Help - Voles devouring my lettuces.

[gata montes]

I know Voles can be a difficult problem to solve, but am hoping that someone, might have some helpful suggestions.

I noticed them for the first time, in the Spring when they were attacking my chard and potatoes,which didn't matter too much, as I had plenty. One of my neighbors, who was a bit concerned about them entering his vegetable patch, said he would plant a few traps for me, at the entrances to their tunnels, and that should be the end of the problem, we or rather he never found any voles in the traps, and since there has been no sign of vole activity for the past 4 months, thought the problem was solved.
However, in the past 14 days these creatures have devoured, over 20 lettuces, not just the root, but the whole thing, as there are now, only 25 more lettuces to eat, I am concerned as to what fruit or vegetable they are going to eat next, does anyone know what their favorite food is or what kind of winter crops they will attack.
The idea of these creatures (cute as they may be) roaming around beneath my vegetable patch, and helping themselves to whatever they want, whenever they want, is not something I am very happy about, and have to find a way to get rid of them, as fast as possible.
As mentioned earlier, hopefully someone will have, either experienced something similar, or have some good ideas, on how to get rid of these garden menaces. By the way, explosives are not an option.

 

[ChanellG]

I've never heard of these; they are kind of cute and I am not into rodents at all! Have you tried those mole things that you stick in the ground that emit some kind of pulse that is supposed to deter burrowing animals? I would also try putting something in their tunnels like steel wool. I bet that would slow them down!

 

[gata montes]

Thanks ChanellG, yes I've tried the sonic sticks for moles, which haven't worked on either moles or voles.
I'm curious about the steel wool though, is its purpose to block the entrance or exit of the tunnels, if so, would they not, just dig another entrance or exit and come up somewhere else?

 

[ChanellG]

They could, but you could just keep blocking them. They might get tired and move on to someplace else without all the hassle, you could also create barriers underground, look into border plants they don't like... put some things in containers... I think you will just have to experiment until you discourage them.

 

[gata montes]

Once again, thanks for your suggestions ChanellG, but judging by the number of tunnels these voles have made, in a short space of time, am not sure that they ever get tired!
Inserting underground barriers, could I think, be a bit of a problem, as with so many tunnels at varying levels, could lead to my vegetable patch resembling something like an archaeological excavation site and worse still, have a detrimental effect on the rotavator blades.
I've not as yet, discovered which plants voles may not like and agree continuing experimentation is probably the only answer.
Which led me to think that, as lettuce seems to be a vole delicacy, perhaps I could keep them confined to that one area, by continually planting lettuces for them to feed on. However, before being given the chance to implement this plan, had the last of the lettuces devoured over the weekend and am now, currently waiting to see what is going to be devoured next!

 

[firelily99]

I bought a pelleted deterrent that doesn't kill them, it simply makes it unpleasant for them to hang out in the plants. It worked great and they have never come back. Wish I knew the name of it because it was really effective. I had never had voles before but once they came to visit they were very busy.

 

[gata montes]

I bought a pelleted deterrent that doesn't kill them, it simply makes it unpleasant for them to hang out in the plants. It worked great and they have never come back. Wish I knew the name of it because it was really effective. I had never had voles before but once they came to visit they were very busy.

That sounds like just the thing, especially as they are currently devouring the roots of my chard but you know, its a little cruel to raise someones hopes like that, and then say, if only I knew what it was called

 

[firelily99]

Didn't mean to be cruel, its been a few years since I've used it. Go to a good garden center and they should be able to help you. Voles are amazing; I had plants that were well up and growing and then just suddenly disappear! Entire sections of hostas simply vanished! Try a search of the internet keying in vole deterrents.

 

[firelily99]

Capiscan supposedly is a deterrent, its a chemical found in hot peppers. I use Boboex to repel deer, its a natural deterrent that I bought at a garden center and it mainly consists of rotten eggs and Capiscan. What I remember about what I used on them is that it is sold as a mole and vole repellent - its not a poison, they just don't like it. My infestation was something new, for twelve years they were never a problem and then poof! they showed up.

 

[gata montes]

Capiscan supposedly is a deterrent, its a chemical found in hot peppers. I use Boboex to repel deer, its a natural deterrent that I bought at a garden center and it mainly consists of rotten eggs and Capiscan. What I remember about what I used on them is that it is sold as a mole and vole repellent - its not a poison, they just don't like it. My infestation was something new, for twelve years they were never a problem and then poof! they showed up.

Unfortunately, I live in the middle of nowhere and don't have the luxury of being able to go to a garden center, and yes I have searched all over the internet for things to remove this very destructive and annoying little b ****** from my vegetable garden.

Like you my infestation appeared from nowhere, for ten years there was not a sign of one, but like you suddenly whole plants were rapidly disappearing from the vegetable garden and it wasn't until last Spring, that I found out who the plant stealing culprits were - when I was taken by complete surprise, whilst digging up my potatoes, by one who popped up right by my foot and promptly disappeared again fortunately even in my state of shock, caught a good enough glimpse of it, to be able to identify it as a vole rather than a mole.

A combination of hot peppers and rotten eggs sounds revolting enough to keep just about anything away - Yuk . Have you tried the deer repellent Boboex on your voles, to see if it works ?

 

[firelily99]

Have you tried contacting your county or state agricultural extension? They can give you good advice on stuff like this and other garden related problems.

 

[gata montes]

Have you tried contacting your county or state agricultural extension? They can give you good advice on stuff like this and other garden related problems.

Yes that was one of the first things I did, particularly as I live in an agricultural area, but alas no one actually has an answer to this problem as yet, other than try and shoot them, which my neighbor keeps offering to do for me - I think its because he is very worried that they might move into his vegetable garden.

 

[firelily99]

I've read a few things about castor oil applications. Also (try not to hurt yourself laughing) snake poop is supposed to be good and a pet store would probably give it to you. Other than setting mouse traps for them you could order some repellent online if you aren't near a garden center. Cats will kill them as will dogs like terriers. One fellow wrote that he went out and peed around the plants for a few days and they were gone.

 

[gata montes]

I've read a few things about castor oil applications. Also (try not to hurt yourself laughing) snake poop is supposed to be good and a pet store would probably give it to you. Other than setting mouse traps for them you could order some repellent online if you aren't near a garden center. Cats will kill them as will dogs like terriers. One fellow wrote that he went out and peed around the plants for a few days and they were gone.

As I have a very vivid imagination- you've definitely got me laughing on this one .and thank you for your concern, fortunately, I haven't hurt myself laughing, yet
As mentioned earlier have tried quite a few of the trapping methods, which weren't at all successful in trapping anything.

You say cats will kill them not mine, and I have 7 plus the neighboring ones that frequent my vegetable garden, I know that cats are supposed to like rodents of all kinds, but mine, are all absolutely terrified of the voles and whenever a vole pops its head up near them - they sprint off at speed , as if being chased by an alien

Snake you say, haven't tried that, don't have a pet store nearby either, but I do have snakes that frequent the garden, and could try following them around and trying to collect their - does it have to be from a particular type of snake?

The latter I haven't tried yet either but don't think that it is something that I will be doing myself, and would probably, have to employ the services of someone with the right equipment for the job

 

[zigs]

While I was building my house I must have caught 500 or so of Mice & Voles, I used to leave large plastic milk bottle on its side with some food in the bottom. They'd soon get used to going in it.

It was just a question of sitting still till they went in and then just picking the bottle up.

Voles are really cute