Have you ever woken up one day to notice small holes in lawn overnight? It feels strange and surprising as you silently wonder about the type of varmint causing them. There are several animals that cause these mysterious holes in your yard. However, before you look for a solution to these holes, it’s advisable to know the culprit in the first place. This blog post will help you learn what causes small holes in your lawn overnight and how to fix them.
You have small holes in lawn overnight because of insects such as bees, cicadas, Japanese beetle, and rodents like gophers, rats, and voles. These pests feed on the turf. Other culprits include earthworms, chipmunks, armadillos, and eastern gray squirrels.
What Causes Small Holes in Lawn Overnight?
What animals make small holes in my yard overnight? Lawn professionals often receive this question from several homeowners. Keep reading to get to the bottom of the animals to blame for this mess!
1. Insects
Insects like bees, wasps, cicadas, and Japanese beetles make tiny and shallow holes once in the larvae stage. They bury their eggs in these holes during the larvae phase and appear once they mature.
2. Small Rodents
Small rodents like gophers, rats, and voles cause small holes in lawns overnight. For instance, gophers will create tiny holes as they feed on the roots and blades of the grass.
3. Chipmunks
Chipmunks make tunnels and burrows in the lawn, where they hide when they sense danger.
4. Eastern gray squirrel
If you have nut grass in your lawn, these animals will come and feed on it. They also make small holes to hide the nuts they collect.
5. Earthworms
Earthworms only appear in healthy and well-maintained lawns, where they create small holes for good air circulation. When they increase in number, they’ll make so many tunnels, damaging your property.
6. Armadillos
Armadillos love eating termites, ants, and grubs. Therefore, they dig up the grass as they hunt for these insects, making tiny holes in the lawn.
How to Get Rid of Holes in Yard
I have holes in my yard; how can I fix them? That’s a common question you’ll hear from most gardeners. So, to learn how to get rid of these holes, read the following tips;
i. Evacuate the intruders
The best way to remove the culprits from hiding is by pouring water into the hole. The intruder will evacuate, thinking there are floods.
ii. Refill the holes
Refill these holes with topsoil, play sand, or masonry sand to flatten the soil surface.
iii. Install new grass
Plant new grass in the area and water consistently until the sod is fully established. After that, let your dog stay on the lawn to prevent these intruders from digging holes again.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Whats making holes in my yard?
A: The common culprits for small holes in your yard are insects, small rodents, earthworms, armadillos, birds, chipmunks, and eastern gray squirrels. For bigger holes, the culprits could be pets, children, snakes, and moles.
Q: What is the best sand for filling holes in my yard?
A: The best sand types to fill the holes in your lawn are play sand and masonry sand. These types are ideal for the work as they are fine, sifted, and have no pebbles or rocks.
Final Thoughts
Discovering small holes in the yard you’ve spent thousands of dollars trying to beautify is frustrating.
The common culprits for these small holes in lawn overnight include earthworms, chipmunks, armadillos, and eastern gray squirrels. Also, small rodents like gophers, rats, and voles make holes as they feed on the turf.
Other culprits include insects like bees, cicadas, wasps, and Japanese beetles. To fix these holes, evacuate the animals, refill the holes, and install new sod.
