The piles of mole and vole dirt look very similar at first glance. In order to combat it, it is essential to clearly identify the actual culprit. Moles are subject to strict protection, whereas voles can be hunted as real pests. You can find out here how you can reliably distinguish between the two types of animals.
How do I know if I have a mole or a vole in my garden?
To distinguish between moles and voles in the garden, pay attention to the shape of the mound, the nature of the mound and its position: molehills are high, circular, without plant remains and in the middle of a passage, while vole mounds are flat, uneven, with plant remains and at the edge of a passage opening are.
Optical distinguishing features – an overview
The similarity of their tunnel systems and mounds is only superficial. If you look closely, you can see striking differences between moles and voles. The following overview presents the most important criteria:
Hill shape and nature of the earth:
- Mole: tall, circular, without roots, leaves or grass, two fingers wide
- Vole: flat, uneven mounds of earth interspersed with plant remains, three fingers wide
Position:
- Mole: pile exactly in the middle of a corridor
- Vole: mound of earth at the edge of a tunnel opening
If you can discover bitten roots or other plant remains on or in a passage, you are dealing with a vole as the culprit. Moles feed exclusively on insects or earthworms. The soil in a molehill is therefore as clean and finely crumbly as if it had been freshly sieved.
Crowding test provides ultimate security – this is how it works
If the visual distinguishing features are not clear, there is another identification option. The rooting test leaves no doubt as to whether it is a mole or a vole. How to proceed:
Use a hand shovel or a spade to dig up the passage in question in several places. A vole will carefully close the holes again within 6 hours because it uses its burrows constantly. Since a mole usually only uses a passage once, the openings are not blocked with soil or only over the next few days.
Tip
Despite the visual clues and the burrowing method, are you still unsure whether you are dealing with a mole or a vole or water vole? Then there is a method of control that is as effective as it is non-toxic and in accordance with the Nature Conservation Act. Neudorff's vole gas is based on purely vegetable lavadin oil to scare away the voles.