Burrowing animals in garden

[Ruby]

Hello all

Can anyone enlighten me as to what may be burrowing in our back garden?  We have mole hills here and there, but these burrows are different.  We have an old farmhouse with a fair bit of overgrown land that we are now clearing.  In one area, in a rough 'lawn',  there are a series of very round holes approx 2 inches / 50mm dia, over an area of several square feet - some sort of nest?  And in another area the same sort of cluster of holes but this time under and around a vine and some bamboo.  In this area the ground is very soft and looks almost as if it has been dug.  I trampled all over it whilst pruning and felt as if I was sinking at times.  The next morning I was surveying my handiwork and noticed that a wiggly burrow about 10 feet long and about 4-5 inches wide had been freshly dug - like in a cartoon when something burrows just beneath the surface leaving a slightly raised looking tunnel roof?  When I stepped on it, it was obviously a tunnel as it sank and collapsed.

I have not seen any animals, but there again I have not sat for hours watching.  I have just crept around now and again to see if I can spot anything.

Any advice on what could be doing this and whether it is likely to cause us a problem in the future would be appreciated.

Many thanks

[NickP]

The small holes are probably mice? they are in our garden! The "wiggly" trails are almost certainly moles. In fact we have actually seen the grass moving, and they don't half move quickly. We seem to get them every couple of years then they disappear, shops and garden centres sell lots of mole deterrents, we've tried all the gadgets apart from gunpowder, nothing works.  Found the best bet is to leave them alone and eventually  they go away. It seems that if you harass them they just move a couple of yards and dig more. All I do is run over the mole hills with the mini tractor or rake the soil over the grass. We just accept that it is one of the prices you pay for living in the country.

[Ruby]

Hi

Thanks for the reply, but I think the holes are far too big for mice.  I would imagine that a mouse would only need a very small hole or crack, not a 2" round one.  Also, we have molehills too and, like you, run over them with the lawnmower.  It seems that the moles have now moved on into the fields next door, but the burrows are definitely not made by moles or are molehills.  the one lot of burrows do not have a molehill in sight - just a lot of holes.

I had wondered if it might be rats but didn't think that they would create the long burrows that are only just beneath the surface of the ground.

Best regards

Ruby

[Weedon]

NickP is quite correct. The holes will be field mice that have taken over the mole runs and the raised burrowing, that you sometimes see moving, is a mole. You would be surprised at the diameter of some of the mole runs.  After a few years living in the countryside in France you become quite an expert on moles and fosse septiques...in my case not much else just those two things.

[Ruby]

OK thanks!  I'll keep an eye out for mice.

As for Fosse septiques.... my husband knows all about them and STP's and pumps etc... it's what he does over in the UK, so no probs there!

[chris pp]

I beg to differ, they will in my opinion be either or both Field voles and Common voles, great food for so many other species.

Chris

[Ruby]

Hi Chris

I have just researched field and common voles on the net and think that you are probably right - and I also think we have both types, down to the different habitats.

We do have owls, cats, hawks/kestrels (don't know the difference!) and probably other predators, so I am quite happy to leave this food source for them.

Now we have cleared most of the area of the dense undergrowth and are mowing both habitat areas regularly with a noisy tractor mower, I think that they may move on - but no problems either way!

Thay you all for your help, opinions and advice! ...and any advice we may be able to give re: fosse septiques, STP's etc.....

Best regards