Voles?

Kentucky bluegrass, Fescue, Rye and Bent, etc
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ronfitch
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Voles?

Post by ronfitch » May 4th, 2023, 9:00 pm

So, after the third most snow on record (90+ inches, including an 11-inch blast March 30-April 1st), once things dried out I am finding this in the back yard. This is a north-facing downward slope, about 15 degrees). It would have been the first section of the back yard to lose snow cover.

Last fall, this looked fine. This spring, it looks … drought-stricken? Any ideas?


Image

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turf_toes
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Re: Voles?

Post by turf_toes » May 7th, 2023, 3:19 am

That doesn’t look like vole damage to me.

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ronfitch
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Re: Voles?

Post by ronfitch » May 8th, 2023, 1:58 pm

turf_toes wrote:
May 7th, 2023, 3:19 am
That doesn’t look like vole damage to me.
So, result of all the snow cover and the freeze-thaw cycles?

It was a weird winter. As I wrote, we had 90+ inches including a 12+ blast March 31st-April 1st (very, very dense), followed by three days in the 80s the following week. But we had multiple freeze-thaw cycles this winter and that part of the yard was under snow cover from December until mid-April (sometimes as much a three feet accumulation, even when melted down by warm periods).

Or fungus?

I added soil and seed to it over the weekend.

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turf_toes
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Re: Voles?

Post by turf_toes » May 8th, 2023, 4:01 pm

I don’t think anyone can accurately diagnose your problem from those pictures. Just too far away. My advice is to take samples to your local county cooperative. They’ll be able to give you accurate information without guessing (which is pretty common behavior on other forums)

flyin-lowe
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Re: Voles?

Post by flyin-lowe » May 9th, 2023, 7:38 am

I have what I think are some areas of damage from voles, they are basically like little tunnels and trenches in the grass in a distinct line. It is hard to tell from your pictures, but I get some areas like yours and they are caused by skunks. They will dig a series of small holes all over. Again I can't see the area good enough in your pictures, but do you ever see skunks around your place?


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ronfitch
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Re: Voles?

Post by ronfitch » May 11th, 2023, 2:28 pm

flyin-lowe wrote:
May 9th, 2023, 7:38 am
I have what I think are some areas of damage from voles, they are basically like little tunnels and trenches in the grass in a distinct line. It is hard to tell from your pictures, but I get some areas like yours and they are caused by skunks. They will dig a series of small holes all over. Again I can't see the area good enough in your pictures, but do you ever see skunks around your place?
No skunks. This is what showed after the snow finally disappeared. It was kind of .... crunchy clumps of dirt scattered over the grass (which was still waking up). I had never come across this before.

lVlrBoJang1es
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Re: Voles?

Post by lVlrBoJang1es » May 16th, 2023, 12:24 pm

This is what my vole damage looks like. Quite different from what's shown in your pictures.

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Image

I've seen the buggers. Their homes are in the mulch beds near where these photos were taken. All signs point to Voles!

Brand new sod as of last summer :banghead:

Castor oil going down soon, and again in the fall... :duel:

flyin-lowe
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Re: Voles?

Post by flyin-lowe » May 18th, 2023, 10:00 pm

That is similar to what I have found in my yard this year. Guess I need to start researching how to get rid of them.

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