Vole Characteristics.
A vole (Meadow Mice) is a small rodent resembling a mouse but with a stouter body, a shorter hairy tail, a slightly rounder head, and smaller ears and eyes. Voles are frequently mistaken for shrews, field mice & deer mice. Voles live in nearly every type of habitat, from rocky slopes in forested mountains and low boggy meadows to urban streets and inside peoples’ houses. Some move about on the surface of the ground, while others keep to thick vegetation, rock crevices or tunnels. Most feed at night and remain active year-round.

Voles may cause extensive damage to orchards, ornamentals, and tree plantings due to their girdling of seedlings and mature trees. Voles eat crops and also damage them when they build extensive runway and tunnel systems. Voles also can ruin lawns, golf courses, and ground covers. Gnaw marks alone are not necessarily indicative of the presence of voles, since other animals, such as rabbits, may cause similar damage.

Voles pose no major public health hazard because of their infrequent contact with humans; however, they are capable of carrying disease organisms, such as plague and tularemia. Be careful and use protective clothing when handling voles.

Vole Removal and Prevention.
Trapping is an effective method of vole control. Modifying the habitat by elimintaing ground cover and cultivating soil reduces populations and destroys burrows.

Call Westchester Wildlife for Vole Removal.