At a quick glance, it’s easy to mix up moles and voles. They’re both small, fast-moving animals that can appear unexpectedly in your yard. Their names even sound similar. But homeowners dealing with damage to their lawn or garden might be surprised to learn how differently these two animals behave, and what that means for your property.
Knowing the difference between voles and moles isn’t just about labeling the problem correctly. It affects how you handle it. Moles dig tunnels looking for food, while voles chew up plants and roots. One focuses on insects, the other on vegetation. The damage they leave behind often points clearly to which is which, if you know what to look for. Let’s break it down so you can figure out what’s going on in your yard and what steps to take next.
Understanding Moles And Their Impact
Moles are solitary critters with rounded bodies, short tails, and paddle-like feet that are built for digging. They spend most of their lives underground, using their large front paws to tunnel through the soil in search of food. They’re mostly after insects, especially earthworms, which is why they rarely come above ground. You may never see one in person, but you’ll see what they leave behind.
Their tunneling creates raised ridges or soft spots across parts of your lawn. These tunnels loosen the soil and tear up the grass roots, causing patches of yellowing or dying turf. Mounds of dirt, sometimes called molehills, also appear as the mole pushes soil to the surface. These areas can make mowing harder, interfere with landscaping, and become a tripping hazard over time.
Left unmanaged, mole tunnels can mess with more than just surface-level garden aesthetics. They can disturb root systems, weaken the ground under sidewalks or patios, and make the soil less stable over time. One example we’ve seen is a backyard that looked fine at a glance, but after a season of mole activity, started to sink in parts where the tunnels collapsed. These deeper impacts are harder to notice at first but create bigger challenges if ignored.
Understanding Voles And Their Impact
Voles are often mistaken for mice. They’re small, stocky rodents with short tails and blunt noses. Unlike moles, voles love being above ground and around vegetation. They don’t dig deep tunnels the way moles do, but they’ll use shallow surface pathways that cut across mulch beds, turf, or snow-covered lawns.
Here’s the type of damage that usually points to voles:
– Chewed bark at the base of shrubs and young trees
– Missing bulbs or gnawed roots in flowerbeds
– Runways or trails underneath low-lying ground cover
– Dead spots in your garden where roots have been eaten
Voles target your plant life. They often go after vegetables, perennials, bulbs, and even shrubs and trees. Their chewing can girdle the lower stems of plants, which often kills the entire thing. That’s frustrating for any gardener, especially when it comes to new or fragile plantings that don’t have strong root systems yet.
Though their tunnels aren’t as deep, their population can grow fast. This leads to more widespread feeding and more visible damage in a short time. If you notice distinctive surface trails crisscrossing your garden or signs of chewing on plant bases, you’re probably dealing with voles rather than moles. Knowing that makes all the difference when it comes to choosing the right solution.
Comparing Mole And Vole Damage
Knowing how to spot the difference between mole and vole damage can save you time, stress, and effort. Their impact looks different when you observe closely. Moles live underground and create visible surface tunnels and dirt mounds as they dig for insects. Voles, on the other hand, leave tracks barely below ground and attack plants directly.
Here’s how to tell which critter you’re dealing with:
– Moles leave raised ridges or lines in your grass. These tunnels are often straight or winding with small mounds of dirt nearby.
– Voles chew the bark off tree trunks and leave behind clean-cut signs of feeding on roots or stems.
– If you notice plants that suddenly wilt or get pulled out, that’s more likely damage from voles.
– Uneven ground or soft spots in your lawn where no chewing is visible points more toward mole activity.
Each pest leaves unique patterns behind. Watching for those clues helps you figure out the next step for treating the problem. This also prevents wasting effort on solutions that won’t work for the critter you actually have.
Effective Mole And Vole Removal Strategies
Dealing with moles and voles the right way comes down to proper removal. Once you know which one you’re facing, you can take action that’s targeted and lasting. Trying to handle it with the wrong tools or advice often makes things worse or keeps the problem around longer than it should.
Here are key things to know about removing each type:
1. Mole Removal
– Moles are best handled with traps placed inside active tunnels.
– Spotting fresh mounds or surface runs gives a good idea where to set those traps.
– Poison baits don’t always work well since moles eat insects, not plants.
2. Vole Removal
– Voles can be controlled using traps placed in surface runways or along fence lines.
– They often feed at night, so check traps daily for results.
– Blocking their tunnels or removing ground cover helps expose where they travel.
While both animals are tricky to deal with, professional removal gives you better odds at solving the issue for good. Experts know how to separate old versus active tunnels, identify breeding areas, and stop the cycle before it starts again.
Safeguarding Your Property From Future Damage
Once the problem’s solved, you still want to avoid new activity. Keeping your lawn or garden clear of pests means sticking to a few consistent habits. It’s easier to stop moles and voles from returning than to deal with them every year.
Here are a few tips to help keep them out:
– Keep your yard free of thick mulch, ground cover, and dense overgrowth. These are hiding spots for voles.
– Don’t leave piles of grass clippings or old leaves where pests can nest.
– Fill in old mole tunnels so other animals don’t reuse them.
– Check your property regularly for new mounds, trails, or chewed plants.
– Water your yard slowly and don’t let the soil stay too soft since wet dirt draws earthworms, which in turn invite moles.
Voles may also be drawn to bird feeders or compost piles. Adjusting the way you place those items makes a difference in how attractive your lawn looks to small animals.
Staying ahead of problems is a team effort between good lawn care and keeping watch through the year. It doesn’t take a full overhaul, just small adjustments here and there during each season.
Protect Your Lawn With Professional Help
Spotting the kind of damage showing up in your yard is the first sign that something’s off under the surface. Whether it’s moles digging through your lawn or voles chewing their way through your plants, the issue will only get worse the longer it’s left alone.
Getting rid of moles and voles takes a focused approach for each. Since they behave differently and cause very different problems, using the same method for both won’t work. You might end up wasting time or drawing even more of them.
Acting fast and identifying the cause is what keeps your property in good shape. And once you’ve done the hard part of cleaning it up, a little regular care keeps pests from coming back anytime soon.
If you’re dealing with tunnels in the lawn or damage to your plants, it might be time to bring in the pros. Get reliable help with mole and vole removal from Trap Your Moles and take the guesswork out of protecting your yard from these destructive pests.