Think you might have Vole (field mice) Problems?

Unfortunately at this time Golden Rule Pest Control LLC does not trap Voles, but here are some pointers and things you can do to help with population control.

What are voles?
* Voles look like mice and eat a variety of plants.
*They make holes in the ground that are about 1-2 inches wide and do not have a dirt mound on top of the hole. Dirt mounds are associated with Moles and Gophers, which Golden Rule Pest Control LLC does offer service for trapping.
* Voles can multiply aggressively; some species can procreate every 2 weeks.
*They can damage tree & shrub roots and leave your ground very uneven. 
*They spend up to 70% of their life underground & are nocturnal.
* Their eyesight is poor, so they do not travel far from their home.
* They only travel about a 100 ft. radius from their entry hole in the ground.
* The two types of voles found in the Oregon Willamette Valley are the Townsend’s Vole, and the Gray-tailed Vole. You can read more about these two types in the link below.
https://myodfw.com/wildlife-viewing/species/rats-and-mice
* They are specifically above ground foraging voles.
* They make trails in the grass or field areas, which are called “runs”. They use these paths to navigate to their food sources and other holes.

How do I know what holes/areas are active?
*You can perform a test to see which areas are active. This is called “The Apple Sign Test”, but you can use bird seed as well too. Please read more about this by following the link below.
https://volecontrol.com/vole-mole-gopher-info/voles/verify-vole-signs-and-activity
* You can place flags by the active areas so you can easily keep track of them.

How do I help control their population after I know which holes/areas are active?
*The best time to help with population control is in the fall and spring.
*There are two different ways you can reduce the number on your property.
              •First Method  - is bait free and uses mouse traps. It is the safest option to use if you have dogs or other animals that are outside and roaming around.
              • You will place mouse traps along their active trails “runs”. When placing them you want to have two traps facing opposite ways with the snapping end on the outer edge. It is recommended to cover the traps with a “tunnel” like cover, such as a gutter or a pipe cut in half, you can be creative with this.
              • Because the voles have poor eyesight and they only use their runs for traveling, they won’t see the trap and will run straight into them.
                            ~ Place traps on the runs within a 100 ft. radius of the active holes.
                            ~ Check traps and reset every 2-3 days.
              • You will need to continue to do this for an extended period of time, such as a month or two, before a noticeable decrease in population.

**PLEASE USE EXTREAM CAUTION WHEN USING THIS NEXT METHOD, AS IT CAN HARM OTHER WILDLIFE OR DOMESTIC ANIMALS IN THE AREA, IF NOT DONE CORRECTLY.

              • Second Method - is the use of poison.
              •We suggest that you DO NOT use this method if you have dogs, cats or other animals on your property.
              • Baiting is possible with any typical poison found at your general hardware store.
              • Types we suggest, but not limited to,
                            ~ Rodenticide blocks secured in solid bait stations placed in the active areas.
                            ~ Small quantities (teaspoon) of zinc phosphate and/or strychnine pellets dropped directly into holes.
              ** PLEASE READ AND FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS ON THE LABEL!
              •Typical application for voles is to use small quantities of the poison (1 teaspoon) in the active vole holes.
                           ~ After placing the bait in the hole, you will want to cover it with a rock or bucket to prevent the vole(s) from escaping and the accidental poisoning of other species.
              • Baiting applications need to be done consistently (weekly) for a long period  of time before results are evident.


We are consistently asked about vole control and we are regretful that we do not provide this service at this time. We do strive to be helpful any way we can, including providing helpful information. Please use caution with the suggested methods, as they do come with risk. There is a lot of information out there and we suggest to exam our provided links in depth before choosing what option works best for you.

                       Sincerely,
                                 Golden Rule Pest Control LLC.