How do you tell the difference between voles and moles? Voles look like chubby field mice with short tails, compact bodies, small eyes, and round ears partially hidden in fur. Moles have pointed pink snouts, tiny eyes, no visible ears, and a cylindrical body with paddle-shaped feet and long claws for digging.
We’ll take you through all the important differences between voles and moles so you can easily identify them. Why? Because knowing what critter damages your lawn is the only way to choose the proper control method.
Voles vs. Moles: Appearance and Habits
While many homeowners confuse these two creatures, there are many differences between voles and moles, from their appearance to their diet and burrows.
Appearance
Voles (Cricetidae) look like chubby mice with longer fur and shorter tails. Moles (Talpidae) resemble plush torpedoes with a long, pink snout and broad paddle-like front feet with long claws.
Here’s a closer view of the differences between the two little critters.
Voles | Moles |
Body: Compact, 4 to 7 inches long | Body: Cylindrical, 5 to 8 inches long |
Fur: Gray to chestnut-brown, soft fur, longer than mice fur | Fur: Short, velvet-like, dark brown to dark gray fur |
Ears: Rounded ears, partially covered in fur | Ears: Not visible (only have internal ears covered by fur) |
Eyes: Beady black eyes | Eyes: Not visible (tiny eyes covered by fur) |
Nose: Small and pointy | Nose: Long, pink snout |
Feet: Short, thin feet with tiny toes | Feet: Front feet with broad paddle-like paws, oriented sideways for digging |
Tail: Short and thin, covered in soft fur | Tail: Short and stubby, covered in ring-like scales |
Where They Live
Moles live underground in moist, well-drained soils rich in insects and worms. Voles live in burrows below the surface and settle in areas with dense vegetation.
Moles are nearly blind mammals and spend most of their lives underground, tunneling for food.
They live in:
- Underground tunnels up to 24 inches deep
- Loose, rich, moist soil that is easy to dig and abounds with grubs, insects, and worms
- Crop fields, forests, meadows, grasslands
- Well-maintained lawns and gardens
Moles can not survive in hard, arid soil, so they’ll move toward irrigated areas during dry weather.
“More often it is the best-maintained yards that have the worst mole problems,” says Rebeca McPeake, professor and extension wildlife specialist at the University of Arkansas.
Like moles, voles shelter, store food, and breed in underground burrows. However, they also spend time above the surface, traveling through shallow runways when feeding.
Voles usually make a home in:
- Below-surface burrows up to 12 inches deep or above soil nests made of dry grass and leaves
- Available mole or gopher tunnels
- Areas with dense vegetation: meadows, grasslands, forests, orchards, agricultural fields, gardens, and lawns
Voles love shade and shelter from predators, so they’ll settle down near brushy, wooded, or tall grass areas.
Behavior
Voles live in groups and do most turf damage in the winter. Moles are solitary and damage the lawns more in spring and fall.
Here’s what to remember about mole behavior.
Solitary: Moles are solitary, territorial, and not very prolific. They have 2 to 6 babies yearly, and the young move out after a month. A population of 4 to 5 moles per acre is considered high.
Fast diggers: Moles can dig up to 150 feet of tunnels per day (about half the length of a football field). Even if your lawn looks like a construction site, it’s probably only one or two moles doing the damage. If you damage an active tunnel, moles will repair it.
Hide underground: Yard moles rarely get above ground, though you might spot them in the spring when they are looking for mates.
Most active spring and fall: They are most active near the surface in spring and fall when earthworms and grubs squirm in the topsoil. During summer and winter, they dig deep tunnels to hide from drought and frost, and you might think they left your property.
Long lifespan: Ground moles live for 3 to 6 years.
Vole’s behavior is different. Here are the highlights:
Large families: Voles live in groups and are prolific breeders. They produce up to 5 litters annually, with an average of 3 to 6 babies per litter. Vole populations peak once every 2 to 5 years, reaching a few hundred voles per acre, then decreasing again.
Hide below and above the ground: Voles travel their surface runways daily looking for food, but you rarely see them. They are tiny, fast, blend easily with their surroundings, and always travel hidden by vegetation.
Active under cover: Voles are active year-round but don’t like to feed in the open. They’ll spend more time above ground from spring to fall. It’s when the vegetation is tall, and they can hide under its cover.
During dry winters, voles reduce surface activity and retreat in their burrows. Still, if it’s a snowy season, they’ll extend their runways more than ever, feeling safe from predators under the snow blanket. It’s why lawns see the worst vole damage in early spring, after snowmelt.
Short lifespan: Moles live for 2 to 16 months.
Diet
Voles (V for vegans) eat plants, seeds, and bark. Moles (M for meat-eaters) eat insects, larvae, and earthworms.
Voles are primarily vegetarian.
“High-protein grasses and legumes are their favorite foods,” says Charles Dixon, Extension Associate Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries at the University of Tennessee.
Their diet includes:
- Turfgrass and clover
- Seedlings of cereal crops and garden vegetables
- Root vegetables (carrots, turnips, beets, celery)
- Bulbs, tubers, and rhizomes of ornamental plants (e.g., tulips, lilies, hostas)
- Grains, seeds, beans, and fruits fallen on the ground
- The bark of woody plants and trees
- The exterior layer of shrub and tree roots
When food is scarce, voles also might feed on insects and worms.
Moles, on the other hand, are meat-eaters and rarely munch on plants. Even so, the mole diet is rich and diverse, including earthworms and various lawn pests such as:
- Cutworms
- Armyworms
- White grubs
- Snails
- Slugs
- Ants
- Cranefly larvae
- Termites
- Mole crickets
Damage Caused by Voles vs. Moles
Since moles and voles are rarely spotted, the best way to identify which is which is by checking the damage they cause. Here are the most important details that set these two critters apart:
Vole Holes vs. Mole Holes
Voles and moles dig underground burrows and use holes to enter and exit their tunnels.
- Vole entrances are visible round holes about the size of golf balls.
- Moles’ entrances are hidden in the center of conical mounds of dirt and covered with soil.
Vole Hills vs. Molehills
- Voles don’t create mounds of dirt like moles.
- Molehills are notorious and a tell-tale sign of moles on your property. They have a conical, volcano-like shape, 1 to 2 feet wide and 2 to 8 inches high.
Vole Tunnels vs. Mole Tunnels
Voles and moles build underground tunnels and shallow runways.
Underground tunnels
- Voles use their underground tunnels as harvesting areas, feeding on the roots, bulbs, and rhizomes they discover while digging.
- Moles don’t eat the roots they encounter. If plants wilt along their deep tunnels, it’s because the roots are exposed to the dry air inside.
Shallow runways
- Voles build surface runways 1 to 2 inches wide and about 1 inch below the soil level. These runways look like well-worn open ditches snaking through vegetation.
- Moles build shallow tunnels 1 to 4 inches below the soil. Above the soil, they look like raised ridges about 3 inches wide. These areas flatten when you walk on them.
Damaged Turf
- Voles love grass and feed on turf year-round. They prefer the stems and leaves, so most grass is only clipped and usually recovers.
- Moles don’t intentionally harm grass, but they can uproot plants when they build shallow tunnels, leaving strips of wilted straw-like grass.
Garden Damage
- Voles eat the stems and leaves of seedlings and tunnel underneath garden beds, eating the roots. As a result, plants wilt or suddenly fall to the ground with their roots cut off.
- Moles can damage garden plants if they tunnel underneath. It’s not rare to see a beautiful tomato plant uprooted in early fall by a mole digging for food.
Tree Damage
- Voles girdle the bark of shrubs and trees and can severely damage young trees. They leave behind exposed wood with tiny, irregular grooves (their teeth marks).
- Moles might accidentally harm young trees by digging and exposing their roots to air pockets.
Benefits of Moles and Voles
Voles:
- Aerate the soil by digging.
- Their droppings fertilize the soil.
- The plant material voles drag into their tunnels decomposed and add nutrients to the soil.
- Voles are an important food source for hawks, owls, raccoons, opossums, and other mammals.
Moles:
- Help control lawn pests such as grubs, ants, cutworms, armyworms, and Japanese beetles.
- Provide natural lawn aeration by digging their tunnels.
- Mole digging brings more nutrient-rich soil to the surface.
- Improve soil drainage and reduce waterlogging.
Vole vs. Mole Control
Now you know how to set apart voles from moles, so let’s use this knowledge. Some pest control methods work better on voles; some are more suitable for moles. Picking the right ones helps you solve the problem faster.
Pest control methods that work better on voles:
- Exclusion barriers: Voles don’t dig as deep as moles, so underground barriers are more effective.
- Habitat modification: Voles need tall vegetation to hide from predators. To discourage them, keep the grass mowed and clear of debris and create vegetation-free areas around trees.
- Baits: Since voles live in groups, baits can help you remove more voles with less effort.
Pest control methods that work better on moles:
- Trapping: The average lawn is typically inhabited by only one or two moles, so trapping a single one is a huge success.
- Reduce food source: Moles feed on several lawn pests you can control to reduce the food source, such as grubs, ants, armyworms, etc.
FAQ
Do voles and moles move around during the day or night?
Voles and moles are active day and night, with peak activity in the early morning and late evening. Voles intensify their nocturnal activity during summer to avoid the heat.
How do you stop moles and voles from entering your yard?
You can’t really stop moles and voles from entering your yard, but you can discourage them by making the yard less attractive:
- Attract predators like hawks and owls. Get a dog or a cat.
- Reduce ground cover (mow regularly, keep mulch under 2 inches thick, remove weeds)
- Improve drainage (moles love moist soil)
- Remove thick snow
- Apply castor oil-based repellants
- Install underground barriers around areas with valuable plants (trees, garden beds)
How do you repair vole or mole damage?
To repair vole or mole damage:
- Remove the dead grass and droppings
- Fill in the tunnels and runways with topsoil
- Level the area with a rake
- Spread grass seed
- Water, fertilize, and maintain the new grass
Keep Voles and Moles Away!
Voles and moles ruin your neat lawn. Don’t postpone your response to their damage. Find a pest control pro with LawnStarter and protect your lawn today!
Sources:
- Dixon, C. (1997, November).PB1600 Control of Voles in No-Till Corn. The University of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service. https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_agexcrop/24/
- McPeake, R. (n.d.). Controlling the Eastern Mole. University of Arkansas. https://www.uaex.uada.edu/publications/pdf/FSA-9095.pdf
- O’Brien, J.M. (1994). Voles. University of Nebraska-Lincoln. https://agri.nv.gov/uploadedfiles/agrinvgov/content/protection/resource_protection/voles.pdf
- Smith, B. H. (2017, November). How to Tell the Difference Between Moles & Voles. Clemson University. https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/how-to-tell-the-difference-between-moles-voles/
Main Image Credits:
Vole: David / Adobe Stock Free / License
Mole: Petr Bonek / Adobe Stock Free / License created using Canva Pro