Voles can destroy your yard, feeding on plant roots, bulbs, shrubs, and tree trunks. To protect your yard from damage, learn how to get rid of voles in your yard.
Some of the most effective ways include regular landscaping, using repellents, putting up fencing, sprinkling grit, using traps, or attracting natural predators.
Ways to remove voles from your yard
Maintain your landscaping
Yard maintenance is the first step in preventing voles from invading your yard.
Start by reducing dense vegetation or tall grass that voles like to eat and hide in. Remove leaves and fallen branches, prune shrubs and bushes, and properly mow your lawn.
Next, reduce mulch, collect all fallen fruits, and keep bird seeds well contained. Voles tend to gather under birdfeeders, looking for leftover seeds.
Finally, disrupt current runways (worn paths visible on your lawn due to heavy vole traffic) and tunnels by walking over them. If you can, fill the tunnels with soil or gravel (which we discuss below) to encourage the voles to move.
Use vole repellents
Several repellents, both natural and commercial, have proven effective in driving voles away.
Try using any of the following in your efforts to get rid of voles:
- Predator urine: Purchase coyote, bobcat, or fox urine from a local supply store like Home Depot, or go online for different options. Apply it around your yard to simulate the presence of a predator and scare voles away for good.
- Coffee grounds: Coffee grounds may successfully repel voles due to their strong smell, acidity, and caffeine content. Sprinkle used grounds around vole activity areas or mix them into the soil. Reapply as often as needed, especially after rain. Coffee grounds break down quickly.
- Castor oil: Prepare a mixture of 1 gallon of water, dish soap, and 2 tablespoons of castor oil and pour it into a spray bottle. Spray the areas frequented by voles and wait to see if they return. You can also purchase sprays or granules containing castor oil.
- Pepper spray: Mix 1 tablespoon of pepper flakes or cayenne pepper with several drops of dish soap and 1 quart of water. The next day, spray the mixture around key areas in your yard.
- Garlic spray: Mince a few garlic cloves and place them in 1 quart of boiling water, letting it all steep for around 30 minutes. Strain it. Add about 1 tablespoon of dish soap to the liquid, pour it into a sprayer, and spray the affected areas in your yard.
- Fragrant plants: Plant mint, garlic, chives, shallots, and onions around your yard. Many animals, including voles, dislike their intense scent and chemical makeup, making the area less attractive.
Install fencing
Fencing made of wire mesh can limit voles’ access to your garden or other areas. Use a mesh with openings of ¼ inch or ⅛ inch. The smaller the mesh size, the better it is at blocking voles.
Wrap the mesh around your tree trunks or line the edge of your vegetable garden to protect them from vole damage. Bury the fencing at least 10 inches below ground to prevent voles from digging under it. Topside, your fence should extend at least 12 inches above the ground. Voles are poor climbers, so this height should be enough to deter them.
Check your fence periodically to ensure it’s in good shape and isn’t hindering plant growth. If you spot any damage, fix it right away to keep it working properly
Add a gritty material to your garden
Voles aren’t fans of gravel, so adding this sharp material to your planting areas can be an excellent way to repel the digging critters.
During planting season, dig your holes and lightly line the bottom and sides with some gravel. Add some garlic for extra measure, and plant your bulbs or perennial plants as you wish.
Lay mouse traps
Snap traps commonly used on mice will also work on voles. This technique is effective when the vole populations are smaller and concentrated in a particular area.
Purchase the traps from your local supply store, find the biggest and widest vole runways on your property, and place the traps perpendicular to the paths.
“For a small garden, a dozen traps is probably the minimum number required, but for larger areas, you might need 50 or more,” says Roger A. Baldwin, Cooperative Extension Specialist at the University of California Davis.
Baldwin says there’s no need to use bait, as the voles will naturally run into the traps while using their runways. However, if you want faster results, you can use peanut butter, bread, oatmeal, seeds, or nuts to attract them. Don’t forget to enclose the space to protect non-target animals or birds from injury.
Try live trapping
Live trapping is a humane solution for removing voles. Before trying this method, check local laws on catching and releasing pests, as it may be prohibited where you live.
Your live trap should be designed for small rodents, with two entry points for optimal results. Some good examples include:
- Tunnel traps: Mimic a vole’s natural tunnel system, encouraging the animal to enter. They have an entrance at each end and a baited area in the middle. When the vole enters the tunnel looking for food, it trips the mechanism that closes the doors, trapping it inside.
- Box traps: Small cages with one-way doors that allow the voles to get in but not out. Once the vole enters, the door closes behind it.
- Cage traps: Small, metal cages with a spring-loaded or trigger mechanism door. When the vole triggers the trap, the door shuts.
Check your trap several times a day and, if successful, remove the trapped voles from your property. Don’t leave the animals inside too long, as they can get stressed and dehydrated.
If you’d rather not deal with voles, many wildlife removal services can trap and safely remove voles from your property. They can also provide advice to help make your yard less attractive to these pests.
Encourage natural vole predators
Animals such as foxes, hawks, and owls target voles in your yard. Attract them by creating suitable habitats, such as installing owl boxes, setting up perches, maintaining open areas where voles are easily visible, and providing a food source.
Pets can also help reduce vole populations. Cats and certain dogs, such as terriers and labradors, are natural vole hunters. Simply having them around will make voles think twice about settling in your yard.
FAQ about getting rid of voles in your yard
There are several differences between moles and voles, including appearance, diet, behavior, the damage they cause, and control methods.
For example, moles typically stick to underground tunnels, eating earthworms and insects and leaving ridges and molehills in their wake. Voles live both above and below ground, feeding on grass, roots, and bark, often damaging trees and plants.
Voles are active 24/7, all year long, though they’re partial to being above ground during dusk or dawn. These animals don’t hibernate, and the cold and snow don’t phase them, so don’t be surprised to find damage in your yard as soon as spring rolls around.
Voles don’t typically bite, but they might if they feel threatened, so handle them carefully. Better yet, contact a pest control company for professional vole removal services.
Voles can carry diseases such as rabies, Hantavirus, and tularemia, which you may contract if you come into contact with their feces, saliva, or urine.
Apart from residential areas, voles can be found in wooded areas (they love that tree bark), pastures, and meadows. They dig extensive underground systems in these areas for shelter and raising young.
Don’t let voles ruin your landscaping
If you suspect voles have made themselves at home in your yard, the good news is that you’re not alone.
Lawn Love can put you in touch with a local pest management pro to inspect your property and provide permanent solutions to your vole problem. Instead of worrying about the next steps, relax knowing that your yard is in good hands.
Quoted source list:
Roger A. Baldwin, Ph.D. – Voles (Meadow Mice)
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