March 15, 2023 - Voles
Voles are small rodents that sometimes get mistaken for mice. While they may look similar, a vole has habits and behaviors that are extremely different from a mouse. If you think that you might have voles hanging around your property, Absolute Pest Control is here to help. We provide comprehensive pest control in Denver and know how to help you eliminate voles and other wildlife from your property.
How To Identify Voles
At first glance, many people mistake voles for field mice. Voles have stout bodies about six to eight inches long, brown fur, and a short tail about two to three inches long. Voles have smaller ears, eyes, and tails than most mice.
Another thing that separates a mouse from a vole is its behavior. Voles like to live outdoors. They are omnivores that can eat both plants and meats. However, they prefer a diet that is almost completely vegetarian. They like to stay outside, where they can feast on the fruits and vegetables in your yard. If a vole does come into your home, it is usually by accident, and they will not want to stay for too long.
The Damage Voles Can Cause In Your Garden
Voles like to live underground, where they are safe from predators and can eat the roots and bulbs of plants. Some of the signs that voles leave behind could include:
- Soft spots in various parts of your yard.
- Raised ridges in the ground.
- Dead plants in your garden.
- Holes in the ground.
If you have a garden, you may also notice that some of the fruits and vegetables have small bite marks on them. If you have several voles on your property, they can ruin your entire crop in just a few weeks.
Another problem with voles is that they bring other animals to your yard. Voles have a lot of predators, which include coyotes, foxes, owls, and snakes. By continuing to let your vole problem persist, you could be inviting more dangerous animals to your yard.
Naturally Effective Ways To Prevent Voles
Voles prefer to invade yards that have plenty of hiding spots. If you want to prevent voles from taking over your yard, some of the things that you can try include the following:
- Keep the grass in your yard cut short.
- Keep shrubs and bushes well-trimmed so that the leaves of the bush are not touching the ground.
- Remove bird feeders from your property.
- If you wish to keep bird feeders in your yard, make sure no seeds that have fallen remain on the ground.
- Don't leave stacks of firewood on the ground.
- Clean up any fallen tree limbs and other debris from your yard.
Like most rodents, voles can reproduce at an incredibly fast rate. If a vole considers your property a safe place to live, you could end up with a full-blown vole infestation in your yard in no time. To prevent that from happening, you need to make your yard as inhospitable as possible.
The Trick To Getting Rid Of Voles
It can be extremely difficult to get rid of voles on your own. If you think you might have voles on your Denver property, do not hesitate to give us a call today. At Absolute Pest Control, we have over 35 years of experience dealing with various rodents and wildlife in the area. Call to get your estimate today!