Anyone who lovingly tends bulbs, fruit trees, carrots and other vegetables in the garden knows the problem: voles eat the plants underground and thus destroy the hoped-for harvest. However, there are several ways to discourage the animals.

Although voles are cute, they are undesirable in the garden

Table of Contents

Show all
  1. the essentials in brief
  2. detect voles
  3. Prevent voles
  4. Fight voles
  5. frequently asked Questions

    6. the essentials in brief

    • Voles live underground and create branched tunnel systems.
    • The animals particularly like to eat fleshy plant roots, tubers and root vegetables as well as flower bulbs.
    • They are difficult to fight, so the best way to catch them is with baited traps, alive or dead.
    • The home remedies that are often recommended for expulsion usually do not work.

    detect voles

    First of all: “The” vole does not exist! Instead, the designation represents a whole group of rodents that are biologically considered a separate zoological subfamily and are therefore closely related to each other. About 150 different species belong to the Arvicolinae, as the voles are scientifically called. Particularly well known - and annoyingly active in the garden - are field voles and water voles.

    The animals do not bear their name without reason, as they create underground tunnel systems and practically "dig" through the ground. You can often tell that a vole is up to mischief in your garden by the flat, elongated mounds of earth with grass and roots, which are typical for the small rodents. Voles are found almost everywhere in Europe, North America and Asia, preferring light to medium soil - this is simply the easiest to burrow in. Your garden is particularly at risk if you live in a region with loess soil. These are particularly popular with pests.

    What do voles look like? appearance and lifestyle

    The big vole is the most common in our country

    A species that often occurs in the garden is the large vole (Arvicola terrestris), which is also known as the eastern water vole or earth rat or vole. The animals belong to the zoological genus of water voles (lat. Arvicola), which in turn is assigned to the subfamily of voles (lat. Arvicolinae). Like all voles, this species also lives solitary, but reproduces very diligently between March and October. Due to their strong feeding activity, they are one of the most unpleasant pests in home and hobby gardens.

    This is what voles look like:

    • between 12 and 22 centimeters long
    • Weight between 60 and 120 grams
    • very different fur colors
    • Fur can range from light sandy to dark brown
    • Belly often lighter in color than the rest of the body
    • small, blunt head
    • Ears lie in the fur, almost invisible
    • Tail about half as long as body
    • The tail is slightly ringed and has short hair

    Water voles prefer moist meadows and soil, which is why they like to settle near a body of water. They dig underground branched, highly oval ducts with a diameter between six and eight centimeters and create several nest and pantries.

    damage picture

    Voles leave feeding damage on tubers

    "What do you do about voles? - We scold.” (Karl Förster)

    A vole infestation is often shown by apparently reasonlessly wilting vegetable plants, fruit trees or ornamental plants such as roses. Often the plants no longer have a foothold in the ground due to the eaten away roots and simply fall over or can be pulled out easily. A sudden crooked position of nibbled plants is also typical. Depending on the degree of damage, it is usually not possible to save the plants.

    Flat, mostly elongated mounds of earth also indicate the activities of a vole. These are often confused with molehills, which is why some gardeners only take action against the vole plague at a late stage. A little further down in the text we will show you which features you can use to distinguish between vole and molehills.

    What do voles eat?

    Voles have a purely vegetarian diet of roots and underground tubers such as potatoes, root vegetables and flower bulbs. They also like to eat herbs, aquatic plants and grain. Orchards and vegetable gardens as well as gardens with many trees and shrubs are particularly at risk. The same applies to forest and tree nurseries, where the rodents can also cause great damage.

    digression

    These plants are particularly endangered

    The small rodents find root vegetables such as carrots, parsnips, beetroot, black salsify, celery and Jerusalem artichoke particularly tasty. But flower bulbs - especially lilies, tulips and snowdrops - and various perennials with thick fleshy roots are also at risk. This applies to such popular garden plants as, for example, peonies, steppe candles, saplings, daylilies or Heuchera.

    When it comes to ornamental trees, hungry gourmets nibble on the delicate root bark of roses, clematis and wisteria, but also on many other smaller ornamental trees. In the case of fruit trees, apple varieties such as the tasty 'Renette' or 'Cox Orange' and their weak-growing rootstocks (especially M9) are particularly threatened by vole bites.

    How deep do voles dig?

    Voles usually dig their tunnels very close to the surface of the earth, but they can also go to depths of up to one meter without any problems. In principle, you can find the tunnels wherever the animals can easily get their preferred food. Moles, on the other hand, usually burrow at a depth of between 20 and 30 centimeters below the surface of the earth.

    Vole or mole?

    Vole hills are flatter than molehills

    Both voles and moles typically throw up mounds of dirt, but they differ in shape from one another. The characteristic distinguishing features in our table show you how to recognize which animal lives in your garden.

    vole mole
    mound shape oblong, often elongated, irregularly distributed rather rounded, often evenly distributed
    mound height flat higher than vole piles
    mound admixtures often roots and plant remains in the ground no admixtures
    mound entrance side of the mound in the middle of the mound
    Underground tunnels highly oval, usually six to eight centimeters wide smaller than vole burrows, broadly oval to round in shape

    If you are unsure, you can use the so-called rooting test to determine which rooter it is:

    1. From the dirt pile, uncover the passage in several places.
    2. The length of the exposed area should be about 30 centimeters.

    Voles close the open burrow within a few hours, unlike moles, which then simply continue digging underneath the open area. You can be even more secure if you put a piece of carrot or another treat in the aisle: voles usually nibble on these, while moles do not touch the vegetables.

    Why is this distinction so important?

    Before you start fighting the garden dweller that throws up mounds of earth, you should first check whether it is actually a vole or not a mole. This distinction is important because moles - in contrast to voles - are subject to the Federal Species Protection Ordinance and therefore may not be caught or even killed. Failure to do so can result in severe penalties!

    Aside from its protective status, you shouldn't drive the mole out of your garden for another reason: it leaves your plants alone, preferring instead to feed on grubs (which in turn can be quite dangerous for your plants) and other underground creatures . Ergo, the mole acts as a beneficial creature, and on top of that you can use the mound soil that is thrown up for the production of humus-rich potting soil.

    Successfully prevent vole infestation

    youtube

    Of course, you don't have to wait until the vole shows up in your garden and plunders the vegetable patch or gnaws the freshly planted apple tree. Instead, you can also play it safe and protect endangered plants from the outset. These methods are suitable for this:

    • wire baskets: When planting, plant bare-rooted plants in the ground with a wire basket to keep rodents away from the roots. Be sure to use plant baskets with a mesh size of between 13 and a maximum of 16 millimeters, and the basket should not be too tight around the roots. You can make such a basket yourself (e.g. from yard goods) or buy it ready-made. Special vole baskets for ornamental shrubs, fruit trees or flower bulbs are commercially available. When planting, the basket should protrude about ten centimeters from the ground so that the vole cannot overcome it above ground.
    • fencing: If not just individual plants, but an entire garden area - such as a vegetable patch - needs to be protected, fencing makes sense. In principle, this works in the same way as the plant basket (€11.99) is only used on a larger area. To do this, dig a sturdy wire mesh with a mesh size between 13 and 16 millimeters at least half a meter deep and around the area to be protected in the ground. Here, too, the wire should protrude at least ten centimeters from the ground and the upper edge should also be bent outwards.

    Galvanized or not galvanized?

    Many a hobby gardener bitterly argues about whether the wire used for vole baskets has to be galvanized or not. Basically, a galvanized wire is of course protected against corrosion and therefore lasts longer. On the other hand, zinc inhibits the growth of plant roots and thus has a direct impact on plant health. Ergo, there is no single opinion on this point, instead you have to decide for yourself what is more important to you.

    These plants keep voles away

    Garlic deters voles

    Also as a preventive measure, you can plant certain aromatic plants around vulnerable areas. Many a plant is very unpopular with the small rodents and therefore keeps them away quite reliably - but be careful: Don't just rely on it, because many a vole did not know anything about their dislike and has plundered the garden despite having planted imperial crowns and the like . You can try these plants:

    • imperial crown
    • garlic
    • onions
    • sweet clover
    • daffodils
    • elder
    • basil

    Alternatively, you can also work walnut leaves, camphor or spruce or elder branches into the soil and root area of plants threatened by voles. This should also keep the small rodents away and is definitely worth a try.

    digression

    Do voles have natural enemies?

    Of course, the vole has numerous natural enemies who eagerly pursue the voracious rodent. If you have a problem with voles in the garden, get a cat: This will catch the little animals for you and thus reduce the population. But be careful: not all cats are hunters. Many an exquisite specimen of the breed has already proven to be extremely lazy, so that it is probably better to fall back on the proven farm cats for this purpose. They are often used to hunting from an early age.

    Furthermore, foxes, martens, polecats and birds of prey such as buzzards and owls (especially barn owls) prey on the small rodents. Now, many of these wild animals aren't as common in very urban areas, but you can still ensure a pet-friendly garden. For this purpose, for example, pile up suitable piles of stones as shelter for weasels or leave entry holes for owls in a barn or stable.

    Combat voles effectively

    Voles are difficult to get rid of

    Once you have voles in your garden, it's hard to get rid of them. The little animals are not easy to catch or drive away, which is why you have to try many tricks. We took a closer look at the most common tips and recommendations for fighting voles. This section tells you which methods actually work and which ones you can safely stay away from.

    The optimal fighting time

    Of course you can fight the vole plague all year round. However, the chances of success are greater if you take care of it between the months of October and April. Since voles do not hibernate, they are also active in the cold season. This in turn gives you an advantage when hunting mice, because the animals are more susceptible to laid out baits due to the lack of food in winter - they would simply leave them lying around during the summer months, when there is an abundance of food.

    tips

    Also, be sure to apply control measures not only to individual beds and plots of land, but also to larger areas. Since voles reproduce very quickly and become sexually mature just as quickly, the young animals colonize neighboring properties in no time at all. Therefore, the neighbors in a residential area or an allotment garden should also know about a possible plague and take countermeasures.

    Home remedies for voles

    Voles are considered to be extremely sensitive to odors, which is why strong-smelling remedies are often recommended. These should be poured or laid directly into the corridors at regular, short intervals and thus drive away the little animals. In particular

    • (fermented) buttermilk
    • high-proof alcohol (e.g. denatured alcohol)
    • garlic
    • Thuja or walnut tree branches

    should help against the rodents. Unfortunately, these home remedies only work for a very short time, if at all, and do not drive away the voles permanently. Even laying out human, cat or dog hair does not prevent the annoying animals from settling in your garden.

    Does noise help against voles?

    Many guidebooks and internet forums recommend using loud noises to drive voles away. The animals have a fine and sensitive hearing and would therefore flee from specially placed ultrasonic devices, from glass bottles stuck in the ground or from rattle mills. Unfortunately, it is not that simple and such methods have all proven to be ineffective. In fact, you can only get rid of the little animals with more ruthless methods.

    Traps against voles

    As a rule, there is no way around catching and/or killing the little animals, although these methods are also problematic for various reasons. If you catch the voles alive, you must somehow get rid of them afterwards - and that can sometimes prove difficult. In this case, the best thing is to drive the captured animals out of the residential area and release them in nature.

    Meadows and sparse forests are particularly suitable for this, as there is plenty of food here. Bring as many kilometers as possible between the inhabited area and the release destination so that the mice and their offspring do not migrate back to you. Also, be careful not to release the small rodents near cultivated fields: the farmer is just as unhappy about voles as you are and, on top of that, bears an economic risk.

    Effective baits

    If you want to catch voles, you need good bait. While you can generally set up vole traps without a treat, the success rate is higher with bait. Vegetable pieces such as carrots, celery or Jerusalem artichoke (one of the absolute favorite food plants of the small rodents!) are particularly suitable for this, which are best used fresh and peeled. Bait the trap, prepare according to manufacturer's instructions and set directly into the exposed passage. So that the vole feels safe, close the openings again afterwards, for example with a wooden board or a black plastic bucket. It is important that no light falls into the aisle.

    You can also purchase and use special vole bait in specialist shops - either with or without a trap. However, these baits are poisoned and kill the animals, which is legal, but not everyone likes it.If you don't have a problem with that, you can also prepare poisoned bait yourself, for example a stick of celery or carrot with rat poison. However, make sure to follow all safety precautions, as these agents are also extremely dangerous for other animals - such as pets - and for curious children. Regardless of which bait you want to use, it is best to apply feeding baits in late autumn or early spring, otherwise they will not be accepted.

    Set up vole traps correctly

    Live traps for rats will also catch voles, but only if they are thoroughly "dehumanized" first

    The best way to combat a vole infestation in the garden is to use special, commercially available traps. You can choose between live and killing traps, although with live traps you have the problem of “disposing of” the trapped animals. Regardless of whether you're caught alive or dead: give preference to so-called box traps, since only voles actually get lost in these and you don't run the risk of accidentally catching a mole. And this is how you set the trap:

    1. First prepare the trap carefully so that it does not smell like humans.
    2. The very smell-sensitive voles would then no longer accept them.
    3. First wash newly purchased traps with an unscented soap (e.g. curd soap) to remove any production residues.
    4. These could also warn the vole with their unusual smell.
    5. Also, only touch the trap with gardening gloves and never with your bare hands.
    6. Then rub them thoroughly with soil.
    7. Leave them outside for 24 hours.
    8. Now you can use them according to the manufacturer's instructions.

    Use multiple vole traps, not just one. For a garden of around 500 square meters, plan around 20 traps that you place strategically and at regular intervals in the aisles. You should set them up especially in the corners of the garden. Note that box traps only ever have one entrance, so you should always use two, with the entrances pointing in different directions.

    Check the traps several times a day. The measure was probably only successful if there were no more voles in it for several days.

    digression

    Are voles protected?

    In contrast to the mole, voles are not subject to the Federal Species Protection Ordinance (BartSchV) and are therefore not protected. This means that there are no fines for fighting, catching and killing the animals. Furthermore, voles are not among the endangered species, quite the opposite. In some regions, the animals are a real plague.

    Chemical antidotes and poison gas

    There is also the option of getting rid of the rodents using special poison gases or non-toxic gassing. With so-called repellents, you drive away the voles, as they do not like the smell of the gas mixture that is produced by contact with the moist soil. Fumigation with phosphine or carbon monoxide, on the other hand, is poisonous and kills the animals. Depending on the agent used, however, these methods are quite complex and are therefore mostly used in agriculture.

    frequently asked Questions

    How fast do voles reproduce?

    The annoying rodents are extremely keen to breed: between April and September (depending on the weather, from March as well as into October) the females give birth between three and five times. After a gestation period of only 22 days, four to six young, sometimes even up to ten, are usually born per litter. The young voles are sexually mature themselves within 60 days. In summary, a single female vole gives birth to about 25 young in a year, which, depending on the date of birth, can father or give birth to further young in the same year.

    Where can I find vole nests?

    The vole - the animals are loners - creates an underground tunnel system, which usually also includes one or two nests. These are much lower than the ducts through which the animals get their food. The same applies to the pantries, as well as a special escape tube through which the animal can escape in case of danger.

    How many voles live in a burrow?

    Voles are usually solitary and do not live in pairs or groups. Only in the mating season between April and September do the female animals live with their young, which, however, grow up quickly and then leave the native nest. The young animals then look for their own territory, which means that a vole plague can spread very quickly. The probability that not only the neighbor's garden but also your own is infested is extremely high.

    What do voles do in winter?

    Voles do not hibernate, but live a year-round rhythm of two to three hours of activity followed by a resting phase of three to four hours. This means that the animals are strictly speaking neither day nor night active. Especially during winter snowfall and a dense snow cover, an unnoticed vole infestation can occur if the pests attack overwintering plants or their roots in the protection of the white cover. The associated damage is often only visible after the snow has melted in spring.

    tips

    Many a gardener would rather have his peace and quiet and therefore makes peace with the voles. So that they don't plunder the garden anyway, these gardeners create beds with plants that are popular with the animals (e.g. Jerusalem artichoke). With it, the mouse finds food and the gardener finds peace of mind.

Category:

Animals in the garden