The voles belong to the family Cricetidae. There are many vole species, including woodland voles and meadow voles. The voles live under snowpack, from sea level to high mountains, and in riparian habitats. The voles leave worn tracks on the lawn once the snow melts. The vole’s tunnel on the surface and their surface tunnels are very visible in early spring. The voles possess a body with rounded ears, black fur, enlarged front feet, and a grey underside, while shrews have pointed snouts.
The voles, also called meadow mouse species, have short tails of almost 5 inches in length. They possess a body weight between 27 and 97 grams. Voles are herbivores. Voles eat plants, tubers, bulbs, and a variety of grasses. The voles prefer meadows, weeds, tree bark, roots, shrubs, and dense, heavy vegetative cover. The vole stores plant matter underground. The voles reproduce very quickly, causing a vole family to become triple in size. The voles are often mistaken for house mice since they are rodents.
On the other hand, moles belong to the family Talpidae. Three species of moles are present in South Carolina. They possess small eyes, large paws, nearly invisible eyes, and dark brown spots caused by clusters of monocytes. However, there are no external ears. Moles live in wetland, grassland, and woodland. Moles are solitary animals living in underground burrows. Moles burrow in the soil year-round. The moles do not eat grass and flower roots, but they are meat-eaters. Their primary diet consists of earthworms, larvae, beetles, insects, and white grubs.
Although both moles and voles look similar, differences also exist. For example, both moles and voles burrow in the ground. Both moles and voles are most active in the morning and evening in the fall or spring. However, the realization that both small animals dig underground and the rhyming of their names are the only similarities between these two critters. The voles and moles are sometimes confused with a pocket gopher which is a rodent with more giant teeth. The voles do not burrow in tunnels, like moles, but eat plants. However, both pests cause extensive damage to garden plants and grasses.
As voles burrow for food, they cause lawn damage and damage to the root systems. The meadow voles cause damage to the base of fruit trees and plants. There are many ways to pest control. Habitat modification is essential in controlling the vole problem and mole problem. Both pests carry parasites and infectious diseases; it is necessary to wear gloves while handling these creatures and other animals. Habitat modification is considered effective for vole control or mole control purposes.
The other ways to prevent mole and vole damage include regularly removing excess litter, weeds, mulch, and thatch from the yard. The castor oil adds a nasty smell to the voles and mole tunnels, deterring them. Despite all these facts, people still confuse these creatures. There is no need to worry as this blog post has provided exciting facts and information about these creatures, as mentioned below;
Vole
Mole
The voles are ground-dwelling, small, and chunky rodents. These animal species have short tails, short legs, and stocky bodies. The adults possess a body with black and brown colors, and dark gray-colored underparts. In addition to it, the dense underfur, with longer and thicker guard hairs, is also present.
The moles are small animals, having a subterranean lifestyle. These animal species possess reduced hindlimbs, very small, inconspicuous ears and eyes, cylindrical bodies, velvety fur, and short, strong forelimbs with large paws that help them dig underground. In addition to it, there is a pink fleshy snout and tiny eyes.
The voles are present in various countries worldwide, including Asia, Europe, North America, Guatemala, Mexico, the British Isles, Japan, Taiwan, Southern China, and African countries of Libya. They are also native to various habitats, such as open areas with plenty of long grass, and woodlands. They also make burrows under the shelter of trees.
The moles are also present in various countries worldwide, like the vole species. For example, they are found in every country except South America and Antarctica. They are native to various habitats; these creatures live in mixed woodland, playgrounds, gardens, sand dunes, urban areas, grasslands, and in any place that has soil.
The Eastern meadow vole possesses a body length of about 12 centimeters, and the common vole has a body length of up to 10 centimeters. In addition to it, the common vole weighs almost 27 grams. In contrast, the Eastern meadow voles weigh about 43 grams.
The star-nosed moles possess a body length of about 12 centimeters, and the European mole has a body length of almost 13 centimeters. In addition to this, the star-nosed moles weigh up to 49 grams. In contrast, the European moles have an average weight of up to 88 grams.
The voles are herbivores, meaning they will only eat plants. They feed on various bulbs, tubers, herbaceous plants, and grasses. However, their diet consists of roots of trees and bark in winter or fall. Besides eating, these small animals store seeds and other plant matter in underground chambers to eat during a crucial time.
The moles require a proper diet, like other animals, to survive on the earth’s surface. The earthworms are considered the essential components of their diet. For instance, 50 grams of earthworms are required by an 80 grams mole every day. They also eat insect larvae during the summer.
The voles communicate through two primary signals; singing and squeaks. The M. hartingi creates sounds of much higher frequency than other vole species. Furthermore, all male vole species sing during the females, courtship and squeak in distress conditions. They also emit UV vocalizations above the human range during social interactions.
The moles may discern light from dark though many species of moles are blind. Despite the flaps over their ears, these animal species also possess keen hearing. Various vocal sounds are used by these creatures to communicate, but the common ones are odors and vibrations. Furthermore, the vibrations and smells are considered the most important signals to communicate.
Research has shown that voles can breed any time of the year, but the spring’s breeding period is higher. These tiny creatures are incredibly prolific. In addition to it, the female vole matures in about 35 to 40 days and can have five to ten litters per year.
The male moles enlarge their tunnels to more territories, finding more female moles to mate. The females can give birth to about three and four hairless babies. The hair growth starts when mole babies get 14 years old, leaving tunnels at five to six weeks.
Although voles cause great damage to the plants’ roots and stems, there are also some advantages of these tiny creatures. They play an essential role in the ecosystem. These animals disperse nutrients throughout the upper layers of soil. They are a food source for other animals.
Although moles have many disadvantages, there are also some advantages. They play an essential role in the soil management and control of undesirable insects and grubs. These small mammals permit better soil aeration by shifting and tunneling soil particles.
The voles live for a specific time, after which they die. The smaller vole species live for up to three to six months in the wild. In contrast, the lifespan gets increased to about 12 months or more in captivity. The European water mole lives longer but mostly dies during its second or third winter.
The moles also live for a specific time, like voles and other animals, after which death occurs. For instance, they can live for only three years in the wild. In contrast, the lifespan gets increased to about six years in captivity. In addition to it, these small mammals can dig underground about 160 feet deep.
Many animals prey on voles to meet their survival needs. Their primary predators are gulls, foxes, coyotes, badgers, weasels, cats, hawks, owls, etc.
The moles become the food of various animals to fulfill their survival needs. Their primary predators are hawks, weasels, coyotes, owls, foxes, skunks, snakes, etc.
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, voles are considered one of the most endangered small mammals in the United States. It was listed in the category of endangered species under the California act in 1980.
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the European moles are considered the species of most minor concern. However, the standard mole population is stable due to many ecological facts.
FAQ’s
Sometimes people get confused and raise questions about vole vs mole to clear their minds. Therefore, the answers to some of those questions are as mentioned below;
How do I get rid of voles?
There are various ways to control vole damage, including removing vegetation, using live traps, protecting young trees, using natural repellants, contacting a pest management company, etc.
Conclusion
Various animals and plants are present worldwide, all possessing unique identification characters discriminating against them. The same is the case with voles and moles. Both are different animal species. But people still confuse them. There is no need to worry as this blog post provides exciting facts and information about these creatures to clear people’s minds. It will help greatly if you read this article with great care and attention.
