Pest

Moles and voles

Moles leave raised tunnels and soil mounds in lawns; voles make surface runways and gnaw roots and bark.

What you'll see

• Moles: raised ridges across the lawn and round mounds of loose soil, with plants heaved out of the ground.
• Voles: narrow runways through the grass linking small open burrows, with clipped grass and droppings.
• Voles: chewed bulbs, roots and vegetables, and bark gnawed off the base of young trees, often under snow or mulch.

Why it happens

Moles are insect eaters that tunnel for earthworms and grubs, and their digging uproots plants. Voles are small rodents that eat plants, and their numbers boom in dense, weedy cover.

How to fix it

1. For moles, trapping in active tunnels is the most reliable control; follow local rules or hire a professional.
2. Skip vibrating stakes, sonic devices and home remedies, which research shows don't work.
3. For voles, mow, weed and clear dense cover and heavy mulch, and keep a 4-foot (1.2 m) bare circle around young trees.
4. Wrap young trunks with hardware cloth guards, buried 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) deep.

Keep it from coming back

• Fence beds against voles with 1/4-inch (6 mm) mesh buried 6 to 10 inches (15 to 25 cm) deep.
• Plant bulbs in wire-mesh baskets where moles or voles are active.
• Don't count on grub control to drive moles away; they mainly eat earthworms.

Sources

• UC IPM: Moles
• UC IPM: Voles (meadow mice)
• Clemson HGIC: How to tell the difference between moles and voles

General guidance, not a diagnosis. For valuable, edible or outdoor crops, check with a local extension service or plant expert. Use any product exactly as its label says, and keep children and pets away while it dries.