How to Get Rid of Voles: 4 Methods of Vole Control

Voles are rodents that look similar to field mice, and they are sometimes called meadow mice or meadow voles. The small mammals are garden pests. They cause cosmetic damage to landscaping, and they kill vegetation, trees, and vegetables. Voles can easily destroy vegetation, fruit trees, and vegetable plants by feasting on the roots and bark. In addition to ruining your garden, they also disturb the landscaping by creating surface runways above ground and littering your yard with small holes that serve as burrow entrances. Voles and moles are both small mammals that burrow underground, potentially causing lawn and garden damage. They have several differences, and identifying whether it’s a vole or a [mole](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/mole-control-guide) infestation in your garden is the first step to effective pest control. Here are three areas in which the vermin differ: 1. __Diet__: Voles are vegetarians and consume plant material, including the stems and roots of your garden plants. Moles are insectivores and feed on grubs, earthworms, and other insects. 2. __Appearance__: Voles look like mice with gray or brown fur and small eyes. They are five to eight inches in length with round bodies and narrow, short tails. Moles are distinctive in appearance: They have short black or dark brown hair, a snout nose, and large digging claws that look like paddles with sharp nails. 3. __Nesting__: While both voles and moles dig tunnels, voles live above ground in low-lying vegetation or fields. Moles live underground. Vole damage is typically visible above ground. Look for these signs to determine if you have a vole infestation: - __Dead plants__: Voles eat plant roots. The telltale sign is a plant that is wilting or dead with exposed roots that voles have chewed. - __Gnaw marks__: Voles eat the bark of young trees as well as other vegetation. If you have a vole infestation, you will see gnaw marks on the lower trunk of trees and woody plants. - __Shallow runways in the grass__: Vole runways (or shallow tunnels) are about two inches wide and appear like small roads in grass or fields. There are several control methods to minimize the vole population in your lawn or garden. Some are more effective for small vole populations versus larger infestations. Here are a few methods you can consider: 1. __Poison baits__: Baiting mix or baiting pellets are poisonous, and you should use them with extreme caution: The bait will kill voles, but they can also harm beneficial pests or children. 2. __Removal of low brush__: Removing dense ground cover vegetation, mulch, low-lying weeds, or tightly packed bushes will help make your garden less attractive to voles. First, voles do not like to feed in wide-open spaces. If they don’t have areas in which they can hide, they will be less likely to use your yard as a snacking ground. Second, by removing low-lying vegetation, you are also removing a food source, which should cause a critter such as a vole to look elsewhere. 3. __Repellents__: You can find vole repellents in garden centers. They are typically made of castor oil and other non-toxic ingredients. A repellent will not kill a vole. The taste and odor of castor oil will temporarily repel voles from the treated area. 4. __Traps__: Bait vole traps (snap traps or mousetraps) with food such as peanut butter, apples, or oatmeal. This method kills one vole per trap and is not efficient if you have a large vole population in your garden. You can also choose a live trap for voles and other small pests. These devices trap the vole in a small box or cage. Homeowners would then need to relocate the animals. Grow your own garden with Ron Finley, the self-described "Gangster Gardener." Get the [MasterClass Annual Membership](https://www.masterclass.com/) and learn how to cultivate fresh herbs and vegetables, keep your house plants alive, and use compost to make your community - and the world - a better place. Voles are garden pests that resemble field mice. Their food sources are vegetation, tree bark, and plant roots. If you know how to get rid of voles, you can avoid their damage to your garden or lawn.