A vole is a rodent that is often confused with a mouse due to its great resemblance. The inconspicuous appearance of the animal can be misleading, because despite its small size, the damage caused to the garden is really great. How to recognize the presence of a pest and how to get rid of a vole?
The vole is a species that is usually found in forests. It is found almost all over the world, but the appearance of a pest in the garden foretells problems. It is a small animal, only up to 10 cm long. It is characterized by reddish-brown fur, a light belly, black eyes and small ears typical of rodents. The feature that allows the vole to gnaw even hard roots or tree bark is its sharp teeth.
The rodent feeds mainly at night, and the vole's favorite delicacy is seeds, fruits, as well as leaves and other above-ground parts of vegetables, greens and other garden plants.
As we have already mentioned, the vole is confused with a mouse in appearance, while the effects of its presence and feeding habits resemble those of a mole. Although the damage caused by the vole is much less than that caused by a mole, both species contribute greatly to garden loss.
As with the mole, the vole feeds underground, gouging out corridors at a depth of 10-15 cm. The tunnels are about 5 cm in diameter, and the entrances to them are located on the surface of several holes next to each other. The difference that will allow you to recognize whether voles or moles have settled in the garden is the characteristic mounds of earth (in the case of voles, they are not found).
Another effect of the vole's presence is the sudden wilting and death of grass and plants. The rodent, digging underground tunnels, damages the root system of plants. In addition, along with flower bulbs, this is one of the animal's favorite delicacies, so it eats them with pleasure. In winter, on the other hand, when the number of plants is significantly limited and they lack food, they greedily gnaw the bark of fruit trees.
The vole feeds only outside - in the garden or vegetable garden, so you can not be afraid that it will build a nest in your house or garage. Therefore, it makes no sense to protect yourself from voles by placing traditional mousetraps in the house.
The appearance of voles in the garden is quite a big problem, but there are several affordable solutions that can help in getting rid of the pest. You can choose from natural or chemical methods. Below are the most commonly used and most effective ways to get rid of voles from the garden.
The method is quite common and readily used. It consists of placing a special device inside the corridor hollowed out by the pest, which emits sounds of a certain frequency. It is important to note that these sounds are only audible to rodents (including mice and moles), so they are completely safe for both humans and pets.
An item that is extremely useful and at the same time allows for humane removal of the rodent. Hedges are small traps that are inserted into a tunnel and contain special bait for the pest. Once the vole enters, the hatch closes, preventing the animal from getting out.
One of the easiest ways to deter voles from your garden is to place foods that the rodents hate right at the entrances to the tunnels, such as a few crushed garlic cloves or grated elderberry leaves.
Another method is to plant rodent-repellent plants in the garden. Examples of species that voles don't like are blackcurrant, mint, mustard, and garlic.
A good method, although quite labor-intensive, is the mechanical destruction of underground corridors. In this case, flooding the tunnels with water or filling the holes visible on the surface will do. To make the method more effective, it is recommended to dig up the garden.
It is worth noting that chemicals and poisons should only be used as a last resort or if there are too many pests. Preparations available in garden stores should be placed inside the tunnel, remembering the correct proportions and observing all safety precautions.
Voles, like other pests, feed only where they have suitable conditions for this. A favorable environment is fertile and well-drained soil in which it is easy to dig a tunnel, and the presence of bulbous plants, which are a real delicacy for voles. Is it possible to somehow prevent the appearance of the pest?
One of the recommended methods is to protect flower bulbs with a special basket made of wire or plastic, into which we place the bulb before planting and bury it all in the ground. It is good to secure fruit trees with a protective net, which will prevent the vole from gnawing the bark.
Another method can also be to spread a special fine-mesh PVC net inside the substrate, which will effectively prevent voles from digging the soil. The downside of this method is that the net must be placed at the optimal depth even before the planned planting of the plot or garden, so it must be planned in advance.
In addition to all the above methods of getting rid of voles from the garden, there is another one that will especially please pet owners. Voles are extremely timid animals, so a dog running around the garden will be an excellent and completely harmless repeller.
