Mole & Vole Control

We control the moles and voles that tunnel and damage CNY lawns, with programs timed to spring and fall activity.

Torn-up lawns, raised tunnels, surface runways, and damaged plantings usually mean moles or voles — two different pests often confused for one another. Moles tunnel for grubs and worms; voles are small rodents that eat plants and gnaw roots and bark.

We identify which one you have and treat accordingly, with programs timed to their strong spring and fall activity in Central New York. Getting the identification right is half the battle, and it's where home remedies usually go wrong.

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Moles and voles: two different lawn problems

Moles and voles are often blamed for each other's damage, but they're different animals with different fixes. Moles are insectivores that tunnel underground in search of grubs and earthworms, pushing up the raised ridges and volcano-shaped mounds that disfigure Central New York lawns. Voles are small rodents that feed on plants, creating surface runways in the grass and gnawing on roots, bulbs, and the bark of young trees and shrubs — damage that shows up especially after snow melts in spring.

Because their biology differs, so does control. Mole management targets the tunneling animals and, where appropriate, the grub food source; vole management focuses on the rodents, their runways, and protecting plantings. Both have strong spring and fall demand in CNY, and both are frustrating to chase with home remedies, which is why a targeted professional approach saves a lot of trial and error.

Signs of moles or voles

Raised tunnel ridges and volcano-shaped soil mounds across the lawn (moles).
Narrow surface runways in the grass, visible especially after snowmelt (voles).
Gnawing damage on the roots, bulbs, and lower bark of young plants and shrubs (voles).
Spongy, uneven turf that gives underfoot (mole tunneling).
Damage that worsens in spring and fall.

How we treat it

1
Identification
We determine whether it's moles, voles, or both, since the treatment differs.
2
Targeted control
We deploy the appropriate control for the species — targeting tunneling moles, or the vole population and their runways.
3
Food-source guidance
For moles, we advise on the grub population that draws them; for voles, on protecting vulnerable plantings.
4
Monitoring
We monitor activity and adjust, since lawn pests can shift and rebuild.
5
Seasonal timing
We time treatment to spring and fall peaks for the best results.

What to expect

Correct identification comes first — moles and voles need different approaches.
Results build as the population is reduced; lawns recover over the following weeks.
Ongoing pressure from surrounding fields may call for seasonal maintenance.
We'll advise on lawn and planting practices that make your property less inviting.

Seasonality in Central NY

Spring: damage becomes obvious as snow melts and animals resume active feeding and tunneling.
Summer: mole activity follows soil moisture and grub availability.
Fall: a second activity peak as animals prepare for winter — a key treatment window.

What it costs

Mole and vole control is priced by property size and severity, and is often handled as a seasonal program because pressure from surrounding land can rebuild.

We quote after identifying the species and assessing the property, and focus the program where the damage is happening.

How to prevent it

Reduce lawn grubs, which draw moles.
Keep mulch pulled back from tree and shrub bases to reduce vole cover and gnawing.
Mow and manage tall grass near the lawn edge where voles shelter.
Protect young trees with guards against vole bark damage over winter.

Mole or vole? They're easy to confuse

Moles and voles damage lawns in different ways because they're completely different animals, and telling them apart is the first step to controlling either. Moles are insectivores — they eat grubs and earthworms, not plants — and they tunnel, leaving raised ridges of pushed-up soil snaking across the lawn and volcano-shaped mounds of excavated dirt. You almost never see the mole itself; you see its earthworks.

Voles are small rodents — often called meadow or field mice — and they eat plants. Instead of raised tunnels, they create narrow surface runways: worn, inch-wide paths through the grass, often revealed as winding trails when the snow melts in spring. They gnaw on roots, bulbs, and the bark at the base of young trees and shrubs. So: raised ridges and mounds with no plant damage means moles; surface trails with chewed plants and gnawed bark means voles.

Lawn damage on the Central NY calendar

Both pests follow a seasonal rhythm that's very visible on Central New York properties. Mole activity is most obvious in spring and fall, when soil is moist and their prey is near the surface, and homeowners with rich, well-watered lawns near woods and fields tend to see the most. A single mole can create a surprising amount of tunneling, making a well-kept lawn look ravaged in a matter of weeks.

Voles are the classic 'what happened to my lawn over winter' pest. Under the cover of snow, they travel and feed safely all winter along surface runways, and the damage — those winding trails and gnawed plant bases — is revealed all at once at snowmelt. That winter feeding is also when voles do their most serious harm, girdling the bark of young trees and shrubs, which can kill the plant. Fall is the key window to get ahead of them before snow cover sets in.

Property and landscape damage

Moles and voles aren't a human-health concern — they don't threaten people the way rodents indoors or wildlife do. Their cost is to the landscape, and it can be significant. Mole tunneling disrupts turf and root systems, creates trip hazards and uneven ground, and undermines the appearance of an otherwise healthy lawn; their ridges and mounds can also make mowing difficult.

Voles do the more lasting damage. Beyond the unsightly runways, their winter gnawing on roots and bulbs harms gardens and plantings, and their habit of girdling the bark at the base of young trees and shrubs can outright kill valuable landscape plants — damage that isn't discovered until spring, when it's too late to reverse. For homeowners who've invested in their yard and plantings, that makes proactive control worthwhile.

Why correct ID and timing win

Mole and vole control is a case where getting the identification and the timing right is most of the battle, and where DIY often misfires by treating the wrong animal the wrong way. Because moles eat insects and voles eat plants, the strategies differ — a grub treatment that reduces a mole's food supply does nothing for voles, and a plant-protection approach for voles doesn't address moles. Misdiagnosing which one you have wastes a season while the damage continues.

A professional program starts by confirming the species from the evidence, then applies control matched to that animal's biology and to the season — getting ahead of vole pressure before snow cover, and targeting mole activity during the moist spring and fall windows when they're near the surface. Paired with habitat guidance (mowing, reducing ground cover and mulch against trunks, protecting vulnerable plantings), that targeted, well-timed approach is what actually protects the lawn and landscape rather than chasing tunnels.

Frequently asked questions

How do I tell moles and voles apart?

Moles push up raised tunnels and volcano-shaped mounds while hunting grubs and worms underground. Voles are small rodents that make narrow surface runways in the grass and gnaw roots, bulbs, and bark. The fixes differ, so identification matters.

Do moles eat my plants?

No — moles eat insects like grubs and earthworms. The plant and root damage people blame on moles is usually voles, which are plant-eating rodents using the runways.

When is treatment most effective?

Spring and fall, when both animals are most active. Fall treatment also protects plantings heading into winter, when voles gnaw bark under the snow.

Will they come back?

Pressure from surrounding lawns and fields can bring new animals, so properties with ongoing exposure often do best with seasonal maintenance.

Can I just use a home remedy?

Home remedies rarely work reliably and often target the wrong animal. A targeted professional approach based on correct identification saves a lot of frustration.

Is my lawn damage permanent?

No. Once the population is controlled, lawns recover, and we advise on practices — grub reduction, mulch and grass management — that keep the property less inviting.

How can I tell if I have moles or voles?

Raised soil ridges and volcano-shaped mounds, with no damage to plants, mean moles (they eat insects, not vegetation). Narrow surface trails worn through the grass, along with gnawed roots and chewed bark at the base of young trees, mean voles (they're plant-eating rodents). The two need different control, so the ID matters.

Why did my lawn look fine in fall but trashed at snowmelt?

That's the signature of voles. Under snow cover they travel and feed safely all winter along surface runways, and the winding trails and plant damage are revealed all at once when the snow melts. Fall is the key window to get ahead of them before snow sets in.

Are moles or voles dangerous?

Not to people — they're a landscape problem, not a health one. The cost is to your yard: mole tunneling disrupts turf and roots, and voles gnaw roots and bulbs and can girdle and kill young trees and shrubs over the winter. For a yard you've invested in, that damage is worth preventing.

Can I just use a product from the store?

The risk is treating the wrong animal. Because moles eat insects and voles eat plants, a grub product aimed at moles won't touch voles, and vice versa — misdiagnosing costs a season while damage continues. Confirming the species and matching control to it and the season is what actually works.

Our guarantee

Covered by our defined-term service guarantee: if covered pests return during the service period, we re-treat at no additional charge. See Our Guarantee for terms and exclusions.

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