Identifying and Controlling Voles

Voles (meadow mice) gnaw roots and bark at ground level, killing plants like roses, hostas, and hydrangeas. They differ from moles, which eat insects.

Control Strategies

• Barriers: Wrap hardware cloth around woody plant bases.
• Mulch management: Pull mulch 4-5 inches from stems to expose voles.
• Trapping: Expose runways, place peanut-butter-baited mouse traps under an inverted box. Check and reset.

Multiple traps increase success.

vole

short-tailed shrew (similar in size to a vole but only eats insects)

vole damage to hosta

vole damage to hosta

vole damage to camellia roots

protective fence

vole trap under pot