Voles are small rodents that live in the ground, and they’re a major agricultural pest.
While voles may not be a household name like mice or rats, their impact on crops is well known. Voles eat plants by chewing off leaves and stems. Unfortunately, they also eat seeds before they can grow into plants. This means that if you have voles near your garden, you’ll find fewer vegetables to harvest when it’s time to put up preserves for the winter months!
Voles are active day and night. Unlike mice, they don’t require to drink water as they get their needed fluids by eating berries, fruit, and vegetables. They can produce up to five litters per year, with four to ten young in each litter. Voles dig underground, near streams, and build nests of leaves, grasses, and other vegetation. They leave small piles of food outside their burrows which can attract predators such as foxes, raccoons, weasels, skunks, snakes, frogs, crows, gulls, opossums, and dogs.
Voles are excellent swimmers and can also survive by building underwater burrows. However, voles are preyed on by weasels, hawks, owls, and snakes. When a vole is frightened, it releases an intense and unpleasant smell from its scent glands to signal danger and hide in the soil or use its sharp teeth to escape predators.
Voles are small rodents that can be found in many different environments. They have a wide range of habitats and eat almost anything, including plants, insects, snails, fish, eggs, and even smaller voles! Voles can be identified by their short tails and light brown fur. This article will discuss how to identify a vole’s habitat, their diet, and of course, how to get rid of them.
What Does a Vole Look Like?
Voles are small rodents that their short tails and long bodies can easily identify. In addition, they have thick fur to keep them warm underground in their burrows, which can often help them survive the winter. Voles usually weigh between 10-30 grams (0.3 to 1 ounce). Their coloring is usually brown on top and white on their belly. However, in the winter, you may notice a thicker coat on voles to help them deal with cold temperatures.
Some voles have a dark stripe that runs down their backs. Depending on the species, they may also be grey or black with a yellow belly. Voles look similar to mice – and it can be easy to mistake one for the other – but there are some key differences between these rodents. For example, voles have shorter tails than most mice, and their feet are more suited to running on the ground than climbing or jumping.
Voles have a lifespan similar to other rodents – about two years.
Where do Voles Live?
Voles are rodents of the Northern Hemisphere, inhabiting North America, Europe, and Asia, particularly in grassy and forested areas. Vole habitats often overlap with those of other small mammals, like mice or rabbits. Since voles share so many features with these animals, it can be difficult to tell their difference. For example, voles can sometimes be confused with lemmings because they are small rodents that spend time above ground. Voles prefer areas near rivers or ponds, whereas lemmings are more likely to live in alpine environments surrounded by mountains.
Voles that live underground may spend the winter months deeper in their burrows to stay warm. They will return to the surface as soon as temperatures rise again!
How big is a vole’s home?
Voles don’t live in houses as humans do. Instead, they make dens underground near grassy areas where they can easily find food. Voles create these burrows using their sharp incisors to dig tunnels and chambers underground.
When a vole finds its ideal home, it will dig a network of tunnels where it can hide from predators and store food for the winter months. Voles have been known to create as many as 50 entrances to their burrows! This means that voles can travel throughout their dens without ever having to come to the surface.
Are Voles Harmful?
Voles are a type of rodent that dig underneath turf to eat roots, grubs, and other insects below the surface. They tend to chew juicy roots, which can cause brown patches in lawns. In some cases, these patches can be quite large and may require overseeding or fertilization to remedy dry areas left in the wake of vole activity. Voles also tend to create runways in grassy areas by rubbing against them and leaving parallel rows in their wake.
Voles are small rodents that their short tails and long bodies can easily identify. In addition, they have thick fur to keep them warm underground in their burrows, which can often help them survive the winter. Voles usually weigh between 10-30 grams (0.3 to 1 ounce). Their coloring is usually brown on top and white on their belly. However, in the winter, you may notice a thicker coat on voles to help them deal with cold temperatures.
How to Get Rid of Vole?
Voles are a type of rodent that dig underneath turf to eat roots, grubs, and other insects below the surface. They tend to chew juicy roots, which can cause brown patches in lawns. In some cases, these patches can be quite large and may require overseeding or fertilization to remedy dry areas left in the wake of vole activity. Voles also tend to create runways in grassy areas by rubbing against them and leaving parallel rows in their wake.
Voles are small mammals that could be a nuisance in your garden. You’ll want to take steps to eliminate them before they eat your plants and cause other damage in the area.
The following steps should be taken to get rid of voles.
- Clean up the area outside. It is important to clean up any food scraps, pet food, etc., in this area because voles are attracted to these things and will often hide by them for protection. This step does not eliminate the rodent, but it may help prevent them from coming back.
- Place chicken-wire or other heavy-duty metal mesh around your flower beds or garden areas, particularly near the edges of your property, where voles are prone to enter. The wire barrier will keep them out.
- Get a dog that is large enough to scare away the vole when he approaches the yard again
- Place voles traps in the garden or flower beds, as well as on your property
Voles don’t live in houses as humans do. Instead, they make dens underground near grassy areas where they can easily find food. Voles create these burrows using their sharp incisors to dig tunnels and chambers underground.
When a vole finds its ideal home, it will dig a network of tunnels where it can hide from predators and store food for the winter months. Voles have been known to create as many as 50 entrances to their burrows! This means that voles can travel throughout their dens without ever having to come to the surface.
Second, try planting some strong-smelling plants near the entrances. Voles do not like these smells and will be scared off if they are present. Possible plants to use could include mint, garlic, or lemongrass.
Third, some products can be purchased at the store that emit an odor that voles do not like. If these are placed around the area in question, they may scare any rodents trying to enter the house.
The final would be help from a pest control company when the options above are not effective. Pest Control Company knows better what to do with these small creatures.