Voles
Microtus spp. — primarily Microtus oregoni (creeping vole), M. canicaudus (gray-tailed vole), and M. townsendii (Townsend's vole) in the Pacific Northwest
1 host plant
Last updated
Quick Reference
Order
Rodentia
Type
vertebrate (small mammal)
Host Plants
1
Peak Activity
Year-round; damage to woody plants peaks late winter (January-March) under sn...
What Damage Looks Like
Voles feed on roots, crowns, bulbs, and bark of plants near ground level. Surface damage includes shallow runways through grass and mulch (1-2 inches wide), 1-1.5 inch round burrow openings, and clipped vegetation along runways. On woody plants, voles strip bark from the base of young trees and shrubs in winter, often beneath snow or mulch cover, sometimes girdling and killing the plant. On bulbs and crowns, voles hollow them out from below. Damage is most severe in late winter and early spring.
Cultural Controls
- Maintain a vegetation-free zone (mulch pulled back 6-12 inches) around the base of trees and shrubs to remove cover.
- Wrap the base of young trees and shrubs with hardware cloth cylinders extending 18-24 inches above ground and several inches below soil line.
- Mow tall grass and weedy areas adjacent to plantings to reduce vole habitat.
- Avoid deep loose mulch; voles tunnel readily in deep wood chip or straw mulch.
- Encourage natural predators (hawks, owls, foxes, weasels) by maintaining habitat and avoiding broad-spectrum rodenticides.
Host Plants (1)
Sources & References
Primary: PNW Insect Management Handbook
- WSU HortSense — Voles
- USDA APHIS Wildlife Services — Vole damage management
Data Maturity Structured Multiple sources. Expert review underway.