The common vole traps kill the rodents, although this does not always work reliably. Therefore, live traps are the better option. If you don't want to buy a model from a hardware store or online, you can build your own live trap with a little craftsmanship.
How does the vole trap work?
Voles are careful and dig up foreign objects in their burrows with soil. Therefore, it is important that you show patience and try different fishing methods. Once you find the right strategy, you will benefit from long-lasting success. Basically, the models can be divided into snap traps, shot traps and tube traps.
Excursus
Who is behind the vole?
Voles are a subfamily and contain around 150 different species. This includes the field mouse, which is considered a pest on deep arable land and in gardens because of its preference for grasses, seeds, herbs and grains. On the other hand, the bank vole is more of a forest pest and is rarely found in the home garden.
Water voles are also voles and are tied to water. Of these species, the eastern water vole is a possible pest. Muskrats are considered pests of ecosystems because they prefer to eat reed plants. Lemmings are also voles, although they are predominantly restricted to arctic regions.
Shock traps
Snap traps are widespread but a rather unpleasant instrument
These models are cocked and released by the animal. Bait ensures that the rodents are attracted. If the mouse gets on the trigger plate, the trap slams shut and the animal dies from a broken neck. The risk of a painful death is very high if the snap traps capture the mouse incorrectly.
Many vole traps also kill the protected mole. Accurate species identification is therefore necessary.
Wire Traps
The best-known wire trap for catching voles is the Bavarian vole trap. This trap is baited and tensioned by forcefully squeezing the tentacles and fixing them with the release plate. The Baden wire trap is a variation of this model in which the tentacles are crossed.
When pressed together, they open so that either a release plate or a metal ring can be clamped between them. These traps can be purchased in almost every hardware store or garden center such as Hornbach or Bauhaus. They cost about three euros.
Advantages and disadvantages:
- effective and affordable
- can be used multiple times, even without bait
- does not work in both directions
Plier traps
The pincer trap works on a similar principle to wire traps. They have gripping arms that spread when squeezed. To fix it, a release plate is clamped between them. The advantage is that these models can be triggered from both sides. A bait is necessary so that the vole pulls hard on the trigger plate. The models cost around three euros.
Box Traps
These models are ideal for combating voles because the trigger mechanism cannot be actively activated by moles. In the box, which can be made of plastic, wood or metal, there is a spring-loaded striker bar. This snaps into place on a release hook when cocked.
Only when the vole pulls hard on the hook does the mechanism release. It is therefore necessary to equip the hook with bait. Box traps only catch in one direction. The Sugan vole trap from Neudorff performs best in the price comparison and is characterized by good experiences.
Cylinder Traps
These models consist of a housing in which there is a cylinder. It is pushed or pulled upwards with a tension lever. Depending on the model, plastic rods or rods with cross wires are used as triggers. When the mouse runs over it, the trigger is moved and the cylinder, which is attached to a striking spring, snaps down onto the mouse. Such models do not need to be equipped with a bait and work in both directions.
| topcat | SuperCat | |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase argument | currently the best vole trap | inexpensive replica of the expensive topcat model |
| Service | very easy | easy tensioning by pulling up the clamping bracket |
| Processing | completely made of robust stainless steel | easy to break plastic |
| Effect | fine and very sensitive trigger mechanism, suitable for lighter field mice | Drop cylinder too short, only suitable for very shallow corridors |
| Advantage | many accessories available | Bait on the trigger rod increases catching success |
| Disadvantage | high-quality products have their price | Vole often meanders past the trigger |
Shot Traps
Dumping waste traps are loaded with blank cartridges. Since the rodent triggers the trap itself, these models are also known as “self-shooting vole traps”. However, she will not be killed by a mechanical blow or a direct shot. When triggered, a pressure wave caused by gas pressure is created, which has a fatal effect on the vole within milliseconds. It also penetrates centimeter-thick layers of earth and tears apart the lungs.
Self-firing devices
In Germany, only shooting devices with the identifier of the Physical Technical Testing Institute (PTB for short) may be sold. The killing is considered animal welfare appropriate because the rodents die immediately. However, before using these devices, you must ensure that your garden resident is a harmful vole. If you kill moles you risk being prosecuted with fines of 50,000 euros. Proof of age is required to purchase ammunition. Buyers must be at least 18 years old.
Proven shooting devices:
- Kieferle W2 PTB 875: Self-shooting holder for vertical positioning
- Göbel Torero 935: Trigger mechanism additionally protected, so that the trap is suitable for sandy soils
- Auber PTB 2: reliable function thanks to the fine trigger mechanism
- Top-Fox PTB 936: fine mechanism that can be triggered from both sides
Tube traps
The tube trap is a live trap that consists of two plastic tubes inserted into one another. There are openings at both ends so that the animals can be caught from both directions. After the rodent has crawled into the tube, non-return valves prevent it from escaping. Slots allow for easy visual inspection. An additional bait inside attracts voles and prevents them from digging an escape tunnel just before the trap.
Set up the vole trap correctly
Many tunnels under construction are not used regularly, so the trap has little success here. Poke the ground with a sharp object and look for fresh mounds of soil. If you come across a cavity, uncover it and wait. If the hole is dug up in the near future, the passage will be inhabited by a vole. If you do not place the traps correctly or have difficulty triggering them, the mouse will quickly dig them up and cover them with soil.
Place the wire trap correctly
Wire traps are placed directly in the vole's passage and only work in one direction. It is therefore worth equipping every corridor opening with traps in both directions. Dig up the tunnel to 20 to 30 centimeters with a shovel. Insert a wooden stick into the branching corridors to check the straightness of the side tunnels.
Attempting to catch is only worthwhile if the corridors run in a straight line. The traps are pushed deep into the passage and fixed with a stick. After a while, the vole checks the passage opening so that it pushes the release leaf away and the wire trap slams shut.
Instructions for setting up tongs and box traps
Open the passage only enough so that the cocked trap can fit precisely into the hole. Place pieces of wood on the grippers and cover the trap with soil. If the hole is too large or has been inadequately covered with a block of wood or bucket to allow light to enter, the vole will avoid that area. You can tell that the trap has slammed by the gaping pincer handles.
How to set a box trap:
- in front of a tunnel opening or directly into the open corridor
- Seal the end well with soil
- can be placed on straight aisles or at bends and intersections
Set cylinder traps correctly
Special accessories are available for the topcat trap to make setting it up easier. With a search stick (price approx. 35 euros) you can locate the underground passage. Then use the separately available hole cutter (price: approx. 50 euros) to make a precisely fitting opening in the ground. A plant pruner is recommended as an inexpensive alternative.
With this method you only minimally destroy the vole exit and after successful capture you can put the plug of earth back into the hole. Cylinder traps do not leave a crater landscape in your garden.
How to proceed:
- place the cocked trap in the hole
- align according to the course of the aisle
- press surrounding ground
- When triggered, a clearly audible clicking noise is made
- triggered trap can be recognized by the loosened tensioning levers
Using a self-shooting trap
Before the cartridges are inserted into the shooting device, it must be secured. The Kieferle shot trap has a throw bar that prevents it from being accidentally triggered. Prepare a hole for the trap by opening the passage. The placement of the firing apparatus differs depending on the model. Either push the device deep into the aisle or insert it vertically into the opening.
How to tension the Kieferle apparatus;
- Push the trigger ring forward
- Fix the firing pin lever with the trigger ring
- Block rear end with a piece of wood
- Unlock device
Insert tube trap
The passage will open so that you can push the trap into the hole. The opening is closed so far that a small area around the viewing slots remains open. To save the trapped animals unnecessary stress, you should check the trap every hour. Moles may also get into the container. Since these are protected, they must be freed immediately.
Tip
Be very careful when digging up the tunnels. Voles quickly become suspicious of manipulated areas.
Buy vole trap
There is an almost endless selection of vole traps on Amazon. If you want to buy the products used, the Ebay platform is the first port of call. You can find models from high-quality brands in the Weidezaun online shop. Well-known hardware stores also offer inexpensive and effective variants.
Vole traps at Obi:
- Neudorff Sugan vole trap: effective box trap for approx. 10 euros
- Gardigo vole trap: inexpensive snap trap, price approx. 15 euros
- Swissinno: wire vole trap, zinc vole trap or SuperCat vole trap
- Celaflor vole trap: pincer trap for approx. 5 euros
Branded and discount products tested
Which model produces the best results cannot be answered in general. Success depends on various factors such as the availability of food in the garden, care and use of traps and timing of control. Therefore, no test winner can be chosen among the products presented, but only an objective comparison of the advantages and disadvantages can be offered. Product tests are offered by Stiftung Warentest, which provided information about the successful fight against voles in issue 12/2014.
| Product | How it works | Material | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swissinno vole trap | Vole trap “SuperCat” | Cylinder Traps | weather-resistant plastic | approx. 15 euros |
| Andermatt Biocontrol | “topcat” vole trap | Impact Cylinder | stainless chrome steel | approx. 70 euros |
| Kieferle vole trap | W2 Vole Shooting Device Mod. W2 | Selfshot | galvanized steel | approx. 40 euros |
| Neudorff | Sugan Vole Trap | Box trap | Plastic housing | approx. 10 euros |
| Wolf Vole Trap | “Augsburg tilting bracket” or “shear trap” | Shock traps | galvanized steel | approx. 2-3 euros |
Build your own vole trap
With just a few resources you can build your own vole trap with which you can catch the animals alive. To do this you will need a PET bottle, kebab skewer, rubber, a piece of cardboard and two paper clips. The piece of cardboard serves as a trigger plate. When pressed down by a mouse, the paper clip lock collapses and the bottle bottom snaps shut. The trap is equipped with bait and laid out similar to a tube trap.
DIY Mausefalle &38; Rattenfalle aus Flasche bauen / Lebendfalle - Mäusefalle selber machen / Anleitung
Building instructions
Cut the bottom of a PET bottle so that it is not completely separated. The floor later acts as a trap door and ensures that the vole can no longer escape. Poke two opposite holes in the sides of the bottom flap.
Tip
Heat the tips of a pair of scissors over a tea light and use them to poke holes in the plastic.
Put a kebab skewer through the two holes and let the stick protrude about a centimeter on both sides. Fold the bottom back enough so that you can poke a hole in the walls of the bottom flap and bottle. Drill a hole in a rectangular piece of cardboard that is pushed into the stomach parallel to the side of the bottle. Once you have inserted the cardboard, the hole should be about three millimeters above the opening in the bottle wall.
- Open the paper clip and bend one end into a hook
- Put the end of the hook through the cardboard
- bend the threaded wire so that it wraps around the piece of cardboard
- Push the cardboard into the bottle opposite the hole in the wall and secure it with adhesive tape
- Place rubber around the base and wrap the ends around the wooden stick several times
- Fold the base, pull the rubber slightly towards the bottle and secure it there with adhesive tape
Build a tensioning mechanism
A live trap is the most animal-friendly type of trap
The floor represents a trap door that can be bent open under tension. To tension the trap, another paper clip is necessary. Bend it open and snap the paper clip into two parts. One part is bent over at the tip to create a slightly open hook. This part is hooked into the paper clip that is already in the cardboard. Now the hook hangs freely on the cardboard. To tension the trap, insert the end of the freely hanging paper clip through the hole in the wall.
Frequently asked questions
Which baits are suitable for vole traps?
The rodents are pure vegetarians and feed on roots or bark. They gnaw on fruit trees and woody plants and damage the roots of vegetable plants and bulb flowers. Root vegetables make excellent bait. Place small pieces of celeriac or carrots in your traps. Jerusalem artichokes or potatoes are also popular. Peeled apple pieces are a real treat.
When is the best time to set up a vole trap
You should orientate yourself on the food available in the different seasons. Between April and October, nature offers a rich menu, so voles tend to spurn the bait. These are particularly effective from November to March, because then the rodents can hardly find food. At the beginning of spring, the ground is particularly loose due to frost, so you can open the aisles without causing major damage. At this time, the animals have not yet begun to reproduce and you can concentrate on controlling individual animals.
Do voles need to be controlled?
The rodents can cause damage to perennial plants, fruit trees and root vegetables. But experience shows that it is also possible to live peacefully together with voles in the garden. The herbivores will spare your ornamental and crop plants if they find enough food alternatives.
A fat meadow offers the supposed pest a rich menu. It can prove useful, as it often stocks up on couch grass and other undesirable herbs and loves to eat clover. To further protect your bulb plants, roses and fruit trees, you can plant garlic in these areas.
How do I tell if it's a vole?
The rooting test is a good measure to reveal the person responsible for mounds of earth. Open the passage in one place and wait a while. The vole will close the hole within a short time. You can also put carrots or potatoes in the aisles, which are guaranteed to be eaten by voles.
