Voles
animalMicrotus spp.
Small rodents that gnaw bark and eat roots, bulbs, and tubers. Travel in surface runways under mulch.
Identification
Surface runways (1-2 inch wide) in grass and mulch. Bark gnawed at ground level. Bulb and root damage.
Damage & Symptoms
Girdled bark on trees and shrubs at ground level. Eaten bulbs. Root damage. Surface runway networks.
Organic Control
Snap traps in runways. Hardware cloth guards around tree trunks. Remove mulch from trunk bases. Cats.
Chemical Control
Zinc phosphide bait (restricted).
Prevention
Keep mulch 6 inches from tree trunks. Mow grass short near gardens. Hardware cloth in planting holes for bulbs. Encourage raptors with nest boxes.
Data confidence: medium | Source: curated_ipm