Voles (Meadow Voles)

Lawn Damage • Burrowers • Common in Connecticut Yards

Voles – Connecticut Identification & Lawn Damage Guide:

Voles, often called meadow voles, are small rodents that cause extensive lawn and garden damage across Connecticut. While they don’t typically invade homes, they create visible surface runways and chew on the roots of grass, shrubs, and ornamental plants. Connecticut’s heavy vegetation, stone walls, and moist soil create ideal vole habitat.

Identification:

• Length: 4–6 inches
• Body: Stocky, compact
• Tail: Short (unlike mice)
• Color: Brownish-gray
• Snout: Blunter than a mouse
• Eyes/ears: Smaller and more hidden

Homeowners sometimes mistake them for mice, but voles primarily stay outdoors.

Behavior & Habitat:

Voles remain active year-round and do not hibernate.

Common locations:

• Lawns
• Garden beds
• Around foundation shrubs
• Under wood piles
• Near stone walls

They create shallow runways through grass and dig small entrance holes to underground nests.

Signs of Vole Activity:

• Snake-like lawn trails
• 1–2 inch holes near shrubs
• Damaged tree bark at ground level
• Dead grass patches
• Gnawing at plant roots

Damage is especially visible in spring, after snow melt exposes their winter tunneling.

Why Voles Are Common in Connecticut:

• Moist soil conditions
• Thick vegetation
• Stone walls and natural hiding spots
• Long winters (voles feed under snow)

Eastern Connecticut and rural towns see particularly high activity.

When to Call a Professional:

If vole runways multiply or shrubs are dying, control measures are needed.

Rodent Control in CT 

• Moisture pests
• Pest Prevention