Voles

Often confused with field mice, voles are rodents that burrow under the earth and destroy your plants’ root systems. They’re typically less than three inches long and have a short tail and are brown or gray in color.

What do voles eat?

In addition to insects and bark and seeds, voles are notorious about their plant damage, drawn to the root systems. Because they don’t hibernate, they eat constantly throughout the year and never store food. Industrious little tunnelers, voles eat their weight in food on a daily basis.

They also reproduce quickly. A female can birth up to ten more voles almost every month of the year. That’s a huge vole population wreaking havoc on your property if you don’t recognize the signs of damage and take action.

Why should I be concerned about voles?

Voles can kill your plants and damage your landscaping—from down under. Less obvious than moles, voles do their damage underground. They’re hard at work day and night, tunneling runways all over your property, creating burrows underneath your precious plants, and often go unnoticed until it’s too late.

Signs of a problem

Are your plants dying suddenly? Vole damage doesn’t happen overnight, but it will occur that way. Voles carry diseases and if you have an infestation, they will take over your landscaping and may even enter your home (although unlikely, it happens). Do you see the tunnels? Although hard to notice, once you know what to look for, you may find them yourself.

You can try to trap the rodents yourself, although finding spots to place the traps can be hard to do. Poison, the most effective method of remedying the problem of voles, can only be purchased by licensed professionals.

What should I do?

If you suspect voles are damaging your property, don’t wait. Call Blue Chip today to take care of this common, and often devastating problem before it gets out of control.