A Vole’s Role in a Garden

I have voles in my garden. While many people may see this as a serious disadvantage and a problem to be solved, I like to look at the positive and recognize the role that these creatures perform in garden ecology.

I like to do the same with all the «pest» species that are present in my organic garden. I appreciate all the wildlife around me and try to understand the parts that each organism plays within the system as a whole. Understanding the ecology better is always the first and most important step in successful organic gardening.

Voles, also known as meadow mice, are typically considered a pest species in a garden because they will quickly devour everything from seedlings to overwintering plants in a polytunnel or greenhouse.

Voles can eat all your seeds and seedlings if they are not protected before they get a chance to germinate and sprout. I tend to start most seeds indoors and plant out only when they are a little larger, in part so that I can avoid this issue.

These voracious creatures can also eat your vegetables—brassicas are a particular favorite, and they also enjoy root crops. They will often eat bulbs planted in a garden in the fall. And they can strip your fruit harvest from berry bushes, too. Sometimes, voles can even strip the bark off the base of trees and shrubs.

With thefts rumbling on all year, it is often in autumn when populations rise to the point where voles are often most considered a problem. While voles are frequently mistaken for moles, shrews, and mice, they are often most noticed through autumn and into the winter months, though they are present in many gardens year-round.

While the vole's vegetarian diet often means that they like to eat the same things that we do, which brings them