Sasha CampbellYou may start to notice voles scurrying around your yard. These small rodents can be a nuisance, as they can cause damage to your garden and lawn.
Don’t worry, though; we’re here to help. In this article, we’ll discuss some of the best ways to get rid of voles using only natural methods.
Identification
A vole is a small rodent that often gets mistaken for a mouse. Voles also resemble pocket gophers.
Voles are primarily herbivores. They eat roots, tubers, grasses, seeds, bulbs, and plant leaves and stems in your garden and yard. They may also eat the bark of young trees, often in the fall or winter [1].
How to Get Rid of Voles Naturally
If you have voles on your property, getting rid of them as soon as possible is essential. There are several natural ways to do this, so you can choose the one that best fits your needs.
1. Castor Oil
Consider using castor oil to repel voles. It is often used as a natural repellent to keep away moles and voles.
Combine a half-gallon of water with 3 ounces of castor oil and one tablespoon of liquid soap.
Mix one ounce of this castor oil solution with one gallon of water. Finally, spray it all around your garden and other affected areas.
2. Live Traps
These traps are great for trapping voles and are designed to capture them without causing them harm.
Moreover, live traps do not involve as much effort as other methods.
You can purchase them at your local home improvement store or online. Make sure to read the instructions carefully before setting up the trap.
3. Fencing
You can use fencing as a great way to keep these critters out of your yard, but you must ensure proper installation.
If you choose to put up a fence, make sure it’s at least a foot high and six inches below the ground’s surface. You should also ensure that there are no gaps in the fence that the voles can slip through.
A 0.25-inch stainless steel wire mesh fence is ideal.
4. Hot Pepper Spray
You could also try a natural deterrent, like hot pepper spray.
For the recipe, blend two hot peppers in a quart of water, then add a little liquid soap to make a hot pepper spray.
Once the mixture is ready, place it in a spray bottle and spritz it on areas where you’ve seen voles. The smell will drive the voles away.
5. Clean Up Landscaping
Another way to deter voles from settling in your yard is to keep the area clean and debris-free.
Start by regularly mowing your lawn and removing dead vegetation, such as fallen leaves and branches. Also, look for stumps or other hiding places where voles might nest.
In addition, it helps to remove any overgrown grass, weeds, and shrubs from around your property. Doing so will help reduce potential nesting sites and eliminate food sources for voles, like plant roots and berries.
Removing mulch can make a big difference, too. If you have piles of leaves in your yard, clear them away as soon as possible.
6. Garlic
Garlic is regularly used in pest management by organic farmers, and its pungent odor can effectively deter voles.
To use garlic, crush some garlic cloves and place them in each vole hole.
You can also make a garlic spray by combining minced garlic or garlic powder with water. Strain it into a spray bottle and apply this homemade vole repellent to the soil around your plants.
7. Remove Hiding Places
As you know, voles hide in thick vegetation and grassy pasture-like areas. So, to prevent them from coming around, you need to remove all the hiding places around your garden and yard.
You can start by removing piles of logs, moving mulch away, and removing overgrown ground covers. Doing so will help discourage voles from living near your home.
Also, trim your lawn regularly and keep the grass short. Doing so will make voles uncomfortable.
They will look elsewhere if they cannot find an ideal hiding spot.
8. Predator Urine
Predator urine is one of the most overlooked but effective natural solutions to scare away voles.
The scent of predator urine creates fear among these rodents. It will make them believe a predator is hunting them, so they will look for safer places to nest.
You can purchase products containing the urine of foxes, coyotes, or even wolves. Try a few to see which one works best for your vole problem.
9. Wrap Tree Trunks
One way to keep voles from damaging trees is to wrap the tree trunks with chicken wire or hardware cloth. The metal wire will protect the tree bark from being gnawed on.
10. Encourage Owls
Owls are also natural predators of voles and can help keep their population under control [2]. You can encourage owls by building a birdhouse or nesting box in your backyard.
11. Remove Food Sources
Another simple thing you can do to keep voles away permanently is to remove their food sources.
They’ll go somewhere else if there’s no food for them. So secure crops they’ll likely feast on, wrap tree trunks, etc.
12. Baking Soda
Baking soda can be used as DIY rat poison if you combine it with sugar and flour.
You can, therefore, try the same formula to make homemade vole poison. Just combine equal parts sugar, baking soda, and flour in a small container.
You can also add a little cocoa powder to the mixture. Finally, place the container where voles come and go.
13. BONIDE MoleMax
If you are looking for something more potent that works fast, then BONIDE MoleMax is your solution. It is made from natural ingredients, and it is safe to use around children and pets.
The active ingredients in this product are castor oil and Fuller’s earth. These ingredients have long been used as natural repellents for small animals such as voles, gophers, armadillos, and moles.
Apply according to the product instructions.
Takeaway
In conclusion, if voles are a problem in your yard or garden, there are several humane DIY methods to get rid of them. Try one or a combination of these methods, and you will likely see a decrease in the number of voles in your yard.
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