What’s a Vole and How Can I Get Rid of It??

Do you have a vole problem in your backyard? No, that’s not a typo and supposed to read “mole.” Today, we’re going to talk about a little creature known as a “vole,” which is very much like a mole in that it can ruin a yard and leave you with thousands of dollars worth of landscaping bills. If you have noticed problems in your yard and thought you had a mole or two or three, you may, instead, have a vole problem. Regardless of what type of animal is tearing up your beautifully manicured lawn, APCS can handle all types of pest control in Castle Rock and surrounding areas.

What is a Vole?

Voles are actually cute little rodents that are also referred to as “field mice” and “meadow mice.” They look very much like mice and are small in size like mice. While they may be adorable, especially to animal lovers, they can cause extreme damage to grassy areas, and leave homeowners scratching their heads as to how to fix the costly problem of vole damage. For this reason, it’s important to contact an experienced pest control specialist like APCS at the first sign of trouble. Voles reproduce quickly and in large numbers, so if you ever see a vole in your yard, you can be certain there are many more in the area.

Moles or Voles? Which Do I Have?

Moles and voles, while similar in many respects, do have their differences when it comes to the type of damage they cause. Voles construct well-defined, visible tunnels, at or near the surface of grass, and those tunnels or runways are usually about two inches wide. These tunnels result from the voles eating grass blades and are also created by the constant traffic of the voles using the same path over and over.

Voles (like moles) are rarely seen by homeowners, so it’s easiest to tell what problem you have by the evidence these little guys leave behind. Let’s take a look at the differences between what moles and voles do to our yards.

Moles produce two types of runways in your yard: one that runs just under the surface of the grass, which is a feeding tunnel and looks like raised ridges running across the yard. The other type runs much deeper and allows the moles to unite their tunnels into a large network of tunnels. Think of a little subway system for rodents right in your very own backyard! It’s the soil from the deep tunnels that create those piled up mounds in our yards—the ones that look like tiny volcanoes.

Voles differ from moles in that they do not leave those mounds behind. If you see tunnels but no mounds of dirt, you have a vole problem and need to contact Animal & Pest Control Specialist, Inc. today to schedule an appointment. If you need pest control in Castle Rock or a surrounding area, we can help!