Vole Control in Calgary: Eco-Friendly Solutions for a Common Lawn Pest

Voles, small rodents that look a bit like mice but with shorter tails, can wreak havoc on lawns, flowerbeds, and vegetable gardens. They create unsightly trails and can damage plant roots, sometimes leading to plant death. But before you reach for toxic poisons, consider a more eco-friendly approach to vole control. There are many effective, non-toxic methods you can use to protect your Calgary lawn.

Understanding the Vole Problem

Voles are active year-round in Calgary, even under the snow. They create shallow tunnels under the snow, leaving behind distinctive “runways” in your lawn. They feed on a variety of plants, including roots, stems, leaves, and bulbs, but are more than happy munching on grass all year long.

Eco-Friendly Vole Control Strategies

Here are some humane and environmentally responsible ways to manage vole populations in your Calgary garden:

Habitat Modification: Voles thrive in areas with dense vegetation and ground cover. Reducing these areas can make your garden less attractive to them.

• Keep lawns mowed short: Regular mowing exposes vole runways and makes them more vulnerable to predators. It is especially important to keep your lawn short over the winter!
• Remove weeds and debris: These provide shelter and nesting material for voles.
• Create a barrier around gardens: A barrier of gravel or hardware cloth extending a few inches below and above ground can prevent voles from reaching your plants.
• Prune shrubs and trees: This reduces hiding places and improves air circulation, making the environment less hospitable for voles.

Trapping: Humane traps, like snap traps (baited with peanut butter or apple slices) or live traps, can be effective in reducing vole numbers. Check traps frequently and release or dispose of trapped voles humanely according to local regulations. Relocating voles might seem kind, but it often just moves the problem elsewhere, and the relocated voles may struggle to survive in unfamiliar territory.

Natural Predators: Encourage natural predators like owls, hawks, snakes, and foxes. Providing owl boxes or perches can attract these beneficial hunters to your yard.

• Repellents: While some commercial repellents exist, many natural options can be just as effective. Voles are often deterred by strong  scents. Repellants must be applied frequently, at least every two weeks and after every rainfall.
  • Castor oil: Products containing castor oil can be sprayed or granules can be scattered in areas where voles are active.
  • Garlic and chili pepper: A mixture of garlic and chili pepper flakes sprinkled around plants can deter voles. Reapply after rain or watering.
  • Mint: Planting mint around your garden or using mint-based sprays can also repel voles.

Snow Removal: In winter, snow can provide insulation and protection for voles. Shoveling snow away from garden beds and around the base of trees can expose voles to predators and cold temperatures. Another option is packing down the snow so the voles can’t tunnel through.

Protecting Plants:

• • Hardware cloth: Wrap the base of trees and shrubs with hardware cloth to prevent voles from gnawing on the bark.
  • Planting bulbs in wire baskets: This protects bulbs from being eaten by voles.

Block off their shelter: Voles love to hide under front steps, concrete walkways/pads, and low decks. These can be blocked off with a wire mesh underground to reduce their shelter. If they have nowhere to hide, they will need to move elsewhere! This is a lot of work but is a PERMANENT SOLUTION! Installing these wire mesh barriers is our specialty at Grove Eco-friendly Pest Control.