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TheWaterbug
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What pest digs a neat little cylindrical hole like this?

As I inspected my month-old corn plants, I saw this:

Image

I've seen 2-3 of these in my last corn row in the past few weeks, and this row is doing the poorest amongst the 4 rows I planted (worst germination rate, slowest growth).

Does this look like something digging in or something digging out?

I seem to unearth a lot of Jerusalem Crickets whenever I till. Do they make holes like this when they emerge?

Heh; there's nothing like a Jerusalem Cricket in the house to freak out the women and children :D
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hendi_alex
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Why does it have to be a pest? Could be a beneficial. Perhaps a wolf spider or some kind of hornet or wasp.
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PunkRotten
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June bug larvae dig holes like that. But I can't say for sure that is what dug your holes.
bnoles
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Maybe a vole or a mole?
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hendi_alex
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A vole is a field mouse. There is a lot of confusion concerning voles and moles. Moles don't eat plant roots for example. Moles a insect/grub eating predators. But voles love to use mole tunnels. Voles get in the tunnels and munch on roots of plants that grow from above. They will devour many bulb plants. So moles by themselves are beneficial, both eating bad critters and for aerating the soil. But indirectly, they open the yard for the destructive habits of the vole.
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applestar
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Especially this year, it could also be cicada -- not sure if you get them as much there, waterbug.
cynthia_h
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I haven't heard of cicadas in California. Thank heavens....

Not sure what's leaving these holes. If they're only 1.5 inches (3 cm) deep, I nominate Fluffy-Tailed Rats (aka "squirrels"). I have, more times than I care to discuss, found empty peanut shells in such holes, dug where there were formerly young seedlings. :x

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TheWaterbug
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I don't think they're squirrels, because the holes are too small, and that row of corn is underneath some pretty rigid plastic mesh. The squirrels could pull the mesh off, but they couldn't put it back down, and there's no evidence of them being in there.

No cicadas in CA :)

I suppose it need not be a pest, but the fact that I'm seeing holes only in the one row that's underperforming makes me wonder.
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watermelonpunch
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I think that hole is too small for a vole. I've seen voles, they're as big as the smallest mice.
That said, it's really tough to judge distance in a picture like that without something for reference.

What's the diameter of the hole?

Could it be a sweat bee hole?

Image

If you've got sweat bees in your garden that should be a boon!!!

I don't know if that's what you got, but that's what's I found in my little hole.
This was in the lawn last year.
My husband put up a little posted pink flag near the hole so I wouldn't step on it. ha ha
I'd say it was less than a half inch wide... the hole itself I mean.
Not all sweat bees are green like this one, and they may vary in types in different regions. (I'm in PA.)


Append: Squash bees also dig holes like this (I remember I wanted them even more last year because my zucchini was a big disappointment because of poor pollination.)

Also, you could have a causation problem... Your idea that the holes have something to do with the poor crops nearby... Could be that the same thing causing those crops not to do as well, could be the same thing that made the spot attractive to whatever's digging the holes. Just a possibility.
tomc
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1/2 inch would be small for a crayfish hole...
Tonio
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Could be a grub hole.
JohnnyB60
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I have wasps that make similar holes or at least I’ve seen them climbing in and out of them. don't know what they are doing exactly, but I assume they are gathering mud for their hives. :roll:
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watermelonpunch
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I didn't know about wasps, but I think there are other bees besides sweat bees that burrow in the ground.

But look up "ground digger wasps".
Apparently they're quite a nuisance in some places. (I imagine that would be quite a nightmare at a playground!)
tomc wrote:1/2 inch would be small for a crayfish hole...
That, and I don't see a brook or stream in the picture. LOL
??? :?: :?: :?: ???


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