Voles
By: Sandra Todd
Last updated: Jan-2004
Voles are small, mouse-like rodents similar in appearance and diet to gophers. However, voles additionally gnaw the bark of tree trunks from a few inches above ground to a few inches below ground. If they girdle the tree, it will die.
Voles do not invade homes, and should not be confused with the house mouse.
What You Can Do
Voles are classified as nongame mammals by the California Fish and Game Code. They may be controlled at any time and in any legal manner.
- Reduce or remove vegetative cover such as weeds, heavy mulch, and dense ground cover.
- Mow landscaped areas regularly.
- Provide a 4-foot diameter circle around the base of young trees or vines.
- Girdle young trees with cylinders made from hardware cloth, sheet metal, or heavy plastic. Check the devise frequently to make sure it is effective, and not impairing tree growth.
- Install wire fences around the area to be protected. Bury the fence 6 to 10 inches below ground and at least 12 inches above ground with a mesh size of _ inch or less.
- Trapping may be effective when voles are not numerous. A small garden will need a minimum of one dozen traps; larger areas will need at least 50 or more. A simple, wooden mouse trap can be used. Bury dead voles or place them in plastic bags in the trash. Do not handle them without gloves.
- Toxic baits may be the most practical means of control when vole populations are numerous. Take necessary measures to ensure the safety of children, pets, and nontarget animals.
What You Can’t Do
- Repellents are available but they are not recommended. (They must be applied before damage occurs; they are easily washed off by rain, sprinklers, or even heavy dew; and they must be applied at or just beneath the soil surface, making adequate coverage difficult.)
- Burrow fumigants are not effective because the vole’s burrow system is shallow and has numerous open holes.
- Electromagnetic or ultrasonic devices and flooding are also not effective.