrel Holes
Squirrel holes are small, neat openings, typically round or slightly oval. They range from one to three inches in diameter and are generally shallow, only an inch or two deep, sufficient for burying a single food item. Minimal excavated dirt surrounds the entry; there might be a small, scattered amount of soil, but not a prominent mound. The edges are clean-cut and distinct, indicating precise excavation.
Types of Squirrel Holes and Their Purpose
Squirrels create different types of holes based on their specific needs. The most common are small, temporary holes for food caching, known as scatter hoarding. Tree-dwelling squirrels, such as gray squirrels, frequently dig these shallow, quarter-sized holes to bury nuts and seeds, especially in autumn. These caches are often refilled with dirt, though squirrels may not remember every hiding spot.
Ground squirrels, including prairie dogs and marmots, construct more extensive, permanent burrow systems. Their main entrance holes are larger, ranging from three to five inches in diameter, and are part of complex underground networks. These burrows serve as shelter, nesting sites, and escape routes, often featuring multiple entrances and chambers. California ground squirrel burrows can be 5 to 30 feet long and up to 6 feet deep, with multiple openings, often found in colonial systems.
Tree squirrels also use natural tree cavities or gnawed openings as dens for primary shelters. These dens protect from weather and predators, and are used for resting and raising young. Entrance holes can be up to 4 inches in diameter.
Common Locations for Squirrel Holes
Squirrel holes are found in environments with abundant food and suitable digging conditions. Gardens and lawns are common sites, especially near trees, shrubs, and fences, where squirrels access buried food or find cover. Properties with nut-bearing trees are attractive, as squirrels bury their harvest in loose soil. Small digs may appear scattered across open turf or concentrated near garden beds.
Ground squirrel burrows appear in open fields, grassy areas, golf courses, or cemeteries. They also dig near man-made structures like foundations, sheds, or decks for permanent homes.
Differentiating Squirrel Holes from Other Animal Burrows
Distinguishing squirrel holes from those made by other animals requires observing specific characteristics. Chipmunk holes are similar in size to squirrel caching holes, around 1.5 inches, but are found near rocks, logs, or foundations, with less excavated dirt. Voles and shrews create smaller, less conspicuous holes, around one inch or less, hidden under dense vegetation or along runways without excavated soil. Shrews may also use existing tunnels from other animals.
Moles create distinct signs through raised ridges or tunnels, known as molehills. Their main mounds are volcano-shaped with a central plug, rather than open holes, and are smaller than gopher mounds, two to three inches. Gophers leave crescent-shaped or horseshoe-shaped dirt mounds, 10 to 20 inches in diameter, with the actual hole plugged and off to one side. Unlike squirrel holes, gopher holes are rarely visible.
Rat burrows are larger than squirrel holes, three inches or more in diameter, found near foundations, woodpiles, or other structures. While squirrels might leave claw marks or food debris, rat burrows have cleaner entrances, though gnaw marks might be present. Other animals, like snakes, inhabit abandoned burrows, making identification challenging without other signs. Small insect holes are much smaller and lack the regular appearance of squirrel excavations.