Written by Devin Day (Wildlife Biology B.S.)
Meadow Voles are a native rodent to Montana and are a very important part to the healthy ecology of the state. When you look into their adorable, large, dark eyes it’s hard to believe that something so cute can be so destructive.
The Problem
Meadow Voles are extremely territorial and will create super highways in lawns and fields to establish a familial community. Voles prefer to live their lives in the first few inches of the soil. They create a few shallow chambers and connect each one with well groomed pathways. These paths are very easy to see and are quite the eyesore to a property owner.
Meadow Voles, like most rodents, are promiscuous, which can result in a very large number of offspring that grow and reproduce quickly. They can reproduce year round but tend to delay reproduction until Spring or Fall when their food sources are at their most abundant. With such a rapid growth in population sizes, the destruction they cause to lawns, crops, and fields can be extreme.
The Solution
Because of the known reproductive cycle of Meadow Voles the best time to manage this pest is when it is most difficult to see them (When they are covered with snow). Voles do not hibernate. They are active all year round creating tunnels underneath the snow. The area underneath the snow and above the soil becomes warmer and creates a perfect habitat for survival.
The various management techniques are extensive. Proper management should be trusted to pest management professionals (PMP’s) or wildlife biologists to avoid any more destruction to property and loss of valuable topsoil.
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