What is Digging Up My Mulch at Night?

Mulch is nutrient rich, making it the ideal place for living organisms to thrive, including earthworms, grubs, and larvae. Unfortunately, there are several animals that love to eat these creatures for a mid-night snack. If you have noticed that your freshly-lain mulch is pulverized by morning, then you may very well have an unwanted nocturnal house guest.

Continue reading to learn which species of wildlife are known for this particular foraging behavior, and what you can do to put a stop to your nightly mulch bed pillages.

Raccoons Looking for Food in a Backyard During the Day

Furry, Four-Legged Critters

Chipmunks and squirrels are very adorable, but they are also notorious for digging up mulch and flower beds. What are they looking for? Well, not the juicy grubs and worms mentioned before, but rather, their stashes of nuts and other foraged findings! That’s right; chipmunks and squirrels gather their treasures and then hide them in the ground.

The problem is, they forget where they hide them and dig everything up in site, or, they hide their stuff right in your mulch bed and create a huge mess retrieving them. Either way, it is considered a nuisance. Rabbits, opossum, and mice are three additional types of animals that are known to dig up mulch in search of insects, grubs, and even flower bulbs. Furthermore, dogs are also common culprits.

Nuisance Raccoons

Raccoons are one of the most common culprits behind late-night mulch pillaging. Not only do they have highly dexterous, human-like paws that allow them to easily move around mulch and matter, they also retain excellent memory capacities, which allows them to remember where all the good grub and termite hunting spots are in the neighborhood.

This means that a raccoon problem is typically a persistent one, as they are not likely to stop unless whatever it is that they want is no longer available, or they are incapable of obtaining access. Nuisance raccoons is something that requires professional intervention if you want to put a stop to such activity, safely and humanely.

Safely Repel Raccoons

You can make a homemade repellent to keep nuisance raccoons out of your mulch beds at night. There are many spices and seasonings that wild raccoons do not like. In fact, they hate them so much they will stay far away from any signs of these flavorings we so fondly use. Such spices include cinnamon, cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper, black pepper, and any other spices that are very strong and will irritate a raccoons senses (vision, sinuses, smell, etc.). Use just one, or mixed together a combination of the spices and sprinkle them around the perimeter of your yard. Also sprinkle the mix and areas where you have spotted raccoons. Be sure your cats and dogs do not have access to these areas because the spices will irritate their senses as well.

Who to Call for Louisville Raccoon Control

Call 502-553-7622 for Louisville raccoon removal and control services you can trust. We are DNR licensed and insured raccoon removal and control experts with over 25 years of experience in the raccoon industry. We have all the latest technologies and equipment to carry out safe and humane raccoon control and cleanup jobs. Request a free estimate, today.

Louisville Raccoon Removal and Control