Q&A – What tore up my grass?
Question:
Something or someone attacked our backyard grass this weekend. Nothing else back there is disturbed, but it looks like someone took a shovel and scraped up pieces of the sod. I do not see any deep holes or claw marks. I saw some similar images on-line that indicate raccoons. Hopefully it was raccoons or squirrels, just having a crazy night. Our cat has been acting strange the past couple of days. She was so glad when we finally let her show us. I suspect human activity, but my husband thinks it is a varmint.
Answer:
This was an armadillo. Armadillos feed on insects and grub worms which live just underground. Retired UT Extension Agent Mike Dennison talks about armadillos and gives options to get id of them.
Mike referenced an extension publication that can be found here
Related Resources:
Nine-Banded Armadillo
Controlling Armadillo Damage in Alabama
Something or someone attacked our backyard grass this weekend. Nothing else back there is disturbed, but it looks like someone took a shovel and scraped up pieces of the sod. I do not see any deep holes or claw marks. I saw some similar images on-line that indicate raccoons. Hopefully it was raccoons or squirrels, just having a crazy night. Our cat has been acting strange the past couple of days. She was so glad when we finally let her show us. I suspect human activity, but my husband thinks it is a varmint.
Answer:
This was an armadillo. Armadillos feed on insects and grub worms which live just underground. Retired UT Extension Agent Mike Dennison talks about armadillos and gives options to get id of them.
Mike referenced an extension publication that can be found here
Related Resources:
Nine-Banded Armadillo
Controlling Armadillo Damage in Alabama