If you have a pesticide license, chances are pretty high that you have heard the statement, “The Label is the Law!!” Sounds simple enough, just follow the label and you will avoid lots of legal liability as well as avoiding misusing pesticides. I think everyone would agree that proper pesticide use is a good thing. But when we use the slogan, “The label is the law” one would assume that the label can actually be followed? Right? How can you follow a law that can’t be followed? Does that happen with labels? I think it does and it does with voles and pesticide labels.

Voles and Pesticide Labels

Let me explain. Many rodenticide labels have the following wording. “DIRECTIONS FOR USE It is a violation of Federal law to use this product in a manner inconsistent with its labeling. READ THIS LABEL and follow all use directions and precautions. Use only for the sites, pests, and application methods described on this label.”

This means that the FIFRA (ee) exemption does not apply. You may be wondering, “So what?” Well let’s consider the use of rodenticides for the control of voles (Microtus spp.). Most rodenticide labels list meadow vole which has the scientific name Microtus pennsylvanicus. That in an of itself is not an issue. The problem is, did you check to ensure that the voles you were poisoning were actually meadow voles? There are lots of voles out there. Meadow voles are just one species. Prairie voles, long-tailed voles, montane voles, woodland voles (formerly called pine voles) etc. all can cause damage. Don’t think for one minute that it is easy telling voles apart? The fact is for some voles the only way you are going to conclusively tell them apart is by checking the teeth. If you don’t believe me, check out my sources.

• Henterly, A.C., Mabry, K.E., Solomon, N.G., Chesh, A.S. & Keane, B. 2011. Comparison of morphological versus molecular characters for discriminating between sympatric meadow and prairie voles. American Midland Naturalist 165:412-420.
• McGuire, J.L. 2011. Identifying California Microtus species using geometric morphometrics documents Quaternary geographic range contractions. Journal of Mammalogy 92(6):1383-1394.

My point is quite simple. I think it is wrong for the EPA to mandate labels to set up applicators to violate the law. We already have enough people who break the law deliberately, we don’t need to create more lawbreakers through poor labels. I suggest that rodenticide labels should say you can control all vole species unless there are threatened and endangered vole species in that area that could be harmed. Vole damage is quite easy to identify. So why make the label so species specific?

Stephen M. Vantassel, CWCP, ACE, is the owner of Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. He helps people restore their balance with nature through publishing, training, consulting, and the internet. He has published numerous articles in trade and academic publications available at {Stephen’s Academia.edu Page} along with several books {WCC Store}). Listen to his podcast “Living the Wild Life” at {Pest Geek Podcast}. Click the links for past {shows} and {interviews}. Please subscribe to {Stephen’s YouTube Channel} He is a sought after speaker and trainer. If you would like to have Stephen speak at your event or use his consultation services, send an e-mail to [email protected] Copyright All postings are the property of Stephen M. Vantassel and Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. Text (not images) may be reprinted in non-profit publications provided that the author and website URL is included. If images wish to be used, explicit and written permission must be obtained from Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC.