What’s Digging Holes in Your Yard?

One of the most common questions I get is:
“I found a hole in my yard… what made it?”
The answer isn’t always obvious. Different animals leave different clues, and knowing what you’re looking at is the first step toward solving the problem correctly.
Here are some of the most common culprits we encounter around Spokane and the Inland Northwest.
🦫 Marmots
Marmots rarely dig a hole out in the middle of open ground. Instead, they usually take advantage of existing terrain.
Look for burrows:
Under rocks or boulder piles
Along concrete slabs
Near retaining walls
Under foundations or other heat-absorbing surfaces
If you see a large hole disappearing beneath riprap or a rock pile, there’s a good chance a marmot is involved.
🐿️ Ground Squirrels
Ground squirrels leave one of the easiest burrows to recognize.
Look for:
A hole about 3–5 inches across
A fan- or crescent-shaped mound of excavated dirt
Several active burrows in the same area
Open grassy fields, horse pastures, and agricultural land
For horse owners, these burrows can become a serious safety hazard.
🦡 Moles
People often blame moles for every hole they see, but moles actually leave very distinctive signs.
Look for:
A series of raised soil mounds
No obvious entrance hole in the mound
Shallow surface tunnels connecting the mounds
Moles spend most of their lives underground feeding on earthworms and insects.
🐭 Voles
Voles leave much smaller openings.
Look for:
A hole roughly the size of a 50-cent piece
Little or no loose soil around the entrance
Narrow runways through grass or vegetation
Unlike moles, voles often spend time above ground following these well-worn paths.
🐝 Bumble Bees & Yellowjackets
Not every hole belongs to a mammal.
Both bumble bees and yellowjackets commonly move into abandoned rodent burrows.
A few clues:
Little or no dirt around the entrance
A steady stream of insects flying in and out
Increased activity during warm afternoons
The insects didn’t dig the hole—they simply found a ready-made home.
🐝 Solitary Ground Bees
These beneficial pollinators create tiny pencil-sized holes in loose, sandy soil.
You’ll often notice:
Small volcano-shaped mounds of fine soil
Numerous individual holes spread across an area
Very little aggressive behavior toward people
These bees are important pollinators and are generally best left alone whenever possible.
🐍 Snakes
Snakes almost never dig their own burrows.
Instead, they use:
Abandoned rodent holes
Rock piles
Wood piles
Foundation voids
Other natural hiding places
Finding a snake near a hole doesn’t necessarily mean it made the hole.
Correct Identification Matters
Many burrows look similar at first glance, but treating the wrong animal wastes time, money, and often makes the problem worse.
Before choosing a treatment, it’s important to identify what’s actually living there.
At Tahoma Specialty Pest Services, inspection always comes first. Once we know what’s causing the problem, we can recommend the safest and most effective solution.
If you’ve discovered holes in your lawn, pasture, landscaping, or around your home and you’re not sure what’s responsible, we’re happy to help identify the culprit and develop a plan that actually solves the problem.
Tahoma Specialty Pest Services
Protecting homes, businesses, and property throughout Spokane and the Inland Northwest.

509-978-7830
🌐 tahomapest.com

Caught a Critter? Plan for the Next Step First!

I get it—sometimes folks set a trap hoping to solve a problem. But if you’re DIY-ing it, please have a plan for what’s next. If you catch a skunk—or any wildlife—leaving it in the trap for days isn’t humane (or safe). If you’re unsure what to do with a critter, that’s when you call me. I’ll handle it properly. Better yet, call first—so the critter never gets stuck waiting on a plan.

Call Tahoma Specialty Pest Services

tahomapest.com / 509 978 7830


#WildlifeControl #Spokane #PlanAhead #HumaneRemoval

Happy 4th of July, America!

Today, we celebrate 250 years of American independence. 🇺🇸

For 250 years, generations of Americans have worked, sacrificed, and served to preserve the freedoms we enjoy today. We are grateful for those who came before us, those who continue to serve our communities and our nation, and for the opportunity to build our lives, raise our families, and pursue our dreams here at home.

As we gather with family and friends this Independence Day, may we never take those blessings for granted. May God continue to bless our communities, and may He continue to bless the United States of America.

From all of us at Tahoma Specialty Pest Services, we wish you a safe, joyful, and memorable Fourth of July.

Happy Independence Day! 🇺🇸

Some DIY Pest Control Works, Some Doesn’t.

One of the questions I’m asked most often is, “Can I handle this myself?”

The honest answer is… sometimes.

There are quite a few do-it-yourself pest control methods that genuinely work when they’re used correctly. There are also plenty that waste your time, and a few that can actually make the problem worse.

Here’s a look at some of the more common ones.

✅ DIY Methods That Actually Work

Borax Ant Baits

For some ant species, a properly prepared borax bait mixed with a food source can be effective. The workers carry the bait back to the colony, helping reduce the population over time.

The key is using the correct concentration. Too much borax can repel ants before they have a chance to share the bait with the rest of the colony.

Rubbing Alcohol for Bed Bugs

Rubbing alcohol kills bed bugs on contact.

If you see a bug while inspecting furniture or bedding, alcohol is one of the few household products I actually recommend using.

Just remember—it only kills what it directly touches. It won’t eliminate an infestation hiding in walls, furniture, or other inaccessible areas.

Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous earth is a desiccant, meaning it damages an insect’s protective outer layer and causes it to dry out.

It absolutely works.

However, it’s often misused.

Because it’s a very fine powder, it becomes airborne easily. Breathing large amounts of dust isn’t good for people or animals, so avoid broadcasting it throughout living spaces.

When used, I recommend applying it only in enclosed voids, wall cavities, crawlspaces, or other locations where it won’t become airborne during normal activity.

It also has legitimate uses around poultry, where properly managed dust baths can help reduce certain external parasites.

Sticky Traps

Sticky traps are excellent monitoring tools for insects such as spiders, cockroaches, and crawling insects.

They help identify where activity is occurring and whether a treatment is working.

I do not recommend glue boards for rodent control. They are generally inhumane and often catch only juvenile mice while leaving the real problem unresolved.

🟡 Methods That Can Help… But Usually Aren’t Enough

Flea Foggers

Foggers can reduce adult flea populations and may provide temporary relief.

Unfortunately, they often fail to kill eggs hidden deep in carpet fibers or protected areas, which means the infestation usually returns unless additional treatment is performed.

Mothballs

Mothballs contain a strong fumigant and are designed for use in sealed containers to protect clothing from fabric pests.

People often try using them for mice, snakes, raccoons, and other wildlife.

While the odor can occasionally encourage an animal to leave a confined hiding place, they are not labeled for general wildlife control and should never be used throughout occupied living spaces.

❌ DIY Methods That Usually Don’t Work

Ultrasonic Pest Repellers

Despite their popularity, I have never found these devices to provide reliable pest control.

If they truly worked as advertised, the pest control industry would be using them everywhere.

Peppermint Oil, Dryer Sheets & Soap Bars

These are some of the most common recommendations you’ll find online.

While strong odors may temporarily discourage an animal or insect from using a particular spot, they rarely solve the underlying problem and almost never eliminate an infestation.

⚠️ DIY Methods That Can Make Things Worse

Aerosol Ant Sprays

This surprises many homeowners.

For certain species, particularly odorous house ants, spraying visible workers can cause the colony to split into multiple smaller colonies, making the infestation even harder to eliminate.

Sometimes spraying creates more ants—not fewer.

Consumer Bed Bug Sprays

Most over-the-counter bed bug products simply don’t eliminate established infestations.

Even worse, they can scatter bed bugs into new hiding places, making professional treatment more difficult later.

Bug Bombs for Bed Bugs

This is probably one of the biggest misconceptions in pest control.

People often assume bed bugs can be treated the same way as fleas because both feed on blood.

They can’t.

Bug bombs rarely reach where bed bugs actually hide and often cause them to disperse deeper into walls, furniture, and other protected areas.

My Philosophy on DIY Pest Control

I actually encourage homeowners to start with simple, practical solutions when they’re appropriate.

Good sanitation, sealing entry points, reducing moisture, trimming vegetation, and using the right DIY products can solve many small pest issues before they become major problems.

But when those methods stop working—or start making the problem worse—that’s usually a sign the issue has grown beyond what a do-it-yourself approach can solve.

That’s where experience, proper products, and a thorough inspection make all the difference.

At Tahoma Specialty Pest Services, my goal isn’t just to treat pests—it’s to solve the problem that’s allowing them to be there in the first place.

Tahoma Specialty Pest Services

tahomapest.com / 509 978 7830

Mosquitoes Start With Water

Mosquitoes are one of the most recognizable summer pests, but surprisingly, the best mosquito treatment often begins long before any product is applied.
It starts with an inspection.
Mosquitoes need standing water to complete their life cycle. Even small amounts of water can become breeding sites, which is why identifying and eliminating those sources is one of the most effective long-term control strategies.
Some of the most common breeding areas include:
buckets, pails, and watering cans
flower pots and saucers
children’s toys left outdoors
old tires
bird baths
clogged gutters
abandoned or poorly maintained swimming pools
low spots where water collects after irrigation or rain
overwatered lawns and landscaping
By reducing these breeding sites, you often reduce mosquito numbers before they become a larger problem.
When treatment is needed, the approach depends on the property and the level of mosquito activity.
Treatment options may include:
targeted fogging of vegetation and outdoor living spaces
residual applications to shaded resting areas where adult mosquitoes spend the day
larvicide treatments for standing water that cannot be eliminated
treatment plans tailored to the property’s conditions and your goals
Like most pest issues, successful mosquito control is rarely about one application. It’s about combining inspection, habitat management, and targeted treatment to reduce the mosquito population over time.
Tahoma Specialty Pest Services
509-978-7830
tahomapest.com