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desertcoupe

What dug this hole in my yard?

desertcoupe
12 years ago

This hole in my front yard has me a bit creeped out. There was some kind of big insect looking thing in it last night. I screamed like a little girl and ran away, but took these pictures this morning.

http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k625/DesertCoupe5_0/IMG_1704.jpg

http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k625/DesertCoupe5_0/IMG_1703.jpg

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Comments (9)

  • ra
    12 years ago

    what does the insect look like? does it have wings?

    honestly that looks a bit too big for an insect to dig out. It looks like a snake dug it we need more info. or can you take a picture of the insect?

  • desertcoupe
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Possible the bug was just visiting. There's nobody in there now, at least not that I can see.

  • kanvas
    12 years ago

    i would guess a rodent made that. Maybe a rock/ground squirrel. Snakes don't dig.

  • crista
    12 years ago

    Yup, the insect was just visiting. I could only see one picture. It's possible you've got a gopher, however gopher holes generally aren't this wide and the opening is better defined. Definitely not a snake. The soil looks very dry which makes me suspect that a contributing factor here may be a critter that did a little digging combined with native soil pulling back from the smaller hole that the tree was planted in. Be interesting to put a hose down and see how long it takes to fill up with water! Either way, I'd fill it up with dirt and see if it gets redug. If you've got a gopher you'll see another hole, too. They always have an entry and exit. Keep us posted!

  • aztreelvr
    12 years ago

    It could even be a rabbit or other critter.

    The hole is close to the emitter you have on this tree so the critter could have been after water.

    My suggestion is to move the emitters out to the drip line. That's where 90 percent of the feeder roots are - they are the ones that absorb water and nutrients. Watering close to the trunk can contribute to 'wind throw' or trees blowing over because the soil is moist. The goal is to have fairly dry soil next to the trunk and moist soil where the roots can use it. You may need to add more emitters to moisten the root zone.

    Here is a link that might be useful: watering trees and shrubs

  • campv 8b AZ
    12 years ago

    It also could be a skunk looking for grubs. It happened last year and I live in a developed neighborhood.
    He got into the back yard and started digging holes in the soft wet grass. We finally figured it out from the wonderful aroma and blocked up the bottom of the gate. Then he started in the front yard. We got rid of the grubs and the skunk went away

  • amadioranch
    12 years ago

    You guys can be pretty silly sometimes! Havent any of you ever seen a gopher hole?? Ive trapped about 150 of the little buggers out of the ranch here.

  • campv 8b AZ
    12 years ago

    Now that I look at the picture better it does look like a gopher hole some what, but it is a tad wide and not very round. Did you remove any of the dirt it dug out? Take a stick or the hose and try to determind how deep it is. If it is only 3" deep it could be from a skunk looking for grubs (they tend to dig at slight slant)if you can not find an end then it probly is a gopher. Amadioranch I too have killed hundreds of those little critters, either with the pellet gun or with golf course candys. The hole still doesn't look right for gophers to me. Sorry

  • littleluey
    12 years ago

    well, did you ever find out what it was?

    i have lizard digging holes by my trees in my yard but that hole looks different.

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