Yard hole size chart: what dug this hole?
The diameter of a hole is the single most useful clue to what made it. Measure the opening, note whether there's a dirt pile, and look at where the hole is — then find the closest row below. Each row links to a full guide that walks through how to confirm the culprit and what to do next.
How to measure a hole in 30 seconds
You don't need a ruler — pocket change works. A dime is just under ¾ inch across, a quarter is just under 1 inch, a golf ball is about 1¾ inches, and a tennis ball is about 2½ inches. Hold the coin or ball over the opening, not inside it, and measure the hole's narrowest point: rain and foot traffic crumble the rim, so the widest point often overstates the size.
Before you measure, take a step back and look at three more things, because two holes of the same size can have very different causes:
- Is there loose soil? A fresh fan or crater of dirt means active digging; a clean hole means the animal carried soil away or is reusing an old burrow.
- Is it one hole or many? Dozens of shallow holes overnight is foraging; one deep, tidy entrance is a home.
- Where is it? Holes against foundations, sheds, and patios point to rodents seeking shelter; holes scattered across open turf point to animals hunting grubs or burying food.
Open holes, smallest to largest
| Size | What it looks like | Where & when | Most likely |
|---|---|---|---|
| ¼ inch | Neat round hole centered in a tiny crater of loose, crumbly soil | Bare or thin, sunny turf; mostly spring | Ground-nesting (mining) bees |
| Pencil-width, many | Tiny holes, each with a small knob of granular castings | Lawns after rain or heavy watering | Earthworms |
| ½ inch | Clean, perfectly round, no mound; tan cast shells on nearby trunks | Clustered under trees; late spring to summer | Cicada nymphs emerging |
| ½ inch or a little more | Round hole with a U-shaped fan of fresh soil; a very large wasp patrols | Sunny, sandy, bare ground; midsummer | Cicada killer wasps |
| About 1 inch, one entrance | A steady stream of yellow-and-black wasps flying straight in and out | Lawn edges, under shrubs, beside foundations; late summer | Yellowjacket nest — keep your distance |
| 1–2 inches | Clean holes joined by narrow, grass-clipped runways on the surface | Near cover: shrubs, mulch, tall grass, under snow | Voles |
| 1–2 inches | A mud “chimney” of stacked pellets built up over the hole | Wet, low ground; near creeks or a high water table | Crayfish |
| 1–3 inches, shallow | Cone-shaped divots, often dozens, with turf flipped or pulled back | Open lawn; appears overnight | Skunks, raccoons, or armadillos digging for grubs |
| 1–2 inches, scattered | Small, shallow holes, sometimes with a loose plug of soil | Lawns and beds; mostly fall | Squirrels burying or digging up nuts |
| About 2 inches | Clean-edged hole with no dirt pile anywhere near it | Beside stumps, walls, patios, and foundations | Chipmunks |
| 2–3 inches, often several | Smooth-rimmed holes linked by worn, bare runways | Along foundations, sheds, compost, and garbage areas | Rats |
| 6–8 inches | Shallow den entrance, sometimes with a faint musky smell | Under decks, sheds, and porches | Skunk den |
| 7–8 inches | Smooth, rounded burrow, usually with many shallow snout holes nearby | Base of stumps, slabs, and brush piles; southern US | Armadillos |
| 10–12 inches | Large entrance with a broad fan of excavated dirt and stones | Under sheds and decks, along fences and woodland edges | Groundhogs (woodchucks) |
Sizes are typical entrance diameters. Holes erode, get enlarged, and are often reused by other animals — a snake, for example, can't dig at all but readily moves into a vole or chipmunk burrow (more on snake holes).
A mound but no hole?
Some diggers plug their entrances, so all you see is the pile of soil. The shape of that pile is the tell:
- Round, volcano-shaped mound — The tunnel is plugged underneath the center; often with raised, squishy ridges running across the lawn. Most likely: Moles.
- Crescent- or fan-shaped mound — The plugged hole sits off to one side of the pile. Mostly central and western US. Most likely: Pocket gophers.
- Fluffy dome with no opening on top — Swarms of small reddish ants pour out if disturbed. Southern US. Painful stings. Most likely: Fire ants.
- Small pile of fine grains with a central hole — Usually several across the lawn; ants visible going in and out. Most likely: Common lawn ants.
Still not sure?
Size narrows the field, but timing and pattern settle it. A hole that appeared overnight, one that showed up after rain, or one next to your foundation each have their own shortlist of suspects. You can also answer four quick questions in the clue finder, or browse every yard hole guide.
Frequently asked questions
What animal makes a 2-inch hole in the yard with no dirt around it?
Most often a chipmunk. Chipmunks carry excavated soil away from the entrance, so the hole looks clean and there is no pile. Vole holes are usually smaller and connected by surface runways, while rat holes tend to come in groups with worn paths between them and sit close to buildings or food sources.
Why is there a mound of dirt but no hole?
Moles and pocket gophers push soil up from their tunnels and then plug the opening, so you see the mound but not the hole. A round, volcano-shaped mound points to moles; a crescent- or fan-shaped mound with the plug off to one side points to gophers. In the South, a fluffy dome with no opening may be a fire ant mound — do not disturb it.
Can a snake dig a hole in my yard?
No. Snakes cannot dig. They move into holes made by other animals — vole, chipmunk, and rat burrows are common choices. A shed skin near a hole is a better sign of a snake than the hole itself.
How can I tell whether a hole is still being used?
Loosely stuff the hole with a few sheets of crumpled newspaper or scatter a little flour around the opening, then check the next morning. If the paper has been pushed out or the flour shows tracks, something is still using it. Do this only when you are sure it is not a stinging-insect nest.