Leslie Massey
Small holes in the ground can be caused by a variety of factors, including insects, invertebrates, burrowing rodents, and human activity. In Australia, common causes include echidnas, earthworms, cicadas, and wolf spiders. Echidnas, for example, dig small uneven holes in search of ants, while earthworms create holes to aerate the soil and provide oxygen to their tunnels. Cicadas create small holes in the summer, indicating their life cycle, while wolf spiders dig burrows with open holes and sometimes use a trapdoor to close them. Other potential causes of small holes in Australia include bandicoots, curl grubs, and black beetles.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Near trees, under cover, out in the open |
| Size | 1-2 inches, 4 inches, 8 inches, 10 inches, 50-60 cm, 100 cm |
| Features | Soil on the side, silk lines radiating from the hole, a cap on the burrow, small dirt mounds, connected to a tunnel or burrow |
| Culprits | Insects, invertebrates, burrowing rodents, moles, voles, birds, earthworms, solitary bees, gophers, skunks, rats, mice, ground squirrels, rabbits, armadillos, badgers, snakes, raccoons, bandicoots, cicadas, wolf spiders, ants, grubs, black beetles, echidnas |
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Insects, invertebrates, or burrowing rodents
Small holes in the ground in Australia are generally caused by insects, invertebrates, or burrowing rodents.
Insects
Insects that cause small holes in the ground include bees, wasps, and cicadas. Solitary bees dig 1/4-inch-wide holes straight down into the soil, and some form dense colonies with many close holes. Wasps also dig holes in sod when laying eggs. In summer, small holes next to trees indicate cicadas. Female cicadas make slits on branches with their ovipositors, and the nymphs then hatch and drop down, burrowing into the soil to feed on tree roots. Before emerging from the ground, cicadas create turrets of soil to keep water and mud from entering the hole.
Invertebrates
Earthworms are invertebrates that leave small piles of dirt around 1/4 to 1/2 inch holes. They push castings up while feeding, disrupting grass growth but improving overall soil health. Wolf spiders are another cause of small holes in the ground, with burrows that can have completely open holes with no silk, and some use a trapdoor to close the burrow.
Burrowing Rodents
Small rodents like voles, moles, and gophers are often the cause of small holes in the ground. Voles are similar to field mice or meadow mice and are identified by their 1-2 inch burrow openings with clean edges and surface runways. Moles leave volcano-shaped dirt mounds when tunneling, with tunnels about 2 inches wide. Gophers are active during the day and create holes around 8 inches wide.
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Echidnas
The four extant species of echidna, along with the platypus, are the only living mammals that lay eggs. Their young are called puggles. Echidnas are well-camouflaged, with dark fur hidden beneath their spines. They are usually black or brown, though there have been reports of albino echidnas with pink eyes and white spines. They are found in forests and woodlands, hiding under vegetation, roots, or piles of debris. They sometimes use the burrows of other animals, such as rabbits and wombats.
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Earthworms
During Spring and Autumn, or times of increased moisture, earthworms will rise to the surface and start leaving castings. The only issue with these castings is their appearance on top of the lawn, particularly if there are heaps of them. When the castings are dry, they can be raked or brushed across the lawn, providing nutrition for the lawn.
There are approximately 6,000 species of earthworms worldwide, with eight families represented in Australia. Australian natives are estimated to total 1,000 species, while there are around 80 introduced species. Introduced species include the common pasture worm Aporrectodea caliginosa, the deep-burrowing Lumbricus terrestris, and the smaller, reddish compost heap-frequenter Eisenia fetida, also known as the "tiger worm".
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Voles
In Australia, voles are considered an invasive species, and their presence can have negative impacts on native plant and animal species. They are known to compete with native rodents for food and habitat and can carry diseases that can be transmitted to native species. As such, it is important to take steps to control vole populations in Australia and to prevent their spread to new areas.
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Cicadas
Small holes in the ground in Australia can be attributed to a variety of insects, invertebrates, or burrowing rodents. One notable insect that creates small holes in the ground is the cicada.
The life cycle of a cicada begins with the female cicada using its ovipositor, a tube-like structure, to make slits on branches where it lays its eggs. The nymphs hatch from these eggs, fall to the ground, and burrow into the soil to feed on the sap from tree roots.
Just before emerging from the ground, the cicada creates a turret of soil to prevent water and mud from entering its hole. After rainfall, juvenile cicadas leave behind a clean hole as they emerge from the soil. This emergence is accompanied by the shedding of their exoskeleton, which can be observed on nearby trees or posts.
In summary, cicadas are a likely contributor to the small holes found in the ground in Australia, particularly during certain seasons when their populations peak. Their life cycle involves spending a significant portion of their lives underground, and their emergence results in the creation of clean holes in the soil.
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