8 Fastest Ways On How To Get Rid Of Voles

Let’s learn how to get rid of voles so they can stop destroying your garden and eating up your plants.

Voles are small mammals that eat plants and roots. Voles usually live underground, burrowing tunnels throughout the soil of your yard. They love to eat tender bark, shoots, and roots. They can be especially destructive to trees and shrubs or anything growing in your garden.

Voles multiply quickly and can do a lot of damage in just one year, so you must take action as soon as you notice them in your yard.

How To Get Rid Of Voles

What is the fastest way to get rid of voles? There are a few different ways how to get rid of voles that you can try.

• Voles are naturally repelled by predator urines, such as coyotes or fox urine. Apply the urine around your garden or entire property to gain long-lasting voles repellent results.
• Purchase commercial vole killer, which contains thimet/fenthion granules. Follow package instructions carefully, so you know how much product you need for the size of your yard and hole radius.
• Decrease the rodent’s food supply by using garden shears to cut back the vegetation in early spring before new growth begins.  This prevents voles from having as much shelter and access to food as they normally would.  This method must be employed before vole breeding season, which is typically March through November.  If done correctly, this should lead them away from your property for good!
• Another way is placing vole traps throughout the yard.  This is one of the most popular ways to get rid of them because it’s safe for kids and pets, but be sure to place these at least six inches under the ground level.
• The final way you can get rid of voles is by spraying their burrows with a repellent containing castor oil.  This is safe for people and pets but may take a few days before you notice results.

Are there any repellents that work against voles? How do I make a vole repellent at home? Yes! There are a few good natural ways to get rid of voles: using mint, castor oil, and blood meal.

• The first one is to plant peppermint in your yard near the vole’s burrows or around other areas you want to keep voles away from.  Make sure that all of the mint leaves are crushed, and then add castor oil until it takes on a slimy texture.  Place the mixture in a spray bottle and apply it to the areas where you’re noticing vole activity.  This should keep them away for good!
• Another way is to use blood meal which can be found at any local garden store.  Blood meal makes voles feel as if they are being hunted, which alerts them that danger is nearby!  Voles will be too scared to enter your property if you place blood meals by their burrows.

How To Make Homemade Vole Repellant?

You can easily make an effective homemade solution to repel voles by adding garlic powder, chili pepper flakes, and hot sauce to water and spraying it over plants that voles like (and all other plants).

This won’t harm plants or grass but will irritate the vole’s nasal cavity, forcing them to move elsewhere.

Voles And Their Habitat

Voles typically live in large numbers underground but don’t like to travel far away from the safety of their homes. It is estimated that there are approximately 40-50 voles per acre of land that reside underground for around 8 months out of the year.

Typically, you can expect to find five or six voles in one burrow with a few dozen more living nearby. Individually, voles only live for about two years and can produce up to nine litters per year!

Voles actually come up above ground to breed!  Typically there is one litter of 4-6 young born per female. Their life expectancy ranges from 3-6 months for smaller voles and more than 12 months for larger ones.

Though your first idea is to eliminate these destructive animals, do not use poison as it brings a ripple effect to the environment. For example, if a bird eats the dead voles who died from poisoning, more birds will also die. The ground where these animals who die of poisoning rot will also be affected. Poison should never be used as your first option when getting rid of voles.

Conclusion:

How to get rid of voles is a much-researched topic meaning more gardeners continue to be disturbed by these destructive animals.

It’s no secret voles love to eat whatever you grow in your garden. They will eat your tender shoots, bark, and roots leaving behind a destroyed garden. Voles multiply quickly and can do a lot of damage in just one year, so it’s important that you take action as soon as you notice them in your yard.

This article provides simple but efficient ways how to get rid of voles. So remember, before you go the poison way, try the natural methods using peppermint, bloodmeal, castor oil, or garlic powder.

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