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What animal digs small holes in lawn??
A few weeks ago, there were two neat holes dug around the stump of a tree
we'd just cut down. Last night, there were two holes in the middle of our grass!! About 4 inches across with a lot of "digging spray" behind them. I can take pics if necessary. What on earth is trying to dig my lawn up? I don't mind now as we're about to scrape it up and rotovate. I will however be seriously peeved if it happens when the new turf goes down!!! If it's apparent what my pest is, how do I get rid of it/them? a |
What animal digs small holes in lawn??
lots of animals dig holes in lawns. Rabbits, badgers (they dig little holes
for worms and things as well as big holes to live in). What sort of animal is likely to be getting in? How is your garden fenced/hedged etc? Hayley |
What animal digs small holes in lawn??
I am a mole and I live in a hole
al wrote: : A few weeks ago, there were two neat holes dug around the stump of a : tree we'd just cut down. Last night, there were two holes in the : middle of our grass!! About 4 inches across with a lot of "digging : spray" behind them. I can take pics if necessary. : : What on earth is trying to dig my lawn up? I don't mind now as we're : about to scrape it up and rotovate. I will however be seriously : peeved if it happens when the new turf goes down!!! If it's apparent : what my pest is, how do I get rid of it/them? : : : : a |
What animal digs small holes in lawn??
On Fri, 9 May 2003 19:51:59 +0100, "hayley"
wrote: lots of animals dig holes in lawns. Rabbits, badgers (they dig little holes for worms and things as well as big holes to live in). What sort of animal is likely to be getting in? How is your garden fenced/hedged etc? Hayley We get holes like this in the beds on our allotment sometimes and I reckon it's badgers (there are known to be setts on the disused railway embankment that runs alongside the site). It doesn't happen very often so I'm happy to share. We also get human footprints, which is *much* more annoying. Since I'm wibbling: I once found half a rat on the allotment, fortunately before the dog noticed it. I wonder what the story behind that was? -- Stuart Baldwin news\at/boxatrix\dot/co\dot/uk |
What animal digs small holes in lawn??
"hayley" wrote in message
... lots of animals dig holes in lawns. Rabbits, badgers (they dig little holes for worms and things as well as big holes to live in). What sort of animal is likely to be getting in? How is your garden fenced/hedged etc? Hayley Well this one is definitely nocturnal if that helps! We do have a large park with a small river running through it behind our property. There's a brick wall at the end and fences on each side. The fence on one side doesn't quite reach the ground in places (sloping lawn). Any way of further identifying it or finding out why it's suddenly attracted here (bar sitting motionless with a torch in the garden all night!!)? a |
What animal digs small holes in lawn??
"The Devil's Advocate" wrote in
message ... I am a mole and I live in a hole And why you you dig a hole, my little mole?? a |
What animal digs small holes in lawn??
wrote in message
... We get holes like this in the beds on our allotment sometimes and I reckon it's badgers (there are known to be setts on the disused railway embankment that runs alongside the site). It doesn't happen very often so I'm happy to share. What do badgers dig for? a |
What animal digs small holes in lawn??
Stuart wrote in message : We get holes like this in the beds on our allotment sometimes and I reckon it's badgers (there are known to be setts on the disused railway embankment that runs alongside the site). It doesn't happen very often so I'm happy to share. We also get human footprints, which is *much* more annoying. Since I'm wibbling: I once found half a rat on the allotment, fortunately before the dog noticed it. I wonder what the story behind that was? Yes, we once found a rat that had been half buried so that only the head was above ground. It looked bizarre, as if it had just emerged and was looking around. We put it down to foxes which we are always digging holes in our plots, you should see our seed bed, looks like a bomb site. Then there's the local cats and the squirrels looking for their buried nuts, and the crows......... -- Bob www.pooleygreengrowers.org.uk/ about an Allotment site in Runnymede fighting for it's existence. |
What animal digs small holes in lawn??
"Sue & Bob Hobden" wrote in message
news:b9hbig$ivk7f$1@ID- Yes, we once found a rat that had been half buried so that only the head was above ground. It looked bizarre, as if it had just emerged and was looking around. We put it down to foxes which we are always digging holes in our plots, you should see our seed bed, looks like a bomb site. Then there's the local cats and the squirrels looking for their buried nuts, and the crows......... Crows digging holes ...!? Anyway, this hole is in the middle of tough, well-established grass that you'd be doing well to get a shovel through. Some serious claws to do that. Seems a bit too small and round to be dog/cat/fox, but that's just conjecture. Plus they normally only do that for covering waste/finding bones don't they? Half a foot deep too - do squirrels dig that deep and aren't they daytime animals? a |
What animal digs small holes in lawn??
Any way of further
identifying it or finding out why it's suddenly attracted here (bar sitting motionless with a torch in the garden all night!!)? try looking closely at the bottom of the fence. Animals (esp. badgers) often leave bits of fur where they've squeezed through. If it is coarse, grey/black/white it's probably a badger. Rabbits are more soft and fluffy/brown. Foxes trends to smell strongly. Rabbits also eat plants, lots, so you'd probably notice plant damage if it were rabbits. Don't know why it would suddenly happen though. Hayley |
What animal digs small holes in lawn??
What do badgers dig for?
slugs, worms, beetles etc. This is what they eat. Hayley |
What animal digs small holes in lawn??
"al" wrote in message ... "Sue & Bob Hobden" wrote in message news:b9hbig$ivk7f$1@ID- Yes, we once found a rat that had been half buried so that only the head was above ground. It looked bizarre, as if it had just emerged and was looking around. We put it down to foxes which we are always digging holes in our plots, you should see our seed bed, looks like a bomb site. Then there's the local cats and the squirrels looking for their buried nuts, and the crows......... Crows digging holes ...!? Anyway, this hole is in the middle of tough, well-established grass that you'd be doing well to get a shovel through. Some serious claws to do that. Seems a bit too small and round to be dog/cat/fox, but that's just conjecture. Plus they normally only do that for covering waste/finding bones don't they? Half a foot deep too - do squirrels dig that deep and aren't they daytime animals? a It could be shrews they dig holes to mate at this time of the year. |
What animal digs small holes in lawn??
In article , hayley
writes Any way of further identifying it or finding out why it's suddenly attracted here (bar sitting motionless with a torch in the garden all night!!)? try looking closely at the bottom of the fence. Animals (esp. badgers) often leave bits of fur where they've squeezed through. If it is coarse, grey/black/white it's probably a badger. Also, if it's badger, if you run your fingers along the hair one way it feels smooth and the other way distinctly coarse. Personally, I think it is a rabbit. We are being overrun by the blighters and little holes like you have described are appearing all over the place :(( At this time of year, you can often see them early in the morning, say just after dawn, just before they bed down for the day! -- Jane Ransom in Lancaster. I won't respond to private emails that are on topic for urg but if you need to email me for any other reason, put jandg dot demon dot co dot uk where you see deadspam.com |
What animal digs small holes in lawn??
And some roots, ask veggie gardeners in the rurals
Neil "hayley" wrote in message ... What do badgers dig for? slugs, worms, beetles etc. This is what they eat. Hayley |
What animal digs small holes in lawn??
In message , al
writes Anyway, this hole is in the middle of tough, well-established grass that you'd be doing well to get a shovel through. Some serious claws to do that. Seems a bit too small and round to be dog/cat/fox, but that's just conjecture. Plus they normally only do that for covering waste/finding bones don't they? Half a foot deep too - do squirrels dig that deep and aren't they daytime animals? From our observations of lawn excavations during the last five years - If the holes were about 50/60mm in diameter and 60/90mm deep with no evidence of the earth being scraped out I would suggest woodpeckers after ants. Holes in lawns made by badgers are usually 70/100mm diameter and 100/150mmm deep with very obvious signs of the earth being scraped out to one side and they are often in small groups. If you can get a shovel into the ground a badger will have no difficulty digging in it - they only have problems if the turf is exceptionally dry and hard after a prolonged drought. Foxes excavations tend to be larger with the spoil scattered over a wider area than badger creations and they normally choose softer ground. Squirrels tend to make quite small, shallow scrapes in lawns to bury food and then fill them in again. On the odd occasion we have found very deep holes about 50mm across which we assume are made by small rodents. We have no experience of rabbit depredations - the foxes see to that. -- Robert |
What animal digs small holes in lawn??
"hayley" wrote in message
news:3ebc3ba9$1_2@mk-nntp- try looking closely at the bottom of the fence. Animals (esp. badgers) often leave bits of fur where they've squeezed through. If it is coarse, grey/black/white it's probably a badger. Rabbits are more soft and fluffy/brown. Foxes trends to smell strongly. Rabbits also eat plants, lots, so you'd probably notice plant damage if it were rabbits. Don't know why it would suddenly happen though. Hayley No fur at all, but I have found two areas that look disturbed where an animal could crawl though. I've posted some pics at this address: http://www.alanirl.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/ a |
What animal digs small holes in lawn??
"Jane Ransom" wrote in message
Also, if it's badger, if you run your fingers along the hair one way it feels smooth and the other way distinctly coarse. Personally, I think it is a rabbit. We are being overrun by the blighters and little holes like you have described are appearing all over the place :(( At this time of year, you can often see them early in the morning, say just after dawn, just before they bed down for the day! Can't find any evidence being left, bar the holes. Have a look at these pics I took, see if it means anything: http://www.alanirl.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/ a |
What animal digs small holes in lawn??
"Robert" wrote in message
... From our observations of lawn excavations during the last five years - If the holes were about 50/60mm in diameter and 60/90mm deep with no evidence of the earth being scraped out I would suggest woodpeckers after ants. Holes in lawns made by badgers are usually 70/100mm diameter and 100/150mmm deep with very obvious signs of the earth being scraped out to one side and they are often in small groups. If you can get a shovel into the ground a badger will have no difficulty digging in it - they only have problems if the turf is exceptionally dry and hard after a prolonged drought. Foxes excavations tend to be larger with the spoil scattered over a wider area than badger creations and they normally choose softer ground. Squirrels tend to make quite small, shallow scrapes in lawns to bury food and then fill them in again. On the odd occasion we have found very deep holes about 50mm across which we assume are made by small rodents. We have no experience of rabbit depredations - the foxes see to that. -- Robert Mine are about 200-300mm deep (where successful). There are a couple in harder ground where I think whatever animal it was gave up! I've put some pics up at the following address: http://www.alanirl.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/ a |
What animal digs small holes in lawn??
In a fit of excitement al uttered:
"Robert" wrote in message ... From our observations of lawn excavations during the last five years - If the holes were about 50/60mm in diameter and 60/90mm deep with no evidence of the earth being scraped out I would suggest woodpeckers after ants. Holes in lawns made by badgers are usually 70/100mm diameter and 100/150mmm deep with very obvious signs of the earth being scraped out to one side and they are often in small groups. If you can get a shovel into the ground a badger will have no difficulty digging in it - they only have problems if the turf is exceptionally dry and hard after a prolonged drought. Foxes excavations tend to be larger with the spoil scattered over a wider area than badger creations and they normally choose softer ground. Squirrels tend to make quite small, shallow scrapes in lawns to bury food and then fill them in again. On the odd occasion we have found very deep holes about 50mm across which we assume are made by small rodents. We have no experience of rabbit depredations - the foxes see to that. -- Robert Mine are about 200-300mm deep (where successful). There are a couple in harder ground where I think whatever animal it was gave up! I've put some pics up at the following address: http://www.alanirl.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/ a Looks like a bunny to me... -- \\(º`¿´º)// It's probably on http://support.microsoft.com/ somewhere.... If you can be bothered to look for it.... |
What animal digs small holes in lawn??
"al" wrote in message ... "hayley" wrote in message news:3ebc3ba9$1_2@mk-nntp- try looking closely at the bottom of the fence. Animals (esp. badgers) often leave bits of fur where they've squeezed through. If it is coarse, grey/black/white it's probably a badger. Rabbits are more soft and fluffy/brown. Foxes trends to smell strongly. Rabbits also eat plants, lots, so you'd probably notice plant damage if it were rabbits. Don't know why it would suddenly happen though. Hayley No fur at all, but I have found two areas that look disturbed where an animal could crawl though. I've posted some pics at this address: http://www.alanirl.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/ There's only one answer to this "ALIENS" (search the skies ,search the skies) |
What animal digs small holes in lawn??
"Bigjon" wrote in message
Looks like a bunny to me... -- Any easy way of discouraging them rather than a battle of trying to keep them out with mesh, etc.? a |
What animal digs small holes in lawn??
"@ttilla the pun" wrote in message
There's only one answer to this "ALIENS" (search the skies ,search the skies) But there's no crop circles .... a |
What animal digs small holes in lawn??
In a fit of excitement al uttered:
"Bigjon" wrote in message Looks like a bunny to me... -- Any easy way of discouraging them rather than a battle of trying to keep them out with mesh, etc.? a If you never had them(it) before, what's new or different? There is not much you can do without a strong mesh fence (embedded at least a foot into the soil), but.. try removing any piles of cuttings, low covering plants, stone piles or other debris to prevent the rabbits from hiding there. a place with little cover is not attractive to any intruders, not just Rabbitts! Try planting garlic, onions or Mexican marigolds in your garden. Hawks and owls are natural predators of rabbits, so you might consider building nesting boxes for these birds. You could try sprinkling around the garden pepper or talcum powder, or even setting out a section of garden hose that may look like a snake to the rabbit.... -- \\(º`¿´º)// |
What animal digs small holes in lawn??
Instead of burying netting 12 inches into the ground, just bend the bottom 6
inches back along the ground. Rabbits reaching a fence start to dig, they don't have the sense to back of a bit if they hit problems -- David Hill Abacus Nurseries www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk |
What animal digs small holes in lawn??
On Sat, 10 May 2003 00:40:25 +0100, "hayley"
wrote: What do badgers dig for? slugs, worms, beetles etc. This is what they eat. Hayley that's when thery're not taking the eggs or chicks of ground-nesting birds, stealing pheasant-poults out of their pens or digging under my neighbour's chicken wire and smashing their way into the coops to murder his banties. we're overrun with the b*st*rds, I wish they were a tenth as rare as their 'protected' status implies /rant -- Derek Turner Outlook Express is worth precisely what you paid for it. |
What animal digs small holes in lawn??
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What animal digs small holes in lawn??
"Bigjon" wrote in message
If you never had them(it) before, what's new or different? When I say never - never in the 6 months we've been here ;) There is not much you can do without a strong mesh fence (embedded at least a foot into the soil), but.. try removing any piles of cuttings, low covering plants, stone piles or other debris to prevent the rabbits from hiding there. a place with little cover is not attractive to any intruders, not just Rabbitts! Try planting garlic, onions or Mexican marigolds in your garden. Hawks and owls are natural predators of rabbits, so you might consider building nesting boxes for these birds. You could try sprinkling around the garden pepper or talcum powder, or even setting out a section of garden hose that may look like a snake to the rabbit.... -- Where they dug there was no cover at all - the biggest hole was bang in the middle of the lawn! Might try sprinkling a bit of pepper around the borders though. a |
What animal digs small holes in lawn??
Any easy way of discouraging them rather than a battle of trying to keep
them out with mesh, etc.? get a nice big cat :) Hayley |
What animal digs small holes in lawn??
Any easy way of discouraging them rather than a battle of trying to keep
them out with mesh, etc.? get a nice big cat :) Hayley |
What animal digs small holes in lawn??
"al" wrote in news:K_5va.815$KY6.626@news-
binary.blueyonder.co.uk: No fur at all, but I have found two areas that look disturbed where an animal could crawl though. I've posted some pics at this address: http://www.alanirl.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/ That definitely looks like rabbit. I don't think a badger would get through those gaps without leaving fur and probably having to move some of the soil too. If rabbit, it's a wild one, not a domestic escapee, because the holes are so small. I suggest a close inspection of all the fences, and apply chicken wire to any gaps underneath. Bend the wire outwards, as someone has suggested. If you can, enclose the garden, rather than looking for plants that rabbits don't like. Rabbits will eat almost anything when they are hungry enough, and are very adaptable to new food sources! Victoria |
What animal digs small holes in lawn??
It is difficult to judge the size but frogs dig holes as well as rabbits is
this a poissibility? is there a pond near by? "Victoria Clare" wrote in message .218... "al" wrote in news:K_5va.815$KY6.626@news- binary.blueyonder.co.uk: No fur at all, but I have found two areas that look disturbed where an animal could crawl though. I've posted some pics at this address: http://www.alanirl.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/ That definitely looks like rabbit. I don't think a badger would get through those gaps without leaving fur and probably having to move some of the soil too. If rabbit, it's a wild one, not a domestic escapee, because the holes are so small. I suggest a close inspection of all the fences, and apply chicken wire to any gaps underneath. Bend the wire outwards, as someone has suggested. If you can, enclose the garden, rather than looking for plants that rabbits don't like. Rabbits will eat almost anything when they are hungry enough, and are very adaptable to new food sources! Victoria |
What animal digs small holes in lawn??
Di wrote:
It is difficult to judge the size but frogs dig holes as well as rabbits is this a poissibility? is there a pond near by? 'Don't think its frogs. And it doesn't seem right for rabbits either. Rabbits are pretty vigorous diggers and usually leave mounds of spoil behind. At least mine do. Too neat and too small for badgers. I'd plump for rats or voles. For some reason, voles can make extensive tunnel systems without creating the the mounds that moles create. And voles like lots of exit holes. On the other hand a vole would tunnel underground below the fence. So the surface level holes at the fence make me think its more like a rat. Or, if these are just excavations rather than tunnel systems, for something completely different, could it be a bird? The holes around the tree remind me of pheasant, or moorhen scratching for grubs and seed. 'Hope you will report back when the mystery is solved. ;-) -- ned |
What animal digs small holes in lawn??
In article , ned
writes Di wrote: It is difficult to judge the size but frogs dig holes as well as rabbits is this a poissibility? is there a pond near by? 'Don't think its frogs. And it doesn't seem right for rabbits either. Rabbits are pretty vigorous diggers and usually leave mounds of spoil behind. At least mine do. Well, ours leave little indents in the ground, just as has been described, all over the place. Sometimes they defecate in them but more often than not they don't. We just can't figure out why they do it. They are a *!"$*~ nuisance :( They also dig nesting burrows, but those are few and far between. The little indents are all over the place. -- Jane Ransom in Lancaster. I won't respond to private emails that are on topic for urg but if you need to email me for any other reason, put jandg dot demon dot co dot uk where you see deadspam.com |
What animal digs small holes in lawn??
Jane Ransom wrote:
In article , ned writes Di wrote: It is difficult to judge the size but frogs dig holes as well as rabbits is this a poissibility? is there a pond near by? 'Don't think its frogs. And it doesn't seem right for rabbits either. Rabbits are pretty vigorous diggers and usually leave mounds of spoil behind. At least mine do. Well, ours leave little indents in the ground, just as has been described, all over the place. Sometimes they defecate in them but more often than not they don't. We just can't figure out why they do it. They are a *!"$*~ nuisance :( :-) Yes I can relate to that. It was the absense of spoil that made me think again. But maybe that has something to do with the soil. Fine, sandy soil would be spread far and wide whereas heavier soil might be piled up. One of the phographs did show some round 'pellets' by the scrape, which could have been droppings. But would rabbits choose to scrape close to tree stumps? Dunno. -- ned |
What animal digs small holes in lawn??
In article , ned
writes But would rabbits choose to scrape close to tree stumps? Dunno. They sure do - there does not seem to be any logical reason to where they do and don't scrape. I can understand their scraping at the base of shrubs to eat the roots but I can't understand in the middle of a lawn or at the base of a tree!!! -- Jane Ransom in Lancaster. I won't respond to private emails that are on topic for urg but if you need to email me for any other reason, put jandg dot demon dot co dot uk where you see deadspam.com |
What animal digs small holes in lawn??
On Thu, 15 May 2003 21:23:28 +0100, Jane Ransom
wrote: In article , ned writes But would rabbits choose to scrape close to tree stumps? Dunno. They sure do - there does not seem to be any logical reason to where they do and don't scrape. I can understand their scraping at the base of shrubs to eat the roots but I can't understand in the middle of a lawn or at the base of a tree!!! Sorry, I lost the start to this thread, I thought I read that the holes had dirt thrown up around them? Can you explain what they look like again for me. How wide/deep ? Do you have foxes in the area? Tim. |
What animal digs small holes in lawn??
In article opro89v208wxhha1@localhost, Tim timnothy.cohsalpleangmer@apk.
at writes Sorry, I lost the start to this thread, I thought I read that the holes had dirt thrown up around them? Can you explain what they look like again for me. OP said - A few weeks ago, there were two neat holes dug around the stump of a tree we'd just cut down. Last night, there were two holes in the middle of our grass!! About 4 inches across with a lot of "digging spray" behind them. -- Jane Ransom in Lancaster. I won't respond to private emails that are on topic for urg but if you need to email me for any other reason, put jandg dot demon dot co dot uk where you see deadspam.com |
What animal digs small holes in lawn??
On Fri, 16 May 2003 10:49:19 +0100, Jane Ransom
wrote: In article opro89v208wxhha1@localhost, Tim timnothy.cohsalpleangmer@apk. at writes Sorry, I lost the start to this thread, I thought I read that the holes had dirt thrown up around them? Can you explain what they look like again for me. OP said - A few weeks ago, there were two neat holes dug around the stump of a tree we'd just cut down. Last night, there were two holes in the middle of our grass!! About 4 inches across with a lot of "digging spray" behind them. Ta. So big ? That basically rules out mice, voles. Where they just depressions or were they tunnels ? As you say rabbits look a good bet. Or foxes if it's not a tunnel. Any free roaming chickens in the area ? Tim. |
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