Small Holes in Raised Beds (UK): Voles, Not Moles

West Sussex, UK: 3 cm holes along raised bed timbers, fine soil piles. No lawn mounds. No plant damage yet. Neighbor's garden larger.

ID: Voles (Not Moles)

• Moles = volcano mounds in lawn, deep tunnels.
• Voles = surface runways, holes at edges of beds/structures, fine soil.
• Never "a vole." They're colonial. One = many.

UK Context

UK voles (Microtus agrestis, Myodes glareolus) can damage roots, bulbs, bark. Monitor weekly.

Management

• Habitat modification: Mow paths, reduce mulch depth, clear debris.
• Trapping: Mouse traps in runways (under cover).
• Exclusion: Hardware cloth lining raised beds.
• Repellents: Generally ineffective.

Act early. They multiply fast.