No. Castor beans will not get rid of voles. You need to get rid of the grubs. They are the larvae of Japanese Beetles. They live in the soil. Grubex is a product that claims not to harm earthworms. The chemical you want is imidicloprid. It will not kill earthworms or other beneficial insects, only grubs.

Karendee; I have a bunch of castor beans from last year. I planted very late (mid July?) after we've moved to the new house. One plant was incredible (this is the one I was telling evryone that this is a mutant marihuana plant) and I was able to collect seeds. I still have your address, I'll send you some. Doesn't matter if they work or not for volves (BTW, what are volves?) the plant is still very impressive... do you have any sprouts? I hope, after this weekend, finally, should be warmer and we should see some green babes. Anyway, spring is in the air....

Whoa....some misinformation going on here. Most VOLES are herbivores, diet consists of seeds, tubers, bulbs, conifer needles, bark, roots, small plants, some insects.

MOLES are grub eaters but they also LUV earthworms. I'm going to save you the details of how I know this, but it has something to do with a patient man, a sharp foresters hoe, a too hard swing at a moving mound of dirt that was a mole in the act of tunneling.

Poison baits don't work on moles, they don't eat bait. Killing grubs doesn't work on moles, you'd have to eliminate earthworms too and those are too valuable in our lawns and gardens.

Castor oil mixed with water and a soaking agent like soap, not plants or beans, makes for a very temporary repellent that 'sometimes' works short term...not very effective, and not effective here with our ample amount of rain.

Thanks for the info everyone! I did read that castor oil makes the voles (mouse like creature) run away. I guess they hate the smell of the casor oil or something.

adamark I would love some seeds!! Can I send you some zinnia seeds? I have many packs I bought last year and don't need them all. (I could at least send you some stamps)

I thought the castor plant was a long shot but I still want to grow it because it is such a neat plant! So big too...

I may just bite the bullet and call an exterminator. I hear they can pump gas into the tracks/holes and then kaboom...the voles/mouse looking things are gone. Kind of mean but I am SICK of them!!

Karen

Karen, will you let me know if you do reach out to an extermionator and what they say. I have a huge vole problem in my new house and my Shiba Inu puppy loves to find them, kill them and carry them around the yard. Nasty...

I sure will let you know if I do get an exterminator. I plan to try some natural stuff like the granules of fake urine. still gross :) etc...

These are making me mad enough to call the Orkin man.

Karen

Karen, try my mother's recipe for Mole Chaser Tonic:
1 1/2 Tbsp Tabasco sauce
1 Tbsp liquid dish soap
1 tsp chili powder
1 quart water
Mom kept the recipe up on the 'fridge with a magnet. Pour it down the holes. Voles/moles--neither likes the taste or the burning sensation. There were tunnels everywhere when I moved here but they've been gone for three or more years. Don't know if it was the tonic, the cat and dog hair I shoved down in the holes, the Cooper's hawk who lives in the trees behind my house or a combination of all three. All I know is they're gone and I haven't seen one in my yard or the next-door neighbor's since.
Good luck!!!
Eileen/CT

I did try the recipe you posted once. I did not apply enough though. As the snow melted I see damage in a lot of the grass area. I guess I am a little behind. they may have left the hole I poured it down then made new ones cause that area looks like they have not been through the hole in a while. However, they have spread out!

I bought a live trap (YUCK) and plan to try it too. I also got some of the animal urine to use to keep them and bunnies away from plants.

Next is the Orkin man, lol

Karen

Voles and moles both eat insects. The information I gave is from the Ag agent here in my county.

Louise Riotte recommended planting castor beans to discourage moles. She also claimed they would keep mosquitoes away. I know that to be false.

If I gave the wrong information, I apologize. However, both moles and voles eat insects although their diet does consist of herbaceous growth as well.

conniesc,

Please be careful if you choose to poison the vermin. Poisoned dying rodent can equal rat poisoned dog. Had a neighbor's dog die because he ate a sandwich I dropped in some ant poison when I was a kid, I felt rotten about that for a long time.

I've seen a plant that's supposed to drive away voles.They call it golpher purge.It's a euphorbia and is in the same family as castor beans.I think Gurney's had it in their catalog.

Thanks shinyalloy_5, I would rather see Gizmo play with a dead vole than be hurt herself. :)

So true Connie! I am worried about harming the pets in the area.

Karen

Karen, your beans are on the way along with a couple of other seeds. Good luck with those creatures - voles. I have plenty of bunnies - any idea what to do with them. I know the answer - fence, but I'm still hoping for some miracle remedy to keep them away from my flowers and veggies. BTW, is it even worth to try to plant some chards, lettuce etc with flowers. I kind of like the idea of mixing everything.
Eva

I have voles and possibly moles. I've seen the voles (mouse-like creatures) but I have loads of tunnels in the yard. So maybe that is a mole. Farm stores and big box home and garden stores have granules which are labeled non toxic and won't harm pets. You have to get the granules into the tunnels and water it in. My understanding is you water and do more granules going towards the end of your property lines, driving them away. To be honest, I did not want to fool with the watering part. There was also an earthworm-looking bait, it looked like a fake rubber earthworm, supposedly they eat it and it kills them. I didnt' want to use this becoz I have a small dog, and altho I don't think she would get into the tunnel and eat the earthworm bait, one never knows. And then poison bait not eaten will get into the environment. The next gizmos were solar-powered and battery-powered sonic emitters. The thing made a beep every 30 seconds, which I didn't like. So far I have decided not to intervene, becoz, while I have lots of tunnels, I don't see any plant damage, all my bulbs are up etc. So we are peacefully co-exisiting at the moment.
Laurie

Adamark,
For bunnies try the fake animal urines (natures best is a brand) The bunnies think there is a predator there and they run away!

Thanks for the seeds!

Can I send you something?
..............

Laurie, voles also make tunnels and a real big mess. We added some pee (hubby added for me, lol) and I have not seen much activity....

Karen

Karen: This may sound extreme, but have you thought of getting a cat? I got to the stage that you are with voles 2 years ago. They did massive damage to my vegetable garden and I was pissed! I also didn't want to use poisons, and traps are messy and also risk harming pets and other wildlife.

We have a barn and adopted 3 cats that stay outside (rescue organizations place barn cats). Vole damage last year: zero! As a bonus, the chipmunks vanished along with the squirrels, both of which were attracted to our birdfeeder. We're absolutely thrilled. I don't think our cats are actually killing all those voles, but I think their mere presence lets the critters know they aren't welcome here.

please don't use poison, it doesn't matter who it kills

I tried to put the link on here if it doesn't work just go to you tube and enter "vole trapping techniques" Quick and sure and all you get are the voles!

The voles here just seem to visit for the winter, I see their runs all over in the garden-last year I was so worried they would have eaten everything but when spring came and things started to grow I couldn't even tell where they had been feeding. I've probably just jinxed myself....
-B

Here is a link that might be useful: vole trapping techniques

adamark I got the seeds today!

thanks so much, can I send you somehting.

thanks everyone for the advice and seeds!!!

Karen

I have chipmunks!!! Looking at castor bean plants. There are any different plants Does it matter which type of castor plant you get?

Please ignore whoever posted about getting rid of the grubs. Voles are not moles. the Moles love Grubs. The voles, a field mouse, love eating bulbs and plant roots. Huge difference between the critters.