"willshak" wrote in message
...
on 8/12/2007 3:06 PM Eigenvector said the following:
Are these anthills/holes in my sideyard? I'd love to get rid of them and
stop the invasion of moles in my yard. Presumably the moles are looking
for the insects.

http://photos.imageevent.com/eigenve...e/P8120119.JPG



They look rather large. Too big for ants, too small for mammals. No dirt
piles around the holes. Too many, too close to each other, to be openings
to a nest.
My guess would be Japanese Beetles, Locusts, Cicadas, or similar. Their
nymphs buried in the ground coming to the surface before moulting into
adults. Look for discarded skins nearby.

--

Bill

I probably should qualify this with a location. This is Seattle. That
pretty much rules out Cicadas and Locusts. But I was wondering about the
size of the holes, and the proximity. Seems unusual for ants or bees to be
so close together. Hadn't considered it to be a beetle hole. Thing is
about the holes, I filled them in after a particularly vigorous rainstorm
and they came right back two days later looking like someone had placed them
with a drill bit. Japanese Beetles maybe??