This makes concave little passageways open to the surface. 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. Gopher Holes vs. Mole … When you spend as much time underground as a mole does, it makes perfect sense to have your eyes and ears protected in this way. They can also make small runways underneath the surface that are about two inches in … The easiest way to fix this problem is to tamp down or rake out the tunnels. It digs characteristic volcano-shaped hills in the lawn. Mole droppings are larger than vole ones but are harder to spot because they remain mostly underground. A mole is 4 to 7 inches in length with paddle-shaped feet and prominent digging claws. Using a grub treatment for a lawn is a common practice but is not environmentally sound as it affects the food supply for other wildlife. Therefore, voles are observed more often than moles. If this document didn’t answer your questions, please contact HGIC at hgic@clemson.edu or 1-888-656-9988. 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. The runways they leave behind in the process make for an unsightly lawn, although voles do not leave behind big mounds of dirt the way moles do. Place a box or bucket over the trap as voles prefer to take the bait from under cover. Removing weeds, heavy mulch, or dense vegetation will aid in eliminating their food source along with protection from predators. Moles are about 6-8 inches long with pointed snouts, paddle-like forefeet and long claws. The tunnels are dug at a rate of 18 feet per hour and can add 150 feet of new tunnels in the lawn each day. Neither of these methods is completely successful, as the moles will switch to other prey. However, this is where the similarities end. Vole and mole damage look quite different from one another, so they should be easy to identify and then manage appropriately. Moles are underground creature and they are specialized for it. Moles primarily feed on grubs, earthworms, beetles and … 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). Moles have a hairless, pointed snout that extends nearly a half-inch beyond their mouths. But if you take a really good look at a mole's face, you will see the difference right away. That’s why they have small eyes with concealed ears (with furs), and also paddle like forefeet, useful for digging.. This means that if you find an open hole with grass wide ridges on top of the soil, you may be looking at a vole problem, not a mole issue. Identifying Voles and Vole Damage. Vole holes can be right out in the open, or cleverly hidden under foliage or debris in the garden. Voles vs shrews When a vole has moved into an existing tunnel system, the openings it uses will be clearly visible, often with an apparent pathway to it through the surrounding grass. Keep looking! COVID-19 Extension Updates and Resources ... More Information », Factsheet | HGIC 2366 | Updated: Oct 15, 2020 | Print, A mole is 4-7 inches in length with paddle-shaped feet and prominent digging claws.Courtesy of Mississippi State University Extension Service. The short black-to-brownish-gray fur has no grain, which allows the mole to move easily forward and backward in the tunnels. And why is it important to know the difference? Often confused for one another, these three animals are in fact distinct and differ in their habits and destruction. Follow all directions, precautions and restrictions that are listed. Why is it important to know the difference between a mole and a vole? Moles or Voles: Why it Matters. Other than having similar sounding names and both causing havoc to yards, voles and moles have little in common. However, there are true moles and other moles in different parts of the world. But having a mole in the yard or garden is another problem to tolerate. Voles have small ears that sit on top of their heads. The tunnels are dug at a rate of 18 feet per hour and can add 150 feet of new tunnels in law… ... A vole (or meadow mouse), has a body and ears and is black and brown, or reddish with a gray underside. The vole, by contrast, is a rodent. One way to distinguish the difference is by the diet of each animal. Here we will discuss 10 distinctions between a vole vs mole. 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. There are a number of different kinds of shrews, and their appearance can be somewhat varied. 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. 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. Voles are 5 to 8 inches long and have prominent orange teeth for gnawing plant roots and stems. They eat both underground plant parts (for example, roots) and above-ground plant parts (for example, leaves). Systemic grub treatments that contain imidacloprid as an active ingredient can be applied to the lawn area in May. They have a mouse-like appearance with small beady eyes and little pointy ears that protrude slightly from their fur. Moles seem to be much better known, but it’s really voles causing much of the damage chalked up to moles. Fall and late winter are the best times to trap voles. Vole damage in lawn. A castor oil treatment to the lawn will also repel moles and voles for about two weeks. Moles live underground in tunnels, and are predatory in nature. One day a plant will be beautiful, and a few days later, it will have fallen over with the roots gnawed off. Moles are solitary animals, so ridding the landscape of one or two moles will make a big difference. By Bill Willis and Bill Steinmetz. Voles typically tunnel on the surface and eat their way through the grass to get to their burrows. You can't see eyes and ears the way that you would on a vole or on a mouse. December 12, 2017. Like the vole, the pocket gopher (Thomomys) is a rodent and looks like a mouse, but with bigger teeth. Identify the shrew, mole or vole by its eyes. Their respective diets are also different­­—moles are carnivores (meateaters) and will eat worms, ants, grubs, beetles, and insects while voles are herbivores, which means they eat plants from above the ground. • It is a sharp and pointed snout in mole but, not in voles. Snap traps, such as a mousetrap baited with peanut butter, are not effective in catching moles. Voles “V”, on the other hand, are vegetarians and eat the roots and stems of plants. More information. A vole may be attracted to peanut butter as bait; a mole most likely will not. They burrow into the ground, leaving behind unsightly mounds on your lawn that are horseshoe-shaped. Vole and mole damage are fairly easy to distinguish from one another. Moving on to damage, to the left is a picture of classic mole damage called mounding; little piles of dirt everywhere. By Secure Lawn. They do dig shallow burrows and nest there with materials such as grasses and leaves. Previous. A mole's face (in terms of what is visible to us) is just a nose and a mouth. A mole is 4 to 7 inches in length with paddle-shaped feet and prominent digging claws. Many people say that a vole looks like a mouse. This will last for about two weeks. Moles vs. Shrews vs. Voles. Nor do they make tunnels, so your lawn is safe with shrews. So, where should you start in the vole vs mole battle? Moles seem to be much better known, but it’s really voles causing much of the damage chalked up to moles. Application in the late summer or fall is not as effective, as the older grubs will go deeper in the soil and are harder to kill. • There are sharp and spade-like claws in moles but not in voles. Let's begin with how these two different mammals look. Posted September 27, 2019. Voles prefer to take bait from under cover.Barbara H. Smith, ©2017 HGIC, Clemson Extension. Or two across remain mostly underground with bigger teeth, hose-end sprayers, or peanut butter as bait ; mole... 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