Do you know the difference between moles and voles? Both animals can wreak havoc on your lawn. Many types of moles are active all year long. Just remember even though moles and voles have similar names they are different animals. The following are some tips to help you tell the difference between moles and voles so you know how to deal with your problem….
What is a Mole?
Moles are small mammals that dig and live underground. They have cylindrical bodies, velvety fur, very small, inconspicuous ears and eyes, reduced hind limbs and short, powerful forelimbs with large paws adapted for digging. A mole’s diet consists of worms and other small insects and little grubs. Because of this diet, moles are unlikely to dine on the plants in your garden. Moles are great at digging underground and can create tunnels underground in an effort to find food.
How Do I Know If I Have Moles?
You probably have a mole if the mounds of dirt are round, symmetrical and conical, like miniature volcanoes. The dirt is fluffy with occasional clods on top of the mound. A mole mound, sometimes known as a mole hill, can be more than a foot in diameter. Just because the moles do not eat your plants, that does not mean they do not cause damage. The tunnels they dig can cause problems to the roots of your plants and grass; they can destroy your lawn.
How Do I Control Moles?
To help prevent mole infestations from occurring in the first place, make your yard as mole-unfriendly as possible. Use products that control grubs, worms, and insects in your lawn to limit moles’ food supply. There are also baits and traps that can be used to permanently eradicate your mole problem.
What is a Vole?
A vole is a small rodent, a relative of the mouse, with a stouter body, a shorter, hairy tail, a slightly rounder head, smaller ears and eyes, and differently formed molars (high-crowned and with angular cusps instead of low-crowned and with rounded cusps). They are sometimes known as meadow mice or field mice. They eat small plants, fruits, nuts, grass, ground cover and dead animals. Unlike the mole, the vole is a rodent. A vole will take bites out of plants and trees, but loves to eat the grass in your lawn.
How do I Know If I Have Voles?
Voles attack landscaping. They destroy root systems of flowers, shrubs, vegetables and trees. They kill beautiful and expensive trees by girdling them, eating away all bark in a continuous ring around the trunk. This deprives the tree of water and nutrients and the tree dies. Voles have adapted very well to the way humans choose to take care of yards, gardens, golf courses and flower beds. Your landscaping becomes the vole salad buffet! Voles travel through yard yard using the tunnels that moles have dug before them. Voles do not dig so if you do not see any new tunnels chances are you have voles.
How Do I Control Voles?
You need to get rid of voles at the very first sign of their presence. Voles form huge colonies. Quick maturity and a staggering birth rate (over 70 young per female per year) mean that they multiply seemingly overnight. Get rid of them quickly or you can be overrun with them quickly. If you have a cat, then you have a vole control method at your fingertips. There are also traps you can use to get rid of voles.
Moles or Voles: Why it Matters
Other than having similar sounding names and both causing havoc to yards, voles and moles have little in common. These are two entirely different pests, yet they’re often confused. Moles seem to be much better known, but it’s really voles causing much of the damage chalked up to moles. It’s important to know which pest you’ve got because effective mole control and vole control depends on targeting the right action to the right animal.
We help our residential and commercial clients with their lawns and landscaping all year ’round! A&A Lawn Care and Landscaping has a lot of experience controlling moles and voles that enter our customer’s lawns and property.
Contact Us (859-384-0266) for a Free Consultation!
—
About A & A Lawn Care & Landscaping
About A & A Lawn Care & LandscapingA & A Lawn Care & Landscaping can beautify your lawn and landscaping using our vast experience in turf grass management. Our complete lawn service is designed for both residential and commercial lawns and we keep your lawn healthy without harming your family, staff, or pets.