What Animal is Digging Holes in My Garden at Night?

Have you noticed suspicious holes appearing in your garden at night?

Common Suspects

When you discover holes in your garden, particularly at night, the culprits could range from familiar backyard pests to less common animals. Firstly, skunks and raccoons are frequent suspects due to their fondness for grubs. These animals leave small, funnel-shaped holes where they dig up grubs, which can be quite dangerous if you step into them while walking in the dark.

Other Likely Culprits

Securing an accurate identification can be tricky without a clear picture or detailed description of the holes. Here are some possibilities:

Small Holes (Pea-Sized to Thumbsized)

Digger Bees: These small bees create small, neat holes in the soil. Cicadas: Adult cicadas dig holes in which to lay their eggs, often in clusters. Tiny Snakes and Spiders: While less likely, small snakes or spiders may create small holes, especially if there is a concentration of them.

Middle-Sized Holes (Palm-Sized)

Mice, Rats, Shrews, Larger Spiders: These creatures can create holes the size of your hand, depending on the species and the task at hand.

Large Holes (Hand-Sized to Larger than Your Hand)

Groundhogs, Prairie Dogs, Rabbits: These larger animals, such as groundhogs and rabbits, may leave bigger, more noticeable holes.

Rats and Other Pests

If you or your neighbors regularly put out food for birds, it's possible that rats or mice are nearby. Rat holes are typically about the size of a small fist and can be quite deep. Identifying rat holes by their size and depth can help in confirming these intruders.

More Info Needed for a Clear Identification

Without more details such as the size of the holes, their depth, whether they are tunnel systems, or the location of the holes, it can be challenging to pinpoint the exact culprit. Possible suspects include:

Groundhogs: Burrowing mammals, typically leaving large, hand-sized holes. Moles: Small, burrowing animals that create long, series of short, rounded holes. Plains Gophers: Similar to moles, but they leave deeper holes and mounds of soil.

Asymmetric Angelia, if you haven’t filled out your location or provided more information, the possibilities can vary widely, such as:

Shrews: Tiny mammals that can create small holes. Naked Mole Rats: These burrowers leave distinctive, large holes. Opossums: Another potential candidate, although less frequent.

To determine the exact animal responsible for the holes, it's essential to gather more information:

Location and pattern of the holes. Depth of the holes. Presence of tunnel systems. Any additional signs of animal activity, such as tracks or droppings.

These details will help in narrowing down the possible culprits and implementing the appropriate measures to protect your garden.