Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services, LLC. | Licensed & Insured

Providing Both Residential & Commercial Vole Removal Services for Those Difficult Vole Problems

How To Get Rid Of Vole & Moles Permanently

Voles and moles are two different types of animals, so the methods for getting rid of them may differ. Here are some general tips for controlling voles and moles:

For Voles:

1. Remove their food source: Voles feed on vegetation, so removing vegetation or using fencing around vulnerable plants can help reduce their population.
2. Reduce their habitat: Voles thrive in areas with tall grass, brush piles, and cluttered areas. Keep your lawn and garden tidy and free of debris to discourage them from making a home on your property.
3. Use repellents: You can use various repellents like predator urine, castor oil, or garlic to discourage voles from entering your property.
4. Trapping: Live trapping with a mouse trap or using snap traps baited with peanut butter or apple slices can help eliminate them.

For Moles:

1. Remove their food source: Moles feed on insects and grubs, so using insecticides or other pest control methods to eliminate their food source can help reduce their population.
2. Soil repellents: You can use castor oil-based soil repellents that create an unpleasant environment for moles, making them want to leave your property.
3. Trapping: There are mole-specific traps that can be used to capture them alive, or snap traps can be used to eliminate them.
4. Fumigation: This is a more extreme option but may be necessary in some cases. Fumigation involves introducing a gas into the mole’s tunnel system to eliminate them.

It’s important to note that getting rid of voles or moles may take time and effort, and may require a combination of these methods. It’s also important to consider using humane methods that don’t harm other wildlife or pets in the process.

 

What Does A Vole Look Like?

Voles are often confused with mice and rats. The fact is they’re bigger than a mouse, but smaller than a rat. The picture to the left shows a vole causing damage to a lawn.

Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services, LLC are your local experts for vole trapping and vole removal in Central and Eastern Virginia. We know how to safely get rid of voles. If you are a DIY vole removal type person you can visit on page that tells you exactly how to get rid of voles.

Our service area includes Henrico, Glen Allen, Short Pump, Tuckahoe, Midlothian, Brandermill, Woodlake, Mechanicsville, Lake Monticello, Albemarle, Amelia, Goochland, Louisa, Fluvanna, Orange, Powhatan, Chesterfield, Hanover, Ashland, Albemarle, Charlottesville, Richmond, Mineral, Gordonsville, and Keswick. If you have voles damaging your yard, killing your plants, damaging trees and shrubs, or destroying your property or golf course, call Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services, LLC., and find out how we can help get rid of voles.

Damage and Damage Identification

A vole problem is generally easy to identify. These pesky critters tend to make golf ball size holes in your yard. A lot of time these holes are found in mulch beds.

Voles may cause extensive damage to orchards, ornamentals, and tree plantings due to their girdling of seedlings and mature trees. Girdling damage usually occurs in fall and winter. They are know to chew around the base of tress. It’s important to protect young trees and plants to the chewing damage caused by voles.

Field crops (for example, alfalfa, clover, grain, potatoes, and sugar beets) may be damaged or completely destroyed by voles. Voles eat crops and also damage them when they build extensive runway and tunnel systems. These systems interfere with crop irrigation by displacing water and causing levees and checks to wash out. Voles also can ruin lawns, golf courses, ground covers, and can be a real garden pest. Ask us about our premiere vole removal services.

How Do I Know If I Have A Vole Infestation?

If you’re a homeowner or a gardener, it’s important to keep an eye out for signs of a vole infestation. Voles are small rodents that look similar to mice or shrews, and they can cause serious damage to lawns, gardens, and other outdoor spaces. Here are some signs that you might have a vole infestation:

1. Tunnels and runways: Voles create complex tunnel systems just below the surface of the ground. If you notice long, winding tunnels in your lawn or garden, it’s likely that voles are the culprits. You may also see small holes or openings in the ground that lead to the tunnels.
2. Gnawed plants and trees: Voles are herbivores, which means they eat plants. They may nibble on the roots of plants or trees, causing damage that can kill the plant over time. If you notice plants or trees that are wilting or showing signs of damage, it could be a sign of a vole infestation.
3. Droppings: Voles leave small, cylindrical droppings in their tunnels and around the areas where they feed. These droppings are typically brown or black and are about the size of a grain of rice.
4. Chewed bark: Voles may also chew on the bark of trees or shrubs, causing damage that can kill the plant. If you notice small teeth marks or holes in the bark of your plants or trees, it’s possible that voles are to blame.
5. Presence of predators: If you have predators in your yard, such as cats, owls, or hawks, it could be a sign that there are voles in the area. Predators are attracted to voles because they make easy prey.

If you suspect that you have a vole infestation, it’s important to take action quickly to prevent further damage to your lawn, garden, or plants. There are several methods for getting rid of voles, including traps, repellents, and natural predators. Contact our local animal removal & pest control professional for help in determining the best vole removal method for your situation.

 

How To Prevent Voles

Voles are small, mouse-like rodents that can cause damage to your garden and landscape by eating plants, gnawing on bark, and creating tunnels in the soil. Fortunately, there are vole removal steps you can take to prevent voles from becoming a problem in your yard.

1. Keep your lawn and garden tidy: Voles like to hide in tall grass and weeds, so keeping your lawn mowed and your garden free of debris will make it less appealing to them.
2. Install barriers: If you have plants or trees that are vulnerable to voles, you can install barriers around them to prevent voles from getting to the roots. You can use hardware cloth or mesh wire, burying it at least six inches into the ground and leaving it at least two feet above the soil.
3. Use repellents: There are a number of natural repellents that people claim can help keep voles away – We’ve never found any that work. Garlic, castor oil, and predator urine are all effective deterrents. You can also purchase commercial repellents that contain these ingredients.
4. Encourage natural predators: Owls, hawks, and snakes are all natural predators of voles. By creating an environment that is friendly to these predators, you can help keep voles under control.
5. Set traps: If you have a vole problem, you can set traps to catch them. There are several types of traps available, including snap traps and live traps. Be sure to follow the instructions carefully to avoid injuring yourself or the voles.
6. Plant vole-resistant plants: Some plants are less appealing to voles than others. Choosing plants that voles are less likely to eat, such as daffodils, alliums, and ferns, can help deter voles and reduce the damage caused by these rodents.

By taking these steps, you can prevent voles from becoming a problem in your yard and keep your plants and landscape healthy and thriving.

 

Vole Repellents – Do They Work?

If you have ever dealt with pesky voles in your garden or yard, you may have heard about vole repellents. But do they actually work? In this article, we will explore the effectiveness of vole repellents and provide some tips on how to keep these rodents away.

What are voles?

Voles are small rodents that are often mistaken for mice or moles. They have short tails, small ears, and round bodies that range from 3 to 9 inches in length. Voles are herbivores and primarily feed on plant roots and stems, making them a common nuisance in gardens and yards.

What are vole repellents?

Vole repellents are products that are designed to keep voles away from your property. They come in many different forms, including granules, sprays, and electronic devices. Some vole repellents use natural ingredients like peppermint oil or castor oil, while others rely on chemicals like thiram or capsaicin. Some people have even tried applying dish soap with a spray bottle – unsuccessfully I might add.

Do vole repellents work?

The effectiveness of vole repellents can vary depending on the product and the severity of the vole infestation. Some people swear by vole repellents and have had success in keeping voles away from their gardens and yards. Others, however, have found that vole repellents do not work at all.

One issue with vole repellents is that they may only provide temporary relief. Voles are intelligent rodents and may become accustomed to the scent or sound of the repellent over time. Additionally, if you have a large vole population in your area, it may be difficult to keep them away completely.

Tips for keeping voles away

While vole repellents may work for some people, there are also other methods you can try to keep these rodents away from your property. Here are some tips:

1. Keep your lawn and garden tidy: Voles like to hide in tall grass and piles of leaves, so make sure to keep your lawn and garden trimmed and tidy.
2. Use physical barriers: You can create barriers around your garden beds using mesh wire or wire mesh to prevent voles from digging into the soil.
3. Plant vole-resistant plants: Some plants, like daffodils and hyacinths, are less attractive to voles and may help deter them from your garden.
4. Use vole traps: If you have a severe vole infestation, you may want to consider using traps to catch and remove them.
5. Encourage natural predators: Encouraging natural predators like owls and snakes can help keep vole populations in check.

In conclusion, while vole repellents may work for some people, they are not always effective in keeping voles away from your property. However, there are many other methods you can try to keep these rodents at bay, including maintaining a tidy lawn and garden, using physical barriers, planting vole-resistant plants, using traps, and encouraging natural predators.

 

Vole Removal – Questions & Answers

Q. What bait do I use to catch voles?

A. You can use a simple, wooden mouse trap baited with a peanut butter-oatmeal mixture or apple slices, although often you won’t need to use bait, because voles will trigger the trap as they pass over it. Trap placement is crucial. Voles seldom stray from their runways, so set traps along these routes.

Q. Do voles bite?

A. Moles do carry rabies, but direct contact with humans is rare. … However, according to the Minnesota Department of Health there is no history of a vole bite causing rabies in a human. You should be especially careful of voles that be repel voles?

A. Use a hose to generously water your lawn or soil after applying castor-oil repellents to ensure its penetration into the ground. Reapply repellents periodically in order to maintain prime repellency and keep voles away long-term.

Q. What is the difference between a vole and a mouse?

A. Vole, also called a meadow mouse, has rounded ears and body and is reddish or brown and black in color with a gray underside. And finally, a shrew has a pointed snout, but unlike the mole, a shrew’s front feet are not enlarged. Also, a shrew’s eyes are tiny, but they are visible in most species.

Q. How do you trap a vole?

A. An effective vole bait is a peanut butter and oatmeal mixture that is placed on the snap trap pan or spread around the edges and top of the snap trap. INSPECTION OF TRAPS. Examine and inspect vole traps every day. Remove dead voles and reset traps. Call us for help with local vole removal.

Q. Where does a vole live?

A. Voles can be found throughout North America in dense grassy fields, gardens, meadows, woodlands, along lakes and rivers and in agricultural areas. Voles make their nests in underground burrows around tree roots, ground cover and beneath fruit trees.

Q. Are voles nocturnal?

A. Voles are active year-round. Some species are nocturnal, some are diurnal, and others are active day and night. Their diet consists of plants and occasionally insects and fungi. Some species in some regions can be agricultural pests.

Q. Are moles poisonous to humans?

A. Moles can bite and they are able to carry rabies, but there is no historical data that suggests any human has ever contracted rabies from a mole bite. And, since moles don’t generally come in contact with humans unless they are handled, it is not likely that you will be bitten by a mole.

Q. Do voles make raised tunnels in your yard?

A. When voles make tunnels while searching for roots to eat, they do not create raised ridges. Voles create golf-ball-sized entry holes into their tunnels along walls and in mulched beds. Their above ground grassy runways connect to multiple, clustered burrow openings.

Q. Do voles live underground?

A. Meadow voles live above ground and pine voles live underground. Voles may be active both day and night. They spend most of their time in tunnel systems one to a few inches below the ground. Voles eat grasses, roots, tubers and other plant material, as well as seeds, fruits, bark and underground fungi.

Q: What are some effective methods for vole removal?

A: Some of the most effective methods for vole removal include using a combination of natural repellents (hot pepper is not effective), physical barriers like wire mesh, and modifications to your yard such as removing vole runways.

 

At Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services we are constantly striving to advance our education so that we may serve you better.

Girdling and gnaw marks alone are not necessarily indicative of the presence of voles, since other animals, such as rabbits, may cause similar damage. Vole girdling can be differentiated from girdling by other animals by the non-uniform gnaw marks. They occur at various angles and in irregular patches. Marks are about 1/8 inch (0.3 cm) wide, 3/8 inch (1.0 cm) long, and 1/16 inch (0.2 cm) or more deep. Rabbit gnaw marks are larger and not distinct. Rabbits neatly clip branches with oblique clean cuts. Examine girdling damage and accompanying signs (feces, tracks, and burrow systems) to identify the animal causing the damage.

The most easily identifiable sign of voles is an extensive surface runway system with numerous burrow opening. Runways are 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) in width. Vegetation near well-traveled runways may be clipped close to the ground. Feces and small pieces of vegetation are found in the runways.

The pine vole does not use surface runways. It builds an extensive system of underground tunnels. The surface runways of long-tailed voles are not as extensive as those of most other voles. (Source: Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage — 1994)

Health Concerns

Voles pose no major public health hazard because of their infrequent contact with humans; however, they are capable of carrying disease organisms, such as plague (Yersinia pestis) and tularemia (Francisilla tularensis). Be careful and use protective clothing when handling voles. (Source: Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage — 1994)

 

Got Moles? We Remove Them Too!

How to Get Rid Of Voles In The Yard Permanently

Locate

The first step in getting rid of voles in your yard is locating and identifying them. A vole is a small animal that is active both above and under the ground in your yard. Because of features such as its coloring and small stature, these animals are often confused for mice or other rodents that have similar characteristics. Here is a great source at virginia-wildlife-removal.com to learn more about how to get rid of them.

What do they look like

Voles are small creatures that are round and stocky. They have short brown or black hair on top and usually have undersides that are a darker color. Small features such as a snout make up their face. They also have short, sharp teeth that provide them with the ability to chew through vegetation surrounding the home. One of the main differences between voles and field mice is their size — voles are usually noticeably smaller as a whole and have smaller features. 

Where do they hide

Voles set up their habitats both above and below the ground. Because of this, there are more places around the property where the animals could have set up their home. Some of the most common places that voles like to establish their nests are in underground burrows that they dig, around the roots of trees, and other places with ground cover. Regardless of where they are, voles tunnel from their nests underground in order to find food to eat. 

Treat

Once you have successfully identified the voles and determined that they are definitely using your property as a home, it is important to take the next step towards getting rid of them in an effective manner. Voles can create a lot of damage in and around the home due to their burrowing and other habitual tendencies that can tamper with the aesthetic or foundational strength of your home. These animals gnaw on trees which can deplete the health of the vegetation in your yard, dig tunnels and holes that can ruin your grass or landscaping, and leave droppings that could present a health hazard to those living in the home. 

How to get rid of them

Although there are DIY methods that can be put into place in the short term to get rid of voles, the most effective way to do so is with a professional pest control company that has the tools and experience needed to control the problem quickly and efficiently. At Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services, LLC, our team has developed years of experience in vole removal that allow us to easily locate and identify the problem. Following our identification of the voles and where they have set up their nests, we implement a tried and true process that gets rid of them permanently so that you never have to worry again. We use safe trapping methods that revolve around capturing and removing the voles in a timely manner. 

Prevent

After the voles have been removed from the property and any damage has been assessed, the final step is putting preventative methods into place around your home so that your yard is no longer an attractive location for the voles to make their home. Implementing these methods aid in turning the animals away while simultaneously keeping them out in the long run. 

Entryway elimination 

Covering entryways that could be used by small animals is a great way to ensure that even if Voles are on your property they will not enter the home. This safeguards against any hazards that could come about as a result of having wildlife in your house. Similar to this, putting in fencing that is specifically used to protect from burrowing animals can be used to keep voles and other animals out. This type of fencing is buried at least a foot underground and is high enough to prevent entry from either point. 

Scare devices

Devices placed around the yard such as vibration devices, motion lights, and sprinklers can be used to startle the voles when they are running around the yard. This creates an uncomfortable environment for them which, in turn, makes your yard an unattractive site for them in regards to setting up a home or carrying out their day-to-day activities. 

 

Our Service Areas in Virginia

We provide vole removal services in the following counties, cities and towns: Afton, Albemarle County, Alexandria, Amelia County, Annandale, Arlington, Ashburn, Ashland, Barboursville, Bellwood, Belmont, Bensley, Bermuda Hundred, Bon Air, Boyd Tavern, Brandermill, Bumpass, Burke, Central VA, Centreville, Chamberlain, Charlottesville, Chesapeake, Chester, Chesterfield County, Colonial Heights, Crozet, Cuckoo, CVille, Dale City, Doswell, Dumbarton, Earlysville, East Highland Park, Enon, Ettrick, Fairfax, Fair Oaks, Ferncliff, Fluvanna County, Fredericksburg, Genito, Glen Allen, Glenora, Goochland County, Gordon, Gordonsville, Gum Spring, Hadensville, Hampton, Hampton Park, Hanover County, Harrisonburg, Harrogate, Hening, Henrico County, Highland Springs, Hopewell, Innsbrook, Jefferson Davis, Kents Store, Keswick, Lake Anna, Lake Monticello, Lake Ridge, Lakeside, Laurel, Leesburg, Lewiston, Lignum, Locust Grove, Louisa County, Maidens, Manakin, Manakin-Sabot, Manassas, Manchester, McLean, Montrose, Motoaca, Meadowbrook, Mechanicsville, Midlothian, Mineral, Moseley, Newport News, Norfolk, North Courthouse, Northern Virginia, North Garden, NoVA, Oilville, Orange County, Palmyra, Pantops, Petersburg, Portsmouth, Powhatan County, Reams, Reston, Richmond, Richmond County, Robious, Rockville, Rockwood, RVA, Salisbury, Sandston, Sandy Hook, Scottsville, Shannon Hill, Short Pump, South Rockwood, Spring Run, Staunton, Stoney Point, Suffolk, Tidewater, Troy, Tuckahoe, Va, Varina, Virginia, Virginia Beach, Waynesboro, Williamsburg, Winchester, Winterpock, Woodlake, Wyndham, and the surrounding areas of Virginia.

 

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VPWRS Extensive Services

Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services provides nuisance wildlife removal, animal control, predator control, pest control, nuisance wildlife exclusion, and wildlife clean-up services.

 

We have experience handling bats, beavers, birds, Canada geese, chipmunks, coyotes, deer, foxes, groundhogs, mice, moles, raccoons, rats, opossums, otters, skunks, squirrels, snakes, voles, muskrats, bobcats, Copperhead snakes, pigeons, and other species of Virginia wildlife.

 

We operate our business within accepted industry standards and best practices, and in accordance with local, state, and federal laws.