Sneaky Rodents In Your Yard? They Might Not Be Moles!
If you found your yard plants destroyed from the roots, would you know which animal did that? Most people would suppose that moles are responsible for the damage. But did you know it could actually be voles? Their names sound similar, except that one starts with the letter M, while the other with V. Interestingly, moles are carnivorous and the biggest problem they create is the tunnels they make. On the other hand, voles are rodents that look like mice. This post will uncover some more facts about voles that you probably didn’t know.
What do Voles eat?
In terms of their diet, voles are largely vegetarian. They sometimes take advantage of the tunnels dug by moles to get to the roots of plants. You will particularly find them gnawing at the base of trees during the winter months.
Like most rodents voles are omnivores. They can eat anything but they have a rather refined taste for most types of vegetation we usually grow in our yards, gardens or farms. This is problematic as they can both wreak havoc to our garden or farm, utterly destroying a year’s worth of crops, as well as simply ruin our lawn by digging dozens of tunnels underneath it, nibbling on the grass’ roots and stems. Combine their eating preferences with their incredibly fast reproduction cycle and you get a pest that can lay waste to the vegetation and soil of any area before it has even been noticed.
What do voles eat?
Voles love to feed on almost any type of vegetation. Read more from Insect Cop…
What time of the day are voles most active?
Voles tend to be active all year-round. However, the time of the day when they are most active varies with seasonal changes. In summer, they will be more active at night, evading the daytime heat. In winter, they will be more active during the day. Their mating season also runs from March to November.
Unlike many other small mammals, voles do not hibernate. Instead, they are active throughout the year. And depending upon where you live, voles can have four or five litters each year, and in warmer climates can reproduce year-round. Due to this prolific ability to reproduce, voles can grow their population quickly. Read more from Vole Control…
What natural method can I use to get rid of voles?
The easiest way to get rid of rodents is by being proactive and focusing on prevention rather than eradication. You can do this by putting up structures like wire mesh to prevent them from gnawing at the base of a tree. Other hacks would involve clearing the grounds to remove hiding places. This will include clearing grass, woodpiles, and weeds.
But it’s not just vegetation that voles take shelter under. Because vole gnawing will cause damage to trees and shrubs, you have to be particularly careful about applying mulch too close to trees and shrubs. Voles will be emboldened by the presence of a deep layer of mulch. Even in winter, you’re not home-free with respect to potential vole damage; voles will use snow as cover to perpetrate a furtive attack on your landscaping. So try to keep snow cleared away from shrubs and young trees. You can also protect young trees by wrapping the lower trunk with a guard (for example, a wire mesh). While voles typically feast on roots, they may gnaw on the area just above soil level of trees and shrubs. Read more from The Spruce…
For a stress-free experience with rodents, you need to be aware of their habits. Rodent control companies have professionals that know these animals like their fingertips. In Maryland, our personnel at Backyard Bug Patrol are ready to offer consultation and rodent eradication services. Contact us today to get rid of your rodent troubles!