Discovering unexpected holes in a garden transforms cultivated areas into a patchwork of displaced soil and uneven turf. Identifying the animal responsible is the first step toward resolving the problem, as the creature’s motivation dictates the damage pattern. A deep, complex network of tunnels signals a different animal than a series of shallow, surface scrapes, and understanding these differences is necessary for effective management.
Deep Burrowers and Tunnel Systems
Some animals establish extensive subterranean housing, where the surface hole is an entry point to a larger, permanent home. Moles are insectivores that create complex, multi-level tunnel systems while searching for earthworms and grubs. Their activity is recognized by characteristic volcano-shaped mounds of fine, uniform soil pushed to the surface. These mounds lack an obvious, open entry hole because the mole pushes the dirt up from below, sealing the exit. Moles also create shallow, raised ridges just beneath the turf as they forage, which feel like soft, spongy areas underfoot.
Gophers, unlike moles, are rodents and herbivores that feed primarily on plant roots and bulbs. Their mounds are distinctively fan-shaped or crescent-shaped, with the entrance hole usually plugged with soil and located off to one side of the dirt pile. The soil they excavate often appears in larger, coarser chunks compared to the finely sifted dirt of mole mounds.
Voles are smaller rodents that create shallow, visible runways on the surface through the grass, often connecting multiple small burrow openings. These burrow entrances are typically clean, round, open, and measure only one to one-and-a-half inches in diameter. Voles are not powerful diggers but readily utilize abandoned tunnels. Their damage is focused on gnawing on plant stems, bark, and roots near the surface, and their network of surface trails is a clear sign of their presence.
Shallow Foragers and Opportunistic Diggers
Other animals perform quick, shallow excavations in search of a meal rather than building permanent homes, resulting in sporadic damage. Skunks are nocturnal foragers that dig for soil-dwelling insects, which are a major food source in the late summer and fall. The holes they leave are typically small, cone-shaped, and neat, about the size of a skunk’s nose. Multiple small holes clustered in a lawn suggest a skunk has been searching for grubs.
Raccoons also seek grubs, but their method of foraging is much more destructive to turf areas. They use their agile front paws to rip up and peel back sections of sod, creating torn, ragged patches of lifted grass. Raccoon damage often looks like a section of lawn has been carelessly rolled back or tilled. This damage frequently occurs near water sources or food scraps.
Squirrels dig small, precise holes primarily for caching or retrieving nuts, acorns, and seeds. These holes are usually only a few inches deep and wide, just large enough to bury a single item, and are often quickly refilled after the food is placed or retrieved. Their digging appears as isolated, small punctures in flower beds or turf. Because squirrels are active during the day, their digging behavior is typically easy to observe, unlike the nocturnal habits of skunks and raccoons.
Identifying Clues: Mounds, Hole Shape, and Location
The appearance of the displaced soil and the structure of the hole itself offer the most definitive clues for identification. Mole activity is strongly indicated by conical or volcano-shaped dirt mounds that are symmetrical and composed of finely sifted soil. Gopher mounds, by contrast, feature a crescent or horseshoe shape, with the hole entrance always situated off-center and sealed with a plug of earth. Vole activity leaves no dirt mound at all, instead showing small, clean, open holes connected by narrow, visible pathways running through the grass.
Location and depth of the damage further narrow the possibilities, distinguishing permanent burrowers from transient foragers. Deep, extensive tunnel systems causing raised ridges in the lawn point directly to moles. Shallow, sporadic digging that resembles small, inverted cones suggests skunks are searching for grubs just under the grass line. When large sections of sod are torn or flipped over, the damage is attributable to the brute-force foraging of raccoons.
Immediate Steps for Monitoring and Exclusion
To confirm which animal is active, a simple monitoring technique is to create a track plot near the damaged area. Lightly sprinkle a fine substrate, such as flour, sand, or finely ground limestone, around the perimeter of the hole or disturbed area. This will capture distinct paw prints overnight, allowing for a precise identification of the culprit based on the size and shape of the tracks.
Simple exclusion and deterrence measures can be implemented immediately while a long-term plan is developed. Because many diggers are searching for food, reducing the availability of that food acts as an immediate deterrent. This includes applying beneficial nematodes to the lawn to naturally control grub populations sought by skunks and raccoons. Removing outdoor pet food and fallen fruit can also reduce the attraction for opportunistic feeders. For small, concentrated areas of digging, temporary physical barriers, such as a piece of chicken wire secured flat over the surface, can prevent further access.