If you’re noticing that your yard is dug up, then you might be feeling frustrated. Flower bed and lawn damage from animals in North Texas is a common problem but it can lead to a lot of hassles, headaches, and expenses. The first step is to understand what’s causing the problem.
Our most important piece of advice: Don't simply repair the damage without addressing the cause.
Filling holes, replacing sod or repairing damaged turf may only provide a temporary fix if the underlying issue remains. The last thing that you want to do is invest a lot of money into fixing a problem only to have it happen again.
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Common culprits: What is digging up my lawn or flower bed in North Texas?
What does flower bed or lawn damage from animals in North Texas look like?
If you are noticing your lawn or plant beds are being dug up, there are numerous possible offenders.
Which animals you might be dealing with does depend largely on where the property is located. In densely populated Flower Mound, Argyle, Frisco, and McKinney neighborhoods, we commonly see squirrels, rabbits, and moles causing lawn or landscape-bed disturbances.
In more rural, semi-rural and developing areas of Dallas, Denton and Collin counties, homeowners are more likely to encounter raccoons, armadillos, and occasionally feral hogs, which can cause much more significant turf damage.
The type of damage that you’re noticing in your yard is often a good clue what animal you might be dealing with in your yard. Moles typically create tunnels or raised areas, squirrels generally dig smaller holes, and armadillos can leave numerous shallow holes while foraging for food.
Here’s some more in-depth information on what to anticipate:
Another clue as to what’s tearing up your lawn might be the time that it’s happening. Most animals do their digging at night. Squirrels are active during the day and rarely dig at night, so you’re likely to see them out in the open in broad daylight.
Rabbits can also be active during the day, but they don’t do a lot of digging. They feast on plants in your plant beds, often at dawn or dusk.
Moles tunnel both day and night.
But raccoons, armadillos, and feral hogs are all primarily nocturnal. If you wake up to a torn up yard, you could have animals digging in the yard at night.
Food is a primary attractor to yards as your lawn and plant beds provide a lot of potential food sources for many creatures. The vegetation itself plus insects in the lawn and plant beds are food sources for many of these animals.
Many of these animals do feast on lawn grubs (as well as earthworms and other organisms found in the soil).
Grub control can be part of the solution, but it isn't always the answer. Armadillos and other wildlife may dig in lawns searching for grubs and other insects, so reducing a significant grub population can remove one potential food source.
However, homeowners shouldn't automatically assume that wildlife activity means they have a grub problem. Proper lawn and pest diagnosis should come before treatment.
In the next section, we’ll talk about important next steps.
If you have animals digging in your plant beds or lawn, you’ll want to take action. The first step should be calling in professionals.
A pro will start by determining what animal is causing the damage and what may be attracting it. A lawn care professional can inspect the turf for signs of grubs, insect activity, mole activity, and turf damage and recommend appropriate lawn treatments or repairs.
Some potential animal prevention strategies might include:
If the animal repeatedly returns, causes extensive damage, or presents a safety concern, homeowners should contact a professional wildlife removal or nuisance wildlife control company.
Bottom line: Lawn care professionals should address the lawn; wildlife professionals should handle the animal.
At Grassperson, we’ll help you determine what next steps will be important for you to see the most success.
What animals are most likely to dig up a yard?
Squirrels, rabbits, moles, raccoons, armadillos, and feral hogs are all commonly known for digging up turf and plant beds.
Which animals are most active at night?
Armadillos, raccoons, and feral hogs are primarily nocturnal. Moles can be active both day and night.
Why are animals digging in my lawn?
Animals generally dig in lawns (and plant beds) in search of food. That might include roots, grubs, earthworms, or other soil organisms.
What attracts animals to my yard?
Animals are always in search of food, water, and shelter. Your yard might provide all three of these basic needs.
Lawn problems happen…even when you’re doing everything right.
If you’re dealing with a lawn problem, such as digging, you need to get a solution underway swiftly so that the problem does not continue to get worse. If you have areas of the lawn that have already been damaged, then you might need to talk to a lawn care pro about installing sod. There are many lawn renovation services in North Texas that you can turn to for help.
However, as we stressed at the beginning, before implementing any solutions, you must determine what is causing the problem in the first place.
Filling holes, replacing sod, or repairing damaged turf will only be temporary fixes if you never get to the root of the problem. And you do not want to invest a lot of money into fixing something that will only become a problem once again.
As we urged before: Lawn care professionals should address the lawn; wildlife professionals should handle the animal.
At Grassperson, we’re here to be your lawn care experts to help with that part of the problem. And we can make recommendations that will set you up for long-term success.
Ready for a gorgeous lawn at your Flower Mound, Highland Village, or Lewisville, TX home? Get a free quote and then enjoy the best lawn on the block without the worries!