Holes appearing in the vege garden

[bergs]

Hi all, has any other members had the problem of holes appearing overnight in the vege garden.

They're about 25 to 30mm wide and some go down up to 25cm and they are completely cylindrical, but they seem to be empty. I have dug a few, but nothing there.

They are heaped up like little volcano.

They look like yabbie holes. I've filled them with water many times at once and the water all soaks in, but nothing surfaces. I know yabbies do get in soil but we're not close to a water source. 

I thought maybe mole crickets, but as yet haven't been able to find any.

Any other suggestions??

[Natasha]

Hi @bergs, 

Any change they could be Cicada holes? Only suggesting this as we had similar and are in an area where there are plenty of Cicadas. 

Or possibly spider holes? my mother had holes like this around her garden once and there were always 'Orb' spiders in her plants.

Cheers,

Natasha

[Jason]

Could they be from bandicoots @bergs?

I remember last year @Flo54 was having an issue with bandicoots digging out her plants.

Jason

[bergs]

Hi Natasha, thanks for your reply. We do get Cicadas here in summer but Inormally see smaller holes without any mounding around the edge.
We also get the Orb weaving 🕷but they tend to be in the trees during daylight.

Hi Jason, I would love it to be Bandicoots but we don't have them.

I will get on top of this.
My thoughts are that it might be something that lives underground and attacks the root system of the vegies.
I've had one tomato plant shrivel up, so it may have been from this.
There were no close sign of the holes around the plant.
It's unknown how far the holes travel, so there may not need to be signs around the plants for them to be affected.

Cheers for now, bergs

[bergs]

Hello All,I have found out what it is!

African Black Beetle.

Check this site out as it gives you some info on trying to eradicate them before they become plague proportion.

http://www.sgaonline.org.au/white-curl-grub/

[Isobel]

Do you have lawn @bergs? I know that curl grubs can be a big problem and destroy your lawn.

Are you going to use something like this? https://www.bunnings.com.au/yates-500ml-baythroid-laawn-grub-and-garden-insecticide_p2961216 

[bergs]

Hi Isobel,
I would rather not use chemicals, especially in the vege garden.
I have dug down and only found one of the beetles, so the tunnels must along under the plants.
Had three more holes this morning, so I poured boiling water down them. I couldn't dig them because they were at the base of the plants, so I hope the boiling water doesn't effect the root systems.
I have Kikuyu grass , but the beetles don't seem to have got that far yet, touch wood.
Cheers bergs