{"id":21189,"date":"2023-03-10T14:13:30","date_gmt":"2023-03-10T14:13:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/moowy.co.uk\/?p=21189"},"modified":"2023-03-10T14:14:28","modified_gmt":"2023-03-10T14:14:28","slug":"controlling-garden-voles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/moowy.co.uk\/controlling-garden-voles\/","title":{"rendered":"Garden voles: how to control, trap & prevent them"},"content":{"rendered":"
Have you discovered voles in your garden? They might be cute little balls of fur, but they can cause a lot of damage. So, while we shouldn\u2019t immediately rush out and buy poison for garden voles, we can drive them away without killing them. <\/p>
Garden voles burrow underground and feed on your lawn’s roots, so if you can discourage them, you should. Because, after all, you put a lot of time and love into your lawn. It can be particularly annoying when little mounds and bare patches appear. <\/p>
This article is about how to eradicate garden voles naturally so you can enjoy your lawn for the long term. <\/p>
A vole is a collective term for various underground mice. Three vole species live in the UK:<\/p>
They\u2019re similar in appearance and often mistaken for rats. <\/p>
Garden voles burrow underground and cause swift damage to a lawn because they feed on the roots. <\/p>
However:<\/p>
Don\u2019t confuse voles with moles, which are often a sign of a healthy lawn with well-aerated soil. Moles eat lawn-damaging grubs, so they\u2019re generally more welcome than voles (unless they build their molehills across your lawn, of course).<\/p>
Voles offer a whole different world of disruption because, while moles are solitaire animals, voles are community beasts, spreading quickly. In fact, from April to October, a vole can have three to four litters with up to seven babies each time! <\/p>
So, in no time, your garden gets infested with voles. <\/p>
Voles are 8-10cm long, with a round, stocky body and little hairy legs. Their tail can be as long as 7cm. They have thick fur that ranges from light brown to grey, depending on the species. <\/p>
Garden voles travel underneath, creating complex networks of labyrinthine tunnels close to the surface. <\/p>
Their favourite food is \u2014 shock horror \u2014 blades of grass and roots. So, a vole infestation is rarely welcomed. <\/p>
Voles feel right at home in your garden because they love damp underground soil with high levels of vegetation (i.e., your garden and lawn). <\/p>
You\u2019ll also see them around drainage pipes, on roadsides, and foraging around refuse waste sites. And while voles are considered omnivores, they mainly feast on grass stems and blades. <\/p>
Voles forage for food all year round. They’re nocturnal during the warmer months, during which they love nothing more than to munch on well-watered roots. <\/p>
However, when your lawn goes dormant during the winter, voles are forced to scurry around above ground in search of food.\u00a0<\/p>
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Voles are typically vegetarian, although they will eat anything if they need to. They love:<\/p>
They create extended networks of tunnels underground, which damages your lawn’s roots \u2014 hence the yellow and bald spots that appear on your turf during an infestation. They also create little mounds, like tiny molehills, which are less prevalent. <\/p>