The Rodents That Dig Holes In Your Yard

There are over 4600 species of rodents in the world with the most famous being mice and rats due to their frequent home invasions. You pretty much know a lot about them and how much they can be a pain to you and your household. Moreover, they are also disease vectors and can be a health threat to you.

However, of the 4600 rodent species, there are many that don’t get into homes. Instead, they are famous for digging holes in people’s yards. These include groundhogs, chipmunks, gophers, moles, voles, and many more. Below you will find detailed explanations on how groundhogs, gophers, and chipmunks get into the yard and why they do so.

Groundhogs

Groundhogs are little aggressive rodents that are famous for ruining gardens as soon as they invade. They are at times referred to as whistle pigs all because they let out these loud screams to warn other groundhogs when their colony is in danger. They can live up to six years. And you will rarely see them outside during warm days but they are generally during the early morning hours and before dark.

So how and why do they dig?

Groundhogs are most well-known for their digging (other than their ability to predict the weather, of course). Groundhogs dig by scooping dirt with their specialized, shovel-like claws. They’re extremely good at digging; a single groundhog can move up to 700 pounds of dirt when burrowing.

Groundhog burrows are large and elaborate, measuring up to 66 feet long and containing multiple chambers, exits, and levels. This is where groundhogs spend the majority of their lives! Unlike other marmots, groundhogs are solitary creatures, meaning they live alone in their burrows and only seek each other out to mate. Read more from Varment Guard…

Chipmunks

You’ve probably watched the chipmunks’ movie where they sing their lungs out touring the world. But that is not common for real-world chipmunks. For many it is a battle for survival and their pursuit for food involves them digging tunnels. As a yard owner, that spells doom for your plants.

Here’s how you should know if you have chipmunks in your yard:

So, chipmunks do dig tunnels in yards, it is however quite difficult for a homeowner to find these burrows.

Don’t look for piles of dirt in this case. Chipmunks build their tunnels without any dirt lying at the entrance and exit holes. These openings are very small, just 2 or 3 inches in diameter.

Have a look around your yard and search underneath stones, fallen logs, stumps, woodpiles, and any areas around your lawn, as these are inviting places for these small creatures. In addition, patios, basements, stairs, or any well-hidden sites near your home can fit a chipmunk’s needs.

You might be surprised to discover one or more burrows. Although a chipmunk is an expert tree climber, you can usually spot them scurrying on the ground in the vicinity of their burrows. That’s because they spend most of their lives either on the ground or in their underground burrows. Read more from Westchester Wildlife…

Gophers

With a lifespan of about 1-3 years, you don’t want them messing up in your yard. Otherwise, you’ll have three years of hell, and don’t forget that they reproduce. Gophers are strict herbivores and their plant parts of choice are roots and the very fleshy parts of any plant.

Gophers aren’t big they weigh around a pound and they don’t grow past 13 inches. Here’s more about them:

Like mice and voles, gophers are built to dig. They have external, fur-lined cheek pouches that extend to the shoulders and are used to store and transport food.

Their four large incisors grow throughout the gopher’s life and are perfect for chewing through tough, woody plants. To dig as efficiently as possible, gophers can close their lips behind those incisors to keep the dirt out of their mouths while moving quickly through the ground. Their small ears and eyes and short, powerful bodies travel efficiently through tunnels while their broad feet and sharp claws work like shovels to move soil.

Although they prefer to live in areas with loose, sandy soil, Gophers are found throughout North and Central America. When they move into an area, they create an extensive network of burrows and tunnels, where they live, breed, and store food. Read more from Smith’s Pest Management…

In as much as these rodents spell doom for your Maryland home, don’t worry, Backyard Bug Patrol has your back. We specialize in rodent control for homes and you should reach out to us for help in getting rid of all your rodents. Call us today.