Mystery ground formation appeared over night next to driveway! What is it?

[Don2222]

Hello

There was 4 of these little hills in the grass next to the driveway so I cleaned up the dirt and another appeared this morning!
It rained last night and then there it is next to driveway!

What is it? How do you stop them from appearing?

See pics below:
Click to Enlarge

 

[velvetfoot]

Some kind of digging critter?

 

[BrotherBart]

Zombies emerging.

 

[Don2222]

Zombies emerging.

LOL, close - I hear it is moles!

 

[Dr.Faustus]

That looks like the handiwork of the mystery beast that *ate* my tree stumps either last summer or the summer before. I posted here about it. never figured it out. I woke up one day and had 5 missing tree stumps. dirt all disturbed around them. no footprints. no wood left except some sawdust and a few chunks. I hated those stumps. I wanted to find out what did it so i could thank it.

 

[Dr.Faustus]

Speaking of yard mysteries.... my latest one. my moms house.........3 years ago i installed a 3" underground sump pump line. pvc. sloped so the water would go about 200 feet to the end of the yard. I left 2 cleanouts sticking up just in case i'd ever need them.

Something ate/stole one of the cleanout tee's! i found just 1 section of pipe, then a 1 foot space then the next section of pipe. even the dirt on top of it is gone.
It wouldnt have been stolen. it was only worth about 10 bucks, and a thief would have also taken the other cleanout. the missing clean out is nowhere on the property.

bizarre!

 

[Tracks74]

Could it be where water or saturated soils are coming out from underneath your driveway? I have seen that happen in very expansive clay soils. Some clays expand to 10 times there size when they get wet.
If water is entering under the pavement, maybe this is where the pressure is slowly releasing.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

The little hills are from moles. No idea who took the stumps or cleanout tees!

 

[Dr.Faustus]

Hello

There was 4 of these little hills in the grass next to the driveway so I cleaned up the dirt and another appeared this morning!
It rained last night and then there it is next to driveway!

What is it? How do you stop them from appearing?

See pics below:
Click to Enlarge

I looked a little closer at your photos.... You might have been missing something. I enlarged them to make it easier to see...

 

[Don2222]

Could it be where water or saturated soils are coming out from underneath your driveway? I have seen that happen in very expansive clay soils. Some clays expand to 10 times there size when they get wet.
If water is entering under the pavement, maybe this is where the pressure is slowly releasing.

It is right next to the driveway, The soil here is very sandy.
Now some of my buddies are saying from the flowered look it made of the soil it is more likely to be a frost heave.
You could be right?

 

[heat seeker]

I have these too, but smaller. They appear to be from mole tunnels that conduct water during heavy rains. The water washes the dirt downhill in the tunnels and deposits it at the downhill opening. They are only where there is a down slope and after a good rain. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

No, moles make tunnels 2 ways as they tunnel for earthworms. The first is when they travel along the surface. They literally push the soil out of the way and it'll look like a golf ball was pulled under the grass. When the ground is frozen they must tunnel deeper for food and can no longer push it out of the way. They must dig it like your dog would. The soil must go somewhere... They dig vertical tunnels which let some fresh air in and kick the excavated soil up to the surface.

 

[sportbikerider78]

They look like dog turds that made it through the winter.

 

[billb3]

looks like slime mold / vomit fungus
it's too cold though unless the black asphalt is creating enough heat

 

[Sprinter]

I've had to deal with two different kind of digging critters, gophers in Eastern Wa and moles here. Both are just awful to control if all. Do a little googling about what is prevalent in your area and what locals suggest.

 

[Highbeam]

I've had to deal with two different kind of digging critters, gophers in Eastern Wa and moles here. Both are just awful to control if all. Do a little googling about what is prevalent in your area and what locals suggest.

I am a mole killer. We get great joy from offing those buggers. Mostly traps but more than 1/3 of the kills are with the shotgun when you see the hill growing. I've never seen one on the surface but the cat gets them every so often.

 

[Sprinter]

I am a mole killer. We get great joy from offing those buggers. Mostly traps but more than 1/3 of the kills are with the shotgun when you see the hill growing. I've never seen one on the surface but the cat gets them every so often.

You must have great patience. I've only seen activity twice and both times they were gone by the time I got back with the shotgun. One time I sat on my ztr just watching with the Mossberg until I got sick of looking at the hills. At least it's a comfortable mower.

I just can't seem to get the hang of the traps. I've caught a few, but they're a pita to use (for me anyway).

BTW, what gauge shotgun do you use and shot size? Our moles are fairly deep and it seems a stretch for the shot to go very deep through the hill. Maybe the shock alone would do it.

 

[Highbeam]

You must have great patience. I've only seen activity twice and both times they were gone by the time I got back with the shotgun. One time I sat on my ztr just watching with the Mossberg until I got sick of looking at the hills. At least it's a comfortable mower.

I just can't seem to get the hang of the traps. I've caught a few, but they're a pita to use (for me anyway).

BTW, what gauge shotgun do you use and shot size? Our moles are fairly deep and it seems a stretch for the shot to go very deep through the hill. Maybe the shock alone would do it.

When I find hills I flatten them out. Then look for the next fresh hill since that is a live tunnel that I can place the trap on. If I am out mowing or doing anything else in the yard and happen to see one growing I have always been able to run in and grab the shotgun. I then go and wait near the hill, 20 feet away or so. It will move again within a few minutes, the mole is close. Once it starts moving I try and guess which way the mole is from the center but usually run right up to the hill, muzzle to dirt and pump three shells into the molehill, one in each direction. This makes the mole hill disappear. Then I grab a small hand shovel and look for the body. The one in that photo had no physical damage so I do believe that shock will kill them. Sometimes they are very damaged.

12 gauge, 2-3/4, #8 shot. Regular cheapies. Always shoot three. The mole is not deep when it is pushing up a hill. They are right under the surface. My neighbor uses a #2 shovel and flips the whole hill with mole onto the grass and then whacks the mole.

The traps are illegal so if I were to use them (I was joking earlier), I have a really good method that almost always works. Set three traps at a time on three fresh hills. Set a stone under the trigger. Backfill with loose soil. Traps are full within a day, often within a couple of hours.

 

[Sprinter]

Set a stone under the trigger.

If I were to ever use those traps , I can see how putting something hard like a stone under the trigger might help a lot. Packed dirt may be too soft allowing them to get around it. That could be the answer for some people who may actually use them sometimes but have trouble.

If I were to ever use the traps (the scissor type) they are the most humane way to kill moles. They always kill instantly unless the mole escapes altogether. I would put a bucket or metal cover over the trap to prevent anything else from getting into it. Ironically, it's okay to use poisons that may harm other wildlife and pets, or other methods that can injure. Go figure. Only in Washington from what I hear.

 

[Highbeam]

If I were to ever use those traps , I can see how putting something hard like a stone under the trigger might help a lot. Packed dirt may be too soft allowing them to get around it. That could be the answer for some people who may actually use them sometimes but have trouble.

If I were to ever use the traps (the scissor type) they are the most humane way to kill moles. They always kill instantly unless the mole escapes altogether. I would put a bucket or metal cover over the trap to prevent anything else from getting into it. Ironically, it's okay to use poisons that may harm other wildlife and pets, or other methods that can injure. Go figure. Only in Washington from what I hear.

The regulation prohibiting snap traps for moles, but oddly not for rats, was an unfortunate error when the intent was to outlaw leghold traps (big ol' bear trap things) that are rather inhumane. The illegal mole traps are still very much for sale at the local hardware stores.

If I were to ever use those traps... I backfill the hole with dirt so the dangerous part of the trap is buried, no rocks that might prevent a good snap. Then I cover the top with a bucket so that I can find the trap and to help minimize the chance of a cat digging in there or a kid stepping on it.

 

[velvetfoot]

I recall my sis in law having a mole trap that involved stabbing, as I recall. I also recall she didn't have much luck with it.

 

[Sprinter]

If I were to ever use those traps... I backfill the hole with dirt so the dangerous part of the trap is buried, no rocks that might prevent a good snap. Then I cover the top with a bucket so that I can find the trap and to help minimize the chance of a cat digging in there or a kid stepping on it.

Exactly what I would do. If I were to use them. I was also thinking about using more than one in the hole; one at each tunnel in and out. Sometimes it''s hard to figure out the best exact place to put one, especially if the tunnels come in and out at much of an angle. But that's only if I were to use them at all...
I don't really want to use the poison worm things, but at least they're legal .

FWIW, I fully agree with the intent of the law. It was just poorly drafted, and nearly everyone agrees with that including the game department who is supposed to enforce it. I understand that the mole issue is a very low priority with them unless they have to address a complaint.

 

[Sprinter]

I recall my sis in law having a mole trap that involved stabbing, as I recall. I also recall she didn't have much luck with it.

Yeah, the plunger type doesn't work well around here because they are set on top of a visible run and doesn't penetrate far. Our moles run too deep for them, plus you can't see the runs on the ground. In some areas, you can see runs. I would think that they would be more damaging. At least here, all we get is the hills.

 

[Highbeam]

I recall my sis in law having a mole trap that involved stabbing, as I recall. I also recall she didn't have much luck with it.

Those are still legal, the bed of nails trap, but not very effective. Talk about cruel.

 

[velvetfoot]

Talk about cruel.

As well as the work repairing the lawn.

I was under the impression that moles didn't live in close quarters (with other moles).