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A Spring Surprise: Vole Damage

We currently offer vole and pest control services at our Sioux Falls, SD, location only. 

Voles are small rodents that can cause a big problem. If you have ever experienced voles, you have more than likely experienced the “vole runways” that they create in your yard. They can often be seen once all of the snow from the winter season melts in the spring. 

The runways that voles form in your yard can damage the roots of grass, young trees, and other plants, making it difficult for them to grow. Not to mention the Voles travel pathway does not add to your home’s curb appeal. 

The professionals at Weller Brothers are ready to develop a foolproof plan to safely remove the vole population that has taken refuge in your yard.

Vole trap being filled with Vole Bait in Sioux Falls, SD

Vole Prevention

The best way to prevent a vole infestation is to make your yard less attractive to them. Nesting sites for voles are typically at the base of trees or shrubs, in mulch or in-ground cover. These sites can be removed by trimming back vegetation and removing mulch and ground cover. 

Voles often search for areas that have food sources, such as nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables. Remove these food sources by cleaning up fallen fruit and debris from your yard regularly 

Finally, keep vole populations low by regularly mowing your lawn, and removing weeds and brush from your property.

Damage Repair

If you were not able to prevent vole damage, there are several different ways that you can work on bringing your yard back to life. 

How to Repair Damage

  • Spring Power Raking: A spring power rake will remove any dead debris and thatch from your lawn and improve the drainage to make it easier for new grass to grow. 
  • Reseed: Occasionally, after vole damage, you may need to reseed bare patches of grass; this seed will eventually fill in the bare spots and make the damage unnoticeable. 
  • Apply a Fertilizer Program: A fertilizer program is a crucial part of growing a luscious and healthy lawn, especially after vole damage. Weller Brothers always recommends a minimum of 5-step fertilizer and weed control program. 
  • Fall Aeration: Near the fall season, hopefully, your lawn has recovered from the vole damage; however, if it has not, the best way to jump-start growth the following spring is to aerate your lawn. Aeration helps the grassroots expand and strengthen themselves before winter, when the voles are most likely to strike again.
vole damage in a Sioux Falls lawn

Vole Control

Once you have prevented and repaired the vole infestation, the next step is to get rid of the voles for good. Weller Brothers offers a variety of different pest control options in Sioux Falls, SD, and voles just happens to be one of them. 

Weller Brothers recommends using bait station traps to trap and remove voles from your property. While removing the voles from your property, you will want to set the traps in an area that is frequently trafficked by the voles and check the traps often to clear out the traps and replace the bait.

Contact Us For Vole Control in Sioux Falls

The lawn care professionals at Weller Brothers in Sioux Falls, SD, have the experience and equipment to properly and safely manage your vole infestation at your property.