If you noticed small holes formed overnight on your lawn, there could be several reasons. It’s probably animals or insects causing the holes, but we’ll explain what to look at when determining what’s making tiny holes in your lawn overnight and describe some reasons for them.
Reasons for Small Holes in Lawn Overnight
Small animals or insects may cause small holes in your lawn overnight. Insects are a common problem. They leave holes in your lawn as they mature. Animals create holes to consume them.
Identifying the Cause
When identifying what’s creating the holes, consider the size, shape, season, and location.
Hole Shape
A hole’s shape can often indicate what’s causing it. Insects and bugs create cone-shaped piles, while others leave a mess.
Hole Size
You can rule out some predators based on hole size. Badgers might dig a large hole to start a new set, but insects hatching from eggs might create small holes.
Season
If your lawn develops holes overnight, the season is crucial for identifying the source. Consider foxes. They eat grubs and earthworms in spring and fall. Holes may appear in your garden during this time.
Identifying Hole Diggers
Start by determining what’s not digging holes in your lawn. Look for dogs or kids. If you see a dog wandering around, it might be digging. Kids can also dig holes or make tunnels in the ground when playing.
Having ruled out kids and dogs, you can focus on other potential suspects like bugs and other critters. Animals like birds and squirrels dig up buried insects. Most animals lay eggs and construct nests in the ground.
Moles Digging Holes In Your Lawn
You can find mole holes easily. Tunnel-dwelling moles dig for insects and worms underground. Their holes usually have a pile of soil on top. They cause serious damage. Consider using mole traps to catch them. You can also use castor oil, a well-known animal repellent.
Voles Digging Holes in Your Lawn
Voles differ from moles both in size and activity. Their hair is light brown with tiny eyes and ears, and they resemble field mice. They have a short tail and are slightly larger than mice, making them easy to spot.
Like moles, voles excavate tunnels about two feet long and two inches wide. You may see damage to vegetables, fruits, flowers, grass, and plants around vole holes since they like vegetation. Look for voles in the winter and in the spring.
Rodents Making Small Holes in Your Lawn
Your grass may have holes caused by rodents like mice and rats eating insects. Rodents also urinate on grass, which kills it because their urine contains nitrogen.
Squirrel and Chipmunk Lawn Damage
Chipmunks and squirrels are the most common rodents in America. When hunting or hiding food, they dig holes. Squirrels cause the most lawn damage because they dig a lot of holes.
To resolve a squirrel or chipmunk issue, contact a wildlife and pest specialist.
Lawn Damage from Birds
If you look closely, you might see small holes, with no debris. The holes are likely caused by hungry birds. They control pests in your garden, so their presence is usually beneficial.
Japanese Beetle Infestations
Among the most common causes of small holes in the grass is Japanese beetles. They damage lawns by causing brown spots.
Researchers at the University of Minnesota Extension Found that female beetles lay their eggs one to three inches underground. During their 2-month life cycle, they lay about 60 eggs that hatch into larvae. These larvae can be found in the fall and winter.
Gardeners fear Japanese beetles for obvious reasons. Japanese beetles can attract other animals to gardens, such as birds and raccoons. They will dig holes in the grass to get to the larvae.
Japanese beetles can be killed in many ways. Pesticides are the best method. Usually, pesticides containing pyrethrins are used. Beetles are killed by it, but it may not kill all of them.
A lingering effect can be achieved with chlorantraniliprole, pyrethroids, or carbaryl. Depending on the formula, they can protect for several weeks.
Neem oil is another alternative. It is extremely effective at repelling adults. It doesn’t harm beneficial insects.
Worms Digging in Your Lawn
Earthworms can also cause small holes in lawns. During wet conditions, your soil may have worm tunnels. Earthworms aerate it so plants can thrive. They also mix water and nutrients.
Most earthworms are active in the spring and when the soil is moist. Their inch-sized holes are surrounded by granular earth. Other insects lay eggs and when they hatch, they leave tiny holes.
It also causes lumps in your grass, which make it look uneven. Don’t worry about earthworm holes because they are so small. Earthworms benefit grass and soil, so it’s not good to remove them.
Wasps Digging Holes in Your Lawn
Wasps also cause lawn holes. Cicada-killer wasps and scoliid wasps both dig holes in lawns, and their holes are easy to differentiate.
Scoliid wasps burrow to find food. When they discover a grub, they choke it and deposit their eggs. Their young will have food when they hatch.
Cicada-killer wasps drill into lawns for food. A large wasp eats cicadas to feed its offspring. A female digs a half-inch to an inch and a half diameter tunnel into which paralyzed cicadas are stuffed. Their habitat is usually dry, but they can inhabit short grass.
Other Possible Causes of Small Holes in Your Lawn
Tree roots may collapse after winter, causing cave-ins and holes. A diverted stream can also cause holes to form.
Lastly, it might be your sprinklers. Burst pipes cause puddles and holes in sprinkler systems.
You have no doubt figured out why holes can appear in your lawn. If you want to solve the problem, you must be a detective, look at the hole’s shape and size, and consider the time of year the hole is being made to narrow down the possible causes for the small holes being made in your lawn overnight.