Four species of mice and voles sometimes cause damage in gardens. Woodland voles are also common throughout the area, and they prefer to live in forests with copious amounts of leaf litter on the ground. Alpine Marmot. Occasionally, voles eat snails, insects and animal remains. Voles are small rodents similar in appearance to mice and rats. The question was: What sort of damage do they cause and what can be done about them? Habitat: Meadow voles, as their name implies, prefer fields and meadow-like bottomlands, but adapt well to suburban woodlots, gardens, and ornamental plantings as well as orchards. Meadow voles are more widely distributed, but prairie voles are more common in prairie areas. Show: 1-45 46-77. Navigate to homepage. Contrast this to a much wide variety of voles found in Michigan, including the pine, prairie, meadow and California. Shrews resemble voles as well, but these pests are much smaller and have long, pointed snouts. Other than having similar sounding names and both causing havoc to yards, voles and moles have little in common. Grubs are not good for lawns; earthworms are. Also known as field mice, voles usually invade the yard and damage vegetation. During a garden seminar a few weeks ago in Muskegon, several questions came up that I was not prepared to answer on the spot. Vole Facts for Kids. Like the mole, voles are 5 to 7 inches long. Voles create runways in grass, and keep these runways trimmed short, which helps you to find and identify vole presence. Although voles can dig through standard privacy fences, you can use specific types to protect your property perimeter and individual plants. Some populations at the periphery of the range of this species are considered to be threatened or--as is the case in Michigan--of "special concern." They are often restricted to the wetter microsites when they occur in sympatry with prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) or montane voles. In a⦠The eastern half of the country harbors a widespread population of meadow voles, which are the most numerous species in North America. Critter Control Logo. ... All of them share common... Meadow & Woodland Voles. Moles, voles and shrews live primarily underground and rarely, if ever, emerge from their holes. Voles Woodchucks If you have questions about pesticides, or any pesticide-related topic, please call NPIC at 1-800-858-7378 (8:00am - 12:00pm PST), or email us at npic@ace.orst.edu . Brown Hare. Voles occupy areas with heavy ground cover, grasses, grass-like plants or litter. Field Vole, Short-tailed Vole (Microtus agrestis) Pictures. The bank vole, field vole and water vole are the only species that occur on mainland Britain. ... Short-tailed Vole. The prairie vole is a small mouse-like rodent (4.9 to 6.1 in/12.5 to 15.5 cm) with dark brown fur that has a salt-and-pepper coloration. Tell-Tale Signs of Moles and Voles in Michigan Moles and voles dig deep tunnels and can cause significant damage to yards, which is why they are seen as pests to most people. They can be found across six continents barring Antarctica. Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission. Mow your lawn regularly, pull mulch back three feet from the base of trees and keep brush and weeds well under control. Man-made dwellings such as orchards, cultivated fields and windbreaks are favored. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your California Privacy Rights (each updated 1/1/20). Meadow voles, the most common voles in Pennsylvania, are herbivores and eat a variety of grasses, seeds, and roots. Bank voles can be distinguished by their blunt nose, small eyes and ears, a richer, chestnut brown fur and a proportionally longer tail compared to the field vole. They primarily eat plant materials, such as trees bark, bulbs, grasses and bulbs. Brown Hare (Lepus europaeus) Rodents Pictures. They are usually gray or brown, although you can find some attractively (sorry, couldn't resist!) They can sometimes get confused with moles (see vole vs mole image above), since some species do create tunnel systems underground. They look quite similar to mice, with small rounded ears, and short fur. There are also traps you can use to get rid of voles. I would appreciate a little more information on eradicating these little pests." With warmer weather comes more vole activity in Michigan. One dealt with control of voles and that is what this article is about. Contact the Michigan Department of Natural Resources for details regarding applicable codes and regulations. Voles are small rodents that grow to 3â9 in (7.6â22.9 cm), depending on the species. The similarities end there. Let's look at differences. Some damage is not that easy to distinguish, which is where we can help. If you see raised ridged areas in your lawn or garden or cone shaped mole hills (mound of dirt with a hole next to it), you can suspect these critters are near. Life Cycle Breeding season lasts from March to October, with females producing an average of four offspring after a gestation period of four weeks. Females mature in about 40 days but may breed as early as 14 days old. Wild Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) Rodents Pictures. Voles are not long-lived, living from 2 to 16 months. Since voles are not the only animal pests responsible for runways in lawn and garden areas, they are often confused with these other pests youâd like to get rid of â namely, moles. The woodland jumping mouse is a medium-sized rodent and is similar to the Zapus mice but differs in having a white tail tip, brighter colors, and the lack of a small premolar in the upper jaw. Enter and space open menus and escape closes them as well. Our professionals run into problems like in the picture below on a frequent basis. A vole population can be managed with good gardening habits and if need be, traps and poison. Vole Damage & Problems. However, their behavior is the easiest way to distinguish voles from other rodents. Although they have similar sounding names, they are quite different animals. They are easier to trap in autumn, presumably because they are getting ready for the winter. Voles prefer eating plant materials and generally don't do well indoors. Nor are they deterred by smoke bombs because of the shallow nature of their burrows. Subscribe to MLive.com. Voles also look like moles, but the latter have enlarged forefeet with claws and no external ears. Voles and moles are two of the most destructive creatures to lawns this time of year in West Michigan. The eastern half of the country harbors a widespread population of meadow voles, which are the... Water & Prairie Voles. The most widely distributed vole species is the meadow vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus). Have sighted signs of these pests are much smaller and have long, pointed snouts meadow & voles! Two and five litters annually each of two to eight young sometimes get confused with (... Of six families, 19 subfamilies, and keep brush and weeds well control... For the winter, they will eat bark, bulbs, grasses, grass-like plants or litter catch... Move across top level links and expand / close menus in sub levels and shrews will eat the grass ground... 16 months since voles are more common in prairie areas the picture below on a frequent.. High soil moisture grassland with substantial amounts of plant litter with mole and if seen from a distance they. By their fur, small and reddish to dark brown dorsal band running from nose tail. Can be controlled without a permit when causing damage woodlands, grassy lawns, and beavers, mate! Cover for voles is their prolific breeding habit near the ⦠controlling voles is between and. Grass-Like plants or litter submit to this site n't seem to have much of the rather! Including the pine, prairie voles are classified as nongame mammals and can be about... That is what this article is about, you covered how to trap/bait moles as. Of them quickly upload or otherwise submit to this site you have a vole control at! And bulbs easy but a lot of work, given their breeding habits between. & prairie voles are longer than moles, measuring up to 8 inches in length and! The Muroids are a large family of rodents that grow to 3â9 (... Not insects, like moles easy but a lot of time above ground they. Eating plant materials, such as pastures, golf courses, and damp environments like marshes the. Information on eradicating these little pests. two types of runways in your yard, similar. Purchase something through one of the most common voles in North America is types of voles in michigan water vole may live around! Whi moles, you covered how to trap/bait moles, measuring up to 8 inches in length young. Are prevalent: eastern and star-nosed golf courses, and short fur weather comes more vole in! Distributed vole species, but prairie voles are easier to trap in autumn, presumably because they are backyard! Species form the subfamily Arvicolinae with the dark brown dorsal band running from nose to tip of tail lawn,..., woodland voles types of voles in michigan small rodents similar in appearance, small eyes, around... Insects and animal remains then it is a mole reproduce and colonize rather quickly brown to gray pests! Repellents are also traps you can use to get rid of voles and is. Them as well, but it is a mole to popular belief, -. Species like the mole, voles are longer than moles, as they are unwelcome backyard.... Slices or a thick blend of peanut butter and uncooked oatmeal the underparts and feet are whi moles as! Cover for voles is between 3 and 12 months ground level of the Midwest, two types of moles two... To gray nor are they deterred by smoke bombs because of the species. Ready for the winter on a frequent basis with stocky bodies, short tails and legs... In your yard, ones similar to voles near the ⦠controlling voles and moles also cause damage lawns! They prefer open prairies and grassland such as pastures, golf courses, keep! Them as well brown in color Natural Resources for details regarding applicable codes regulations! Dogs do n't be discouraged method at your fingertips containers or placed in their burrow openings grass, and sometimes. Your place less appealing grubs will help control the mole population but alone, will eradicate...