Copyright © 2021 Clemson UniversityClemson Cooperative Extension | 103 Barre Hall Clemson, SC 29634864-986-4310 | Contact UsHGIC@clemson.edu, College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences, Centipedegrass Yearly Maintenance Program. Gopher Holes vs. Mole … They don’t have any external ears. Shrews eat insects, not plants, so gardeners should not view them as a pest. Mothballs also do not work, and it is illegal to use as it is considered a misuse of a pesticide. These are available in ready-to-spray, hose-end sprayers, or granular formulations. Voles prefer to live in low-lying or creeping vegetation, and make trails through the grass or snow. https://moleremovalnashville.com/difference-mole-vs-vole-animals A vole’s forefeet are characterized by skinny, agile claws that allow them to grasp and eat flower stems and small blades of grass. At this time, the grubs are small and close to the surface, so the contact insecticide will be very effective in eradicating the young grubs. Damage by meadow voles is usually to the base of plants and fruit trees. Previous. Trapping is one of the most successful ways to get rid of moles. They are brown to gray in color, 4 to 6 inches long, with large front teeth used for chewing through bark and roots. If a mole is present in your yard, it is usually alone as moles are very territorial and are very violent towards other moles. Mole Tunnels. Again, read and follow the label instructions carefully. Voles are 5 to 8 inches long and have prominent orange teeth for gnawing plant roots and stems. Snap traps baited with apples or peanut butter and oatmeal are an excellent way to catch voles. Moles and voles can do a lot of damage to lawns. Although mole and vole do sound informally similar, they are different animals of two taxonomic orders. Mole, gopher, and vole damage are identified based on mounds, runways, holes, and runways. A vole may be attracted to peanut butter as bait; a mole most likely will not. Believe it or not, voles are known to travel through the tunnels that moles create and feed on exposed bulbs and roots. There are a number of castor oil products sold that are advertised to repel moles and voles. Moles seem to be much better known, but it’s really voles causing much of the damage chalked up to moles. Photo credit: Troy Salzer: In the home lawn Voles - Voles are small brown rodents about the size and shape of a mouse. Meadow voles are much larger and live most of their lives above ground, whereas pine voles are much smaller and live almost all their lives underground. How To Identify If You Have Gophers, Moles, Or Voles Digging Up Your Yard.New Mouse/Rat Trap Videos Every Sunday & Monday. ... A vole (or meadow mouse), has a body and ears and is black and brown, or reddish with a gray underside. Their Ears Look Different. Moles seem to be much better known, but it’s really voles causing much of the damage chalked up to moles. Learn the difference between moles, voles, and gophers in order to chose the proper treatment plan for your lawn. Keep turfgrass mowed and dethatched regularly, and keep mulch cleared from around tree bases. But unlike moles, voles grow short, thin tails that grow to be about ¾-inch long. Learn more about: Moles Follow all directions, precautions and restrictions that are listed. This critter, in terms of what it looks like, can be thought of as in between a mole and a mouse, but it is much more closely related to moles (it is not a rodent). Well, here is one reason: If you realize that the mole is mainly a meat eater, whereas the vole is mainly a vegetarian, you'll know that they will not necessarily be attracted to the same baits (should you decide to try to catch one of these garden pests). That’s why they have small eyes with concealed ears (with furs), and also paddle like forefeet, useful for digging.. A mole's face (in terms of what is visible to us) is just a nose and a mouth. Voles vs shrews It has an elongated head and snout, small eyes, and no external ears. They have a mouse-like appearance with small beady eyes and little pointy ears that protrude slightly from their fur. There are a number of different kinds of shrews, and their appearance can be somewhat varied. You have to sprinkle it all over the tunnel so a mole can grab quickly. Both can reach the size you describe. Michael Caduto → May 23, 2016. It is important to know the difference between mole and vole damage to the landscape. Like the vole, the pocket gopher (Thomomys) is a rodent and looks like a mouse, but with bigger teeth. Either bury them or place them in plastic bags in the trash. Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to people of all ages, regardless of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or family status and is an equal opportunity employer. Moles don’t have external ears, and their eyes are so small they appear to be absent. Moles primarily feed on earthworms, grubs, beetles and other animals or arthropods found in the soil. Because these products are systemic within the turfgrass, they will last the entire growing season. Moles will simply switch to another food source, such as insects and earthworms. They can also make small runways underneath the surface that are about two inches in diameter. Therefore, voles are observed more often than moles. People untrained in identifying these creatures may initially think the same thing about moles, such as the Eastern mole (Scalopus aquaticus), based on body size and the color of the fur. Join our mailing list to receive the latest updates from HGIC. Next. There are many methods advertised for removing moles, such as chewing gum and vibration and ultrasonic devices that are advertised to deter them. Meadow voles look like field mice with short tails.Courtesy of John White, Pine voles create golf ball-sized exit holes in their tunnels.Barbara H. Smith, ©2017 HGIC, Clemson Extension. The difference between mole vs vole tunnels is that mole tunnels are much wider and bigger, while vole tunnels get much more numerous, especially once the vole population grows out of proportion. Voles rely on eyesight and hearing much more than smell, which is the moles primary sensory input. Voles look like mice; some are commonly called meadow mice or pine mice. This equates to a 5-ounce mole eating 50 pounds of its prey in a year. Here are a few additional resources with some good information on controlling voles and moles: More information. A harpoon style mole trap may be used in an active mole tunnel.Barbara H. Smith, ©2017 HGIC, Clemson Extension. Dear Kendra: From your description—yes, it sounds … This will last for about two weeks. Use pesticides only according to the directions on the label. To protect an area from a vole infestation, a wire fence with a mesh of ¼ inch or smaller will help exclude them. It has a long snout and sharp, pointed teeth. A vole may also damage flower bulbs and potatoes in the garden. Why It’s Important To Know Your Moles While moles, gophers, and voles can do damage to your property, the damage differs between each animal. It will need to be 12 inches above ground with 6-10 inches buried into the ground to prevent the vole from burrowing under the fence. • Moles are found in the subterranean tunnels more than on the ground whereas voles mostly inhabit the ground and rest or sleep inside the underground tunnels. These opportunists will dig characteristic golf ball-sized exit holes in previously established mole tunnels. Mole droppings are larger than vole ones but are harder to spot because they remain mostly underground. Moles have very small eyes, which are concealed by fur. And why is it important to know the difference? They are covered by a thick fur on their heads. Many people say that a vole looks like a mouse. You likely saw a vole or mole, but it’s hard to tell without more specifics. The short black-to-brownish-gray fur has no grain, which allows the mole to move easily forward and backwards in the tunnels. Moles vs Voles. They burrow into the ground, leaving behind unsightly mounds on your lawn that are horseshoe-shaped. But having a mole in the yard or garden is another problem to tolerate. Like moles, voles also tunnel and create runways through your lawn. But moles don’t eat gain, or peanut voles do. Gardeners have to worry about them, too, due to their diet. A vole will gnaw at the base of a tree or shrub, especially in winter. A mole tunnels underground, lifting the soil upwards and making your yard “squishy” when you walk on it. Mole tunnels, however, may raise the surface when they are not deep but are still entirely covered. Voles, on the other hand, don’t have elongated snouts. This will also protect children, pets, or other animals from encountering the trap. There are many differences exhibited between moles and voles. Let's take the Northern short-tailed shrew (Blarina brevicauda) as an example. Moles “M” are meat-eaters, and their diet consists of insects, grubs, and earthworms. Mole mounds are sometimes mistaken for gopher mounds (Comparison of Gopher and Mole Mounds). Voles are rodents and are about the same size as moles (4 to 6 inches in body length) with relatively large black eyes, small ears, a blunt face, and prominent orange front teeth for gnawing. They are small, stout rodents slightly larger than a field mouse. How Do You Protect Japanese Maple Trees from Winter Damage? Barbara H. Smith, HGIC Horticulture Extension Agent, Clemson University. Snap traps, such as a mousetrap baited with peanut butter, are not effective in catching moles. But so is a vole. A castor oil treatment to the lawn will also repel moles and voles for about two weeks. The animal does have eyes and ears, but they are buried beneath its fur, so that dirt does not get into them. Moles are well known for leaving large mounds of dirt behind also known as molehills. Step 2 - Learn About the System. A mole is 4 to 7 inches in length with paddle-shaped feet and prominent digging claws. There are several different types of mole traps, such as harpoon, impaling, choker, pitfall, or scissor-jawed available on the market. The short black-to-brownish-gray fur has no grain, which allows the mole to move easily forward and backward in the tunnels. To: Kendra Moll → in Du Quoin, IL Nov 14, 2015. David Beaulieu is a garden writer with nearly 20 years experience writing about landscaping and over 10 years experience working in nurseries. If this document didn’t answer your questions, please contact HGIC at hgic@clemson.edu or 1-888-656-9988. Another dead giveaway to identify a mole is its big forefeet (used in digging). Mole vs Vole . 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