Finding small holes in lawn overnight or even during the day can point towards a handful of probabilities, from snakes to moles and other pests.
Those holes can turn your beautiful lawn into an unsightly area.
They also damage the grass, potentially destroy the lawn, and be dangerous for kids and pets to wander freely in the yard.
In this guide on Lawn Advisors, I’ll take you on a tour to find out what can cause such small holes in lawn overnight, who creates those holes, and how to fix them.
Once you finish reading this Lawn Advisors guide, you’ll be able to fight back against any type of small holes in lawn overnight, regardless of how small/large it is.
What Causes Small Holes in Lawn Overnight?
Small holes in Lawn Overnight can be caused by a number of creatures, varying in sizes, types, and goals behind creating the holes.
Moles, insects, snakes, and other creatures can create those holes, even bees to some extent, according to Lawn Advisors testing.
The holes also differ in size depending on the creature’s size & goal, as insects create smaller-sized holes, while snakes and squirrels will create larger-sized ones.
How to Fix Small Holes in Lawn Overnight?
In order to fix the small holes in lawn overnight problem, you’ll need to primarily identify the main cause of the holes.
That means identifying the creature, its size, how many are living together, and what their main goal is.
Gathering such information will be a great leap toward fixing the problem.
Small Holes in Lawn Overnight: Causes & Fixes
Snakes
Snakes’ holes have circular openings that differ in size depending on the snake type, recognizing the size and shape of the snake is the first step towards getting rid of it.
Snake holes can be found under longs, embedded underneath tall grass, and under piles of dirt.
Fix: How to Get Rid of Snake Holes in the Yard? Read our full article on how to get rid of those snake holes.
Moles
Moles don’t operate above surface level, so you should look for indications and signals that point toward the presence of moles.
Those signals include 1. Damage to Plants/Grass, Molehills, Weed Growth, and more.
Fix: Want to get rid of the moles and their holes? Visit our full guide on How to Get Rid of Ground Moles with Dawn Soap in 4 simple steps.
Squirrels
Squirrels love to dig their holes close to the surface, and you’ll most likely find them in garden beds.
Holes created by squirrels can damage smaller-sized plants, and create bare patches in the lawn.
Fix: Predator decoys work just fine, but squirrels also hate the smell of garlic, and that should send them away.
Bees
Bees can create smaller-sized holes in the yard over a large-sized lawn.
Spring is their favorite season to get outside the underground shelter they’ve created in winter.
“Going outside” means creating holes in the ground that you’ll need to address.
Fix: Apply bee repellent that suits the bee species you’re encountering. Other insect repellents can work too, but specific bee repellents are more effective.
Armadillos
Armadillos dig their holes only to seek food. They feed on the little creatures like ants and grubs that reside under the surface.
In their food-seeking, Armadillos create larger-sized holes that can be up to 6 inches wide.
Fix: You should eliminate the food sources to limit the Armadillos hole-creating operations. This happens by spraying grub killer and treating your yard for ants and other insects.
Earthworms
Earthworms act similarly to the Armadillos as they create holes along their food-seeking operations.
However, earthworms seek moisture/water, and they are more active during the spring and summer, that’s when you’ll most likely encounter the earthworm’s holes, which are smaller-sized compared to other holes.
Fix: You don’t need to kill earthworms which are beneficial for the soil, then you need to deprive them of moisture by keeping the area dry and watering wisely.
Chipmunks
Chipmunks create different holes, as they don’t seek food, they seek shelter and a good place to hide themselves and their food.
You’ll most likely find chipmunks’ holes inside log piles and tree stumps.
Fix: Fill their holes with dirt or cement, they’ll feel uncomfortable with their home and will leave afterward.
Voles
Voles will dig smaller-sized holes too, but they differ from aforementioned creatures a bit, as they contain chewed grass nearby.
This indicates that you’re facing voles, who are easy to counter too.
Fix: Voles need to hide, so you should mow the taller grasses, remove the weeds, and make your whole lawn a dangerous territory for a vole.
You can also set up mouse traps to catch those voles
Small Holes in Lawn Overnight FAQ
Summary
You may encounter small holes in lawn overnight, but that doesn’t mean turning a blind eye to it in the morning.
At Lawn Advisors, you have a full list of potential causes for such small holes in the lawn, and the best fix for each cause.
In case you encounter a different creature, feel free to tell us in the comments section and we’ll help you deal with the holes they’re creating.
