Are Moles and Voles the Same Animal?

Spring is just around the corner, which means you will soon be back into the routine of yard work, such as gardening, lawn care, mulching, and more. And if you want all your hard work to pay off, be sure your property is protected against nuisance wildlife that will be sure to destroy it all. The most common lawn and garden pillagers are moles and voles, which coincidentally, are often confused for the other since not many people are really sure what the difference is between them.

Are voles wild hamsters? Are moles the same thing as a vole? If you want to protect your lawn and garden this spring, continue reading to learn what you need to know about these nuisance animals.

Indianapolis Wildlife Removal and Control 317-847-6409
A Townsend’s Mole

Yard Moles

You may be interested to learn that moles are in the same scientific family as shrews and bats. They live a subterranean lifestyle, which means they make tunnels and burrow underground. Moles have also adapted have polydactyl forepaws, allowing them to easily dig complex tunnel systems below ground. Moles can live in low-oxygen environments because, according to Wikipedia, “(…) their blood cells have a special form of hemoglobin that has a higher affinity to oxygen than other forms.”

As insectivores, they feed only on bugs, usually grubs and other small invertebrates. In fact, their saliva contains a toxin that paralyzes earthworms! They even squeeze the worm first to eliminate all of the soil and waste inside them! Many people think that moles are blind and deaf, or lack eyes altogether; but the truth is, they have very tiny eyes and ears, and use them just fine. In fact, the star-nosed mole can detect, catch and eat prey faster than the human eye can see!

Voles

Voles are part of the Rodentia order, which means they are in the same scientific family as rats and mice. If you have ever had a pet hamster, you have basically had a pet vole since they are also part of the same family and order. Voles are also referred to as “meadow mice”, “pine mice”, and “field mice.” Although there are meadow voles, which primarily live above ground, most voles live underground in tunnel systems, just a few inches below the surface. In fact, voles will use mole tunnels too.

Indianapolis Critter Removal and Control 317-847-6409
A Short-Tailed Field Vole

In contrast to moles, voles primarily eat grasses, roots, tubers, seeds, fruits, bark, underground fungi, and other plant material. Their biggest predators are hawks, owls, snakes, and even cats, so they prefer grassy, underbrush areas near food sources so they can remain hidden. Voles are also very prolific breeders, which means an infestation can be highly destructive to a lawn or garden. They can produce 4 to 6 litters each year, which can add up to hundreds of voles in one tunnel system.

How to Protect Your Lawn from Nuisance Moles

Regardless of whether or not you confuse moles for voles, or vice versa, the strategies to effectively reduce or eliminate nuisance activity is the same for both animals. Moles and voles will both destroy lawns and pillage gardens, making preventative maintenance and animal-proofing a must, especially if you are already aware of their presence. To abate moles and voles, contact a licensed Indianapolis wildlife removal company for critter control assistance.

Yard Mole Removal and Control in Indianapolis, Indiana

Call Modern Wildlife Control at 615-336-5503 when you need professional animal trapping and removal for yard moles in Indianapolis, Indiana and surrounding areas. Our DNR licensed and insured wildlife rescue and control specialists offer safe and humane squirrel abatement services, clean up and minor restorations for animal damages, 24 hour emergency service, and free estimates. Get started and request a free estimate or advice, today.

Modern Wildlife Control Indianapolis, Indiana
Modern Wildlife Control Indianapolis, Indiana

How to Solve Nuisance Groundhog Problem

In light of the recent annual occasion of Groundhog’s Day, and although he didn’t see his shadow this year, let us still discuss this common nuisance animal endured by thousands of Hoosiers all across the state. Most people go years before realizing they have a groundhog problem on their property. This is likely due to the prospect that many people are not even sure what a groundhog is or what they look like. Well, it is time to clear up the confusion, and show you the best way to solve your woodchuck problem once and for all!

Continue reading to learn what you should know about groundhogs, and how to get rid of them if they become a problem for you.

Indianapolis Groundhog Removal Service
Indianapolis Groundhog Removal Service 317-847-6409

Groundhogs are Also Called Woodchucks

Groundhogs do not really have an appealing name; do they? When you put “ground” and “hog” together, you don’t really paint an attractive visual image. The truth is, they are part of the rodent family, so this particular mental image is probably not too far off. As children, many of us remember the riddle, “how much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?” Well, groundhogs are woodchucks!

Groundhogs are the largest members of the Sciuridae family, which is reserved for medium-sized rodents like squirrels. Adults are an average of 16 to 20 inches long, and weigh between 5 to 12 pounds.  They have brownish tan fur, sharp claws, and long tails, usually 6 inches in length. In the wild, they can live up to 10 years, but generally have lifespans that average between 3 and 6 years. As herbivores, groundhogs can eat roughly one-third of their body weight in vegetation each day; however, they are known to eat insects at times.

Groundhogs are Known as an “Edge Species”

Known as edge species, groundhogs like to linger in transitional areas where forest meets a well-vegetated open field or meadow. As a diurnal species, they are active during the day, and spend most of their time underground in complex burrow systems. Dry soil in good condition is a prime target area for groundhogs because it makes for the best burrowing. It is common to find groundhog burrows near fence lines, houses, hedgerows, and lined trees. Their digging can be quite destructive to residential and commercial lawns, making them quite to nuisance to many.

What to Do About Nuisance Groundhogs

Common signs of a groundhog problem include more than just mounds of soil and visible lawn burrowing. You may also notice chewing on garden vegetables, damaged crops, chewed irrigation lines, and paw prints in soil. If you see signs of groundhog burrowing or activity, your first step is to contact a local and trusted Indianapolis wildlife control company for a full-property inspection. They retain the proper permits, training, and technologies to accurately identify a woodchuck infestation, and recommended the best course of action to get rid of them, safely and humanely.

Professional Indianapolis Groundhog Removal Services at the Right Price

Whether you call them groundhogs or woodchucks, these nuisance animals are highly destructive and should be abated as soon as possible. Call Modern Wildlife Control at 317-847-6409 for groundhog removal and control service in Indianapolis, Indiana and its surrounding counties. Our Indianapolis wildlife control operators are standing by, waiting to help you get rid of groundhogs at a price you can afford, and in a time frame that is convenient for you. Contact us to request a free estimate or free advice, anytime. We also offer dead animal removal and emergency after-hours animal removal services.

Modern Wildlife Control Indianapolis
Modern Wildlife Control Indianapolis