A persistent vole problem can quickly turn a cherished yard or garden into a source of frustration. Often mistaken for moles or mice, voles are prolific pests that feed on plant material, roots, and tree bark. Effectively getting rid of voles requires a two-pronged strategy: immediate, targeted removal to reduce the current population, followed by lasting changes to your landscape to prevent their return. This comprehensive approach is the only way to achieve a permanent solution.
Confirming the Pest: Vole Identification and Damage
Proper identification is the first step, as control methods for voles differ significantly from other common yard pests like moles. Voles are herbivorous rodents that create shallow, well-defined paths, approximately two inches wide, through the grass and ground cover. These surface runways are one of the most reliable signs of an active vole population.
Vole burrow entrances are small, neat, and circular, usually about one to two inches in diameter. Unlike the large soil mounds created by moles, vole burrows do not typically have significant dirt piles surrounding the entrance. Damage to plants is also distinct, often appearing as irregular gnaw marks on the bark of young trees and shrubs, usually just above or below the soil line. If a plant wilts unexpectedly, a gentle tug may reveal that the roots or bulbs have been completely clipped or eaten away by these subterranean feeders.
Immediate Eradication: Trapping and Lethal Control
Targeted trapping is the single most effective method for quickly reducing a localized vole population. Use mouse-sized snap traps, as they fit within the voles’ narrow tunnel systems. Effective baits include a small smear of peanut butter, a slice of apple, or a scattering of oatmeal secured to the trigger plate.
Place the snap traps directly into active runways, positioning them perpendicular to the direction of travel so the vole crosses the trigger. To increase the voles’ comfort, cover the traps with an inverted small box or an open-ended piece of PVC pipe. Trapping must be consistent, requiring daily checks and resetting of the traps, and deploying multiple traps is often necessary to make a significant impact.
While chemical solutions, such as rodenticides, are available for large-scale infestations, they come with substantial risk. Poison baits, especially second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs), can cause secondary poisoning in non-target wildlife, such as hawks, owls, and foxes. If toxicants must be used, they should only be placed inside tamper-resistant bait stations or directly into active burrows to protect children and pets from accidental primary exposure. Always prioritize trapping, as it is a far more controllable and specific method.
Maintaining a Vole-Free Yard: Long-Term Prevention Strategies
Achieving permanent control relies on making your landscape uninviting and inaccessible to voles. Habitat modification is the foundation of this strategy, beginning with the removal of dense ground cover and debris piles that provide voles with food and safe shelter. Keep lawn grass mowed to a height of two inches or less, as voles prefer the security of tall grass to conceal their movements.
Clear all mulch and leaf litter away from the base of trees and shrubs, creating a bare soil or gravel barrier extending at least three to four feet from the trunk. This exposed buffer area discourages voles from feeding on the bark, a common activity, particularly during the winter. Ensure that spilled birdseed and fallen fruit are regularly cleaned up, as these serve as concentrated, easy food sources.
For high-value plants, exclusion with physical barriers provides the highest level of protection. Install cylinders or perimeter fencing made of galvanized hardware cloth with a mesh size of one-quarter inch or smaller. This wire barrier must extend at least six to ten inches below the soil line to prevent voles from burrowing underneath. For tree protection, the wire guard should also extend above ground, sometimes as high as 18 to 24 inches, to account for snow accumulation that would otherwise allow voles to access the trunk.
A final layer of prevention involves cultural controls and deterrents that voles find distasteful. Incorporate plants voles naturally avoid, such as bulbs that contain toxins or have a strong odor, like Daffodils, Fritillaria, and members of the Allium family (chives, garlic, onions). For actively damaged areas, a granular or liquid repellent containing castor oil can be applied to the soil, as voles dislike its taste and smell. Combining these landscape changes with a zero-tolerance trapping policy establishes an environment voles will permanently abandon in favor of more suitable habitat.