What the heck is making these holes?

   / What the heck is making these holes? #151  
Chew up a piece of Tootsie Roll and stick it to the trap.
A knawing type animal will only make a hole width to satisfy entry so it's no insect unless the thing is an inch wide. If this is an animal of some type, there will always be teeth marks around the periphery of the hole. You stated the floor is 2" thick and these things are appearing over night? What animal is an inch wide and can bore through 2" of oak in 12 hrs? That makes little sense to me unless the boring is starting from the bottom and they work on it a little at a time and finally break through. What also makes no sense is that if it is an animal, why isn't one hole sufficing? Animals are always trying to conserve calorie expenditure. Why make a bunch of holes when one will do for egress or entry unless whatever is living under your floor exists in droves.
You see any poops around your traps?
 
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   / What the heck is making these holes?
  • Thread Starter
#152  
Chew up a piece of Tootsie Roll and stick it to the trap.
A knawing type animal will only make a hole width to satisfy entry so it's no insect unless the thing is an inch wide. If this is an animal of some type, there will always be teeth marks around the periphery of the hole. You stated the floor is 2" thick and these things are appearing over night? What animal is an inch wide and can bore through 2" of oak in 12 hrs? That makes little sense to me unless the boring is starting from the bottom and they work on it a little at a time and finally break through. What also makes no sense is that if it is an animal, why isn't one hole sufficing? Animals are always trying to conserve calorie expenditure. Why make a bunch of holes when one will do for egress or entry unless whatever is living under your floor exists in droves.
You see any poops around your traps?

I agree, and no poops. BTW, the new holes did not appear overnight. More like at least a week.
 
   / What the heck is making these holes?
  • Thread Starter
#153  
A couple of observations...if whatever is springing the traps is larger than a mouse you need bigger traps (as has been pointed out)...

secondly...if you're using peanut butter for bait try something different...insects can eat the bait without tripping them...try something like a sunflower seed wedged under the tap OR in the case of the newer (yellow pad) bait tray traps...there is a half moon hole that tightly holds one half of a regular peanut...

The pictures could be a little better but from them it appears that some of the smaller holes may have been bored for a purpose possibly before they were used on the floor...it may be that some of the smaller holes have been enlarged by whatever may or may not be springing the traps...

Or they could have been plugged with dirt/crud. The place was filthy when we took it over, and we just recently cleaned it up. Here is a close-up of one of the holes:

IMG_0169.JPG

I will be up again this coming weekend, and may have more to report.
 
   / What the heck is making these holes?
  • Thread Starter
#154  
James, grab a broom and a small used sack of flour. The misses shouldn’t miss it.

If she does, tell you tried to surprise her with cookies but they didn’t turn out so good and you were embarrassed to offer them to her.

Np Mark. She told me where she “hid” the flour. Up again next weekend.
 
   / What the heck is making these holes? #155  
Or they could have been plugged with dirt/crud. The place was filthy when we took it over, and we just recently cleaned it up. Here is a close-up of one of the holes:

View attachment 577705

I will be up again this coming weekend, and may have more to report.

That's what it looks like to me. A couple of other suggestions on the traps; use a glue gun to attach a walnut to the pan.
Also, solder or bend a coat hangar across the sides of the jaw. Instead of having a U, have l=l
I never would make it as a graphic designer. :)
 
   / What the heck is making these holes? #157  
In the mean time, grab one of those $50 inspection cameras to take with you so you can use the probe to see below.
I would have pried up a few boards by now...:detective:
 
   / What the heck is making these holes?
  • Thread Starter
#160  
It could an important archeological find that should be kept intact!

Yup. Historic floor boards - rough- hewn. But not to worry, I can peek in from the side this weekend, I hope. Don’t expect to see anything but dirt and a few mothballs, however.
 

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