Voles are small, stocky rodents that spend most of their time at or below ground level, creating shallow surface runways through grass and gardens as they forage. Damage is often most visible after the snow melts in early spring, revealing chewed trails, girdled tree bark, and bare patches in the lawn.
Because voles feed on plant roots, bulbs, and bark, they can be a persistent nuisance in gardens and around young trees. Keeping grass mowed short, clearing mulch away from tree trunks, and reducing ground cover near garden beds make a property less appealing to them.