Nocturnal Nibblers: Field Mice (Voles) 

Field mice, often referred to as voles, are small rodents that can be found in gardens across North America. While they may seem harmless, these nocturnal nibblers can threaten your plants. Understanding their behavior and implementing effective management strategies can help protect your garden from their voracious appetites.

Is it Good or Bad to Have Field Mice (Voles) in Your Garden?

Field mice, or voles, are generally considered garden pests due to their herbivorous diet. They feed on a wide variety of plants, including the roots, stems, and leaves. In large numbers, voles can cause significant damage to your garden, especially in the winter when food sources are scarce.

Identifying Field Mice (Voles):

• Size and Appearance: Voles are small rodents, measuring about 3 to 5 inches in length. They have stocky bodies, short legs, and short tails. Their fur can range from brown to gray, depending on the species.
• Tunnels: Voles create shallow surface tunnels in lawns and gardens, which are about 1 to 2 inches wide. These tunnels are often visible in the grass or soil.
• Feeding Signs: Look for evidence of gnawed stems, roots, and tubers, as well as chewed bark on trees and shrubs.

The Lifecycle of Field Mice (Voles):

1. Breeding: Voles reproduce throughout the year, with some species having multiple litters annually. They can have several offspring in each litter.
2. Lifespan: The average lifespan of a vole is about 3 to 12 months, depending on the species and environmental conditions.

What Field Mice (Voles) Like to Eat:

Field mice primarily feed on plants, including:

• Roots of grasses and herbaceous plants
• Vegetables like carrots, potatoes, and beets
• Tree bark and seedlings
• Bulbs and tubers

Managing Field Mice (Voles) in a Sustainable Way:

1. Natural Predators: Encourage natural predators like owls, hawks, foxes, and snakes, which help control vole populations.
2. Habitat Modification: Reduce tall grasses and weeds near your garden to limit hiding spots for voles.
3. Physical Barriers: Use hardware cloth or wire mesh around the base of trees and shrubs to prevent voles from gnawing on the bark.
4. Traps: Use humane live traps to capture and relocate voles away from your garden.
5. Repellents: Apply natural repellents like castor oil-based products to deter voles from specific areas.
6. Companion Planting: Plant vole-resistant species or use bulbs like daffodils and alliums, which voles tend to avoid.
7. Monitoring: Keep an eye on your garden for signs of vole activity, and take action promptly if you suspect an infestation.

By understanding their behavior and implementing sustainable management techniques, you can help protect your garden from their nocturnal nibbling habits. This balanced approach allows both your plants and voles to coexist in your outdoor space.