Lawn damage
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Moxie on Mar 15, 2014I can't be 100% sure, but I had something similar happen to my yard. As it turns out my hubby used a combo weed killer fertilizer and more of my lawn was weeds than grass. I raked, reseeded and it filled in.Helpful Reply
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Jerry Taylor on Mar 15, 2014Nothing has been put on it so that can't be it. It's really weird looking. Hard to explain but it really looks as if the ground is partially tilled. It's lumpy with a lot of soil showing. I'm at a loss.Helpful Reply
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Dee on Mar 16, 2014Where is Doug when you need him. DOUG can you hear us help LOL.Helpful Reply
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Shelley on Mar 16, 2014This is sort of a wild shot but....do you live in a wooded area? If so, you may have wild hogs that are having fun with your yard. My folks live in the country and this happens to them when the hogs come out and root.Helpful Reply
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Julie J on Mar 16, 2014@Douglas Hunt can you help with this lawn mystery?Helpful Reply
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Jeanette S on Mar 16, 2014And just where is Douglas Hunt when you need him? He is probably out in that beautiful Florida sunshine in a fishing boat! (I'm taking bets on this!)Helpful Reply
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Douglas Hunt on Mar 16, 2014Well, Jeanette, I was out in the beautiful Florida sunshine, but I was shopping for plants, not out on a fishing boat. (This should actually not be a surprise!) I'm afraid I do not have a quick answer to this mystery. @Jerry Taylor, when you say it looks like large areas of the lawn have been turned over, do you mean the soil is raised? Has it gotten worse or remained consistent? If it were more or vole damage, that's what it would feel like. Moles can dig at a rate of a foot a minute, so, even though they are relatively solitary mammals, they can do a lot of damage in a short amount of time. Moles are insectivores that mostly feed on grubs and earthworms. If you had a significant grub problem, you would probably see large yellow patches in your lawn before you saw tunnels from moles. Another possibility is that the damage was done by birds foraging for insects. Did you ever turn over a portion of the lawn and take a look at the soil underneath? The Missouri Botanical Garden has a couple of simple tests for lawn insects. I would do them to rule out insects as a cause before doing anything else: http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/gardens-gardening/your-garden/help-for-the-home-gardener/advice-tips-resources/gardening-help-faqs.aspx?questionid=354&afmid=4462Helpful Reply
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Bonnie Lewenza on Mar 16, 2014Is this just happening in patches or is it through out your lawn? It may be that you have a slug problem as they leave their slim birds come along and think they have a feeding ground. As the birds poke they beaks looking for worms eventually it gives the lawn this appearance. Rake it up and reseed, throw some pennies down around the area, slugs hate copper. They will move themselves along.Helpful Reply
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Dee on Mar 16, 2014OK Barb i would like to hear what he has to say. ThanksHelpful Reply
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Jerry Taylor on Mar 16, 2014When we first noticed it last fall it was only in one section about 10' x 10'. Since then a few other large areas along with smaller ones have appeared. Now there is hardly any area that doesn't have some type of this damage. The ground is very soft and yes @Douglas Hunt it does look raised. No signs of grubs.Helpful Reply
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Jerry Taylor on Mar 16, 2014Jesse you may be on to something! I am sure I saw a few Crane Flies last summer. I viewed some images of damage on the net and it looks very similar. The first day we get descent enough weather I will dig up some samples to know for sure. Thanks so much!Helpful Reply
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MaryAnn W on Mar 16, 2014Do y'all have armadillos there yet? They will do that to your yard tooHelpful Reply
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TJB-INC Landscape Contractor on Mar 16, 2014What part of the country are you located in? If you are in a warmer climate and have had an irrigation event, then it is possible that earthworm activity. I have had many lawns that thought they had grubs but when we dug into the soil, we found excessive amount of worms in a very tight area. Just another possibility .....Helpful Reply
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Jerry Taylor on Mar 16, 2014Central KYHelpful Reply
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H.C. Lawn on Mar 17, 2014I have seen wild turkeys turn up lawn because food there ct gets a lot of grubs It happens after the hatch and lay eggs for next cycle lifeHelpful Reply
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Luann Chandler on Mar 17, 2014Moles/voles?Helpful Reply
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Starla Swanson on Mar 17, 2014Not moles or voles. Wrong evidence. I'd say you've had a bug hatch, and quite possibly birds helping it along. We had a Japanese beetle hatch-hate them-and it seriously disrupted the ground. Pretty much killed off the vegetation in the area, not to mention what they did to my green beans!Helpful Reply
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Robin Grunzweig on Mar 17, 2014Raccoons will do that as well, looking for grubs...do you have a lawn service, like TruGreen? They might be able to tell you what's going on.Helpful Reply
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Susan Stodola on Mar 17, 2014I would know what this is here in northern Wisconsin. Skunks are the guilty party's when they are digging for grubs. I thought I was doing everyone a favor by permanently 'removing' them from the neighborhood and that summer I had a HUGE infestation of grubs AND June bugs. I have always remarked that I hardly ever have June bugs and now I know why. I don't know if I can entice any skunks to come live in the culvert at the end of the driveway again or not.Helpful Reply
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Eirene Simmons on Mar 17, 2014I have something similar in my yard in Lakewood, CO. It is in the lawn, that is under a bird feeder, There was a colony of "Marshmallow" shaped musrooms in that area last summer, also we have Racoons, and squirrels. I would appreciate any guiidance.Helpful Reply
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Jerry Taylor on Mar 17, 2014I took some samples today and found no evidence of Crane fly, grubs or anything along those lines. I live right on the edge of our city and there is a farm just a few hundred yards from our property. We do have racoons, skunks and a lot of birds. Could this be water damage. It seems like we did have a very wet fall and this winter has been one of the snowiest that I can remember. Maybe this new pic can give a little more insight.Helpful Reply
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Laurie Riddle on Mar 17, 2014I have the same problem in North Texas. I think it is cinch bugs.Helpful Reply
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Susan Stodola on Mar 18, 2014You are not going to find any grubs because the skunks are digging them up and eating them. Do an internet search.......'skunks eat grubs in fall'. You will see some images just like you are posting.Helpful Reply
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Jerry Taylor on Mar 19, 2014@Douglas Hunt thanks for the advice. That sounds like my best option and I am lucky enough that the office is close by. @Susan Stodola Skunks are everywhere here right now. Mating season has brought them out in full force so that might also be an option.Helpful Reply
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