Noticing little tunnels in your yard as the snow melts? You’re not alone

Now that the snow is melting, people are noticing little trails in their yard — and calling the Illinois Extension’s Will County office.

Do they have moles? A frost earthquake.

Neither, according to Nancy Kuhajda, master gardener and program coordinator at the University of Illinois Extension Will County. These trenches are actually caused by voles, a small mouse-sized rodent with a snub tail that eats grass roots, hosta roots and crowns, and the bark off young fruit trees.

“They’re most active under a heavy snow cover,” Kuhajda said. “As the snow has peeled away, it is revealing narrow long roads in people’s yard.”

Even though homeowners might be seeing a large number of runs — 20 is not too many — the yard is not overrun with voles, Kuhajda said.

“They’re very territorial,” she said. “You won’t have more than two.”

Even though the voles’ damage is evident, the odds are that the voles are actually already gone. If not, they’ll be heading out soon.

“In the summer, they tend to run off into tall grassy areas to raise their young and live out there,” Kuhajda.

And that’s if they’re not “picked off” by local predators, she said.

“Birds of prey is a big one,” Kuhajda said. “Cats and dogs, coyotes or foxes also eat them.”

Here’s how homeowners can determine if voles are still living in their yards. Walk up and down the trails and press down where the grass puffs up. The grass will pop back only if it still has vole activity there, she said.

But think twice before using poison to eliminate them.

“Remember the food chain,” Kuhajda said. “Many pets are injured — or worse — from consuming an animal that has been poisoned And people forget that part of the food chain.”

A safer alternative is a snap mousetrap baited with peanut butter, she said. And homeowners should know that the grass will grow back on its own and fill in the gaps the voles caused, she added.

“Sometimes people hasten the process by putting a little grass seed down,” Kuhajda said.

For more information on voles and their management, visit the University of Illinois Extension informational page on voles at bit.ly/3cwVZyt.

Or contact Kuhajda at kuhajda@illinois.edu or call her at 815-727-9296.