Question: Weird Circular Dirt Holes in Cage

[Doubleduty]

Hello, I'm Karen and I have had my salamanders for probably over 5 years now and I have never noticed these circular indents that keep on cropping up lately in my salamander habitat. They do not look like the salamanders could have done this because the circles are perfectly round in all directions. And if they were digging, it would not be so round and would have their little rough paw...lol....hand marks. Strange. I did not notice any bugs around but I did not go digging for them either. My son got this dirt in another part of our property. Nothing seems to be biting my little guys, but do you think I need to change the dirt? Instead of "crop circles" I have "dirt circles!" Maybe I have mini-aliens flying around the house? LOL. Mystery! Thanks.

 

[Chinadog]

They do look like something done by insects, or maybe spiders? Sometimes I see similar holes between the paving in my garden and its where ants have dug new tunnels to get to their nests beneath the slabs. I think I would have to dig up the substrate to solve the mystery, but just in case it is aliens, I would wrap my head up in tinfoil for protection from any harmful rays!

 

[sde]

I have seen many times where a type of fly ( I think its a fly, or maybe a bee that doesn't sting? ) that is black and yellow digs in dry dirt. It is really interesting actually. Where I used to live there were always these flies or harmless bees that would dig into one part of the yard. I never really did much in finding out why or what the bugs are, but it's pretty neat.
On the other hand, they could maybe just be from worms? Or grubs? -Seth

 

[Chinadog]

Do you mean wasps, Seth? I think I might have seen those ones on a nature programme.

 

[sde]

I don't think they are wasps? They are small ( about the size of a small house fly ) and are striped like a bee. And I never had one sting me, even though I would walk on their holes etc..
But I don't really know what they are. They could be wasps I suppose?

 

[Chinadog]

They do look like burrowing wasp's holes. The wasp digs the burrow, then catches and immobilizes a pray item like a nice fat caterpillar (or maybe a mealworm?) and takes it down the burrow. It then lays eggs in the pray and leaves the wasp grubs to eat the paralysed caterpillar alive.

Sounds like a nasty way to die to me, I'd rather it was the aliens with the harmful rays.