Many of you are familiar with moles – those pesky critters that wreck havoc in your lawn, leaving a trail of destruction visible by the holes and dirt mounds left throughout your property.  However there is also another pest that is more worrisome than moles, and that is a vole.

A vole is considered a rodent, sometimes referred to as “field mice” or “meadow mice”, and are less familiar to homeowners than a mole, which are not rodents but considered an insectivore, related to the bat and shrew family.  By their classification, moles are carnivores and will feed on the grubs, insects and worms they find as they tunnel throughout your lawn.  Voles on the other hand, primarily feeds off the stems and blades of grass, as well as gnaw on tree roots, flower bulbs and also leaving a trail of destruction.

The damage voles can inflict in your lawn can be extensive.  They have no preference in where they burrow, and at times will do so amidst the root systems of your trees and shrubs, which can cause serious damage and impact to the health of these plants.

It is important to understand which one (or both) of these pests are guests on your property, especially since voles will take advantage of the tunnels that moles have created to travel underneath your lawn.  During the winter months, when the grass is dormant, the voles will target the tree and shrub roots for food which again, can seriously impact the health of these plants come spring.

If you suspect that you might be hosting either a mole or vole, but are unsure, it is recommended that you contact a professional, such as Safari Tree by Lush Lawn, to come out and evaluate the property and the damage and then put together a treatment plan to protect your lawn and your trees and shrubs.