Although voles can carry the appearance of shrews and mice and their activity can often have them confused with moles, these landscape rodents have distinctive differences from their cousins. Voles have longer fur and shorter tails than mice and their color varies from grey to chestnut brown depending on the species. Voles have rounded ears and short legs, with the body typically measuring 4-7 inches long. They are slightly larger than mice and prefer to stay on the exterior of homes.
That having been said, we do occasionally find them inside during the winter here in Minnesota. Moles have similar activity in their destruction to your yard, but they are actually burrowing deep underneath the root systems of your yard or garden and will rarely surface to cross a solid surface like a driveway or sidewalk.
Voles prefer to harborage wherever there is dense cover. Typical locations include prairie grasses, woodlines, landscaping walls of rock, stone or boulders, and lawns that are kept roughly 4 inches tall or more. Their diets consists mainly of grasses, seeds, fruits, fleshy rootstocks, and tree bark. They have been known to decimate new sod, eating away the roots so it cannot remain viable
The vole’s reproductive cycle is the most prolific of any mammal in the United States. Litter can range anywhere from 3-5 offspring, and up to 17 litters per year. Females reach maturity in 3 weeks, with males taking 6-8 weeks. This explosive reproduction rate would allow one pregnant vole to result in the birth of anywhere from 25,000 to 130,000 additional juveniles over the course of a year in Minnesota’s climate.
The average vole lifespan is between 2 and 12 months, with very high predation rates. Once you take into account mortality/emigration, actual local populations will number closer to 1,800. Luckily, they neither live long nor range far. Knowing this statistic, it is clear to see why “getting rid of voles” outright is unfortunately not possible.
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