What Do Voles Eat?

Voles are primary herbivores that feed almost entirely on plants and plant material. Grasses and sedges are the foundation of vole diets across North America. Clover is a particularly nutritious food that voles actively seek. Roots and bulbs are consumed year-round, especially during winter when above-ground vegetation is scarce. Seeds from grasses and weeds provide concentrated nutrition. Tree bark and shrub bark are gnawed, especially in winter survival situations. Voles eat crops including alfalfa, soybeans, and other agricultural plants when available. Asparagus plants are occasionally consumed where voles encounter this crop. Sweet potato and other root crops may be damaged by vole tunneling and feeding. Fungi and mushrooms are consumed opportunistically. Moss provides moisture and nutrition. The diet is almost entirely vegetarian, unlike their carnivorous relatives the weasels and shrews. Vole teeth grow continuously and are worn down by constant gnawing on tough plant material.

Vole feeding patterns shift dramatically through the year based on plant availability. Spring brings fresh, growing grass shoots and clover sprouts that are highly nutritious. Summer offers abundant green vegetation and seeds. Fall is a critical feeding season when voles consume large amounts of seeds and vegetation to build fat reserves. Voles do not hibernate, so winter survival depends on stored food and finding dormant plant material. Winter voles eat bark from shrubs and trees, particularly young trees and saplings. Roots and bulbs stored underground provide winter nutrition. Dried grass and vegetation from the previous growing season sustains populations through cold months. Vole populations often peak in years with abundant seed production in fall. Mild winters with less snow allow voles to access more ground-level vegetation. Severe winters force voles to rely more heavily on bark and cached plant material. Spring starvation can occur if winter is long and seed supplies are exhausted.

Vole diets vary across North America based on regional plant communities. Eastern forests support different plant species than western prairies. California voles encounter oak seedlings, grass, and other vegetation typical of California grasslands. Clover and other legumes are more abundant in eastern and midwestern regions. Western voles in sagebrush ecosystems eat drought-resistant plants. Mountain regions with high altitude support voles adapted to alpine vegetation. Pacific Northwest voles encounter lush grass and different plant species than southern regions. Southeastern voles have access to year-round green vegetation due to mild winters. Midwestern agricultural regions offer abundant crop plants like alfalfa and soybeans. Northwestern forests provide different bark species than southeastern forests. Idaho ground squirrel habitats share some vole populations competing for seeds and roots. Great Basin voles consume desert shrubs and grasses adapted to dry conditions. Regional soil types and moisture levels influence which plants grow and thus what voles eat.

Voles are ground-foraging herbivores that spend most time in tunnels and runways near the soil surface. They cut grass and vegetation using their sharp incisors and pull plant material into their mouths. Voles excavate shallow burrow systems, and the runways between burrows allow efficient travel to feeding areas. They strip bark from trees by gnawing around the trunk, particularly in winter. Voles clip vegetation and pull it into burrows for consumption and storage. Roots and bulbs are accessed through digging and tunnel exploration. Some voles gather and store seeds in underground chambers. They use their excellent sense of smell to locate nutritious plants beneath snow. Voles are active both day and night, though they prefer darkness for most activities. Their small size allows them to forage in dense grass where larger herbivores cannot go. Foraging behavior changes seasonally, with more active gathering in fall and more burrow-based feeding in winter.

Baby voles are born blind and helpless in nest chambers beneath the ground. Mothers nurse their young for several weeks. Weaned young voles, called pups or juveniles, begin eating plants at around two to three weeks of age. Young voles eat tender green plant material gathered by mothers. They learn foraging behavior by following mothers through tunnels. Juvenile voles quickly transition to independent feeding on available vegetation. Within weeks of weaning, young voles forage as effectively as adults. No significant dietary differences exist between young and adult voles except for food size preference. Young voles eat softer plant material initially, then tougher vegetation. Growth rates are rapid during the growing season. Vole populations can produce multiple litters per year, with different age groups foraging simultaneously.

Vole populations can cause significant damage in yards and gardens through bark gnawing and plant consumption. Young trees are particularly vulnerable to vole damage in winter. Apple orchards and nurseries frequently suffer vole damage. To prevent damage, wrap tree trunks with wire mesh or plastic guards. Remove mulch piles where voles can shelter and hide. Maintain lawn by mowing and removing debris that provides vole habitat. Do not leave tall grass or dense weeds where voles can tunnel safely. Never intentionally feed voles as they are wild animals and can become problematic. Do not plant trees and shrubs without protective barriers in areas with active vole populations. Trapping or poisoning voles is more humane than letting them suffer damage. Encouraging natural predators like hawks, owls, and snakes helps control vole populations. The most effective approach combines habitat modification with predator support.

Voles are specialized herbivores compared to many other rodents. Mice are omnivores that eat seeds, insects, and vegetation, making them more flexible feeders than voles. Rats eat a broader range of foods, including meat and human food scraps. Squirrels are herbivores like voles but eat nuts, seeds, and fungi that voles rarely access. Chipmunks eat seeds and nuts primarily, with less grass consumption than voles. Gophers are herbivorous burrowers that eat roots and bulbs like voles but specialize in deeper digging. Groundhogs and other large rodents eat larger plants and more diverse vegetation. Rabbits are herbivores like voles but eat different plant species due to their larger size. Guinea pigs in the wild eat grasses and clover similar to voles. Voles are perfectly adapted to eating grasses and low vegetation through their small size and burrowing habits. Learn more about vole ecology and regional vole species by visiting voles in Wyoming, voles in Wisconsin, and voles in West Virginia.