Discover comprehensive and effective methods to eliminate voles from your property. Learn to identify signs early, set traps, use natural repellents, build barriers, and modify your landscape to keep these damaging rodents away. Professional pest control options are also discussed for severe infestations, ensuring a safe and humane approach towards maintaining a vole-free environment. Protect your garden and landscape from extensive damage with these proven strategies that promote ongoing prevention and control.

• Presence of small, shallow burrow openings connected to a network of underground runways
• Gnawed roots, bulbs, stems, or the base of plants and shrubs
• Localized patches of dead or damaged grass and plants
• Fecal pellets, often less than a quarter-inch long, scattered around burrow entrances
• Clipped grass and trampled vegetation along pathways and runways
• Damage to tree roots, sometimes causing crown dieback or leaning

• Trapping: Setting up snap traps or live traps along vole runways and near burrow entrances is often the most effective way to reduce their populations. When placing traps, ensure they are located where vole activity signs are most evident. Be cautious with live traps; check local regulations regarding wildlife releases and avoid relocating animals to neighboring yards or natural habitats. Proper placement and baiting with appealing attractants like sunflower seeds or peanut butter increase trapping success.
• Use of Repellents: Natural repellents can incentivize voles to vacate your property. Predator urine, such as coyote, fox, or bobcat urine, can be purchased from garden centers or online and applied strategically around tunnels and plant bases. Homemade garlic sprays, hot pepper solutions, castor oil mixtures, and planting fragrant herbs like mint create unpleasant odors that discourage vole activity. Regular application and reapplication after rain ensure continued effectiveness.
• Barrier Methods: Physical barriers provide a humane and long-term solution. Construct fences made from quarter-inch mesh wire, buried at least a foot into the soil to prevent digging. The fence should be at least a foot tall and extend around individual plants or entire gardens. Installing barriers around valuable trees and root systems protects them from vole gnawing. Securing these fences properly prevents voles from slipping underneath and entering protected areas.
• Protecting Vulnerable Plants: Since voles are attracted to bulbs and tender roots, raise plants like tulips, daffodils, and other bulbous plants in wire baskets or containers made with poultry netting. Adding a layer of gravel around the base of susceptible plants can also deter burrowing and feeding. These physical modifications can create a hostile environment for voles, making it harder for them to access the plants they favor.
• Habitat Modification: Altering your landscape to make it less inviting to voles reduces their likelihood of settling on your property. Planting vole-resistant species such as daffodils, snowdrops, fritillaries, and castor beans, which are naturally unappealing or toxic to voles, can help protect your garden naturally. Clearing brush or dense ground cover provides fewer hiding spots for these rodents and discourages their presence.
• Engaging Professional Pest Control: When infestations become severe and DIY methods fall short, hiring pest control experts becomes necessary. Professionals have access to specialized traps, potent repellents, and techniques to manage large populations effectively. They can also advise on landscape modifications and preventative measures to reduce future infestations. Employing licensed pest control services ensures safety and compliance with local regulations while effectively addressing vole problems.