Mystery hole

[Kissy]

Hi everyone

Wondered if anyone could provide an explanation for a hole that’s been dug in the middle of our lawn overnight?

It was dug just behind the hog swimming pool (A.K.A the bird bath/plant saucer). I think it seems a bit deep for a hog, but not sure.

I’ve put some photos of it in the gallery.

Any thoughts as to what could have dug the hole and why?

[Kissy]

Just waiting for photos to be approved for the gallery.

[Nic]

Hi Kissy

Not having seen your photos, of course, but do you by any chance have badgers around?

[Kissy]

Hi Nic

Thanks for your reply.

I’ve changed my profile picture to show the hole (with a slightly larger than life hedgehog model).

As to badgers, the answer is not to my knowledge but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t.

The earth around here is quite clayey but I could find no claw marks or any paw prints in or around the hole.

Something else seems odd too. Probably difficult to see in my picture, but there doesn’t seem to be enough earth to fill the hole (if that makes sense)

😕
X

[Annker]

Hi Kissy, just wondering, could you have a Mole? They tunnel underground and push soil up for, I believe, air holes. You usually see a small mound of black soil in the grass, but the one of the hogs, or some other animal, could have gone through the lifted mound of soil looking for insects. Just a thought, best wishes.

[Hedgie Lover]

could it be a rabbit hole?

It’s hard to see from your profile pick, but that round bit on the grass looks like a crop circle, so could it be a UFO that dug the hole? LOL

Have you got a trial camera, if so you could point it at the hole and see what comes out/goes in

[Nic]

Hi Kissy

I assume you are tallking about the brown dug up areas, rather than the round thing?

I still wonder whether it’s badger digging for worms. You may not see claw marks – they may be pushing their noses in. It doesn’t look at all like moles to me, when you get a mound – and usually more than one. The soil from mole hills makes good potting compost, though!

I suggest you type animal damage to lawns into Google (or other) when it should show you some different images which you can compare the marks on your lawn with.

[Kissy]

Thanks for your replies everybody.

Since that 1 hole was dug, we had nothing else. That was until we came down this morning to find 8 holes of various sizes. Some no bigger than a thumb but others about the size of a cereal bowl.

Here are some of the things I’ve noticed:

-> Again the holes don’t seem to have enough earth to fill them.
-> They are only placed around the hogs swimming pool.
-> No claw/paw marks.
-> They are holes only (no tunnels or mounds).

Surrounding area:

-> A drainage ditch/stream runs alongside our garden (and we know there are water voles in there).

-> Our fence is in need of replacing as they are rotten at the bottoms but it does mean that there are plenty of access points for hoggies (and obviously others).

-> Went the other side of the fence and found some flattened down grass (sort of like a drag route) coming/going from under the fence.

-> Something moved the hedgehog house which up until now has been vacant. Put some shredded paper in it a few days ago to see if that would attract any hogs. It hasn’t been moved much but enough for me to notice. I’ve already put a twig across the entrance to see what happens tonight.

We are leaning towards the thought that it could be a fox as we have seen 1 in the garden at night in the last year.

Unfortunately, we don’t have a trail cam so unless we happen to catch the digger (not literally of course), then I’m still open to suggestions.

P.s. Not a UFO, just the outline from where the hogs swimming pool (plant saucer) had been – moved to take photo 😄.

[Nic]

As suggested previously. I think your best bet is to type ‘images of animal damage to lawns’ into your search engine and compare them with the damage you have found.

[PlanetSusie]

As a very very new member (2 minutes ago) I saw this post and have to say that we have just bought a small camera for our garden and last Wednesday saw Foxy digging the same type of hole in the middle of our lawn! Our hedgie was under the shrubs watching from a distance but since then – no more holes.

I must also add that until the camera was set up last Monday we had no idea what there was in the garden – we expected some neighbourhood cats because they come to see us anyway but the first night, much to our total amazement, we saw one hedgie who was here from around 8pm until 4.30am and Foxy (we thought all the foxes had gone from our area) Last night we also saw a further fox so I am totally chuffed to bits!

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