Voles are small rodents (similar to mice) that live across the state of Pennsylvania. They breed quickly and are a food source for many different types of predators. They are active year-round and do not hibernate. There are 4 species of voles native to Pennsylvania: the meadow vole, the southern red-backed vole, the rock vole, and the woodland vole.
Meadow Voles
| Appearance | Mouselike with a short tail; dull chestnut brown fur with a darker area along the middle of the back, gray or white along the belly |
| Length | approx. 6 to 7.5 inches which includes a 1.3 to 2.5 inch tail |
| Weight | 0.7 to 3.2 ounces |
| Habitat | Meadow voles like moist meadows and fields with thick grass. They can also be found in bogs or grassy clearings in the woods. |
| Food | Grass, sedges, grains, tubers, roots, the inner bark of trees and shrubs |
| Predators | Hawks, owls, foxes, coyotes, bobcats, snakes, weasels, and domestic cats |
| Location in Pennsylvania | Statewide |
| Extra facts | Meadow voles are commonly known as field mice even though they are not, in fact, members of the mouse family. They are good swimmers. They can run up to 5 miles per hour. |
Southern Red-backed Voles
| Appearance | Mouselike with a reddish, brown band along the back and a pale gray belly |
| Length | roughly 4.5 to 6.2 inches which includes a 1.2 to 2 inch tail |
| Weight | 0.6 – 1.3 ounces |
| Habitat | Southern red-backed voles like to live in cool, damp forests with mossy rocks and rotten logs, or deciduous forests with ferns and rocky outcrops. They can also be found in grassy clearings. |
| Food | Nuts, berries, seeds, green vegetation, fungi, and roots |
| Predators | Hawks, owls, foxes, coyotes, bobcats, snakes, weasels, and domestic cats |
| Location in Pennsylvania | Upland Pennsylvania |
| Extra facts | Southern red-backed voles are known to travel through burrows made by moles and shrews. |
Rock Voles
| Appearance | Rock voles look very similar to meadow voles except for their distinct, yellow to orange noses. |
| Length | Similar to meadow voles |
| Weight | Similar to meadow voles |
| Habitat | Rock voles can be found in cool, damp woods and among boulders with lots of groundcover. |
| Food | Green plants, leaves, stems, seeds, fungi, and insect larvae |
| Predators | Hawks, owls, foxes, coyotes, bobcats, snakes, weasels, and domestic cats |
| Location in Pennsylvania | Northeastern Pennsylvania |
| Extra facts | Rock voles are considered rare in Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Biological Survey classified them as a vulnerable species in 1985. |
Woodland Voles
| Appearance | Mouselike, with soft and glossy chestnut fur on the back and gray fur on the belly |
| Length | about 4.5 to 5.5 inches which includes a 0.7 to 1 inch tail |
| Weight | 0.9 to 1.3 ounces |
| Habitat | Woodland voles are typically found in wooded bottomlands, old fields, around the edges of farmlands, and in orchards. |
| Food | Leaves, stems, roots, tree bark, seeds, fruit, potatoes, and flower bulbs |
| Predators | Hawks, owls, foxes, coyotes, bobcats, snakes, weasels, and domestic cats |
| Location in Pennsylvania | Statewide, but more common in southeastern Pennsylvania |
| Extra facts | Woodland voles primarily burrow underground like moles. They are Pennsylvania’s smallest vole. |
Complaints
Voles eat bulbs, seeds, tubers, fruits and vegetables, often damaging garden plants. They burrow and make tunnels in yards and gardens.
Solutions
Trapping voles with lethal types of traps is the most efficient means to removing voles. There are powders and chemicals that can be used to deter voles but they aren’t as efficient as trapping.
For more information about voles, check out the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s wildlife notes.