Have you walked outside one morning to find raised ridges cutting across a lawn you have worked hard to maintain, plants that looked fine last week now struggling, or trails worn into your grass seemingly out of nowhere? We hear from homeowners across Central Indiana about exactly this more than almost anything else, and we understand how unsettling it can be to not know what is happening in your own yard. Two small animals are responsible for most of this kind of damage: moles and voles. Knowing which one you are dealing with is the single most important step before trying any kind of solution. Here is what you need to know.
What Is the Difference Between a Mole and a Vole?
A mole is an insectivore that feeds on earthworms, grubs, and soil insects. It has no interest in your plants, bulbs, or grass roots whatsoever. A vole is a rodent closely related to a mouse that feeds on grass, roots, bulbs, and the bark of young trees and shrubs. Both animals spend most of their time underground and are rarely seen above ground, which is exactly what makes them so easy to confuse. The simplest way to keep them straight: moles eat bugs, voles eat plants.
Indiana’s most common species is the Eastern mole, which can dig up to 100 feet of new tunnel in a single day. Despite being nearly blind, moles navigate entirely by touch and scent using special sensory organs called Eimer’s organs. A group of moles is technically called a “labor,” which makes a lot of sense once you have seen what one animal can do to a yard.
Indiana also has two common vole species: the meadow vole and the prairie vole. Unlike most animals, voles do not hibernate. They stay active year-round, including under snow, which is why spring reveals can look so dramatic. Their runway networks can span an entire yard like a hidden system of tiny highways. According to the National Pest Management Association, a single female can produce up to five litters per year, meaning populations grow fast and quietly. In our experience, by the time damage becomes visible, the infestation is already well underway.
How Can You Tell Which One Is in Your Yard?
Moles and voles leave behind very different clues. You usually do not need to see the animal to figure out which one you are dealing with. Just look at where the damage is happening and what is being affected. The Indiana DNR also offers helpful guidance on managing nuisance wildlife on your property.
Signs of Moles
- Raised, winding ridges across the lawn. These are surface-feeding tunnels pushed up just below the grass.
- Volcano-shaped soil mounds. Moles push excavated dirt to the surface when digging deeper burrows, creating rounded mounds sometimes with a plug in the center.
- No visible plant damage. If your lawn looks torn up but your flowers, vegetables, and shrubs are fine, a mole is far more likely than a vole.
Signs of Voles
- Narrow trails worn through grass. Voles travel the same routes repeatedly, creating visible surface runways about two inches wide at or just above ground level. The Indiana DNR lists these as one of the most reliable signs of an established population.
- Bark gnawed from the base of trees or shrubs. Voles chew bark in a ring around the base of young trees, cutting off nutrient flow and causing serious long-term damage. This is called girdling, and Purdue Extension notes it as one of the most common ways voles permanently damage residential landscapes.
- Bulbs or perennials that fail to return. Voles feed on roots and bulbs underground, often doing the damage months before homeowners realize what happened.
Watch for spring reveals: Vole damage often looks like it happened overnight, but it was building up beneath the snow all winter long. The National Pest Management Association recommends acting quickly once runways appear, as populations grow fast in spring.
Which One Causes More Damage to Your Yard?
Mole damage is frustrating, but it is mostly cosmetic. Tunnel ridges can stress grass roots and make the lawn look rough, but most lawns recover well once the mole is removed and the tunnels are pressed back down. Moles are not eating your plants, and we tell homeowners this all the time because it usually brings real relief.
In Lebanon specifically, we notice the heaviest mole activity in neighborhoods where new sod was laid within the last few years. The loose, recently graded soil combined with the earthworm populations that build up under fresh sod creates ideal conditions for moles to move in quickly. The yard almost always looks worse than it actually is.
Vole damage is a different story, and it can be permanent. A vole population can cause serious damage to bulb gardens, young fruit trees, and root systems across large sections of a landscape. Some of the most heartbreaking calls we get are from homeowners who spent years, sometimes decades, building up a garden or landscape they love, only to find it in rough shape after a single winter. We take those calls seriously, and we do not take lightly what your yard means to you.
It is also worth noting that mole tunnels can make vole problems worse, since voles sometimes use those existing mole tunnels as shortcuts through the yard. Both animals together can cause more damage than either would on their own.
How Can You Prevent Mole and Vole Damage in Your Yard?
You cannot fully eliminate the possibility of moles or voles showing up, but you can make your yard significantly less appealing to both. Purdue Extension recommends a combination of habitat modification and exclusion as the most effective long-term approach for Indiana homeowners.
- Treat your lawn for grubs in late summer. Grubs are a major food source for moles, and reducing them gives moles less reason to tunnel through your yard. The Purdue Extension lawn and garden program has Indiana-specific guidance on grub management.
- Mow grass short along fence lines and garden borders. Tall grass gives voles the cover they rely on to move safely above ground. This is one of the simplest changes you can make.
- Pull mulch away from the base of trees and shrubs. Deep mulch directly against a trunk is a perfect winter shelter for voles. The Indiana DNR Division of Forestry recommends keeping mulch at least 6 inches from tree trunks.
- Wrap young tree trunks with hardware cloth, buried a few inches into the soil. This is one of the most reliable ways to prevent vole girdling over winter.
- Clear brush piles and debris from yard edges. These areas provide nesting cover for voles and attract the earthworms and grubs that moles follow.
What Should You Do If Moles or Voles Are Damaging Your Yard?
The most important step is identifying which animal you are actually dealing with before taking any action. Moles and voles require completely different approaches, and treating for the wrong one is the most common reason homeowners continue to see activity after already spending time and money on a solution. The National Pest Management Association recommends professional identification before starting any control program for exactly that reason.
Ready to Find Out What’s Damaging Your Yard?
You should not have to watch your lawn deteriorate while wondering what is underneath it. Whether you are already seeing clear signs of activity or you are just not sure what you are dealing with yet, The LadyBug Pest & Wildlife Control team is ready to help. We will walk your full property, identify activity points, and give you a clear picture of what is going on and how to address it.
Call us today at 317-601-2873 or reach out online to schedule your Wildlife Investigation. We proudly serve homeowners across Central Indiana, including Lebanon, Indianapolis, Fishers, Avon, Frankfort, Greenwood, Lawrence, Plainfield, and surrounding communities.
