You wake up, look out at your beautiful Louisville lawn, and see it looks like a road map. Raised ridges crisscross the grass, or maybe you see distinct paths where the grass has been eaten down to the dirt.

Something is destroying your yard. But is it a Mole or a Vole?

The names sound similar, but these are two completely different animals with different diets and behaviors. Identifying the culprit is critical because the treatment for one will not work on the other.

The Mole: The Subterranean Excavator

Moles are not rodents; they are insectivores. They live almost entirely underground and are built for digging, with massive, paddle-like front paws.

• The Diet: They eat earthworms, grubs, and insects. They do not eat plants. If your bulbs are disappearing, it’s not a mole.
• The Damage:
  • Raised Ridges: They push up the sod as they tunnel just below the surface looking for food. These feel “squishy” when you walk on them.
  • Molehills: Volcano-shaped mounds of loose dirt pushed up from deeper tunnels.
• Why they are there: You have good soil! Healthy soil has lots of earthworms and grubs. Moles are actually a sign of a healthy ecosystem, though they ruin the aesthetic of a lawn.

The Vole: The Meadow Mouse

Voles (also called Meadow Mice) are rodents. They look like a mouse with a shorter tail and smaller ears.

• The Diet: They are vegetarians. They eat grass, roots, bulbs, bark, and tubers.
• The Damage:
  • Surface Runways: They don’t dig raised tunnels like moles. Instead, they eat “paths” through the grass about 2 inches wide. It looks like someone took a tiny lawnmower through your yard.
  • Dead Plants: If your hostas or ornamental shrubs suddenly wilt or fall over, pull them up. If the roots are gnawed off, it’s voles.
  • Bark Damage: They gnaw on the bark at the base of trees and shrubs, which can kill the plant (girdling).

Comparison Chart

Feature	Mole	Vole
Type	Insectivore	Rodent
Diet	Worms, Grubs	Plants, Roots, Bark
Tunnels	Raised ridges under sod	Surface paths (runways)
Plant Damage	None (roots disturbed only)	Yes (roots/bulbs eaten)
Appearance	Paddle feet, no visible eyes	Mouse-like, short tail

How to Treat Them

For Moles

Since they eat worms, “grub control” poisons are often ineffective (moles will just eat the earthworms instead).

• Trapping: This is the only reliable method. Scissor traps or harpoon traps placed in active tunnels are effective.
• Repellents: Castor oil-based repellents can push them away temporarily, but they often return.

For Voles

• Habitat Modification: Voles hate being exposed. Remove mulch layers, heavy thatch, and ground cover near tree bases.
• Trapping: Standard mouse snap traps placed perpendicular to their surface runways (covered with a box for safety) work well.
• Protection: Install 1/4” hardware cloth cylinders around the base of young trees and bury mesh around garden beds to protect bulbs.

If your lawn is under attack and you can’t win the battle, call Critter Removal of Louisville. We can identify the pest and implement a trapping program to save your sod.