When it comes to burrows and tunnels across your yard there can be some confusion as to what pest is trampling your yard. Although we can rule out trolls, moles and voles can be easily identified by the types of paths they make. Voles create surface tunnels that look a lot like miniature bob sled trails. Moles on the other hand are very sensitive to light and primarily create burrows or tunnels below the surface.
Voles, also called field mice, primarily eat seeds, roots and bulbs of plants. They tend to have separate summer and winter homes. Winter homes usually closer to homes where they can find plenty of food for winter in the landscapes and turf grass. Although their presence benefits the woodland habitat they can potentially carry human pathogens and ruin hundreds of dollars in plants particularly with their quick populating habits.
Moles primarily eat earthworms, ants and grubs, but there are a variety of insects and small animals they feed on. These little guys are good for lowering pests in the yard and allowing more air to the soil for healthy growth through the burrows. They damage the stability of your turf with the sizable tunnels that are so close to the surface in the warm seasons because that is where they find the insects.
Weigh out the pros and cons then decide how you want to proceed. There are several ways to get rid of them or protect your lawn from their damage depending on how much you want to invest towards it.
For more information visit the Internet Center for Wildlife Damage and Management supported by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. http://icwdm.org/handbook/mammals/moles.asp
