West says eliminating weeds, ground cover and litter around lawns and ornamental plantings reduces habitat and can decrease vole damage. Cover should be cleared three feet or more from the base of trees. Cylinders of hardware cloth can protect individual plants and should be buried six inches below the ground surface. Just 5 of the 23 species of vole occur in Utah. West says their population cycles are unpredictable but generally peak every two to five years and can range from a few to several hundred per acre.
Frightening devices are ineffective.
They alter the taste of plants and make them unpalatable, but their effectiveness is short-lived. West says both can be effective but there are safety concerns that must be addressed before using them. Information about these toxicants is available through your local USU Extension office. If voles invade the home, which is rare, they can be removed with the same snap traps or live traps used for mice. While they pose no major public health problems, voles can carry disease organisms and should only be handled with appropriate protective clothing such as leather gloves.