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Unpleasant Surprises: Lawn Damage Caused by Voles
Unpleasant Surprises: Lawn Damage Caused by Voles
So recently I’ve been writing about some unpleasant surprises that are showing up on lawns and landscapes as snow melts across the country. Damage from hungry rabbits and snow mold are just a few common problems right now. This past week I received a picture from a friend who noticed some strange looking lawn damage while his snow was beginning to melt.
If you look carefully, you will see the trails through the grass that seem to be pushed up and loose, along with a raised little structure in the middle of the picture. This lawn damage was caused by the winter activity of voles, or field mice.
Voles will burrow through the grass looking for food, mainly seeds and plants. In the process of their searching, they will chew away the grass plants to make tunnels through the turf that’s under the snow. They will also make little “houses” or dens where newborn voles are often kept.
Even though they do feed on plants, they mainly eat the green part of the grass plant and do not generally eat the crown or roots of the plants. The best thing to do is to rake up the dead grass and the plants will produce new shoots as the weather warms up. It’s a good idea to fertilize the lawn to encourage new growth.
My friend also sent me another picture of a tree in his front lawn looking quite damaged, hoping it would survive.
You can see the vole trails on the right side of the picture and you can see how they chewed on the base of this maple tree. Unfortunately, their feeding has resulted in the tree being completed girdled. The only option is to replace the tree.
Though these circumstances are unfortunate and frustrating, please remember that voles are only trying to survive. Sometimes, that survival damages your lawns and landscapes.