Voles versus Moles

The main difference between voles and moles is the type of havoc they wreak. Moles primary diet is earthworms making them insectivores. They also like to have a few grubs and insects tossed in. Since they don’t eat plants, their landscape massacre is really the accompanying damage of tunnels and runways dug into lawns while on their never-ceasing search for more squiggly worms.

Voles, on the other hand, are plant-eaters. They enjoy feeding on grass and perennial-flower roots, they’ll even eat seeds and bulbs. In winter especially, when other foods are scarce, they’ll even girdle the bark off trees and shrubs.

Unlike moles, voles are rodents that look much like mice, only with shorter tails. They’re dark brown in color, about 5 inches in length and have eyes and ears that you can readily notice. Among the various types of voles are those that do their damage above ground (i.e. meadow voles) and some that do more insidious root- and bark-chewing from underground (i.e. pine voles).

One of the best ways to control voles is to send out a cat to patrol the vole infested area. Cats love hunting for rodents, and they’re often so proud of their conquests that they’ll bring dead prey into the house just to show you what good hunters they are.

Unfortunately, killing moles is the most effective long-term control. Most say it is the only way to control their populations. This can be done either by trapping or baiting.  Both scissor-type and harpoon-type traps are available in most garden centers. To use these, locate active runs by tamping down tunnels and then watching to see where the tunnels are raised back up a day or two later. These are good spots to insert traps. When the mole comes swimming through, it trips the mechanism that will be their fatal demise.  Below are a few other “home remedies”:

• Gas cartridges lit and inserted into runs
• Flooding the burrows with water
• Dumping used kitty litter down the burrow
• Inserting lava rocks soaked in onion and garlic solution in burrow

A type of mouse trap called Snap trap is also pretty effective at catching voles. A half & half mixture of peanut butter and oatmeal is a favorite bait, as well as small apple slices. For the best result, place traps along active runs and disguise them with an inverted box and/or leaves and grass (with the vegetation out of the way enough that it doesn’t impair the traps).

Whether you have voles or moles invading your property Gopher Patrol, the pest control experts, are here to help. Call 888-466-4674 immediately!