Prevention and Control

Before initiating a vole control program, be sure to consider the extent of the problem in relation to the cost of control. Damage prevention is much more beneficial than population control after the damage has occurred. An integrated pest management strategy that includes a combination of prevention and control methods should be implemented for controlling damage caused by voles.

Cultural practices, such as mowing, using herbicides to control competing vegetation, and frequent tillage can reduce the dense ground cover that serves as vole habitat. Although mulching with sawdust or wood chips is an important cultural practice for many ornamental plantings, this practice also provides excellent habitat for voles. Good sanitation in the garden, orchard, or lawn also is essential. Remove unused garden crops and clear all fruit from the orchard floor. Piles of dead branches and brush should be burned, chipped or hauled away to eliminate rodent habitat. Anything that removes or reduces vegetative cover helps make the area unsuitable for voles. A 4-foot diameter vegetation-free area around the base of young trees or vines will reduce problems.

Young trees can sometimes be protected by placing cylinders made from hardware cloth mesh (¼ inch or less) around the stems. Hardware cloth should be buried at least 6 inches deep to keep voles from burrowing under the wire cylinder and leave about 12 inches above the ground to reduce potential damage. Voles can climb well and sometimes forage on top of the snow, and thus a fence may need to be taller than 12 inches. However, these exclusion techniques are not always practical, nor will they protect the plant in all situations.