At first glance , shrews , mole and vole look nearly superposable to one another , but you ’ll see that they have trenchant differences when you take a close look . Voles ( Microtus genus ) are also call meadow or field mice and are rodents , while shrews ( Soricidae home ) and moles ( Talpidae family ) belong to to the Insectivora ordering , which include mammals that eat louse . You may see moles , field mouse or shrews in and around your planetary house or garden , but you ’ll need to identify them correctly to know if you demand to dole out with them , and how .

Step 1

Identify the shrewmouse , mole or field mouse by its size of it . Shrews are small and black eye - sized , while moles are turgid , with bodies about 6½ to 7 inches long ( not include the fag end ) . Voles have compact , heavyset bodies and are usually 5 to 7 inches long from the tip of the nose to the end of the tail .

Step 2

read the fur . Shrews have dense pelt that ’s a uniform color , not multicolored like mice . Voles usually have gray or brown fur , with dense under - pelt and longer , thicker guard hairs .

Step 3

Look at the snoot . Shrews have long , narrow skulls with decided , elongated snouts . breakwater have a hairless , point snout that extends nearly a half - in beyond their mouth . field mouse , on the other hired man , do n’t have elongated snouts .

Step 4

Identify the shrew , bulwark or vole by its eyes . Moles have very little eyes , which are conceal by pelt . vole have larger eyes than mole and shrew , but the eyes are still small and partially hide by pelt . Shrews have small eyes that are not hide by its fur .

Step 5

Study the feet . shrew have five taloned toe on each foot . Voles have poor leg and diminished , soft feet and forefeet with only four toes , like other rodents . mole have very large , broad forefoot with web toes , as well as hindfeet that are little and narrow with slender , penetrating claws .

Step 6

Look at the tail . Shrews have long tails that can be closely the same length as their bodies , while moles have 1¼-inch - long tails . Voles have stubby tails that are the shortest of the three .

Tip

you may also name a termagant , mole or vole by what it ’s eat . Both moles and termagant are insectivores , eating beetles , grasshoppers , wasps , cricket , spiders , earthworms and other insects and their larva . Voles , however , feed on plant life and only now and then eat insects , snails and beast remains .

Warning

Do n’t confuse termagant with moles . Shrews have small tooth that are sharp and benighted - canted , while moles do n’t have these distinct , dismal - leaning tooth . Also , counterspy tunnel and exist underground , and are rarely seen , while shrews live above earth .

References

…