What Animal Is Digging Small Holes in My Yard at Night?

You might’ve got a skunk sneaking around your yard at night—those little cone-shaped holes, about the size of a tennis ball, are their signature move while hunting grubs. No musky gym-sock smell yet? Could be voles zipping through zig-zag runways, or raccoons flipping sod like furry bandits after dinner. Check for paw prints, droppings, or torn-up patches to crack the case—every clue gets you closer to solving the mystery under your feet.

TLDR

• Skunks dig small, cone-shaped holes about the size of a tennis ball while foraging for grubs at night.
• Raccoons tear up patches of grass and leave hand-shaped tracks, often near trash or food sources.
• Moles create raised, spongy tunnels without open holes, especially after rain, as they hunt worms.
• Voles leave narrow, zig-zag runways with 1–2 inch holes and rice-sized droppings near clipped grass.
• Mice make small ~3 cm holes hidden with twigs, typically near vegetation or structures, active at night.

Identifying Signs of Skunk Activity

If you’ve ever woken up to find your once-smooth lawn looking like a mini battlefield of tiny craters, chances are you’ve got a skunk on the late-night grub hunt—yep, those little cone-shaped holes, about the size of a tennis ball and often ringed with loose dirt, are practically calling cards from our black-and-white bandit.

You might even catch a whiff of that signature musky smell, like old gym socks left in a damp tent—classic skunk!

Check for five-toed tracks with long front claws, especially near decks or sheds; they’re tidy diggers, targeting grubs patch by patch.

And if droppings with bits of insects show up nearby? Case closed.

This digging behavior typically stops after about 3 weeks because food is no longer available, as skunks systematically remove insects from turf in a section-by-section fashion.

Consider improving your lawn’s health and soil monitoring to reduce grub populations and discourage return visits.

Recognizing Raccoon Digging Patterns

You’ve probably seen it before—your yard looking like a wild game of tug-of-war happened overnight, with chunks of grass flipped every which way, like some mischievous kid rolled up the lawn like a burrito and ditched it.

That’s raccoons! They use their clever front paws to rip up sod searching for grubs, leaving hand-shaped tracks, messy leftovers, and sometimes even little poop parties—yep, they’re the campers who forget to pack out their trash! Moles, voles, and other small animals can also disturb turf while foraging, but unlike raccoons they typically leave tunnels and soil mounds rather than large ripped-up patches.

Tracking Moles by Their Tunnel Systems

You’ve seen those squishy, wavy lines popping up in your yard like nature’s own trail map, right? Those are mole surface tunnels—super soft underfoot and usually fresh after rain, perfect for spotting their lunch runs as they zigzag looking for worms (kind of like how I track snack breaks on a camping trip).

Poke a hole in one and stomp down a ridge—if it’s magically fixed by tomorrow, congrats, you’ve got active moles on the move! Improving lawn drainage and reducing excess moisture can make your yard less attractive to tunneling pests and the creatures they hunt, since excessive moisture encourages the soil conditions these animals favor.

Identify Surface Tunnels

Ever stepped outside barefoot and suddenly felt your foot sink into a squishy, bouncy patch of lawn like nature decided to install a tiny trampoline? That’s a mole’s surface tunnel—shallow, soft, and built fast just below the grass.

You won’t see open holes, but you’ll spot raised ridges, often overnight. Check them daily, tamp them flat, and see if they pop back up—moles fix their “snack highways” quick!

Spot Feeding Holes

Okay, so you’ve already got your detective hat on from spotting those sneaky raised ridges in your lawn—the mole’s version of a fast-food drive-thru lane—but now it’s time to level up your mole-tracking game and zero in on where the real feasting happens.

Press down on a suspicious bump; if it pops back up in a day or two, bingo—that’s an active feeding tunnel! Moles snack just below the surface, especially after rain, when worms come up to party.

Soft, spongy soil? That’s mole buffet hour. Keep an eye out, and you’ll catch them red-pawed!

Track Tunnel Patterns

Right beneath your feet, while you’re busy dreaming about s’mores and stargazing, a whole underground highway system is buzzing with mole-sized traffic—talk about a secret world!

You’ll spot their runways as soft, spongy ridges winding across your lawn, like nature’s bouncy sidewalk.

Step on one—yep, really!—and if it pops back up overnight, moles are definitely camping out below.

Spotting Groundhog Burrow Characteristics

You’ve seen those big, round holes in your yard—some as wide as a basketball hoop—and wondered, “Is a groundhog throwing an underground house party?” Well, grab your explorer hat, because those 10- to 12-inch main entrances, often with a hefty 275-pound dirt pile beside them, are dead giveaways (and seriously, who else digs a sunbathing lounge out of soil?).

Keep an eye out for clean secondary holes with no dirt mounds—those sneaky escape tunnels—or dried grass in a cozy back chamber, and boom: you’ve just cracked the case like a nature detective on a camping trip!

Size and Shape Clues

If you’ve ever played detective in your own backyard, you’re in for a treat—spotting a groundhog burrow is like uncovering nature’s own secret bunker.

You’ll notice entrances 10–12 inches wide, shaped like crescents with soil mounds—perfect for quick getaways.

Tunnels plunge steeply, stretch up to 65 feet, and hide 2–5 exits.

Look under tree roots or edges; that’s their favorite hideout spot.

Pretty cool, right?

Soil Mound Patterns

Chances are, if you’re out poking around your yard at dusk—flashlight in one hand, questionable confidence in your ability to identify wildlife signs—you’ll notice something that looks like a dirt volcano with commitment issues: a big, proud mound of soil right outside a groundhog’s main burrow entrance.

That pile? It’s fresh diggings, tossed out by mouth, and often becomes the groundhog’s favorite sunbathing spot—talk about outdoor multitasking!

Over time, grass and leaves cozy up to it, nature’s way of redecorating.

Spot one? You’ve likely found the front door to an underground bunker built for hibernation, naps, and raising kits—all the essentials for a groundhog’s busy life.

Daytime Activity Signs

Most of the time, when you’re out in the yard sipping your morning juice or pretending to do yard work just to enjoy the sunshine, you’re actually in prime groundhog spotting territory—especially from spring through fall, when these furry gardeners are up and at ’em during daylight hours.

Keep an eye out for worn paths, clean-cut plant damage, or tracks with five front toes—they’re telltale signs! Spotting a 10–12-inch hole near a stump or fence? That’s likely their main door—imagine them popping out like tiny, furry homeowners!

Detecting Vole Runways and Entry Points

You’ll often spot vole runways when you’re out in the yard on a crisp spring morning, especially after the snow melts and reveals all the secret tunnels they’ve been busy building all winter—kind of like uncovering a network of tiny highways hidden beneath the grass!

Look for narrow, zig-zag paths with clipped grass, bare soil, and rice-sized droppings; poke around edges for spongy ground or check for 1–2 inch holes nearby—those are their front doors!

Including native plants and providing diverse habitat can help support beneficial wildlife and reduce pest pressures by encouraging natural predators of voles, such as owls and snakes, in your yard — consider planting a mix with native species to promote balance.

Differentiating Other Nighttime Burrowers

Ever wonder who’s really throwing the nighttime underground block party in your yard? Skunks dig neat grub-seeking holes, while rats slick down 2–3-inch tunnels near trash.

Mice sneak in through 3cm holes, hidden with twigs. Moles push up ridges—no hole needed!

Rabbits? Look for 10–15cm sloped entrances with droppings nearby. Spot oily rub marks or fur tufts? You’ve got clues, detective! Decaying carcasses can attract insects and be a sign of nearby rodent activity, so check hidden spaces for hidden carcasses.

Overall

So, you’ve got nighttime diggers in your yard—mystery solved, right? Whether it’s sneaky skunks, clever raccoons, or tunnel-happy moles, now you know what to look for. I once woke up to a raccoon staring at me during a camping trip—awkward! But hey, spotting these critters is kind of fun, like a backyard wildlife escapade. Just grab a flashlight, stay curious, and remember: nature’s always up to something cool, even when you’re asleep.