Strange clumps

June 28, 2009 4:13 PM

I live south of Denver CO. In my backyard there are these strange clumps/lumps of dirt. What are they?

A first I thought it was from the lawn aeration. But I skipped that this year. Upon further inspection they look like little volcanoes. There is definitely consistency to each little nodule. So the same thing is causing them all. I couldn't find any bugs in the little piles and you can't really see them . That is the real problem. When you walk on the lawn, you randomly step on them and it hurt. They feel like rocks but you can destroy them with your fingers or toes. Anyone see anything like this before?

posted by The Burge to home & garden (10 comments total)

Moles.
posted by idiopath at 4:20 PM on June 28

How big are they?
I'm thinking either moles or earthworms.
posted by dunkadunc at 4:26 PM on June 28

More specifically, I meant mole hills (gis link).
posted by idiopath at 4:27 PM on June 28

Nightcrawler castings?
posted by @troy at 4:27 PM on June 28

Prairie dogs?
posted by mynameisluka at 4:30 PM on June 28

I'm pretty sure we don't have moles near Denver. It's probably earthworms. Check out this answer at the CSU extension website. They are a good resource to have on hand if you live in Colorado.
posted by BoscosMom at 4:53 PM on June 28

It could be pocket gophers, too.

How big are they?
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 4:53 PM on June 28

They are tiny. biggest is about a half inch in diameter. I know prairie dogs. If I had those there would be a gun involved. LOL. I think BoscosMom Hit the nail on the head. The birds love my back yard. Next question would be now what. I am going to read her link on earthworms. Just seems to simple to be true. Maybe I should start a bait shop.
posted by The Burge at 8:49 PM on June 28

Also this has been a pretty wet spring/summer. I did some reading and it looks like I am SOL on getting rid of them. I am from the east coast originally. My family in Va and Ny would love these worms for fishing. Too bad no way to ship effectively Thanks for the help all..
posted by The Burge at 8:53 PM on June 28

if they are earthworms, that's GOOD. You want them (they do good things for your soil/lawn).
posted by evening at 4:43 AM on June 29