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Mysterious holes can quickly turn a smooth lawn into an obstacle course, but their size and shape can often tell you which animal made them. If you are wondering what is digging holes in your yard, you can usually identify the burrowing animal holes in your yard by their size and shape. Look for clues such as soil mounds, raised tunnels, torn-up sod, nearby droppings, and the location itself: holes near a foundation tell a different story than holes out by the tree line.
The photos and descriptions below can help you pin down the usual suspects, including moles, voles, skunks, groundhogs, chipmunks, and burrowing insects. Once you’ve figured out how to identify burrowing animal holes and you know who you’re dealing with, you can choose the right strategy to remove or deter it and start putting your lawn back together.
Identifying Common Animal Holes in Your Yard
Skunks
Skunks leave two main types of holes. Feeding holes are shallow, cone-shaped divots measuring a few inches across and often appear in clusters where skunks have searched for grubs. Larger burrow entrances may measure about 8 inches wide and appear beneath decks, sheds, patios, or foundations. And if your nose beat your eyes to the scene, that lingering musky odor is a dead giveaway.
Remove pet food, fallen fruit, and other food sources that attract skunks. Motion-activated lights, secure fencing, and skunk repellents may also discourage them. Never seal an occupied burrow, especially during spring and summer, when young may be inside. For a persistent visitor, learn how to get rid of skunks or contact a wildlife professional.
Groundhogs
When trying to identify what animal digs holes in your lawn, also consider groundhogs. Groundhog burrows usually have an entrance measuring 10 to 12 inches across, often with a mound of excavated soil nearby. The holes commonly appear along fences, tree lines, sheds, decks, and foundations. A single tunnel system may have several entrances that sprawl surprisingly far beneath the yard, complete with separate chambers for sleeping and, yes, a dedicated bathroom.
Remove brush piles and overgrown vegetation that provide cover, and install sturdy buried fencing around gardens. Do not simply fill an active groundhog hole, as the animal may reopen it or become trapped underground. Follow proven steps for how to get rid of groundhogs, or hire a wildlife professional to remove the animal before closing the burrow.
Voles
Voles create small entrances roughly 1 to 2 inches wide without large soil mounds. They also form narrow, well-worn runways through grass, mulch, and ground cover. These trails often show up like a hidden road map once the snow melts. Gnawed bark, damaged bulbs, and clipped vegetation provide additional evidence of vole activity.
Mow tall grass, remove dense ground cover, and clear mulch away from tree trunks to make the yard less inviting. Protect vulnerable plants with fine wire mesh and consider using vole repellents. Once the animals are gone, rake out the runways, add soil where needed, and reseed damaged grass.
Gophers
Gophers create fan- or crescent-shaped soil mounds with a plugged entrance located near one edge. The visible opening, when uncovered, is usually only a few inches wide. Unlike moles, gophers feed on roots and may cause plants to wilt, get yanked straight down into the soil, or die unexpectedly.
Protect gardens and young plants with underground wire barriers or gopher baskets. Trapping is generally more effective than flooding or fumigating tunnels, which may not reach the entire burrow system. Because gopher tunnels can be extensive, homeowners who cannot get rid of gophers may need a wildlife or pest-control professional.
Moles
Moles leave raised surface ridges and round, volcano-shaped mounds of loose soil. Their tunnels often cross lawns and gardens as they search for earthworms and insects. Moles rarely eat plants, but their digging can lift roots, loosen turf, and leave the lawn soft or uneven underfoot.
Reducing excess irrigation may make the soil less attractive, but eliminating every grub or earthworm is neither practical nor healthy for the lawn. Repellents produce mixed results, so trapping is often the most dependable control method. Learn how to get rid of moles, or call a professional if the tunnel system continues to expand.
Raccoons
Raccoons do not usually create deep lawn burrows. Instead, they peel back sod, tear up shallow-rooted grass, and leave irregular patches of damage while searching for grubs. Tiny handprint-like tracks, a raided trash can, and tube-shaped droppings all point to the neighborhood raccoon.
Secure garbage cans, remove outdoor pet food, and treat heavy grub infestations if they are attracting raccoons. Motion-activated sprinklers or lights may also discourage nighttime visits. Avoid approaching or trapping a raccoon yourself, particularly if it appears sick or unusually aggressive. Follow safe methods for getting rid of raccoons or contact a wildlife professional.
Chipmunks
If you suspect you have rodent holes in your yard, consider chipmunks. Chipmunk burrow entrances are neat, round holes measuring about 2 inches across, roughly the size of a golf ball. They often appear beside patios, retaining walls, steps, wood piles, or foundations. Because chipmunks carry excavated soil away, their holes usually have no visible mound.
Remove spilled birdseed, fallen nuts, and dense piles of debris that offer food or cover. Hardware cloth, buried several inches deep, can help block access beneath porches and garden borders. Repellents may provide temporary relief, but persistent activity near a structure may require professional chipmunk removal.
Squirrels
Tree squirrels dig small, shallow holes about an inch wide and 1 to 2 inches deep to stash nuts. They carefully cover the hole to hide the evidence. And then, remembering exactly where they put their nuts, they’ll come back later to dig up their food. Ground squirrels dig extensive underground burrow systems, the entrances of which feature neat, open, round holes about 4 to 6 inches in diameter. You might see a flat, fan-shaped crescent of loose soil kicked out to one side.
Physical barriers work best if you’re trying to keep tree squirrels out of your garden. Aromatic deterrents such as cayenne pepper might also work, but these tend to wear off quickly. Keep your yard tied up, removing acorns and other squirrel food sources.
Rabbits
Rabbit activity usually produces shallow, bowl-shaped depressions hidden beneath grass or vegetation rather than large tunnel entrances. Homeowners may also notice pellet-like droppings, clipped grass, chewed bark, or plants cut cleanly near ground level. Deep burrows are less typical of common North American cottontails.
Install fencing around vegetable beds and ornamental plants, making sure the bottom sits firmly against the ground. Remove brush, tall weeds, and other sheltered nesting areas. Repellents may also protect individual plants, although they often require repeat applications. See how to get rid of rabbits for additional exclusion and deterrence methods.
Armadillos
Armadillos dig shallow, cone-shaped holes while searching for insects and may leave dozens of divots across a lawn overnight. They also create larger burrow entrances, often 7 to 10 inches wide, beneath brush, decks, sheds, or foundations. Their powerful digging can loosen soil and damage turf, gardens, and nearby structures.
Reduce dense ground cover and remove accessible food or shelter where possible. A sturdy fence that extends below ground may prevent armadillos from entering a specific area. Repellents have limited effectiveness, and trapping regulations vary by location, so widespread damage is best handled by a licensed wildlife-removal professional.
Insects and Earthworms
Not every hole comes from a mammal. Digger bees leave small, round entrances in sunny areas with thin grass, while ground-nesting wasps may create similar holes near lawns, gardens, or walkways. Earthworms can also leave clusters of tiny openings surrounded by small piles of loose or pellet-like soil.
Digger bees are generally solitary and rarely aggressive, so they may not require treatment. Avoid disturbing an active wasp nest, especially if it sits near a high-traffic area; contact a pest-control professional instead. Earthworm activity is harmless and often signals healthy soil, so simply rake apart any unsightly castings.
Snakes
Some creatures use holes without digging them. Snakes may move into abandoned vole, chipmunk, or other small-animal burrows for shelter and protection. Shed skin, droppings, or sightings near the entrance can indicate that a hole has a new occupant.
Do not reach into or immediately fill a hole if you suspect an animal is inside. Most snakes prefer to avoid people, but if you can’t identify the species or safely leave it alone, you should contact a wildlife professional. Once the hole is vacant, it can be filled and repaired.
How to Fill Holes and Keep Animals From Returning
Before repairing a hole, make sure the animal is gone. Sealing up a burrow while its owner is still home helps no one because the animal may dig it open again, create a new entrance, or become trapped underground. Loosely cover the opening with soil or leaves and check it for several days. If the material keeps getting disturbed, the burrow is probably still active.
Fill Small, Shallow Holes
Rake displaced soil back into shallow feeding holes, then add topsoil until the area sits level with the surrounding lawn. Tamp it down gently, water it, and reseed or patch the grass as needed.
Repair Burrows and Sunken Tunnels
For a vacant burrow, remove loose debris and fill the opening gradually with soil, tamping every few inches to reduce future settling. Raised tunnels can often be pressed down with a lawn roller or tamped by foot when the soil is slightly damp.
Extensive tunnel networks may leave the lawn soft or uneven. Add topsoil to low areas, compact it lightly, and repeat if the ground sinks again. Severely damaged sections may need to be leveled and reseeded.
Remove Food Sources
Skunks, raccoons, moles, and armadillos often dig where insects are plentiful. Managing a serious grub infestation may reduce feeding activity, but avoid applying insecticides unless you have confirmed that lawn pests are present.
When considering how to get rid of animals digging holes in the yard, another step is to secure trash cans, bring pet food indoors, clean up fallen fruit and nuts, and remove spilled birdseed.
Use Deterrents and Barriers
Repellent granules, sprays, motion-activated sprinklers, and lights may discourage some animals, although results vary. Reapply scent-based repellents after rain and follow the label directions.
Use buried hardware cloth or sturdy fencing to protect gardens, sheds, decks, and other vulnerable areas. Barriers work best when they extend several inches underground so animals cannot simply dig beneath them.
Call a Wildlife Professional
Contact a wildlife-removal or pest-control professional if holes keep reappearing, the burrow runs beneath a foundation, or you cannot determine whether it is occupied. A professional can identify the culprit, remove it safely, and recommend repairs that will prevent the tunnel from reopening.
Final Thoughts
Most yard holes mean the same thing: an animal found food, shelter, or both, and decided your lawn or garden was worth the effort. Once you have matched the hole to the culprit, the approach is largely the same across species. Remove what is drawing the animal in, deter or remove the animal safely, then repair the damage so the next visitor has no reason to settle in. A little patience and consistent upkeep go a long way, and in most cases the lawn recovers fully once the digging stops.
