What To Do About Voles On Your Denver Property
March 02, 2020 - Occasional Invaders
The term “rodent” brings rats and mice to mind, but believe it or not, there are several other creatures that are classified as such. For instance, voles are in that category. Voles are tiny animals who are often called field mice, which is far from an accurate title, because the 20 subspecies of voles aren’t actually mice.
Many Denver home and business owners don’t know anything about voles, or have even heard of them. This doesn’t mean these creepy crawlers aren’t prevalent in the city, though. As with every rodent, they can create significant problems, putting your property and health at risk. It’s important to learn what you can about these animals so you can avoid them. Further, you can find out how Absolute Pest Control will intervene if necessary.
How Do Voles Look & Behave? What Are the Risks?
Generally speaking, voles are gray or brown with dense hair. Their stocky bodies vary in size from around 4 to 8 inches long. Among their features are small beaded eyes, blunted noses, and circular ears that appear hidden. They also have four short legs and thick tails.
Voles are very busy critters; they don’t have a hibernation period. At all hours of the day and night, they are feeding, breeding, and creating ground burrows. Their living tunnels are intricate and extensive, and have several openings. Inside will be multiple adults and plenty of young. Usually, voles produce up to five litters during the year with about five babies each. When it’s time for them to eat, they’ll munch on the following:
- Seeds
- Grass
- Plants
- Tree bark
- Crops
- Fruit
- Insects
- Animal remains
As you might imagine, voles are detrimental to land. Your ground covers, gardens, farms, and fields are bound to be impacted by these pests. They don’t discriminate and will eagerly attack, no matter if it’s a yard or golf course. Since they tend to shy away from interacting with humans, they aren’t considered a threat to public health. However, they are known to harbor organisms for diseases like tularemia and plague.
Meadow voles are one subgroup that is common in the area. In adulthood, they are 3 to 5 inches long, weighing between 3/4 and 2 1/2 ounces. Their fur is black or brown. They gravitate toward bodies of water, so if your home or business is close to a river, lake, pond, or similar, be on the lookout.
How Can You Prevent Voles?
To discourage voles from being interested in your land, you have to be selective with how you manage it. Careful choices about lawn care and upkeep can make a world of difference. Here’s what you’ll have to do:
- Mow the lawn and trim bushes, shrubs, and trees on a regular basis.
- Get organic debris and litter out of the yard, and have weeds removed right away.
- Situate plants and flowers at least two feet away from your property.
- Make sure you don’t lay mulch close to tree bases; distance it by at least three feet.
- Use soil tillage to reduce the sustainability of burrows.
- Seal holes in exterior foundations.
- Put sweeps on all doors that open to the outside.
What Can Absolute Pest Control Do About Voles?
You can’t eliminate voles on your own, as the potential dangers are too great. Instead, rely on the professional interventions we have at Absolute Pest Control. Our expert technicians will employ industrial-grade treatments and tools, such as deterrents and traps. All of our solutions are safe for humans and pets, and your vegetation won’t be harmed either. Give us a ring and call today!
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