25 replies to this topic

[twnkltoz]

Do you have any pics? I know that when it rains tons of worms come out of my lawn, but not my neighbors.

Nope. I'll try to take some.

[Ragtop78]

Are these holes more like 2-3 inch clumps where the grass has been torn out, revealing the dirt? I'd be talking to my kids about this one, and looking around the garage for anything with dirt on it.

We had a similar problem after my son acquired a golf club and spent some time whacking things on the lawn.

Please replace your divots :-)

[twnkltoz]

There are small, round holes, although the lawn is definitely more chewed up than just the holes. It's not my kid...I have one 14yo daughter and she avoids going outside like the plague. She's also never destructive. I know a lot of people like to think that their kids are perfect, but she's really not the type to do something like this. It's not like a kid playing and experimenting, either...it's very thorough.

[Kermitlover]

Guess the culprits have moved over to Lexington Hills. We have found the same symptoms in our backyard (and neighbors front yard). And I caught them redhanded!
Nope not voles.
Nope not racoons
and nope, not eve those pesky kids....
BIRDS!!!! Found about 4 different types all together going to town on my lawn!

[hopeanelli]

Guess the culprits have moved over to Lexington Hills. We have found the same symptoms in our backyard (and neighbors front yard). And I caught them redhanded!
Nope not voles.
Nope not racoons
and nope, not eve those pesky kids....
BIRDS!!!! Found about 4 different types all together going to town on my lawn!

I am in Lex Hills also and I believe its a combo of both Racoons and birds. My lawn is ok but my neighbors is tore up we did see a racoon digging it up late one night our dog went nuts and that is what it was but then a few days ago right after the rain there were a ton of birds pecking.... I have never noticed this before

[Darth Lefty]

If they are singing in high octave harmony as they dig, they might be Chipmunks.

[Warren G]

I saw this kind of damage once at a golf course and asked the groundskeeper about it. He said it was skunks. They tear up the top layer of lawn looking for grubs and worms.

Gophers dig holes that are obvious, with a mound of dirt at the hole, and voles dig a small hole and then make tunnels just under the surface that look like lumpy paths, similar to moles.

[hopeanelli]

I saw this kind of damage once at a golf course and asked the groundskeeper about it. He said it was skunks. They tear up the top layer of lawn looking for grubs and worms.

Gophers dig holes that are obvious, with a mound of dirt at the hole, and voles dig a small hole and then make tunnels just under the surface that look like lumpy paths, similar to moles.

WOW that could be what we have, I have seen skunks in my neighborhood alot over the past few months actually walked up on them a few times on my nightly walks... That really makes even more sense now as to what is going on we have had skunks (a whole family) in our neighborhood.

Thanks Warren

[Warren G]

Skunks don't seem to mind living in neighborhoods and they're pretty stealthy. In our previous Orangevale neighborhood there was a family of them that went through our side yard and over a 6 foot high redwood fence every night, but they didn't damage anything. They probably used our yard as a roadway because we didn't have a dog.

Perhaps our lawn fertilizers or lawn grub/bug killer kept them from tearing up our lawn.

[hopeanelli]

Skunks don't seem to mind living in neighborhoods and they're pretty stealthy. In our previous Orangevale neighborhood there was a family of them that went through our side yard and over a 6 foot high redwood fence every night, but they didn't damage anything. They probably used our yard as a roadway because we didn't have a dog.

Perhaps our lawn fertilizers or lawn grub/bug killer kept them from tearing up our lawn.

I am going to pay more attention my lawn is actually fine but my neighbors is tore up pretty bad... I think my gardner just fertilized so maybe that is why they don't come on my lawn.

[Darth Lefty]

Skunks don't seem to mind living in neighborhoods and they're pretty stealthy.

My dog got shot by a skunk in the Willow Creek bike path area in November.

Also I thought I smelled a stealthy skunk at my apartment but it was only my upstairs neighbor.