Are they made of soil particles or are they vegetative?
Could be mushrooms or ?

Anne, we're going to need you to be more of a detective. Remove one or more of these and break it open. Poke around in the soil. Try to help us determine if this is animal, vegetable, mineral, fungal.

How tall are the structures?

Jean, have you noticed that there seems to be several smaller ones peeking through the debris? I'd also like to know the kind of surroundings that they are eruptibg within. It appears to be a pile of sticks.

They look like termite construction to me. I googled termite chimney (out of curiosity) and found some images that look very much like this, but they were built next to a building. Not termite tubes, but little chimneys.

I also wondered about termites. But I don't know of a kind in the US which build "free-standing housing."

I also wonder about native solitary beds. But, in this case, a generalization is that they usually build (excavate) their individual nests on bare ground or areas w/ spare vegetation.

rhizo,

What do you know about Formosan termites? This site indicates infested states but doesn't include VA. Even so, I see a red dot in DC which is just north of VA.

http://www.termite.com/termites/formosan-subterranean-termite.html

Here is a link that might be useful: Formosan termite

I know enough about them to be very, very skeered. Not only are we under contract with with a good pest control company, but Robert and I both pay careful attention, too, for their tell-tale signs.

Attached is a link to one of the termite chimney pictures I saw.

Here is a link that might be useful: termite chimney