There are better ways to start a day than staring over your cup of coffee out the window and seeing the ravages that raccoons and skunks digging have done to your lawn. Raccoons, skunks, and other night time mammals can be especially harmful to newly lain sod by not letting it take root and grow.
Who Is Digging Up The Lawn?
Before leaping into action, there are several animals digging in your lawn. While some of the creatures do damage to your lawn from below (moles and groundhogs) or by feeding on the grass (deer and rabbits), the main culprits are raccoons and skunks digging.
Both of these animals directly damage your lawn, but they do it in different ways. Skunks are prone to digging several small holes into the lawn. Raccoons tend to dig up larger patches and are well known for turning over patches of newly lain sod. They have even been known to turn the sod back into a roll!
Their feeding schedule is seasonal, and they are more persistent in digging up your lawn in the late Summer and early Autumn. They may also come around in the Spring in a search for food.
What Are Raccoons And Skunks Looking For In My Lawn?
These animals are natural foragers, and they may see your newly laid sod as an invitation to do the least amount of work for the greatest reward. They are looking for white grubs which are the larvae of a number of different beetles.
These larvae, which feed on grass roots, are just under the surface of your lawn that skunks and raccoons are digging. The grubs are relatively close to the surface and are easy pickings after the sod has been removed or dug up.
How To Stop Skunks & Raccoons From Digging Up Your Lawn.
Your lawn is important to you, not only as an investment, but also as connected to property value, the environment, and general recreation and enjoyment. Please keep in mind that raccoons are intelligent, persistent, and adaptable.
Deterrents can’t be used once. They are meant to be reapplied, rotated, and changed up at intervals. There are several steps that can be taken to stop raccoons, and the greatest success has come from utilizing several methods at the same time.
Physical Barriers
Putting down a mesh barrier on top of the affected area can stop raccoons and skunks and allow the grass to grow.
- Bird netting comes in different materials and mesh sizes. It can be affordable, but it can also not be effective if it is not strong enough or if the raccoons are particularly persistent.
- Chickenwire is widely available and affordable, but it is known that raccoons can break through chickenwire easily. They can also be injured or die when caught or trapped in the chickenwire.
- Hardware cloth is a stronger metal mesh material, albeit more expensive, that is durable and mostly effective. Drawbacks include that if installed improperly, raccoons find a way in, and it just doesn’t look very pleasing.
- Chain link fencing is the most expensive and not recommended as it has negative effects by restricting sunlight and airflow. It can also become one with the soil causing severe damage when removed.
Repellants – Smell
A strong, unappealing smell that raccoons hate can be effective if the scents are consistently reapplied. If the scents are rotated in unpredictable patterns, they can keep the pests on their little toes. These repellants are available in natural or chemical form.
Natural smell repellents are more environmentally friendly but need to be reapplied regularly. Some that can have an effect include cayenne pepper, garlic/onions, citrus peels, vinegar, and peppermint oil. While these scents can deter raccoons digging, they may also be disliked by dogs. They are not harmful to dogs, but some dogs may have some sensitivity to individual scents.
Chemical repellents are strong and effective, but you will probably find the smell offensive. These are strongly disliked by raccoons and include ammonia and mothballs. Ammonia soaked rags work well but need to be refreshed regularly. Mothballs have an overpowering scent that can take a few months to fully dissipate around your lawn, but keep in mind that you will also smell it for several months.
Repellants – Motion Sensor
Motion sensor devices can be readily purchased and have some success with deterring animals from digging in your yard. When motion is detected at night, the sensor triggers a response that could include operating lights, ultrasonic sound, or spraying water. They are versatile and many now charge through the day with attached solar panels.
The drawback is it may not stop raccoons because they become used to the startling effects and adapt to them. While the effectiveness of these repellents can diminish over time, moving the devices around the lawn in unpredictable patterns can help to mitigate them adapting to the effects.
Remove Food Sources
Colloquially known as “trash bandits”, raccoons are opportunity foragers. If there is a food source nearby that is easy to get to, raccoons will return often. Garbage cans need to be sealed tightly and, ideally, secured in a trash can shed. Bird feeders are attractive, and even the spilled seed on the ground will be consumed. Gardens, fruit from trees on the ground, and pet food left outside are invitations for raccoons to stop by.
With your lawn, beetle larvae or grubs just under the surface of your lawn are a succulent meal for raccoons and skunks. To help eradicate the grubs, specific positive nematodes, or roundworms, can be scattered over a lawn to infect and eliminate the grubs before they can become a meal. To be effective, the nematodes need to be scattered to a lawn in August and September when the soil is warm enough and the grubs are nearest the surface.
Final Thoughts
Stopping raccoons and skunks is not a one and done task. Use methods in concert and be persistent because the raccoons and skunks will be persistent too. For more information, feel free to contact us today!