Could be voles. I killed 7 voles in my neighbors yard this year.

I have had chipmunks damage my yard the past few years, so I have started trapping them also. Got 21 so far. You might as well get them all.

 

posted by Phids
https://naturalresources.extension.iastate.edu/files/page/images/holes_in_yard_graphic.jpg

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJZxRqOZLGQ

 

No need to trap them if there's nothing for them to eat. Eliminate the food they're after. Pick up any nuts that have fallen from trees, kill the insects, get a cat, and they'll leave on their own.

 

Could be voles. I killed 7 voles in my neighbors yard this year.

I have had chipmunks damage my yard the past few years, so I have started trapping them also. Got 21 so far. You might as well get them all.

everything seems like voles but the runways are wider than 1-2" - what else would make these raised runways? or could they be wider than 2" for voles? I think chipmunks may be making the shallow holes I posted to store food. How do I get them all? I don't know what to do. Thanks

 

posted by Phids
https://naturalresources.extension.iastate.edu/files/page/images/holes_in_yard_graphic.jpg

I have seen/used this chart and I am still unsure. I would think voles, but my runways are wider than they should be for voles. so, I thought some damage could also be ground squirrel or chipmunks. I think I may have more than 1 pest issue. I don't know how to take care of any or all. I have read too much online and there are so many different solutions. I am not comfortable handling them if i trap them myself. 😩

 

No need to trap them if there's nothing for them to eat. Eliminate the food they're after. Pick up any nuts that have fallen from trees, kill the insects, get a cat, and they'll leave on their own.

You are making it sound easy. I can't find any nuts that have fallen, I have a pest service for inside, but how do you kill all the insects outside and in the ground. Maybe you are being sarcastic? I have actually considered an outside cat. Do you think this would greatly help? I am not a cat person, but I would possibly get a cat that I would let live in the garage at night, leave a litter box, feed, etc. Is this what most do with an outdoor cat? I have never had one.

 

Vole are herbivores. How can you get rid of all their food?

 

https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=4605&p=101805&hilit=chipmunk#p101805

 

@robjak are voles causing this?

@randibeth11 i don't mean to make it sound easy. I'm not a cat guy either. We had a cat adopt us 10 yrs ago. He hangs out in the house during the day and outside at night. He often brings me 'gifts' such as chipmunks, squirrels, mice, rabbits, moles, etc. He's a big help around here.

Whatever is causing this could be searching out grubs or other lawn insects. If you kill them, the critter will search out food elsewhere.

Hope this helps.

 

Not sure if it is voles. Original poster does not believe it is moles. I think it might be a combination of chipmunks and voles. Chipmunks are usually not bad but can be very destructive when over populated.

 

Randibeth

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTEzqB5wjcE&t=163s

Any gopher ,mounds?
Is picture 4, a hole going into a tunnel?
Picture near sidewalk with hole looks like chipmunkish, is there any more?
Can you locate small tunnels entrances near vegetation like shrubs or near wooded areas next to the lawn?

 

Not sure if it is voles. Original poster does not believe it is moles. I think it might be a combination of chipmunks and voles. Chipmunks are usually not bad but can be very destructive when over populated.

Could be moles as the raised runways look like mole ones based on online pics. They are more than 1-2" like I read for voles. They are raised ridges so quite mole like but no volcanic shaped mounds. Pretty clean holes. Can moles not have molehills?

 

Randibeth

Any gopher ,mounds?
Is picture 4, a hole going into a tunnel?
Picture near sidewalk with hole looks like chipmunkish, is there any more?
Can you locate small tunnels entrances near vegetation like shrubs or near wooded areas next to the lawn?

I scoured the Internet so much that I have seen this video too. There are no mounds that I can tell. That makes me think moles but the raised ridged runways are throwing me off. Those are mole like. I'll look for more holes by sidewalks. You can see why I think I have more than 1 pest. Which animal is making the holes that don't have entrances to tunnels?

 

@robjak are voles causing this?

@randibeth11 i don't mean to make it sound easy. I'm not a cat guy either. We had a cat adopt us 10 yrs ago. He hangs out in the house during the day and outside at night. He often brings me 'gifts' such as chipmunks, squirrels, mice, rabbits, moles, etc. He's a big help around here.

Whatever is causing this could be searching out grubs or other lawn insects. If you kill them, the critter will search out food elsewhere.

Hope this helps.

Please suggest how to get rid of the insects they are feeding on please. I thought if moles it's earthworms and grubs.

 

Around here, there are primarily 3 digging animals: raccoons, skunks, and chipmunks.

The shallow holes that dont look like burrows look like raccoons digging for food. Skunks make a much bigger mess. The hole up against the slab looks like a chipmunk burrow.

 

Molehills will be small just pushed out dirt on their trail/tunnel. Poke your finger into this and you will find a tunnel, if they fill it back in, set your trap here. How long are the tunnels?

Voles make tunnels also. How much grass damage? Voles eat grass roots moles do not.

 

Around here, there are primarily 3 digging animals: raccoons, skunks, and chipmunks.

The shallow holes that dont look like burrows look like raccoons digging for food. Skunks make a much bigger mess. The hole up against the slab looks like a chipmunk burrow.

I have just bought a surveillance camera to try to see an animal above ground to help end this saga. let's see if it shows raccoons or something?? I have never seen a raccoon or a skunk in my area. I have seen plenty of chipmunks and squirrels but haven't seen them make the holes so the camera may help.

I am going to assume I have a chipmunk issue. perhaps also a mole or vole. the tunnels are unreal and plentiful - above ground... Maybe the chipmunk is sharing the mole's tunnels or I have 1 kinds of underground tunnels.... Doesn't seem that chipmunks make raised tunnels??

 

Molehills will be small just pushed out dirt on their trail/tunnel. Poke your finger into this and you will find a tunnel, if they fill it back in, set your trap here. How long are the tunnels?

Voles make tunnels also. How much grass damage? Voles eat grass roots moles do not.

I was in the process of trying to grow grass in the back and the damage is extensive. In the front, just had it graded and new seed and wheat straw put down. The tunnels are long. let me go see if I can measure. It's a disaster, so its seriously a mess.

 

I measured a raised tunnel. it was about 4" wide and 3 feet long. I also found a new hole. New hole in back and tunnel is from side yard on opposite side. Thoughts?

 

Can you post a picture of the damage from slightly farther back?

 

Can you post a picture of the damage from slightly farther back?

Sure. the tunnel?

 

This is one of the more easy to see tunnels. However, since the grass seed was just put down and the wheat straw, its harder to see the tunnel in pics. and there is more tunneling near by that spot. Also this new smaller hole. What's going on here!?

 

I measured a raised tunnel. it was about 4" wide and 3 feet long. I also found a new hole. New hole in back and tunnel is from side yard on opposite side. Thoughts?


Does this fresh hole with the dirt present at top look like a mole? I don't usually notice the dirt.

 

The holes do not look like they are created by moles.

the large sections of straw area are reseed areas that were damaged by the rodent? or just areas that youneeded to reseed?