Moles and voles can quickly transform a well-kept lawn into a maze of tunnels and dead patches. These small, persistent mammals cause considerable cosmetic and structural damage to landscapes and gardens. Identifying the correct animal is paramount, as their distinct behaviors require fundamentally different control strategies. The following methods focus on effective, lethal means to manage these pests and restore the health of your outdoor spaces.
Differentiating Moles and Voles
Correctly identifying the pest is essential, as moles and voles have completely different diets and tunneling habits. Moles are insectivores, consuming earthworms, grubs, and other soil invertebrates, often eating 60% to 100% of their body weight daily. Their damage appears as volcano-shaped mounds of soil, created when they push dirt out of deep main tunnels. They also leave behind raised, winding ridges just beneath the lawn surface as they forage.
Voles, which are rodents and herbivores, feed primarily on plant material, including roots, bulbs, and the bark of young trees. They create shallow, visible runways through the grass, often 1 to 2 inches wide. Voles do not create large dirt mounds; instead, they make small burrow entrances, and their gnawing damage on woody plants is a definitive sign of their presence.
Lethal Control Methods for Moles
Trapping is the most reliable method of lethal control for moles. Because their diet is insect-based, poison baits are often ineffective, as the mole must consume a formulated item that mimics its natural prey. Trapping exploits the mole’s predictable habit of traveling through its main underground tunnels.
Success depends on locating an active, straight travel tunnel, which is typically deeper than surface feeding runs. To confirm activity, flatten a section of a raised tunnel with your foot and check 12 to 24 hours later; if the tunnel is re-raised, it is active and ready for trap placement.
The most common devices are scissor-jaw traps or harpoon traps, designed for placement over a disturbed section of the tunnel. A scissor trap is set by compressing the spring and placing the jaws directly into the tunnel. Harpoon traps use a plunger mechanism, triggered when the mole pushes up soil to repair the depressed section. Proper placement requires careful handling to avoid leaving human scent and covering the area to block light.
Lethal Control Methods for Voles
Voles, being herbivores, are controlled most efficiently with toxic baits, which they readily consume as treated grains or pellets. Rodenticides typically fall into two main categories: acute poisons, like zinc phosphide, which act quickly after a single feeding, and anticoagulant baits, which require multiple feedings over several days to be lethal. Anticoagulants, such as Warfarin, work by interfering with the animal’s blood clotting ability.
Baits must be placed inside tamper-resistant bait stations to protect non-target wildlife, pets, and children from accidental exposure. These secure stations should be positioned directly into the vole’s surface runways or near the small burrow entrances. Baiting is most effective during the late fall and early spring when natural food sources are scarcer.
For smaller, localized infestations, traditional snap traps designed for mice can be used as a secondary lethal method. These traps should be placed perpendicular to the vole runway, with the trigger positioned directly in the path of travel. To prevent non-target animals from accessing the snap traps, cover them with a box or pipe that has small entry holes, limiting access only to the voles themselves.
Safety and Environmental Precautions
The use of any lethal control method, particularly rodenticides, requires strict adherence to safety guidelines to minimize risk to the environment and other living things. When handling traps or applying poisons, always wear durable gloves to prevent contamination from human scent and protect your skin from chemical contact. Rodenticides must be stored in their original, clearly labeled containers in a locked cabinet or secure location, completely inaccessible to pets and children.
To prevent the secondary poisoning of natural predators or domestic pets, conduct daily checks for carcasses. Any dead mole or vole must be removed promptly and disposed of safely according to local regulations. Using tamper-resistant bait stations for voles is necessary to ensure the poison is consumed only by the target pest. Compliance with all specific product label instructions is legally mandated.