Girdling damage at ground line on a young tree is most likely caused by which pest?

Girdling damage at ground line on a young tree is most likely caused by which pest?

• A. Voles
• B. Mice
• C. Rabbits
• D. Gophers

Answer: (A)

Voles are the most likely cause because they stay close to the ground and gnaw the bark right at or just below the soil surface, forming a continuous ring around the base of a young tree. This girdling disrupts the cambial layer and stops the tree’s ability to move water and nutrients upward, often leading to dieback or death. Rabbits typically bite bark higher on the trunk or in patches rather than making a neat ground-line girdle. Gophers damage roots and underground crowns rather than creating a clean ring around the stem at soil level, and mice, while they may nibble bark, do not commonly girdle young trees at the base in a consistent, ring-like pattern. Look for ground-level bark removal and grass runways as additional clues pointing to voles.

Voles are the most likely cause because they stay close to the ground and gnaw the bark right at or just below the soil surface, forming a continuous ring around the base of a young tree. This girdling disrupts the cambial layer and stops the tree’s ability to move water and nutrients upward, often leading to dieback or death. Rabbits typically bite bark higher on the trunk or in patches rather than making a neat ground-line girdle. Gophers damage roots and underground crowns rather than creating a clean ring around the stem at soil level, and mice, while they may nibble bark, do not commonly girdle young trees at the base in a consistent, ring-like pattern. Look for ground-level bark removal and grass runways as additional clues pointing to voles.