Moles and voles might seem more like cartoon characters than real animals, but there’s nothing funny about the damage they can cause. Educating yourself about their appearance and behavior can help you quickly address any threats they present to your yard.
Although their names sound alike, the similarities end there. Moles are grey to dark brown and recognizable by their long nose and webbed feet. Both are often thought of as rodents, but only voles actually are. They resemble mice with shorter tails, and unlike moles they have visible ears and eyes.
Another significant difference is their diet. Moles feed on insects while voles are herbivores, feasting on grass, plant roots, seeds and even tree bark. This is what makes them more of a threat to your landscaping. The tunneling done by moles will chew up a lawn, but damage to plants and bushes is only incidental.
Moles keep to themselves, so you’ll rarely find more than one or two. However, voles reproduce quickly so it doesn’t take them long to colonize an area. For the most part, neither moles nor voles present health hazards. However, voles have been found to carry hantavirus, a potentially serious virus contracted by humans through rodent droppings.
Eliminating moles and voles is difficult thanks to their subterranean activities. It’s hard to fight an enemy that stays out of sight. Let the trained technicians at Allison Pest Control fight the battle for you. Our three-step treatment of trapping, monitoring and exclusion safely and thoroughly clears an infestation. Contact us today to schedule prompt service.