What makes dirt mounds in your yard

They burrow down into the soil to make a nest. Although they are solitary bees they will create nests close together where conditions are favorable. Loose soil in a dry, sunny location is a favorite spot.

Solitary bees are gentle and helpful pollinators so I hesitate to recommend any action. However, if bees are indeed the problem it would seem that your situation is extreme. Start by closing up the holes by tamping down the soil. Or try sprinkling water in the area to encourage the bees to move on. If neither of these tactics works try a powder form of pesticide. Begin with something earth friendly like pyrethrin and move up to more potent controls if necessary. Some bugs like cicadas and June bugs emerge from the ground in late spring and early summer leaving behind small holes and dirt mounds.

This problem will correct itself as the season progresses. Another ground dwelling insect is the cicada killer wasp. This wasp digs a 1-inch diameter hole for housing their larvae. The wasp hunts down a cicada, drags it back to the nest. Earthworms also create mounds of dirt, but there are often no holes associated with their handy work.

They are usually horseshoe shaped with a distinct "plug" of soil in the middle that caps the hole. Unlike gophers, moles eat bugs, not plants - seemingly a plus for gardeners.

However, their tunneling activity generally outweighs any benefits because it disrupts plants' roots. Moles make mounds similar to those created by gophers, but they are circular and the hole is sometimes apparent.

They also make long mounds of slightly raised earth, because they tunnel just under the surface. The round mounds of loose soil are found every so often along the network of ridgelike mounds as they deposit the excavated soil from their tunnels on the surface.

You'll find noise-making and sonic mole and gopher deterrents available at your garden supply store which emit sounds and vibrations said to deter these unwanted pests. Their effectiveness may vary. Another solution is to plant something known as both gopher purge and mole plant Euphorbia lathyris , said to deter both gophers and moles.

This plant grows in U. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 9. Until you're certain you've identified your mounding pest properly, err on the side of caution.

Fire ants swarm, bite and sting when their mounds are disturbed, so take care when inspecting and treating them. Victory over gophers, moles and voles depends on correctly identifying the culprits and meeting their challenges head on. By the time their mounds are visible, fire ants have been hard at work for months, overtaking your property from below. Mound-creating pests can quickly convert beautiful lawns into unsightly dirt piles and struggling grass.

Putting an end to their soil-moving endeavors depends on accurately identifying the pest involved. Mounds reveal signs of the pest behind the damage. Gophers Gophers are the largest common mound-producing backyard pests. These signs help identify gopher mounds: Fan- or crescent-shaped distribution of coarse soil Hole at the side of the mound, at the fan's base Soil slopes up to one side, away from the hole No visible tunnels in lawn.

Moles Moles are smaller than gophers, but their lawn-damaging handiwork covers a lot of ground.