What Is A Vole?

A vole is like a mouse but it has a fatter body and a rounder head; their tail is shorter too.  Sometimes they are called field mice, when they feed on crops and seeds.  They make burrow holes and have a complete 'road network above and below ground and can be seen popping up all over they place.

A small, typically burrowing, mouselike rodent with a rounded muzzle. They are also called meadow mouse or field mouse.

A vole is a small rodent often mistaken for a mouse.  The two animals look similar but have a number of distinguishing characteristics.  Voles belong in the genus Microtus and are found in Africa, North America, Europe, or Asia where they are quite widespread.  Voles prefer a rural agricultural environment or areas with parks and green spaces.

Voles do bear a similarity to mice, however they are usually smaller with stockier legs, shorter tails, and small and sometimes virtually hidden ears.  Voles also have very small eyes, short snouts, and will be brownish in colour with paler cream to yellow bellies.  These mammals nest and live in small burrows because their bodies are compact and perfectly suited to burrowing.

The water vole lives a semi-aquatic lifestyle, but all other species prefer woodlands, prairies, and meadows.  Because of this preferred environment, those who are unaware of the distinction between these two creatures often mistake voles for field mice.  The vole’s preferred diet is vegetation such as grasses and shrubs but they will also eat insects.  Unfortunately, voles are pests in the garden due to their taste for vegetation.  They will quickly destroy flowering plants and have been known to destroy crops before they have been harvested.

It can be difficult to get rid of moles that are wrecking havoc in a garden or on a farm.  Poisoned bait is ill advised because other animals (including pets and farm animals) could mistakenly be poisoned or injured.  In addition, poisoned voles could poison any of their various predators that include owls, dogs, cats, and snakes.  Fencing is sometimes effective as is encouraging cats and dogs to roam through the garden as a deterrent.  Keeping mulch to a minimum can also be useful.

Voles tend to breed during the spring although they are able to breed any time during the year.  They are equally active during the day and the night unlike most mammals that usually have a schedule of activity.  Voles typically live to be about three to six months old although some have been known to live for up to a year.  Scientists have detected an unusually high mutation rate in voles.