What Might Be Causing Those Holes in Your Yard

Have you recently spotted new holes in your yard, but you're not sure where they came from? Many property owners may find that, as they continue to spend more time in their yards, they get to know their local wildlife better. Whether it be local birds, animals, or bugs, each backyard is visited by local wildlife daily (and nightly). They can each interact with the outdoor properties of homeowners in many different ways. 

In this brief article, we will discuss one specific interaction: new holes in your yard. Many different animals and critters can be responsible for the appearance of new holes in your yard, but there are signs you can look for that make it relatively simple to identify their causes. 

Groups and Clusters of Shallow Holes in Yard: When there are a bunch of shallow holes grouped near each other, this signals that the cause could be due to grazing from local birds. If you have recently used grass seed or other fertilizers on your lawn, some local birds may be trying to use these new products as snacks. Birds often like to feed on seeds or other organic matter in fertilizer, and some birds may even peck into the ground to reach the seeds. To prevent this from happening, you can bury new seeds and grass starter at least several inches into the ground. Birds like to graze on small insects as well, and sometimes these holes can also be due to birds grazing small insects. 

Large Holes in Yard: If there are several larger holes around your yard, which are about bigger than your fist, then these holes may be due to a larger rodent such as a groundhog or mole. These kinds of critters are more commonly found across the Western regions of the United States, and they like to use intricate tunnel systems for their homes. These holes tend to bend and turn, making them relatively easy to identify.

Medium Holes in Yard: If there are multiple medium sized holes, a little smaller than your fist, these may be from small rodents, like chipmunks or mice. The animals use these holes to create entrances for elaborate tunnel systems, which can be a shelter for the animals, and a means for reaching different food sources. Smaller rodents also like to frequent garden beds for food, and the appearance of new, shallow holes around your garden beds may signal recent activity from rodents like chipmunks or other animals like rabbits. 

Ant Hills or Tiny Hills in Yard: The cause of these kinds of holes may be due to insects. If there are any tiny holes smaller than your finger tips and surrounded by raised soil, this may be due to insects or other pests, such as ants who use the holes as entryways for their underground tunnels. Other causes of tiny holes can be due to smaller species of birds grazing in your yard. For tiny holes from birds, they tend to not be as deep as ant hills and they do not come with the trademark ant mounds. 

Individually Huge Holes or Sinkholes: Lastly, in the case of an individually huge hole, this may be due to changes in ground moisture levels in your yard producing a sinkhole. A sinkhole forms when groundwater beneath the surface retreats and creates a gap of air. This gap eventually collapses, causing dirt above to fall down as well. This collapse is what officially creates the sinkhole. Fortunately, sinkholes are often a simple fix and you can fill them in with dirt or gravel to fix them.