What is living in the lawn? - Ask Extension
Something recently burrowed out of my lawn to venture out into the snow? Can the hole and tracks tell us what it is? Is it a solitary animal? Or somet...
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What is living in the lawn? #922747
Asked December 08, 2025, 3:35 PM EST
Something recently burrowed out of my lawn to venture out into the snow? Can the hole and tracks tell us what it is? Is it a solitary animal? Or something that might form a colony? What do you think it was doing outside on a cold day like today? How long could it have been in a burrow in the lawn?? Many thanks
Washtenaw County Michigan
Expert Response
Hello Heather,
The usual suspects in winter lawn damage are moles and voles: https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/winter_damage_to_lawns_molds_moles_and_voles
Moles are soil dwellers and don't wander out into the snow to browse. Voles do not dig - they are looking for greenery to eat. So, we need to look at other diggers.
I think this digging is not the result of an animal burrowing out, but an animal digging down to find a buried morsel. This is consistent with squirrels digging for buried food. Do you have a lot of squirrel traffic in your yard? if so, I would look at them as the culprit.
Hope this helps.
