Voles are small, mouselike rodents that can be pests in gardens and landscapes. They damage many types of plants with their gnawing, from vegetables to turf to trees. Voles can gnaw completely around the trunk or roots of trees, causing girdling, which can kill trees.

Voles spend most of their time below ground in their burrows, but you can spot their presence by the well-traveled runways connecting the burrow openings. They prefer not to feed in the open to keep away from predators.

Voles are normally found in areas with dense vegetation, so clearing brush is one way to discourage them. Find out more about managing these rodents in the newly updated

Annually on February 2, groundhogs get a lot of coverage. Groundhogs, also known as woodchucks, are burrowing rodents often found in the eastern United States. But in California, any shadows from burrowing rodents are unlikely to be a groundhog. Here in the Golden State, you will find other types of burrowing rodents including pocket gophers, ground squirrels, voles, and Norway rats....

Did you know that this week (November 15-21) is Rodent Awareness Week? The goal of the week is to bring awareness about the risks that rodents can pose to your health and the problems they can cause to your home and garden.

In and around the home, Norway rats, roof rats and house mice can be problematic by consuming and contaminating food intended for you and your pets. These rodents often enter structures in winter and can also carry several diseases and parasites.

In the landscape and garden, tree squirrels, ground squirrels, gophers, moles and voles can be a nuisance and feed on many garden...