If you own a home, then having squirrels dig up your lawn is one of the most annoying things that can happen. Stories of squirrels digging in lawns are as old as time itself.
These little pests seem to be everywhere, and it’s difficult to keep them away. So, how can you stop them from digging up your lawn and focus on preventing squirrels from causing damage? Well, first, let’s talk about what caused them to do this.
Squirrels are intelligent and fascinating creatures that play a vital role in our ecosystem. To effectively deter squirrels and prevent squirrel damage to your lawn, it’s essential to understand their behavior and motivations. Squirrels are primarily driven by the need to survive and thrive, which means they are constantly searching for food, shelter, and suitable nesting sites. They are also highly territorial and will fiercely defend their territory from other squirrels.
Squirrels communicate with each other through vocalizations, body language, and scent markings. They are highly adaptable and can quickly adjust to changing environments. By understanding these aspects of squirrel behavior, homeowners can develop effective strategies to deter squirrels from digging up their lawns. For instance, knowing that squirrels are foragers can help you identify and remove potential food sources that attract them to your yard.
As a homeowner you may have noticed small holes appearing in your yard and wondered – why are squirrels digging in my yard? Squirrels dig for a few main reasons and their holes can range from minor annoyances to potentially damaging if left unchecked. In this article, we’ll explore the common reasons squirrels excavate yards, signs to look for, prevention tips, and when to call in professional help.
Common Reasons Squirrels Dig Holes
Food Caching
One of the most frequent causes of squirrel holes is food caching behavior. Tree squirrels like gray fox, red and flying squirrels dig shallow, coin-sized holes to bury or “cache” nuts, acorns, seeds, and other food items. They do this to save up food supplies for the winter when less is available to forage. A single squirrel can cache thousands of nuts over a season!
You’ll notice more squirrel digging in fall as they start stockpiling for winter Uncovered food caches may still have nuts or seeds inside the holes
Shelter
Ground squirrels like chipmunks and prairie dogs create burrow systems underground for shelter and nesting. These holes are wider (3+ inches) and lead down into tunnels. You may see piles of excavated dirt around the entrance.
Water Source
In dry conditions, squirrels dig to access groundwater. The holes are small and dug near trees and shrubs.
Hiding Spots
Squirrels dig holes under decks, sheds, porches and other structures to create hiding and resting spots.
Signs Squirrels are Digging in Your Yard
Watch for these clues that squirrels may be excavating your yard:
- Shallow, small holes clustered around trees, gardens, and landscaping
- Dirt piles or mound near holes
- Unburied nuts/seeds left in holes
- Increased squirrel activity and sightings in your yard
- Holes leading to underground tunnels
- Freshly dug holes with smooth sides
Activity increases during fall when they begin caching nuts, but digging can occur year-round.
Dangers of Squirrel Holes
While a few holes here and there are not a major concern, extensive uncontrolled squirrel digging can lead to:
- Twisted ankles or tripping in holes
- Undermining of foundations or structures
- Damage to tree roots and plants
- Crop loss in gardens
- Pests entering holes
- Unsightly yard
It’s best to take action to fill holes and limit further damage. Unchecked activity only expands over time.
Prevention Tips
Here are some smart ways to discourage squirrels from digging up your yard:
Remove Food Sources
Eliminate anything that draws squirrels into your yard like bird feeders, fallen fruits/nuts, compost piles, vegetable gardens, and pet food. A yard with less food is less attractive.
Use Repellents
Apply smelly or spicy repellents around problem areas. Some options are hot pepper spray, predator urine, moth balls, and ammonia. Reapply after rain.
Install Barriers
Fences, hardware cloth, and wire mesh can protect specific areas like gardens. Make sure to bury barriers 1 foot deep.
Scare Devices
Use motion sprinklers, noise makers, predator decoys, and flashing objects to frighten squirrels away. Move them periodically.
Manage Landscaping
Trim vegetation squirrels use for cover. Plant bulbs they dislike. Use gravel or stone mulch they have trouble digging through.
Seal Entry Points
Repair holes in rooflines, walls, and attics so squirrels can’t gain entry to den inside.
When to Call a Professional
Contact professional wildlife removal services if:
- Holes are very extensive
- DIY solutions have not worked
- You observe major damage to property
- Squirrels have gotten into your home
- You want to use lethal removal methods
Experts have the tools, experience, and legal access to traps that homeowners don’t. They can effectively evict squirrels, repair damage, and implement exclusion measures.
Squirrel holes may frustrate yard-proud homeowners, but a bit of knowledge about their causes combined with smart prevention and removal tips will soon have squirrels looking elsewhere. Quick action at the first signs of digging prevents extensive damage long-term. With persistence, you can reclaim your yard again!
Prevent Squirrels from Digging Up a Lawn & Garden
If a property owner suspects squirrels have infested the area, they should immediately contact a licensed pest and nuisance wildlife expert for help.
It’s not only inadvisable but also dangerous for untrained individuals to confront a squirrel infestation. Squirrels can spread diseases such as salmonella and leptospirosis — a disease that can cause liver damage in people or animals.
Although rare, squirrels can also carry rabies. A single bite from an infected squirrel can result in severe or even fatal health complications, including intense muscle spasms and paralysis.
Leaving the removal of a squirrel infestation to the professionals is the best way to ensure the problem is taken care of the first time.
But until a pest and nuisance wildlife technician can arrive, there are some simple measures property owners can take to prevent squirrels from causing further damage to a garden, yard, or landscaping.
The best way to keep squirrels at bay while waiting for a pest and nuisance wildlife expert to come is to eliminate any available food sources found throughout the property.
This includes securing garbage can lids, barring off compost piles, taking down bird feeders with accessible birdseed, and quickly removing fallen nuts, seeds, or fruits.
Noisemakers like bells or windchimes can also scare squirrels away or deter them from returning to the area. It may also help to seal off any potential points of entry like open attic windows or roof vents.
Spraying essential oils — like peppermint, or mixtures of chili peppers and mint around the property can help to repel squirrels. These temporary solutions can be beneficial as the nuisance wildlife animal tends to dislike smelling or tasting such substances.
To discourage squirrels from digging holes and stealing seedlings, crops, or flower bulbs that are buried underneath the surface, install netting or fencing around the perimeters of flowerbeds and gardens.
While such preventative measures may not completely eliminate a squirrel infestation, it can help to temporarily control the situation.
How to tell if your lawn is being targeted by squirrels
If you notice holes throughout your lawn, what are some ways that you can tell if it’s from squirrels?
After all, other animals can create holes as well. This goes from gophers to moles to even dogs and cats. So here are some signs that the hole is most likely from a squirrel:
- Small diameter of less than 5 centimeters
- Relatively shallow hole
- Not a lot of soil surrounding the hole
How to keep squirrels from digging holes in your yard
FAQ
How do I keep squirrels from digging holes in my yard?
Wire mesh. If you have a garden, you can use wire mesh to go over the soil. This will make it difficult for the squirrel to dig a hole.
Why are there so many squirrels in my yard all of a sudden?
Squirrels are often attracted to homes and yards due to food availability, such as birdseed, nuts, and fruits, as well as potential nesting sites in attics. They can enter your home through openings in the roofline or eaves or by chewing through materials to create entry points.
Is it good to have squirrels in your yard?
Our backyards benefit from their presence. Squirrels help control plant populations by eating seeds and fruits. They are also both predators and prey.
Why do squirrels dig holes in yards?
Wild squirrels dig holes in yards for two main reasons: Tree squirrels like gray, red, fox, and flying squirrels dig holes to hide or “cache” food like nuts, acorns, seeds, and fungi. They bury food to save for winter when less is available.
Do squirrels dig around your yard?
Squirrels actively forage and dig around your backyard. By identifying these signs, you can confirm whether a squirrel is responsible for the digging and take steps to protect your yard if necessary. Squirrels are notorious for digging in yards, often in search of buried food or a suitable place for food storage.
How to stop squirrels from digging in your yard?
When you want to stop squirrels from digging in your yard, you need to make your yard a place they can’t trust. Look for the squirrel holes in your yard. If there is any food in them, remove it or scatter it about. Then, fill up the holes with more dirt or even mulch. This action shows that their food isn’t safe in your yard.
Why do squirrels dig in the grass?
Another reason why a squirrel would dig in the grass is to search for food. In the grass, there are usually plenty of acorns, pinecones, and other sources of food that squirrels like to eat. In the hunt for food, a squirrel will dig through the grass to make sure that not a single nut gets left behind. Do Coffee Grounds Keep Squirrels Away?
Why do squirrels bury food in the ground?
Squirrels can’t only carry so much food at a time. Nests can only hold so many resources before it gets full. To solve this issue, squirrels have taken up burying food and other supplies in the ground for safekeeping. If a squirrel is digging a hole in your yard, it might be using that hole to stash food for the day or even for the winter.
How do you know if a squirrel is digging holes?
The first sign that it is a squirrel digging holes in your yard is that you spot many small holes in the ground. Again, squirrels making caches will dig very small holes that can easily be missed until there are many of them. When other animals dig holes in your yard, there are more likely to be tunnels than just storage places.