Controlling rodents generally known as ‘voles’

MADISON (WKOW) – When the snow melts outside, you may find that your yard is torn apart by criss-cross paths.

Pest control experts at Wil-Kil in Sun Prairie say these are usually caused by voles, small rodents that can reproduce quickly.

In fact, Wil Kil quality and training specialist Nathan Hall said a mother mouse can have 15 to 50 babies a year.

Voles feed on grass and roots and can damage small trees and shrubs.

The paths you can see in your yard show how voles get from place to place and are protected from predators.

“Just set regular snap mouse traps … I usually like to cover them with something like a box,” Hall said. “That way it feels more like a tunnel to them, they’ll go in happily.”

You can also make your garden a little less welcoming by removing stacks of wood or brushing and trimming shrubs and bushes so they are not so close to the ground.