It’s a homeowner’s worst nightmare, to have to face up to whatever burrowing intruder is causing all those little holes in their yard. Truth is, many homeowners in the United States don’t even know how to differentiate between different burrowing wildlife. And that’s exactly what this article aims to correct. In the lines below, we’ll focus on how you can tell apart the different types of burrowers that may be visiting your yard… and what you can do about them!
1. Groundhogs
One of the most well-known types of burrowers (largely because of the eponymous movie) is the groundhog. This rodent, also known as a woodchuck, is coming to your yard looking for shelter. Usually, they will burrow near fences or trees and will leave behind little 12-inch mounds of dirt to mark their burrows. You can learn more about groundhogs here.
How to get rid of them: Of course, your best bet would be to invest in some professional groundhog trapping. Only this way, can you ensure that the groundhogs won’t be coming back anytime soon. As a preventive measure, try to trim down hedges and get rid of hefty wood logs, which the groundhogs may use as a hiding place.
2. Moles
Moles are another really common culprit when it comes to digging up your yard. For the most part, moles prefer living underground and avoiding all contact, but every once in a while, a mole will pop out to say hello. They usually zigzag across your yard, digging their tunnels a good 6 inches under the ground. Their tunnels are very small and narrow, usually measuring no more than 1.5 – 2 inches, but that’s because moles are quite small, too. The average mole won’t measure more than 8 inches in diameter.
How to get rid of them: Aside from professional wildlife control services, you can take preventive measures to make moles go away. For example, moles usually come to your yard in search of food, often in the form of a garden. Taking that away or fencing the area (underground) can help deter moles from approaching. Similarly, using natural repellents and making sure you don’t overwater your lawn can be good options for preventing moles. Visit pestmole.com to learn more.
3. Voles
you might be tempted to assume voles and moles are pretty much the same things, but you couldn’t be further from the truth. Also known as meadow mice, voles are literally tiny burrowing rodents. Adorable, but quite harmful to your yard, if left to their own devices. They’re prone to making small grass and leaf nests, and digging lots of shallow, close-together burrows, so look out.
How to get rid of them: You might attempt to trap voles using common rodent baits such as peanut butter. Similarly, underground fencing around common vole food sources may work.
4. Gophers
Lastly, gophers are another common culprit to blame for all those little burrows in your backyard. Generally, a gopher burrow won’t be more than 2 or 3 inches in diameter. They’ll be close together but usually dug deeper than other common burrowers. For example, a gopher nest burrow can be dug as deep as 6 feet underground, making gophers a potentially persistent problem.
How to get rid of them: Aside from the obvious answers, such as live trapping or professional gopher removal, you can try organic repellents. For example, peppermint is known for its pungent smell, which isn’t very appealing to rodents. So planting peppermint or even littering your yard with it may help keep gophers, as well as other burrowers at bay. You might also try castor oil pellets and even fabric softeners in their burrows!
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