- 1. You Spot Squirrels in the Yard<\/a><\/li>
- 2. Small, Cone-Shaped Holes<\/a><\/li>
- 3. Mounds of Freshly Dug Dirt<\/a><\/li>
- 4. Disturbed Mulch and Garden Beds<\/a><\/li>
- 5. Damage to Newly Planted Bulbs<\/a><\/li>
- 6. Damage Around Bird Feeders (and Missing Food)<\/a><\/li>
- 7. Food Scraps and Hidden Stashes<\/a><\/li>
- 8. Yard Damage in Fall and Spring<\/a><\/li>
- 9. Stripped Bark on Tree Trunks and Branches<\/a><\/li>
- 10. Free Tree Pruning<\/a><\/li><\/ul> \t\t\t<\/div> \t\t<\/div><\/div>
1. You Spot Squirrels in the Yard<\/h2>
Squirrels are hard to miss. Unlike \u201cnocturnal pests like rats, squirrels are bold and active during the day, so you’ll often catch them in the act,\u201d says Sabrina Kong, DVM, a practicing veterinarian at Jules Veterinary Center in Tracy, California.<\/p>
You\u2019ll usually have either tree squirrels or ground squirrels in your yard: <\/strong><\/p>
- Tree squirrels<\/strong> sport long, bushy tails and dart up trees and structures when startled. <\/li>
- Ground squirrels<\/strong> have mottled gray-brown fur, with stripes or spots, and noticeably shorter tails. When threatened, they hide in underground burrows.<\/li> <\/ul>
2. Small, Cone-Shaped Holes<\/h2>
Why are squirrels digging in your yard? They\u2019re searching for and burying food. Squirrels make small, cone-shaped holes \u2014 about 2-3 inches wide and deep \u2014 <\/strong>to stash nuts and acorns, turning your lawn into their private pantry. <\/p>
And we\u2019re not talking about just 1 or 2 holes. Since they\u2019re storing food for an entire winter, you\u2019ll see clusters of these tiny divots all over your yard.<\/p>
\u201cMy lawn often looks like a miniature bombing range<\/strong>,\u201d says Kong. In California, where she lives, yard damage is often caused by the eastern fox squirrel, a tree squirrel species. <\/p>
These small holes are more specific to tree squirrels, which live in tree hollows or dreys (nests of twigs and leaves built high in the tree) and store food in the ground around their nest. <\/p>
Pro Tip:<\/strong> One way to keep squirrels from destroying your yard<\/a> is to install motion-activated sprinklers.<\/p>
3. Mounds of Freshly Dug Dirt<\/h2>
If ground squirrels live in your yard, you might find out by tripping on one of their mounds. <\/p>
Ground squirrels live in underground tunnels that run 2 to 4.5 feet deep and 5 to 30 feet long, serving as both nests and food storage areas. Their burrow entrances are 4-6 inches wide \u2014 big enough to fit your fist \u2014 often with mounds of freshly dug soil nearby.<\/strong><\/p>
Unlike gophers<\/a> and moles, who pile up neat conical mounds over their tunnel openings, squirrel mounds are messy and don\u2019t cover their entrance. <\/p>
Besides the obvious holes and mounds, other warning signs can also indicate their presence:<\/p>
- Dead patches of grass: <\/strong>Tunneling damages roots and creates gaps in the soil that let water drain away instead of reaching the grass. This leaves dry, brown spots across your lawn<\/a>.<\/li>
- Uneven, bumpy ground:<\/strong> Your mower dips and bounces instead of gliding smoothly \u2014 a sure sign the soil beneath has been disturbed. <\/li> <\/ul>
See Related:<\/strong><\/p>
- Signs of Voles in Your Yard<\/a><\/li>
- Voles vs. Moles: How to Tell the Difference<\/a><\/li> <\/ul>
4. Disturbed Mulch and Garden Beds<\/h2>
Another sign that squirrels are visiting your yard is disturbed garden beds, where these furry pests like to dig. <\/p>
\u201cThe soft, moist soil makes for easy digging,\u201d says Kong. Throw in the seeds or bulbs you just planted, plus tender seedlings poking through, and you\u2019ve got an all-you-can-eat buffet squirrels can\u2019t resist. <\/p>
What you\u2019ll typically see is:<\/p>
- Mulch piled or heaped to the side of small depressions and bare, disturbed soil in the middle <\/li>
- Uneven mulch depth across the bed, with some spots nearly bare and others piled high<\/li>
- Wood chips or bark are kicked outside the bed boundaries<\/li> <\/ul>
How can you keep squirrels from digging in your landscaping beds? Try using pine cones as mulch or adding thorny branches over your garden beds. Spreading chilli pepper flakes is also recommended, but it needs frequent reapplication. <\/p>
See Related:<\/strong> How to Keep Mulch in Place<\/a><\/p>
5. Damage to Newly Planted Bulbs<\/h2>
Squirrels will dig out your flower bulbs as soon as you plant them. They\u2019ll eat their favorites \u2014 like tulips and crocuses \u2014 leaving only empty holes. Bulbs they don\u2019t like, you\u2019ll find scattered around the yard with bite marks.<\/p>
The good news? Some bulbs are toxic to squirrels. They won\u2019t touch them, and you can use these plants that naturally deter squirrels from digging to protect your flower beds. The most popular are: <\/p>
- Daffodils<\/li>
- Snowdrops<\/li>
- Grape hyacinths<\/li>
- Alliums<\/li> <\/ul>
Pro Tip: <\/strong>Another method to stop squirrels from digging in your yard is to lay hardware cloth over the planted area.<\/p>
See Related:<\/strong><\/p>
- When to Plant Bulbs in Fall<\/a><\/li>
- How to Plant Bulbs in Fall<\/a><\/li>
- 10 Best Bulbs to Plant in Fall<\/a><\/li> <\/ul>
6. Damage Around Bird Feeders (and Missing Food)<\/h2>
A broken or chewed-up bird feeder is a clear sign that squirrels have moved into your neighborhood and are raiding your yard. And so are seeds scattered on the ground.<\/p>
Squirrels see bird feeders as free meals and will stop at nothing to plunder them. They\u2019ll pry off caps to reach the seeds inside, chew through plastic corners, or leap onto feeders from nearby trees, roofs, and fences \u2014 often sending the whole thing crashing to the ground. <\/p>
Pro Tip: <\/strong>Bird feeders are squirrel magnets. If you\u2019re wondering how to get rid of the squirrels in your yard, start with the feeder \u2014 either remove it or upgrade to a squirrel-proof model that blocks access to seeds.<\/p>
7. Food Scraps and Hidden Stashes<\/h2>
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/half-eaten-apple.jpg\")
Half-eaten apple. Photo Credit: Josefotograf<\/a> \/ Adobe Stock<\/figcaption><\/figure> Anyone who\u2019s dealt with squirrels knows they are messy eaters. If they\u2019re feeding in your yard, you\u2019ll find food scraps, often under and near trees<\/strong> \u2014 half-eaten fruits, acorn shells, and pine cone scales and cores littered across the ground. <\/p>
They\u2019re also creatures of habit. Once they find a cozy place to munch, they\u2019ll keep coming back, so it\u2019s common to see a buildup of debris in particular areas<\/strong> rather than evenly spread across your whole yard. <\/p>
What you\u2019re more likely to find randomly across the yard are partially buried nuts and acorns, since squirrels cache food all over the place.<\/p>
8. Yard Damage in Fall and Spring<\/h2>
While squirrels are active year-round, their digging is most problematic in the fall and spring.<\/strong> Kong says that between these \u201ctwo squirrel seasons,\u201d fall is worse.\u00a0<\/p>
\u201cThe fall is by far the most destructive, as they’re frantically burying nuts for the winter,\u201d says Kong. Where they dig, they\u2019ll usually uproot plants, leaving behind dead grass and small bare patches.<\/p>
According to Kong, \u201cSpring is a close second, as they\u2019re digging up all that buried treasure and also making new burrows for their young.\u201d During spring, \u201cthe soft, moist soil makes for easy digging,\u201d and new lawns and gardens take the biggest hit. Why? To a squirrel, freshly planted areas look like soft digging with a chance of buried snacks. <\/p>
Bottom line:<\/strong> Expect to repair and overseed your lawn<\/a> more than once a year when squirrels are around.<\/p>
See Related:<\/strong> How Often Should You Overseed Your Lawn?<\/a><\/p>
9. Stripped Bark on Tree Trunks and Branches<\/h2>
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/squirrel-peeling-branch.jpg\")
Squirrel stripping bark from a branch. Photo Credit: phichak<\/a> \/ Adobe Stock<\/figcaption><\/figure> Tree bark isn\u2019t squirrels\u2019 first choice as a snack, but they\u2019ll settle for it throughout the spring and early summer when pickings are slim. They\u2019ll remove the outer bark of trees and eat the inner bark, which is rich in nutrients. According to the Ohio State University, most bark stripping happens between April and July.<\/strong><\/p>
Unlike ground-dwelling pests, like gophers, deer, and rabbits, squirrels can climb. You may see stripped bark anywhere on a tree, from the base to the upper trunk and branches. The trees that take the biggest hit? American beech, honeylocust, and maples.<\/strong><\/p>
Trees use their inner bark to carry water and nutrients. Debarking damages this system, and girdling (chewing a ring of bark around the tree) stops the flow completely, eventually killing the tree. The same thing can happen with shrubs.<\/p>
Pro Tip: <\/strong>Before you go trapping the culprits, check local laws. In some states, you\u2019ll need a permit to trap squirrels. In others, relocating the squirrels is illegal.<\/p>
10. Free Tree Pruning<\/h2>
Twig tips with green leaves scattered on the ground often mean squirrels are building nests. Squirrels will also lop the twig tips to sharpen their teeth or get easier access to the nuts and seeds they carry. <\/p>
Either way, it\u2019s not a natural occurrence \u2014 it\u2019s another sign you might have squirrels in your yard.<\/p>
Make Your Yard Squirrel-Unfriendly<\/h2>
Think you have squirrels digging on your property? Take precautions. Hire a LawnStarter pro to trim the trees<\/a> near your house and keep squirrels out of your attic. <\/p>
Our pros can also help with lawn mowing<\/a>, leaf removal<\/a>, and bush trimming<\/a> to keep your yard neat, clean, and less attractive to squirrels and other garden pests.<\/p>
\t\t\t\t\t\tSources:<\/strong><\/p> \t\t\t
<\/span><\/div> \t\t<\/div> \t\t\t- \u201cBark Stripping<\/a>.\u201d Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management.<\/li>
- Sabrina Kong, DVM, Jules Veterinary Center<\/a> in Tracy, California, and staff veterinarian at WeLoveDoodles<\/a>. Personal interview.\u00a0<\/li>
- \u201cGround Squirrel<\/a>.\u201d By Niamh Quinn, human-wildlife interactions advisor, Roger A. Baldwin, cooperative Extension specialist in human-wildlife conflict resolution, and Monica Dimson, digital media specialist. University of California.<\/li>
- \u201cSquirrels Debarking Trees.<\/a>\u201d By Joe Boggs, assistant professor. The Ohio State University.\u00a0<\/li> <\/ul> <\/div> \t\t<\/div> <\/div>
- Sabrina Kong, DVM, Jules Veterinary Center<\/a> in Tracy, California, and staff veterinarian at WeLoveDoodles<\/a>. Personal interview.\u00a0<\/li>
- How to Plant Bulbs in Fall<\/a><\/li>
- When to Plant Bulbs in Fall<\/a><\/li>
- Voles vs. Moles: How to Tell the Difference<\/a><\/li> <\/ul>
- Uneven, bumpy ground:<\/strong> Your mower dips and bounces instead of gliding smoothly \u2014 a sure sign the soil beneath has been disturbed. <\/li> <\/ul>
- Ground squirrels<\/strong> have mottled gray-brown fur, with stripes or spots, and noticeably shorter tails. When threatened, they hide in underground burrows.<\/li> <\/ul>
- 2. Small, Cone-Shaped Holes<\/a><\/li>