what makes these holes

Question: i have holes in the ground primarily along the fence line in my flower bed and garden plot. cane you tell me what is making the holes and how to get rid of whatever it is.  i'm sending this again as i did not get a receipt for the first try.

responder: Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied March 22, 2023, 4:47 PM EDT
response: Determining what created holes in the yard can be quite tough, and it's hard to judge scale in the photos...our best guess is possibly ground-nesting bees (if the holes are relatively small) or small mammals (if larger). The former are solitary nesters and don't sting people to defend a nest, plus are great pollinators. You may have to wait to see if there is any obvious activity or animal tracks around the hole entrances to better identify the organism responsible. There are a few University wildlife "what's making this hole?" type pages (like this one from Iowa State), but often they are not local to the  mid-Atlantic and thus might contain a few species we won't see here.  If no damage to desirable plants is occurring, there won't be a need to discourage whatever animal this is from living in that area so no treatments are needed. (We also can't advise about a particular treatment to use until the culprit can be positively identified.) If the thin turf or bare soil is a concern, there is probably a different underlying condition that creating those conditions which the bees (or whichever animal it is) found appealing, versus the other way around (that the digging caused the bare areas).  Miri

responder: The Question Asker Replied March 23, 2023, 9:14 AM EDT
response: I don't think bees are the answer as holes are too large, these things are eating plant roots and there are caves under the topsoil. an in person look would be the best way to determine what this is.  Virus-free.www.avg.comOn Wed, Mar 22, 2023 at 4:47 PM Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:

responder: Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied March 23, 2023, 9:24 AM EDT
response: If plant roots are disappearing then it could be voles, especially if you see tunnels traversing the yard. In that situation food-baited snap-traps would probably be the most practical way to eliminate them since we do not recommend the use of poison baits. An in-person assessment would not necessarily determine the ID of the culprit if they are not leaving behind prints or scat, but you can seek the services of a pest control professional if you'd like to get their opinion. (The Home and Garden Information Center doesn't perform site visits.)  Miri

responder: The Question Asker Replied March 24, 2023, 10:34 AM EDT
response: definitely not voles. will try to locate a professional. Virus-free.www.avg.comOn Thu, Mar 23, 2023 at 9:24 AM Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote: