Moles, voles, shrews or something else?
Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 10:36 pm
Hi
I'm hoping someone can tell me what is burrowing all over my garden. The soil is full of holes - looks like a clothes prop has been pushed in (approx 1" diameter). When I weed, the garden frequently collapses beneath me, it is so riddled with tunnels. In other places, the tunnels are virtually on the surface, with the 'roof' raised above ground-level. A couple of years ago, in a dry spell, the same thing was visible in the lawn, with the tunnels running between soil and turf, pushing the turf upwards. However, most of the holes seem to be in the beds, not the lawn.
I've lost plants because of them, normally I think because the tunnels leave the roots hanging in mid-air, but occasionally veg have been eaten below ground.
Originally, I suspected moles-there are lots around, but no molehills in the garden! Then I wondered about voles. Last summer I spotted a tiny mouse-like animal stick its head out of one hole. I think it was a shrew, but I'm not sure. Could such a tiny thing be responsible for so much damage? Or could the tunnels have several different inhabitants?
Any ideas welcome.
I'm hoping someone can tell me what is burrowing all over my garden. The soil is full of holes - looks like a clothes prop has been pushed in (approx 1" diameter). When I weed, the garden frequently collapses beneath me, it is so riddled with tunnels. In other places, the tunnels are virtually on the surface, with the 'roof' raised above ground-level. A couple of years ago, in a dry spell, the same thing was visible in the lawn, with the tunnels running between soil and turf, pushing the turf upwards. However, most of the holes seem to be in the beds, not the lawn.
I've lost plants because of them, normally I think because the tunnels leave the roots hanging in mid-air, but occasionally veg have been eaten below ground.
Originally, I suspected moles-there are lots around, but no molehills in the garden! Then I wondered about voles. Last summer I spotted a tiny mouse-like animal stick its head out of one hole. I think it was a shrew, but I'm not sure. Could such a tiny thing be responsible for so much damage? Or could the tunnels have several different inhabitants?
Any ideas welcome.