What Does a Vole Look Like?
Voles, also known as meadow mice or field mice, are small rodents with tiny eyes and partially hidden ears. These stocky, short-tailed rodents are about 5 to 8 inches long and have prominent orange teeth for gnawing plant roots and stems. Voles are dark brown and have coarse fur. Their undersides are typically gray to white. The tail is covered in fur and noticeably shorter than the rest of the body.
What are the Signs of a Vole Infestation?
Voles construct underground burrow systems with many entrances. They create networks of tunnels or runways through grass, and the resulting lawn damage is highly visible. Homeowners will especially notice vole activity in the spring when the snow melts, revealing these numerous tunnels throughout their lawns. Vole tunnels are typically about one to two inches wide and feel spongy when stepped on. Additionally, voles consume plant roots, so dying shrubs and plants can indicate vole activity. Homeowners often blame moles for lawn damage; however, voles are the main culprit. Moles are relatively uncommon in southeastern Wisconsin.
Professional Vole Control in Milwaukee, WI
Advanced Wildlife and Pest Control provides vole removal and control services in Milwaukee and southeastern Wisconsin. Our certified rodent specialists trap, remove, and exclude voles from your property. We conduct a thorough pest inspection to identify signs of rodent activity, like burrows, tunneling, and vegetation damage. Trapping and exterior rodent control are the most effective ways to control voles in your lawn.
How Can I Prevent Voles in My Yard?
The following prevention tips will help deter voles from your property.
- Mow your lawn and pull weeds regularly.
- Remove or trim ground cover like brush, low-lying bushes, and shrubs.
- Till soil and mulch to keep them clear of tunnels.
- Clean up any fallen birdseed, berries, and nuts.
What Problems Do Voles Cause?
Voles can cause significant damage to lawns, gardens, and outdoor plants due to their tunneling and feeding habits. Their extensive tunnel systems can ruin lawns, golf courses, and landscaping, while their appetite for plant roots and bulbs can cause shrubs, flowers, and plants to wilt and die. Although voles rarely come into contact with humans and, therefore, do not pose major public health concerns, they are capable of carrying disease organisms such as plague and tularemia.
Vole FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
What do voles eat?
Voles feed on grass, roots, seeds, and plant stems and leaves. On occasion, voles will also eat insects and snails.
Where do voles live?
Voles live in meadows, grassy marshes, orchards, and farmlands. These burrowing rodents spend most of their time underground. They build vast tunnel systems in areas with dense vegetation to conceal their entrances and presence from predators.
How many babies do voles have at once?
Voles are very prolific rodents. Female voles can have five to six litters per year, with each litter consisting of three to six young. The young voles are weaned at two weeks of age and can start breeding themselves at three to six weeks old.
How long do voles live?
Voles have short lifespans, often living less than a year. They are primary food sources for snakes, hawks, foxes, raccoons, and other mammals.