Moles or Voles? How to Tell The Difference

If you've ever spotted mysterious tunnels in your yard or noticed your plants are disappearing from the roots up overnight, you might have a mole problem — or is it a vole problem?

In this month's blog post, we're breaking down the biggest differences between moles and voles — and we'll share the easiest, safest, and most effective way to keep these critters from attacking your plants this spring.

Moles or Voles? How to Tell The Difference

Moles and voles may have similar-sounding names, but they're actually quite different creatures — both in appearance and behavior:

- Size: voles are slightly smaller than moles. Adult voles are typically 3-6 inches long, while adult moles are typically 4-8 inches long.

- Color: voles have visibly lighter fur than moles. Most voles have light gray or brown fur, while most moles have dark gray or black fur.

- Physical features: voles have visible eyes and ears, but moles don't. Voles look like chubby mice, while moles have huge claw-like hands for digging deep in the soil.

- Digging behavior: voles leave small holes, while moles leave big mounds. Voles rarely dig deeper than one foot, while moles regularly dig as deep as three feet.

But the biggest difference between moles and voles is their diets: moles are carnivores, while voles are herbivores. In other words, moles won't eat your plants — but voles will!

Here's an easy way to remember the difference: think of the 'm' in mole for 'meat-eater' and the 'v' in vole for 'vegetation-eater.'

Why Voles Are a Gardener's Worst Nightmare

Voles won't just nibble on your plants — they can wipe out your entire garden before you even realize what's happening. These tiny troublemakers have huge appetites, eating up to 100% of their body weight in vegetative material every day!

Their teeth are built for destruction, too. Voles have four ever-growing front teeth called incisors that are coated in an iron-rich enamel, giving them a distinctive orange color. Since their teeth never stop growing, they never stop gnawing — meaning your plants are always at risk of being attacked by voles.

How to Get Rid of Voles For Good.

From repellents and poisons to traps and baits, there are plenty of ways people try to get rid of voles — but all of these methods are temporary, time-consuming, and sometimes dangerous to other plants and animals.

Vole King makes stainless steel mesh baskets that are proven to protect your plants from voles and other burrowing rodents for life — no need to reset traps or reapply repellent.

Planting with Vole King baskets is as easy as 1, 2, 3:

Step 1: Take your plant out of its pot.

Step 2: Put your plant in the Vole King basket.

Step 3: Plant your plant in the basket in the ground.

How Vole King Baskets Work

A vole kills a plant by eating its root ball to get to its crown — the vital part where its underground roots meet its aboveground shoots. Our basket goes around your plant's root ball; your plant's feeder roots can grow through the basket, but burrowing rodents can't chew through it. Voles might nibble on your plant's feeder roots, but they won't be able to survive off them, so they'll move on in search of sufficient meals elsewhere.

Don't just take our word for it: North Carolina State University found tomato plants protected by Vole King baskets grow 38% more roots and 18% more fruit than tomato plants not protected by Vole King baskets.

Be Proactive, Not Reactive

Don't wait for voles to turn your garden into their kingdom this spring. Be proactive, not reactive: protect your plants with Vole King baskets today!