Voles and Your Landscape

Making pest predictions for the next growing season can be a gamble, but one prediction that now is almost a sure thing is voles will make an appearance.  We have seen an increase in vole activity in suburban and rural landscapes.  This heavy snow cover will make them all the more prevalent.  Voles will feed on your landscape plants during the winter with the damage showing up next spring. 

Voles are small mouse-like mammals that cause damage by girdling landscape plants and making tunnels or runways in the yard.   Voles also girdle the roots of trees and shrubs. 

The most commonly damaged plants are junipers and more specifically Tammy junipers.  These are a favorite with the voles with their small, fleshy stems. 

Voles do not go into hibernation.  When food becomes scarce, voles travel from fields and green spaces making their way into landscapes feeding on low lying succulent plants.  Snow covered junipers are preferred as these are a perfect habitat for the voles.  While the junipers are preferred, they will eat everything including small trees. 

Vole damage to trees and shrubs is characterized by girdling and patches of irregular patterns of gnaw marks.  Other signs of damage by voles include 1 – 2 inch wide runways through matted grass and burrows. 

Damage is not obvious until the spring when the plant foliage turns brown.  Close inspection of the stems will show the telltale chew marks of voles. 

Controlling voles is difficult.  The most effective controls include baits.  While effective, the baits are very toxic.  Other controls include repellents and feeding deterrents.  Feeding deterrents include various hot sauce preparations.  If infestations are severe, contact a commercial pesticide applicator.