Meadow Voles
Voles in Oklahoma are active all year
Voles are classified as a nuisance rodent pest
The most common calls we get are :
*Voles creating holes in yard
*Voles damaging tree bark
*Voles damaging grass
Biology
Voles are ground dwelling rodents.
Other common name for Voles are : Meadow mice , Field mice , Meadow moles.
Body length 5 - 7 " long
Stocky body's
Short legs
Short tail
Fur color, Chestnut brown mixed with black, Under parts are dark grey
Rounded blunt snouts
Front teeth are chiseled shaped
Large eyes and Ears
Very short life span that ranges 2 - 16 months
Breeding
Voles breed through the year but most commonly in the spring and summer.
Generally they have 1 - 5 litters per year, Litter size ranges between 1 - 11 young.
gestation period is about 21 days
the young are weaned about 21 days old
Females are sexually mature after 35 days .
Habits
Meadow Voles are often found in lawns, Gardens , Grassy or weedy areas, Orchards , Pastures , Fence rows also provide suitable habitat for Voles.
Voles construct many underground tunnels and surface runways with many "holes" burrow entrances going into the ground,
and obvious trails on top of ground leading to burrow entrances.
What do they look like ?
Voles are mistaken for moles , Shrews or Mice.
Voles have a rounded blunt snout, Front teeth are chiseled shape, Large ears , large eyes , short tails.
Moles have enlarged front feet for digging and no external ears and very small eyes.
Shrews are smaller than voles and have a long pointed snout and pointed front teeth with their eyes and ears nearly hidden in their fur.
Mice have long tails.
What damage do they cause ?
Voles cause extensive damage to trees and ornamentals by gnawing on the bark (girdling).
They damage Crops , grasses , Orchards , Consume small roots , damage large roots.
Their underground burrows cause erosion in yards , fields, farm land.
The most identifiable signs of meadow voles is a extensive surface runway trails or travel
lanes with many open holes going into the ground.
Voles keep runways free of vegetation and may be clipped down close to the ground about 1 1/2" wide.
the damage is most sever in the winter months when other food sources are limited.
How do you control them ?
My advice is to hire a licensed pest control professional with many years experience, that can tell the difference between voles and other rodents.
What works the best and quickest is the baiting treatments and snap traps.
Baiting treatments are placed in the Voles runways and into their under ground burrows. "according to the directions on the label of the product being used"
*Because of the hazard to non target animals it is recommended to have a licensed professional like Town & Country Critter Evictor perform the Baiting treatment.
Traps
Set mice size snap traps at burrow openings and in runways, Bait the traps with peanut butter , Oatmeal , or apple slices.
Modifying habitat
can reduce the severity of the Vole activity, Keep weeds and grasses mowed, Eliminate litter , Maintain ground cover 3 -6 inches will expose voles to predators such as cats and other predators such as : Hawks , owls , Dogs , Snakes , Raccoon's , fox , Opossums , Skunks.......
Exclusion methods
Installing tree guards such as 1/4" hard ware cloth wrapped around the tree trunks 24 " high.
set into the ground about 4 -6 inches deep, will prevent voles from girdling the tree.
Other methods people have used are :
Fumigants, Live trapping , Frightening devices " not effective" Repellents such as hot chili pepper.
always check with the laws of the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture before you attempt to control voles yourself.
Who do I call to help me remove Voles ?
Call Town & Country Critter Evictor , Your Local , Friendly , Licensed Professional for the best prices and the Best service.
You'll be glad you called, Call today 405/409-5987
