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Holes in lawn - Gold Coast

There are holes appearing all over our front and back yards. This happened this time last year too and they popped up everywhere and continued to do so for months.

Does anyone know what they are?! I never see anything in them or near them, but they look like wolf spider holes so it bothers me a lot. I even went outside at night with a torch because apparently if they were spiders I'd see their eyes...

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

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BradN

Hi Nat,

I don't know, but my first thought is that it might some kind of crustacean, possibly some yabby sort of thing. You can be a long way from the beach and still have crustaceans living in your yard. Another possibility is some kind of beetle.

Personally, I wouldn't be alarmed. If you had loads of these holes for months last year and didn't have any wolf spider problems, that would suggest a) that it's not wolf spiders, or b) that the spiders are minding their own business.

I think the best thing to do is ask your termite inspector the next time they come around. They know all the arthropods around here. Do you have regular termite inspections booked? It's a bit of a must on the Gold Coast, especially if you're near any sort of park or bushland.

I'd be fascinated to know what it is, so please do let us know. Living in nature is always full of surprises!

Cheers,

Brad

Jason

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @NatFrances. We're pleased to have you join us and look forward to reading all about your projects and plans for around the house and garden.

I would recommend you have a read of this previous discussion - Mystery holes in lawn by @Prof - as members shared many suggestions about possible culprits. Other similar topics include What is making holes in my lawn? by @burnsie2 and Random lawn holes by @bobby_oz.

Hope that helps,

Jason

EricL

Hi @NatFrances

I'm exactly in the same situation. Mysterious holes are randomly appearing in my garden. If you've read the other posts about this issue, there have been so many suggestions as to what it could be. The only other thing I could add is the possibility that it could be cicadas. Their life cycle is in tune with this month as a lot of them are coming out in October. I recommend continuing to observe and keep an eye out in the evening as you might eventually see what's coming out of the ground.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

NatFrances

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/16344#Comment_16344

I wouldn't have thought it could be a type of yabby, that's something to think about!

We had pest control this time last year and he was stumped. Not sure about termite control as we rent.

I'm going to keep a better eye out in the evenings. I will definitely report back if I figure it out!

NatFrances

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/16367#Comment_16367

We thought cicadas too, but when this happened last year the holes were appearing for months. I'm not sure if cicadas are hatching for such a long period?

It's definitely mysterious!

sideshowmatt

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/70779#Comment_70779

Hi @NatFrances ,

I have similar holes here, and it could be trapdoor spiders. They are all over my yard.

The holes are a similar size, and not all trapdoor spiders make doors ( just did a quick search ).

I have found they generally leave the door open when they abandon the burrow, and it is very light and can blow away or fall apart in the rain.

A few weeks ago I was sitting outside reading and saw one come out of it's burrow in the gravel out of the corner of my eye. It looked around for a bit and went back in, and a few pages later I looked again, even got up and went right to it, and had no idea where the door was they make them that good.

A couple of sites I saw said their bite isn't dangerous, but they are very shy anyway and flee from people. They also help control beetles, cockroaches, crickets, slaters and other spiders. Hopefully that's what they are.

Not the greatest pic, very sunny here today.

I am in Central NSW but they are found over eastern and southern Australia including Tassie.

EricL

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/98561#Comment_98561

Hi @sideshowmatt

Thanks for the added information to our mystery garden holes. That is an amazing picture of the spider's door and burrow. I will definitely keep an eye out for the trap door if there are any in my garden. I'm sure at some point someone will actually take a picture of the critter coming out of these holes. In the meantime, we just need to keep looking.

Eric

NatFrances

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/98561#Comment_98561

Hi @sideshowmatt

That certainly looks similar (which terrifies me!). I've been keeping an eye out but I've still not seen anything. I enjoy being in the yard gardening so the thought I could be crouching near an underground spider is not awesome... hopefully, if there are trapdoor spiders, the holes are, as you mentioned, abandoned!

brendawebster44

Hi, I am not sure I would say you had Meerkats, or ground hogs. I suppose it can’t be wrong country, b🌺

NatFrances

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/16603#Comment_16603

@brendawebster44 I'd be pretty thrilled if I had meerkats in the backyard! But no, not in Australia. Thank you anyway 😊🌼

NatFrances

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/16344#Comment_16344

@BradN @EricL @brendawebster44 @Jason @sideshowmatt Hi all. I have an update! I believe curl grubs are causing the holes!

I was digging up soil to move flowers this afternoon, and dug up a grub. It then tried to dig back into the ground, which made me think of the garden holes! It didn't make a hole going down, but my research suggests it will when it comes back up. Apparently female beetles lay eggs in the soil, and when the larvae become adults themselves they come digging their way up out of the soil.

I not certain, but I'm pretty convinced. It seems they aren't good for the yard either, so will need to try to do something about it.

But... hopefully... mystery solved!?!

EricL

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/71708#Comment_71708

Hi @NatFrances

That's excellent news. It's great that you've caught the critters that have been poking holes in your garden. I suggest using Multicrop 2L EcoGrub 3 In 1 Insecticide. This one is straightforward to use just plug your garden hose on the bottle and spray it on your lawn. Please note that it is always recommended to wear personal protective equipment such as masks and gloves when using chemicals in the garden.

Just a reminder to make sure to read the spraying instructions at the back of the bottle before use.

Please keep us updated with your progress, we look forward to seeing your garden grub free.

Eric

Stuardo

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/99145#Comment_99145

@NatFrances and @EricL

Please don't be too quick to reach for the insecticide in this instance. They look like Christmas Beetle or Stag Beetle larvae and both are disapearing from Australian back yards. Both are harmless to humans and though the grubs eat roots and leaf litter they are also deneficial in a healthy yard ecosystem.

When I was a kid I remember lots of these in summer and it was a joy to find the ocasional gold or metalic green ones. This summer we saw only one on the window sill.

Gold Christmas Beetle.jpg

Stuart

EricL

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/116366#Comment_116366

A timely and fantastic observation @Stuardo, I immediately concluded that these were curl grubs. Having had a second look, it's too soon to tell as the larvae are still in their early stages. I think we'll have to keep observing and if the larvae assume the dark colourings of the Christmas beetle larvae then we'll know what kind of grub we have.

Again, thank you so much for that information.

Eric

NatFrances

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/116366#Comment_116366

@Stuardo @EricL If they are Christmas beetles then I'll definitely leave the insecticide! I love them 😊 I just figured it was a curl grubs because it kept forming into the C Shape. I'll leave it for now and see what happens.

Thanks for the input!

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