Moles vs. Voles: How to Tell the Difference Between These Common Garden Pests

Moles and voles are two common garden pests that are often confused with one another due to their burrowing habit and small appearance. Despite some of their similarities, moles and voles are actually quite different. Knowing what sets them apart is important when it comes to effectively controlling their population and removing them from your garden.

Appearance of Moles and Voles

While moles and voles are both small creatures, their are some key distinctions between their appearances.

What Do Moles Look Like?

Moles are animals that live underground and feed on soil-dwelling arthropods, especially earthworms and beetle grubs. "They have very soft gray fur, a hairless snout, small eyes and ears hidden in the fur, and paddle-like front feet designed for rapid digging," says Pamm Cooper, public service specialist for the University of Connecticut Home and Garden Education Center. Moles are 4 to 7 inches long and have black-to-brownish-gray fur that has no grain, which allows them to move easily forward and backward in tunnels, adds Barbara Smith, consumer horticulture extension agent for Clemson Extension Home & Garden Information Center.

What Do Voles Look Like?

Slightly larger than moles, voles are 5 to 8 inches long and resemble field mice with short tails, compact heavy bodies, small eyes, and partially hidden ears, says Smith. The animals have prominent orange teeth for gnawing plant roots and stems. "Depending upon the species, voles may be found in lawns, landscapes, along stream beds, and in gardens," says Cooper.

How Moles and Voles Damage Lawns

The biggest difference between moles and voles is how they inflict their damage.

Damage From Moles

Moles are meat-eaters, and their diet usually consists of insects, grubs, and earthworms. As they scrounge for food underground, they can cause damage to your landscape. "Moles dig characteristic volcano-shaped hills in the lawn," says Smith. "The tunnels are dug at a rate of 18 feet per hour and can add 150 feet of new tunnels in the lawn each day." Their tunneling can disfigure lawns and gardens, which becomes a safety hazard when their burrows wash out during heavy rains.

The underground tunnels give moles a way to search for food without needing to venture into exposed spaces. "Moles are expert diggers that will consume up to 60 to 100 percent of their body weight in insects, grubs, and earthworms each day," says Smith. Moles are typically found in areas with heavy ground cover, such as orchards, fields, and gardens, and they seem to like cool, moist soil (where grubs and earthworms are commonly found).

Damage From Voles

Unlike moles, voles are vegetarian and feast on the roots and stems of plants, says Smith. The animal may tunnel to root systems, eating the roots and chewing the main stem just above the ground. "To protect an area from a vole infestation, a wire fence with a mesh of 1/4 inch or smaller will help exclude them," says Smith. "It will need to be 12 inches above ground with 6 to 10 inches buried into the ground to prevent the vole from burrowing under the fence."

If you're not sure if the damage to your plants is from voles or rabbits, look at the bite marks—voles have small teeth that leave irregular gnaw marks at various angles of the plant.

Moles vs. Voles: Prevention

The best way to deal with moles and voles is with traps, but changing their habitat has also proven to be a successful control method.

Preventing Moles

Traps are one of the most effective ways to capture moles. "Traps should be placed over an active tunnel and are the most effective in the fall and winter months," says Smith. "Moles are solitary animals, so ridding the landscape of one or two moles will make a big difference."

Alternatively, you can try reducing or eliminating food availability for moles, says Smith. Using a grub treatment is a common way to do so, but keep in mind that it affects the food supply for other wildlife, and moles just switch to another food source, such as insects and earthworms.

Preventing Voles

Habitat modification is the most effective way to control voles since they require cover and do not like to feed in the open, says Smith. "Removing weeds, heavy mulch, or dense vegetation will aid in eliminating their food source along with protection from predators," she says. "Keep turf grass mowed and de-thatched regularly, and keep mulch cleared from around tree bases."

Traps baited with apples or peanut butter and oatmeal are another successful way to catch voles. Set the traps along runways or near the exit holes. "Place a box or bucket over the trap as voles prefer to take the bait from under cover," says Smith. "Fall and late winter are the best times to trap voles."

How Shrews Are Different From Moles and Voles

Sometimes confused for moles and voles, shrews are smaller, have a very pointed snout, brown or gray fur, and their ears are flattened against their head. "These small animals are not rodents, do not make tunnels, do little to no damage to plants, and often use the tunnels or runways of voles or moles," says Cooper. "Their diet consists mainly of insects, but they eat other things that are garden pests, like slugs." Since shrews do minimal damage to yards, no control is typically necessary.