| Voles, Microtus spp., also commonly called
meadow mice, are seldom seen though the damage
they do to garden plants may be a too common
sight. These are chunky, ground-dwelling rodents
about 7 inches long with a tail that is less than 2
inches long. Young voles are gray. Adults are brown
mixed with black and have underparts of gray tinged
with yellow. Furry black ears do not rise much
above the fur and the eyes are black and beady.
There are several species of voles, including the
woodland vole, meadow vole and prairie vole. In
Missouri, chances are you will be dealing with the
prairie vole.
Voles flourish in grassy and weedy areas (including
our gardens), creating systems of pathways 1 to 2
inches wide that often are protected by overhanging
vegetation. Droppings and fresh bits of plants show
that a run is being used. Voles or meadow mice also
build underground tunnels and may use mole or
mouse tunnels as well. Voles build 6- to 8-inch
round nests of grass underground or in logs and
similar protected settings.
Mating season lasts from spring to fall with litters of
two to nine produced monthly. Females begin
reproducing at the age of three weeks. Voles rarely
live more than 16 months in the wild though they
can reach the ripe old age of nearly three years
in captivity.
Voles prefer the bark of young fruit trees as well as
tender stems, foliage, flowers, seeds and fruits of
grasses, sedges and many other herbaceous plants.
When times are tough and their favorite foods are
scarce, voles will eat crayfish, snails, insects and
even other mice as well as the inner barks of vines,
shrubs and trees. A vole will consume its own
weight in plants every 24 hours. They say that a
population of 15 voles per acre can grow to 250 in
four years. Voles will store food, as much as two
gallons of plant materials in underground hollows
near their nests as well as hollow stumps and
similar places.
Moles often are accused of the plant damage caused
by voles. Moles live almost entirely underground
and are carnivores, not herbivores. A mole’s diet
consists of small animal life, especially grubs and
earthworms—no plants. They only chew roots to
clear the way for their tunnels.
Symptoms and Diagnosis
Voles and rabbits can cause similar damage. Voles
nibble plants and the tooth marks are small, only
about 1/8 inch wide, 3/8 inch long and 1/8 or more
inches deep. Rabbit gnawing marks are larger and
less clear. Rabbits bite off small branches with clean
oblique tooth marks while voles nibble. If you think
you have vole damage, look for nearby path
systems, which can be extensive and have a number
of burrow openings.
Integrated Pest Management Strategies
1. Trap the voles. Mouse snap traps baited with
peanut butter will catch voles if placed on the
ground perpendicular to a well-used pathway.
Place the trap firmly and set the trigger in the
pathway. A sprinkle of rolled oats in the pathway
will add to the bait’s appeal. Cover the traps with
cardboard bent into a tunnel (big enough not to
hamper the trap spring)—this will keep birds from
getting caught. Use plenty of traps—a dozen for a
small garden, 50 or more for a large garden. Wear
gloves when handling dead voles.
2. Manage habitat to discourage voles. Keep all
vegetation away from the base of trees. Keep grass
no longer than 3 to 4 inches. You may have to
remove mulch from gardens and around trees if
the vole problem is extensive. Keep the ground
bare—voles do not like to feed out in the open.
Till the soil to destroy runways and paths. Wire
3/8-inch hardware cloth fashioned into cylinders
18 inches high will protect trees when set 6
inches into the soil.
3. Repel the voles. There are repellents made of
such things as capsaicin (hot pepper) and
predator odors (fox and coyote urine) that may
convince voles to go elsewhere when sprayed on
garden favorites. Be sure to repeat the spray if it
rains. Read the directions carefully before using.
A sure-fire vole weapon is a garden cat—cats are
very successful at catching voles. | 
