What are the major differences among a mouse, a vole, and. The masked shrew is found across the northern us and canada and is the most common member of the group nationwide. Shrews are small and mousesized, while moles are larger, with bodies about 6. A vole is a small, bulky, beadyeyed, mouse like creature with a long, furry tail and distinct molars. And if were up to us, the term vole would go away and the different types would be given names that had mouse somewhere in them. How can i tell the difference between a shrew and a mouse. Weeks ago this was frequently visited by a harvest mouse who. So if what i caught in my birdseed bag in my house is definitely not a mouse, then it must be a vole, right. Youll find a long, sparsely furred tail on a mouse.
Thus, metal guards are sold to prevent such vole damage. And finally, a shrew has a pointed snout, but unlike the mole, a shrews front feet are not enlarged. There are seven species of moles and 33 different kinds of shrews in north america. Voles make several exit holes in flower beds and lawns. Voles have compact, stocky bodies and are usually 5 to 7 inches long from the tip of the nose to the end of the tail. They primarily eat plant materials, such as trees bark, bulbs, grasses and bulbs. Spring snowmelt often reveals chewed bark, especially on young trees and shrubs.
There are many types of moles, many types of voles, and many types of shrews. Keep in mind that many mouse traps dont work with shrews because the pests are light enough to not trigger the trap. Voles are sometimes confused with the common house mouse however, voles spend their entire lives living outdoors and it is very uncommon for them to invade the inside of a home or other building. These two creatures often get people mixed up but on close examination the two can be distinguished. Voles prefer eating plant materials and generally dont do well indoors. People untrained in identifying these creatures may initially think the same thing about moles, such as the eastern mole scalopus aquaticus, based on body size and the color of the fur. They dont belong to the same scientific order, despite superficial resemblance to one another. They are the primary food source for many small mammals and birds in alaska, including weasels, martens, foxes, coyotes, owls, hawks and jaegers.
Nov, 2017 keep turfgrass mowed and dethatched regularly, and keep mulch cleared from around tree bases. Both are small, furry rodents, but mice generally have large eyes, large ears and long tails close to or greater than the length of their bodies. How to rid your yard of moles or voles or both wtop. This little mammal hunts for insects above ground and in tunnels made by moles or voles. The difference between a mole and a vole the spruce. The rodent is alternately known as the field mouse or meadow mouse. And finally, a shrew has a pointed snout, but unlike the mole, a shrew s front feet are not enlarged.
These creatures are often generically referred to as moles, but they may actually be moles, voles, or shrews. Voles are among the smallest mammals adults weigh less than four ounces yet they play a huge role in the food chain. But, mainly, the vole will eat the stems and blades of lawn grass. A vole may also damage flower bulbs and potatoes in the garden. So heres a quick guide to distinguishing a vole, a shrew and a mouse as it races past. Some of the differences between mice and voles can be noted by observing their tails, eyes, nose and ears. How to get rid of voles and shrews in your garden or lawn. Mike mcgrath has your molevole 101 plus tips and tools to rid your yard of these pests. As verbs the difference between shrew and vole is that shrew is obsoletetransitive to beshrew. The pygmy shrew is the super light and one of the most common shrews, which doesnt weigh more than an ounce.
Mowing and removing protective foliage in the yard can help prevent voles. If not, then it mostly likely isnt a mole, vole or shrew. A shrew has a pointed snout and, contrary to a mole, its front feet are not enlarged. Jul 30, 2019 at first glance, moles and shrews might look alike to the untrained eye, but they are very different mammals. Their eyes are very visible and their external ears are also pretty easy to see. Voles are rodents and are about the same size as moles 4 to 6 inches in body length with relatively large black eyes, small ears, a blunt face, and prominent orange front teeth for. I have what i thought was a mouse in my house and ive been trying to catch it to release it. Dec 18, 2005 a shrew wouldnt eat birdseed, would it. The differences between voles and other rodents insect cop. Voles may be live trapped using mouse sized box traps in areas of vole activity. Cat drops the vole, the vole runs in a circle til it hits something. Dont know the difference between a mole and a vole. How to tell the difference between moles, voles and gophers. Unique among mammals, the bite of a shorttailed shrew contains a poison that can paralyze and even kill its prey.
Voles should be released more than a half mile from the capture site into overgrown fields or other grassy areas where they will not pose a problem for other landowners. Voles in alaska, alaska department of fish and game. Identifying moles, voles and shrews penn state extension. Mice have large eyes, while shrews eyes are so tiny theyre almost invisible beneath their fur. If youre unsure as to which type of animal is putting a damper on your formerly meticulous yard, a few handy hints might help you figure out who specifically is responsible. Lets begin with how these two different mammals look.
There are many methods for ridding your yard of these creatures, some humane and some less so. They also make good use of mole tunnels, which give them easy access to the root zone. When it comes to the question of vole vs mole, the similarities stop with their names. Nov 18, 2019 the difference between mole vs vole tunnels is that mole tunnels are much wider and bigger, while vole tunnels get much more numerous, especially once the vole population grows out of proportion. In yards, voles dig burrows and create pathways of dead grass, called runways, in lawns.
The distinctive traits of each animal may outnumber their similarities. Shrews have five toes on their front feet and, being rodents, mice have only four. To identify a vole or mouse problem and start effective pest removal, contact the team at critter control. To remove shrews, use common rodentproofing methods like sealing gaps and cracks around homes or removing food sources. Shrews have a pointed snout, with smaller front feet. Shrews are much smaller than moles 3 to 4 inches in body length and are mouselike in appearance with a long, pointed snout, a short dense coat of fur, and small eyes. Also known as field mice, voles usually invade the yard and damage vegetation. A shrew has a pointed snout, and nonenlarged feet unlike the mole. Voles are primarily herbivores and will feed on the roots, bulbs, bark and seeds of many ornamental plants and grasses. Bait the traps with a peanut butteroatmeal mixture or apple slices. A good way to identify a shrew is by its small size. There are some general characteristics that they all share, but there are also be traits that are species specific to the animals in your region. Voles prefer to live in lowlying or creeping vegetation and make trails through the grass or snow. What are the major differences among a mouse, a vole, and a shrew.
This shrew can be difficult to distinguish from other species occurring in the same area. This article will show you the difference between moles, voles and shrews and how you can eliminate them from your premises. Voles vs moles, shrews, mice, squirrel differences and how. Getting rid of voles or mice involves modifying their habitat, though each pest requires slightly different changes. Dec 18, 2018 voles are rodents with shorter ears and tails than house mice and rounder bodies and a larger size 3050 g as adults compared to about 20 g for the common house mouse.
An intro to moles, voles, and shrews the infinite spider. Shrews hunt for insects above ground and in tunnels made by moles or voles. A vole, also called a meadow mouse, has rounded ears and body and is reddish or brown and black in color with a gray underside. Northern water shrew sorex palustris this is a large, blackishgrey shrew. A vole will gnaw at the base of a tree or shrub, especially in winter. They nest in stumps, logs, and beneath debris found in marshes, coniferous forests, and on dry hillsides. Occasionally, voles eat snails, insects and animal remains. Keeping floors and countertops free of crumbs and spills deters mice. In order to protect an area from a vole infestation, a wire fence with a mesh of. They also consume a variety of garden plants and eat the bark from trees. Property owners wondering if they have a vole or mouse in the house are likely dealing with mice. Voles dig shallow tunnels in and around plant roots. The shorttail shrew is the largest shrew, which weighs about.
Gardeners often see small, mouse like creatures running around in the landscape, possibly entering or exiting holes, sometimes burrowing under mulch, or occasionally leaving surface runways in the soil under snow or mulch. Also known as a meadow mouse, has rounded ears and body and is black, brown or reddish in color with a gray underside shrew. In the fall, partially eaten potatoes, carrots and other root crops are indications of vole activity. When you hear the term mole, vole, or shrew then what youre really starting with is a group of animals. Mouse and vole are in the order rodentia, though different familes. Shrews have meateaters pointed teeth and small ears compared to a mouse s grooved incisors and large ears. Mole droppings are larger than vole ones but are harder to spot because they remain mostly underground. What are the major differences among a mouse, a vole, and a.
Moles, voles and gophers can all be sources of major lawn destruction, but theyre all their own entirely distinct critters. Moles and shrews differ in their diets, size, habitat, and features. Meadow voles are a popular item on the menu, along with mice, snakes, small rabbits, the hatchlings of groundnesting birds, and even other shrews. Also, a shrews eyes are tiny, but they are visible in most species. The surest way to prevent moles, voles or groundhogs from coming back is to kill them. A vole myodes very much matches the usual image we have in our minds when we think of a mouse. Mole damage versus vole damage mole vs vole tell the. Voles are a small species of mammal that are part of the rodent family.
It will need to be 12 inches above ground with 610 inches buried into the ground to prevent the vole from burrowing under the. The teeth are small, sharp, and commonly darktipped. Holes in your lawn can multiply if your yard has moles, voles or groundhogs. Voles vs moles, shrews, mice, squirrel differences and. The shrew is a small, mouse sized mammal with an elongated snout, a dense fur of uniform color, small eyes, and five clawed toes on each foot. Moles, voles, and shrews do you know the differences. A vole or meadow mouse, has a body and ears and is black and brown, or reddish with a gray underside. Apr 17, 2019 to an untrained eye, the difference between a vole vs. Mice and voles are commonly lumped together, probably because the differences between them are so slight. The average life of the smaller vole species is three to six months. Although similar in appearance and, in some cases, size, mice and shrews are different creatures. As a noun shrew is any of numerous small mouselike, chiefly nocturnal, mammals of the family soricidae. A few exceptions exist, such as the naked mole rat of east africa. Its skull, compared to that of rodents, is long and narrow, and it lacks the zygomatic arch on the lateral side characteristic of rodents.