Badgers are powerful diggers known for creating large burrows and tunnels in search of food or shelter. While fascinating creatures in the wild, their activity can be highly disruptive when it occurs on residential properties. In Grand Rapids and surrounding areas, badger digging can damage lawns, gardens, and even create safety hazards. Understanding why they dig and how to stop them is the first step to protecting your property.
Why Badgers Dig in Your Yard
Badgers are natural excavators. Their digging behavior often stems from one or more reasons.
Searching for Food: Badgers primarily eat small mammals, insects, and grubs. If your yard has a healthy population of moles, voles, or beetle larvae, it may attract badgers looking for an easy meal.
Creating Shelter: Badgers build extensive burrow systems called setts. These underground tunnels provide them with shelter, protection from predators, and a safe place to raise their young.
Marking Territory: Digging can also be linked to territorial behavior. Badgers may create scrapes and scent-marked holes as a way of establishing dominance in an area.
Seasonal Behavior: During colder months, badgers may increase digging activity as they prepare their dens for winter.
Signs of Badger Activity
Badger digging is distinct and can usually be identified by:
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Large holes, often wider than they are deep, with piles of loose soil nearby.
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Tracks featuring long claws and broad paws.
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Tunnel entrances that are oval-shaped and larger than those made by smaller burrowing animals.
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Damage to turf, gardens, or landscaping caused by rooting for insects and grubs.
How To Stop Badgers From Digging
While it may be tempting to address the issue on your own, badgers can be aggressive if threatened and are best handled by professionals. The first step in reducing their activity is to eliminate food sources. Treating your lawn for grubs and insects, as well as controlling rodent populations, makes your yard less appealing. It is also important to secure trash and compost bins, since badgers are opportunistic feeders. In some cases, installing strong fencing buried at least a foot underground can help deter digging, though it requires significant effort. Ultimately, the most effective and safe way to deal with badgers is to work with trained wildlife experts who can assess your property and implement humane control methods.
Call Critter Control of Grand Rapids
If badgers are damaging your yard, the safest and most reliable option is to call Critter Control of Grand Rapids. Our team specializes in identifying the source of the problem, removing badgers humanely, and preventing them from returning. Don’t let digging destroy your property. Contact us today for professional badger control.