Burrowing animals are the prime suspects when a homeowner discovers tunnels and holes in the yard. Many kinds of small animals, such as moles, voles, chipmunks and rats, make holes in the ground. Some, such as moles, create complex tunnel systems, while others, such as rats, dig burrows in which to hide. Identifying the culprit is the first step in control.
Moles are insectivores that tunnel through the ground searching for earthworms and insects such as centipedes, primarily during fall and early spring. Moles don’t eat plants, although they may damage plants by tunneling under them. Feeding tunnels are just beneath the soil surface, but these 6- to 8-inch-long, gray or dark brown mammals dig extensive, deep tunnel systems in which to live and reproduce. The telltale sign of moles is a series of conical dirt mounds. Tamp down the dirt hills and tunnel ridges to see whether the mole reopens them. This demonstrates where the active runs are located. Usually, only one or two moles are active in any given area.
Voles, also called field mice, are small rodents about 5 inches long that look like mice, but with shorter tails. They eat the roots of grasses, perennials, shrubs and trees. They also eat seeds and bulbs and will girdle the bark of trees. They multiply rapidly and colonize an area with networks of surface tunnels. Clues to vole activity include clean-edged, golf-ball-size holes around the base of plants. Their tunnel entrances are left open, not plugged, so you will find pathways leading to small, tidy, round holes.
Gophers are herbivores, eating the roots of trees, shrubs and perennials. They also consume flower bulbs. They’re known for pulling plants under the ground and into their burrows. Unlike moles, they don’t have webbed feet for “swimming” through the soil, but they dig similar-looking tunnels. The location of the damage is key to identification. Gopher mounds and tunnels are made around the plants they are eating, rather than scattered across a wide area like mole tunnels. Gophers come to the surface of the soil at an angle, creating crescent-shaped dirt mounds. They plug the center of the mound with fresh soil after each foray out to feed, rather than leaving it open.
Rats are attracted by what they can find to eat in your yard, such as fallen fruit, nuts and birdseed. Some rats, particularly the Norway rat, dig burrows in the ground in which to live and escape from predators. They line the burrows with shredded paper or other fibrous material, so if you notice gnawed materials outdoors, rats may be the culprits. Rat burrows may have an escape tunnel that surfaces in another part of the yard. Common places for burrows are in or under compost piles or under garbage cans.
Numerous animals dig holes and make tunnels. You may be seeing the work of chipmunks, squirrels, skunks, raccoons or shrews. Snakes also live in ground holes. Using an online wildlife key that leads you through descriptions of the damage is another way to discover which animal is making holes in your yard. Chipmunk holes, for example, are dime-sized, and you’ll see chipmunks around during the day. Skunks dig their holes under sheds, porches and other dark places.
- North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension: What Is Causing Mounds and Tunnels In My Yard?
- Greenview Fertilizer: Voles and Moles in the Lawn
- The Gopher Guy: Is It A Gopher Or A Mole?
- University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources: How to Manage Pests: Rats
- Mecklenburg County, North Carolina: Rodent Frequently Asked Questions
- Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management: Ground Hole Identification
- Stockbyte/Stockbyte/Getty Images