Some critter has been tearing up our lawn. Not moles, as the ground is not mushy from tunnels. Plus there are feces lying around - blackish, about the size of a cat's. Our soil is loaded with earthworms. Does this sound like a skunk? Any suggestions on how to deter it? I've heard of using ammonia, but this is a bit inconvenient with kids around.

-- Christina W. (introibo@address.com), October 17, 2000

Answers

Sounds more like armadillos to me--they'll really do a number on your lawn. Do you have armadillos around where you live? If they are the culprit, I don't know how to get rid of them. An extension agent might be able to help.

-- Hannah Maria Holly (hannahholly@hotmail.com), October 17, 2000.

around here it would be those pesty squirrels planting their winter lunches!!!Acorns, sunflower seeds, pinenuts and pecans!!!

-- Debbie T in N.C. (rdtyner@mindspring.com), October 17, 2000.

Try scattering a box of mothballs in the area ( the smell may deter them) or do what I do to keep cats out the flowers -- ground cayanne pepper.

-- Jay Blair (jayblair678@yahoo.com), October 17, 2000.

I live in Connecticut, so it's not armadillos. As for squirrels, this seems to be going on at night. And the droppings are too big for squirrels! Thanks anyway.

-- Christina W. (introibo@address.com), October 17, 2000.

If they look like divots, not unlike those from golfing, only a bit smaller, then it is probably skink. It will pass. Meanwhile the skunk will eat Japanese beetle larva, etc. It won't be permanent damage. I think of it as aeration.

-- Anne (HT@HM.com), October 17, 2000.

Sounds like chipmunks, or ground squirrels. (same thing) The adult chips have well defined holes to burrows, the holes are sometimes hidden under rocks or stonewalls, the babes do practice holes......all over the yard! as said they look like golf divits! Are the droppings deer pellets? If not, maybe you have a skunk hunting for grubs. Not a bad thing-except for the smell!

-- Kathy (catfish@bestweb.net), October 17, 2000.

Christina, even though it's not armadillos the cure is probably the same. Armadillos and skunks tear up yards looking for grubs to eat. Get rid of the grubs and they will go somewhere else to find their midnight snack. I hate to advocate poisoning your yard but it is the only way I have ever gotten rid of them.

-- Amanda (aseley@townsqr.com), October 18, 2000.

Armadillos do more than dig up the yard here. They make a cave deep and large enough for a bear if they come in when they're ready to deliver their babies!

-- ~Rogo (rogo2020@yahoo.com), October 18, 2000.

Amanda, you don't have to poison your lawn. I moved my chickens through the area the skunks liked (twice)and the chickens ate the grubs. No more problems. Only smelled the skunk one night this year.

-- Anne (HT@HM.com), October 18, 2000.

My chickens made a mess of my grubbed lawn. I bought nematoes for Natures Garden and didn't need it. The chickens did get rid of the grubs. By the way, it sounds like skunk going for grubs to me too.

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), October 18, 2000.

I found that I was having the same problem. I live in Indiana and for the last two Fall seasons, I noticed the small holes that would appear in the morning in certain areas of the lawn. I knew that I had a considerable amount of grubs from landscaping projects. My thoughts were that it had to be a skunk, because from time to time we would smell it in the evening. Sure enough, one evening I stayed up late and peaked out the front window and caught this skunk tearing up the lawn. It seems they do it in the Fall when other food sources become scarce. Now if I can only get rid of it!

-- David M Seaborn (dmseaborn@home.com), October 21, 2001.

I think you are probably right!! We had two baby skunks to appear in our yard last summer.... We had never seen such little ones and thought they were quite cute. We threw a few grapes their way and watched while they ate them. Well, every evening they were back out... so my husband begin to feed them scraps...they actually came quite close to us... As time went on we realized we didn't need pets like this so we stopped feeding them. We noticed they had taken up residence near our shop, behind a wood pile. But in time we didn't see them anymore. Now it is winter and our mind has not been on the little creatures... but the other night while wrapping christmas gifts I could smell a faint odor of "skunks". This went on for 2-3 days and then late one night I heard something under our house... My husband went to inspect... and you guessed it... There were 2 "grown" skunks happily living amont the insulation.... NOW WHAT???

-- janice (janice@netease.net), December 22, 2001.