Vole Identification & Prevention
What are voles?
Voles are tiny rodents that look very similar to mice, though their underground habitats can often lead you to confuse them with moles as well. Voles live in burrows and often feed underground by burrowing under plants and feeding on their root systems. Their feeding habits can make vole control difficult, as people often attribute unexplained plant deaths to other issues besides vole activity.
Are voles dangerous?
Voles are not particularly dangerous. They can carry similar diseases as mice and rats, but they’re unlikely to come into much contact with you because they only infest your yard and not your home. So the chances of your family contracting a vole-borne disease are low.
The main problem with vole infestations is that these little rodents often spread external parasites like fleas and ticks, which can and do infect humans with serious illnesses. Voles are also a significant threat to your landscaping, lawns, and gardens.
Why do I have a vole problem?
Typically, you develop a vole problem because you have things attracting them to your yard. They love fruits and nuts, so if you have trees that produce these food items, voles may come from all around. They’ll also come for vegetable gardens and landscaping with healthy, vigorous root systems. Aerated soil that’s loose and easy to burrow through will also attract voles. Basically, if you take good care of your lawn, voles may take notice.
Where will I find voles?
The good news about a vole infestation is that you typically won’t find these little rodents indoors. This fact means you don’t have to worry about property damage inside your house, and you don’t have to worry about contracting diseases from contaminated food. Most of the time, you’ll find voles burrowing and living in holes in your yard. You might also see them scurrying through your grass or bushes, as they often scurry along above the ground.
How do I get rid of voles?
Controlling voles can be difficult for homeowners because these little burrowing rodents often get around exclusion attempts. If you build a fence, they’ll dig under it. If you put underground mole mesh around your yard, voles can often crawl over it above ground. For these reasons, it’s easier and more convenient to trust the experts here at Terra Pest Management Specialists. Our vole control service specialists can help you effectively and permanently deal with your vole problem.
How can I prevent voles in the future?
Keeping voles off your property can be a hassle, but there are things you can do to make your lawn and gardens less attractive to these destructive little rodents:
- Keep wood stacks off the ground so voles can’t use them to hide.
- Trim grass short and trim bushes off the ground.
- Keep seeds from bird feeders off the ground or get rid of feeders.
- Place tree guards around trees.
- Harvest fruits, nuts, and veggies from any garden as soon as they’re ripe or fallen.
These measures don’t eliminate all the attractants that could draw voles to your property. But these measures do make your property less attractive and less convenient for voles to set up shop, and hopefully encourage them to move on to easier pickings. And if your anti-vole measures aren’t up to the task, just give the experts here at Terra Pest Management Specialists a call. We can help you protect your lawn and gardens from these destructive little vegetarians.
