Voles are small mammals, commonly called mice, that live in field and shrub habitats.
In the wild, voles forage on native vegetation and provide a valuable food source for predators such as weasels, hawks, and snakes. In horticultural plantings, including flower and shrub plantings and home orchards, however, voles can cause damage by eating flower bulbs, girdling the stems of woody plants, and gnawing roots. Plants not killed outright may be invaded by diseases or die from water stress during periods of drought. Surveys of wild habitats across North Carolina and reports by North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service agents indicate that voles are likely to occur in just about any upland habitat in the state. Furthermore, Extension agents report that voles have caused moderate to severe damage in home landscapes and gardens in about 90 percent of the state.