if its just mounds of soil it could be ants if you don't look in there very often . id say moles but youd see mounds every wear . id say rats but you would find an entrance . there would be a food for them and an entrance . if the dirt is coming up out of thin gaps between slabs its ants . I sore fire ants on tv and they poured wet cement in the holes to see what they had done . they ended up pouring 10 tons in . the nest was about 15 metres deep and across . not saying you have fire ants just saying that they can move mountains .

If there are concrete paving slabs and there are a lot of stones mixed in then it can't be ants can it?

I think you need to contact Scooby Doo and let them investigate it.

A burrowing or tunnelling animal of some kind - badgers, foxes, rats, rabbits, moles, mice, that sort of thing.

In day light, go into the shed and close the door - can you see any light coming in from around the floor or roof? If so that is where the animal/s are getting in.

do tell with slabs next to each other and a metal shed with know damage flush with them what burrowing mammal like a badger can do that from the inside without any entrance on the outside ? maybe its a very anerexic rabbit that had the slabs and shed built on it . ow and it doesn't eat anything . its ants . obviously the shed in question doesn't get opened very often . also know evidence of burrowing after the soil has been taken away . the only animal to get in under a corrugated roof is a mouse and then there would be evidence of burrows and droppings, damage etc not to mention ive never seen a mouse with rope and a grappling hook . the best thing you can do is lift the slabs . ants love the shelter of flat rocks especially with a handy roof over the top . put a fine powder down all over and you will soon see . I bet you will find the culprits under the slabs . ants as I mentioned are very industries and can lift 60 times there body weight . put a few round a little stone that fits between slabs and you have your answer . just relay the slabs on mortar and put it in all the joints .

Does anybody else have a key to your shed or for that matter does your shed door have a lock at all? It really does sound like someone is playing with you.
This time of year is not the time you would find any other animal into heavy excavation work with food reserves dwindling and new food sources practically nil.

that's a bit of a strange joke don't you think ls ? come back once a year to put down a few handfuls of soil in the same place .

Were it summer, I'd agree its most likely ants, although not the stones - ants leave piles of fine soil, without stones. And certainly an animal can get under there - most sheds are up against a fence separating them from other land, and there's no reason why a tunnel can't be made from adjoining land ending up, or passing beneath the slabs of the shed.

I'm also taking into consideration that NP maybe right on. The only way to find out is to lay down those " sticky traps" for insects and see what gets stuck.

I think moles as I had 2 hills in the garden and no others. I know it was a mole as a kestrel got it.

how would the soil be pushed up through thin gaps by an animal with big feet ? when a mole leaves mounds its getting rid of excess soil from its tunnel system that it patrols for worms as there very territorial . why out of all the land would it choose to put its soil up wear there is know worms and it has terrible trouble pushing soil through skinny gaps in heavy slabs . it was a mole in your garden sbg as it was in the garden . if I see any mole hills in the middle of the road then ill agree . an animal wouldn't burrow in without the slabs for know good reasen and without an exit into the shed . it wouldn't choose one safe side and leave a garden of possabillities for the taking and more land after that . what ever it is it can fit threw a very thin gap . doesn't use the shed as such and apart from cover has know use for the shed . if this hed is only opend once in a blue moon who knows when the soil was put there . that answers in the question . the same place as last year . a mouse would come in for the winter . not now .

Just wanted to thank NP for ithe image of a mouse with rope and grappling hooks....

lol ha ha sg x .

A highly entertaining question. I laughed at Np's description of that mouse too. Maybe this is a 'joke 'question but you are all assuming the slabs are laid close together. Maybe there is more than just slits between them. Mary needs to give us some feedback.

your right sg it could be but what ever digs it up would leave evidence of its body mass ie the tool that dug it . saying that it is quite a mute point for some one in a hurry for an answer " HELP" who shows know further interest lol .

Yes NP that can be very frustrating when you don't know whather the questioner has even seen the replies.

I don't know sg look at all us giving our views on what could be a hyperthetical question . still valid answers I feel and a bit of a laugh . know skin off of my nose lol x .

I wonder why this has just appeared on my comments notification??? Also wondering if the questioner ever discovered the truth. And NP if you see this, Hi, we miss you.

It appeared in my News as well, but there's nothing posted on it since February 2015....

and in mine.
how curious. Yes if Leigh [NP] sees this hi from me too.