Voles

Voles are small, stocky rodents that tunnel through lawns and gardens, leaving surface runways and gnawing plant roots and bark. Common in Whidbey and Skagit yards, they damage landscaping and can undermine turf near foundations.

How to identify voles

Compact, 4 to 6 inches, with small ears, short legs, and a short tail — chunkier and shorter-tailed than a mouse. Often confused with moles, which they are not.

Behavior & season on Whidbey & Fidalgo

They are active day and night year-round, creating shallow surface runways through grass and mulch. Populations surge in wet seasons and under winter snow or heavy ground cover.

Why voles are a problem

Voles girdle young trees and shrubs, damage root systems, and leave unsightly runways across lawns. Their tunneling near foundations can also open paths for other pests.

Signs of voles activity

• Narrow surface runways worn through the grass
• Gnawed bark at the base of shrubs and young trees
• Small burrow openings in the lawn or garden beds
• Damage worst after wet weather or heavy mulch

How Salty Dog treats voles

We assess runways and harborage, reduce ground cover feeding them, and treat active areas to protect landscaping and turf. Learn more about our Rodent Control service, or browse the full Pest Library.

Frequently asked questions

Are these voles or moles?

Voles make surface runways and eat plants; moles push up soil ridges and eat insects. The damage pattern tells them apart.

Why are my shrubs dying?

Voles girdle bark at the base of shrubs and young trees, cutting off the plant — a common cause of sudden landscape loss.

Had a good experience with Salty Dog? Leave us a review — it helps your Whidbey and Fidalgo neighbors find honest, local pest control.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
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 Chris Irish 
 
 
 
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Matthew is a rockstar! He came out on a Friday night after a full day to make sure we were taken care of! Highly recommend!
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Kristi Lovelady 
 
 
 
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Prompt, efficient and on-time service. Invoices provide written and visual information of service rendered. Mathew is very professional and knowledgeable.  Would recommend Salty Dog services.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Michele C. 
 
 
 
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We really like Salty Dog!  Matthew is very responsive and always on time.  His reports are thorough, he is on time and works with our needs!  Thank you Matthew!
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Brenda Praggastis 
 
 
 
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Matthew is conscientious and careful. He has worked closely with us to address all of our concerns. He has tailored his efforts to the unique demands of our house as he performed an exclusion. The rodent activity has disappeared inside the house and has been vastly reduced outside. We are very happy with his work.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Sharon Heiber 
 
 
 
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Matthew solved our mouse problem! He quickly identified their entrance point and blocked it. That was last year. We haven't had a problem since. Thank you, Matthew!
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Sandi Peterson 
 
 
 
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We had not done pest control for quite some time, (our bad) and one day I needed service right away.   Matthew came ASAP and got us started on the right track.  He did work above and beyond what I expected for a more than fair price and shows up for scheduled maintenance as promised.   He does a great job and I recommend him highly.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Rodger Schnee 
 
 
 
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Matt at Salty Dog is both personal and professional, and provides services that are high quality, and very reasonably priced. He is clearly a service provider first and last. I've had previous experiences(with pest services and other) with national companies, when I felt I was sent a representative that was sales first, service provider 2nd. Matt is also well networked with contractors in our community, and gave me a couple great referrals for other work I needed done. The bottom line is that I highly recommend Salty Dog and Matt for any rodent/pest related issues.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Nicholas Orozco 
 
 
 
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Extremely helpful and quick service who took his time and treated the issues that I had on the spot. I absolutely felt like the work was quality and he did not rush until I was satisfied with what was done. Thank you very much for the help!
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 britt buchan 
 
 
 
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We’ve had an excellent experience with Salty Dog Pest Control. Matt’s attention to detail is outstanding, and what really sets him apart is his passion for treating the root of the problem—not just applying a quick fix. He took the time to explain what was going on, what he was doing, and why, which gave us a lot of confidence in the process.

His communication is clear, timely, and thoughtful from start to finish. It’s obvious he truly cares about his work and his clients. Highly recommend Salty Dog Pest Control if you’re looking for someone knowledgeable, thorough, and genuinely invested in doing the job right.