Mice and voles are often mixed up since both are small, brown, and quick to scurry out of sight, but they cause very different problems. A mouse infestation usually means unwanted guests inside your walls and cupboards, while a vole problem shows up as damaged turf, chewed roots, and dying plants in your yard.
Mice are small rodents that seek out warm, sheltered spaces close to a food source.
Voles, sometimes called field mice, are burrowing rodents that spend most of their time outdoors.
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Mice tend to leave droppings, gnaw marks, and greasy rub marks along baseboards and in cupboards, along with the occasional scurrying sound at night. Voles are usually spotted through their damage rather than the animal itself, with surface trails through grass and girdled bark near the base of trees or shrubs. If you're noticing either pattern, a pest control technician can confirm which pest is behind it.
Keeping mice out starts with sealing gaps around your home's foundation, doors, and utility lines, along with storing food in airtight containers. For voles, keep grass trimmed, clear away mulch piled against tree trunks, and consider rodent exclusion services if damage keeps returning to your yard.
Mice are more likely to be found indoors with large ears, long tails, and signs like droppings or gnawed packaging. Voles stay outdoors, have short tails and small ears, and leave behind chewed roots, damaged bark, or trails through your lawn.
Voles are often called field mice, but they're a distinct species from house mice. Voles are stockier, have shorter tails, and spend their time burrowing outdoors rather than seeking shelter inside homes.
Mice can multiply quickly once they find a way into your home.
Voles can quietly damage your lawn and garden before you notice they're there.
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