Feature: There’s-a-Vole-In-That-Hole

There’s a Vole In That Hole

Voles(Microtus spp.) are small rodents and are collectively called meadow mice. Voles do not commonly invade homes, and should not be confused with the house mouse. They have a compact, heavy body, short legs, short-furred tail, small eyes, and partially hidden ears. The long, coarse fur is blackish brown to grayish brown. When fully grown they can measure 5-8 inches in length, which includes the tail. Voles are mostly herbivorous and cause damage by feeding on a wide range of garden plants including a variety of grasses, herbaceous plants, bulbs, tubers, vegetables, turf grasses, and other landscape plantings. Voles store seeds and other plant matter in underground chambers. Voles will gnaw the bark off fruit trees including almond, apple, cherry, and citrus. Gnaw marks, droppings, runways, and burrows all indicate vole damage. If voles gnaw completely around the trunk or roots, the tree can be girdled. Girdling damage on trunks and roots kills trees, as it disrupts the tree’s nutrient flow. Voles are active during both day and night, year-round. They are normally found in areas with dense vegetation. Voles dig many short, shallow burrows and make underground nests of grass, stems, and leaves. In areas with winter snow, voles will burrow in and through the snow to the surface. Although voles do spend considerable time above ground and may occasionally be seen scurrying about, most of their time is spent below ground in their burrow systems. The clearest signs of their presence are the well-traveled, above ground runways that connect burrow openings; the runways are usually hidden beneath a protective layer of grass or other ground cover. The runways are easily found by pulling back overhanging ground cover. Fresh clippings of green grass and greenishcolored droppings about 3/16 inch long in the runways and near the burrows are further evidence of voles. If you suspect vole damage to your yard, call us for advice on how best to manage this pest.