Diet Overview
Voles, also known as meadow mice, are herbivores that feed on grasses, tree bark, roots, tubers, and vegetable crops. The rodents generally prefer to live in moist areas with plenty of grass and groundcover where they can scavenge for food without being spotted by predators. This leads them to take up residence in cultivated fields and orchards, where their feeding habits wreak havoc on crops. During times when plant food is scarce, voles eat small insects or the remains of dead animals.
Prevention
Removing food sources attracting voles to private properties is one way to make residential lawns less favorable burrowing sites. Since the pests prefer to live and feed in areas with plenty of ground cover, individuals can reduce the possibility of voles damaging gardens, trees, and ornamental plants by keeping grass trimmed short and cleaning up piles of brush and overgrown weeds. While voles may be good at digging, they are not gifted climbers. Posting fences that are buried several inches in the ground also helps prevent voles from reaching yards.
Removal
If attempting to block voles' access to potential food sources does not work, property owners should contact professional pest control services. Critter Control wildlife removal specialists can eliminate troublesome voles in the most humane and effective manner possible, as well as help secure residential areas against future vole infestations.