I’ve decided to make my original voles and hosta post into its very own vole-hosta FAQ page to help people who are looking for vole-hosta info. Some of the questions are based on the search terms that people used to find this page. If this information is helpful or if you have additional information to add – please comment!
You can view my original – and often updated – voles and hosta post here.
You can also check out a vole proof raised bed I made here or read ALL of my vole and hosta category posts here.
Do voles eat hosta? / Do voles eat hosta roots?
Yes, voles are big time hosta lovers. The roots and crowns seem (at least to me anyway) the most highly desired vole food there is.
Do moles eat hosta?
Moles do not eat much hosta if any. Vegetation comprises a very tiny amount of what a mole eats if any at all. If you have damage to your hosta and you know that you have moles, you probably also have voles. Although I haven’t actually interviewed a vole for this blog, I have read that voles can utilize mole holes to forage for food and it would not be unusual to have both voles and moles in the same enviroment. Moles primarily eat worms and grubs. If you have a nice garden, well fortified with organic material, you will probably have worms thus you might attract moles. Another favorite of moles are grubs. If you’ve seen grubs or worms when you are digging, your garden could easily attract moles and the voles might follow.
What attracts voles to my garden?
Besides the wonderful plants that you have set out for lunch, voles love to forage under thich mulches, leaves, tall grass, last year’s plants and even your compost pile. My vole problem came about when the house next door to me was abandoned and no on mowed the yard or raked any leaves for a year. By the time I realized what was happening, the vole problem was out of control and I lost many, many hosta.
If you think you have voles, be sure to rake all of your leaves and get rid of perennial debris after the frost or as soon as recommended for that particular variety of plant. Keep any grass mowed and keep weeds at bay with regular weeding or chemical weed destruction if that’s your cup of tea. If the house next to yours is abandoned and you have a garden that you simply can’t live without, suck it up and mow the yard and rake the leaves – at least until you can pinpoint the bank/municipality/current owner. Even then, don’t count on them to keep it perfect. It’s your garden that’s at risk – they could really care less.
I will point out here that I use mulch, I have always used mulch and I need to use mulch as my soil is terribly sandy and can’t hold a drop of water without it. I never had vole troubles until the yard next door became the perfect habitat. So, while I will continue to use mulch, I will be extra careful about leaves accumulating in the fall.
Don’t voles hibernate? Can’t I take the winter off?
No. No rest for the weary. Voles are active all year so it’s important that you continue your vole control of choice throughout the entire year. This includes getting out there and raking all of those leaves and if you’re an obsessive gardener that means raking them even when they are in the neighboring yards!
What do voles look like?
Voles look a lot like mice but they have short tails and appear as if they don’t have ears either. They do have ears, they just aren’t big like mice. Many voles have grey fur as well as fur that is sort of cinnamon in color across their back. Here’s one that our cat Cheesefry caught in the garden.
Do voles have tails?
Yes. The type that I have in my area has a tail that is longer than a hamster and shorter than a mouse. It’s a short, stubby tail!
CLICK ON “VOLES AND HOSTA” ON THE LEFT OF THIS PAGE TO READ ALL OF MY VOLE RELATED POSTS!
