Knowledgebase
Animal digging up lawn #777123
Asked November 04, 2021, 10:15 AM EDT
Summit County Ohio
Expert Response
I suspect skunks, raccoons, or moles. The secret to their identification is the way they treat the soil. Skunks are often the cause of these clues. The soil disruption happens overnight because skunks are nocturnal feeders. The hole is approximately the size of a skunk nose. The skunk presses its nose to the soil and digs with its long, front claws. There can be so many holes that they coalesce into an area the looks like it has been tilled. In the fall and all during the growing season, skunks are on the patrol for earthworms, grubs and a variety of soil insects. Skunks enjoy a diet that extends into fallen fruit like mulberries, raspberries, cherries and grapes.
Raccoons enjoy diets that are almost identical to skunks, but raccoons use their front paws like hands. They will pull and flip pieces of sod. This behavior is quite common on newly laid sod or grass with shallow roots. Ripping and tearing is easier. Since skunks and raccoons can be feeding during the night in the same area, you may wake to a powerful skunk odor. The gentle skunk is being harassed by the backyard bully raccoon.
Moles leave piles of soil on the surface because they are pushing them up from below. There are no visible holes. In warm weather, the star-nosed mole works about 6 inches or more below the surface and periodically pushes soil up to make an air vent. At the same time, the eastern mole is tunneling just below the surface and you can walk on its created trail. Moles leave piles of soil on the surface because they are pushing them up from below. There are no visible holes. In warm weather, the star-nosed mole works about 6 inches or more below the surface and periodically pushes soil up to make an air vent. At the same time, the eastern mole is tunneling just below the surface and you can walk on its created trail.
You can read more online in the fact sheet from Mich. State Univ. at: https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/whos_that_digging_in_my_yard_skunks_raccoons_or_moles
In your picture, it looks like raccoon damage because of the pealed back soil. I have successfully trapped skunks using slices of apple or pear. For raccoons I use peanut butter on crackers. Some tell me that cat food also works for raccoon and skunk bait.