Voles are a short and stocky rodent that is about 5-8 inches long, including their short furry tail. They are often confused with a mouse, but the difference in their tails is an instant giveaway. Voles generally prefer the outdoors, where they burrow beneath the ground making tunnels to store their food, breed, and take care of their young in. Voles will enter homes under certain circumstances, however, particularly if there is a lack of food.
For the most part, a vole will not bite, but they do have the typical large incisors of rodents, and like all wildlife can lash out in desperation if directly threatened. Voles can also spread dangerous diseases when their urine and feces introduces bacteria and parasites to your home or property. They are an especial threat to residential gardens, yards, saplings, and lawns, not to mention grain crops and fruit trees. The threat is worsened by the fact that voles, like most rodents, breed regularly and quickly.
Voles are active during the winter since they do not hibernate in the cold winter months. Their activity underground is masked by the fallen snow. Don’t be fooled, voles are still alive and active during this time even if we can’t see them. The only sign you might see is a “runway” between two burrows that will be about two inches wide where the snow has been trodden or grass that has been wilted by urine and feces.
There are not many tips to avoid voles due to their burrowing nature. The best you can do is to make your property unappealing to the voles by eliminating large amounts of vegetation and debris. You can also avoid voles by regularly pulling up old vegetation from your garden after harvest. Avoid putting mulch too close to plants like shrubs and trees, and clear snow away from them after a snowstorm. Wrapping young trees' lower trunk with wire mesh can sometimes deter voles from damaging them.
If you have tried these methods to avoid voles, and you still see signs of an infestation, you are going to find them extremely hard to get rid of. The experts at Big Blue Bug Solutions in New England can help, they are able to humanely eliminate all of the voles from your property and assist you in keeping them away. Our goal is to help you achieve a pest-free environment. We offer a variety of services that are designed to make your life easier. Give us a call today for more information.