moles, voles, and chrysanthemums

I just found out that the voles (or possibly moles???) in my garden (burrowing all through it) appear to have been "backing up and retreating back the way they came" every time they ran into one of my chrysanthemums, leaving their root systems unbothered. I didn't know till now that they might not like them.

I haven't thoroughly tested this apparent deterrant yet, or researched the reason for it, but I will be keeping a watch on them over this next summer and winter.

I can tell you they seemed to think the bottoms of my irises, and some of my columbines were tasty .... though daisys and chrysanthemums planted right next to them were never bothered .... hmmmmm ...... gives me pause, how bout you?

Has anyone else experienced this circumstance? I'd be interested to know if anyone else is having this experience with their mums versus their moles/voles.....

Voles are little mouse-like critters that do not burrow too deep, mostly just under the fallen leaves, or through loose soil. They are quite willing to run around on top of the soil, or across the street.
Moles tunnel, shallow, but definitely under the soil, leaving distinctive long, running mounds showing where they have traveled. They almost never show up on the surface. Their tunnels are so shallow that if you have header board around a lawn the path may follow the header board for a while before the mole puts the effort into digging under it.
Gophers (I know you did not list them) tunnel deeper (Unless the soil does not allow them to) and usually make a volcano-like mound every so often. In difficult soil they may tunnel so shallow that they might be mistaken for moles, but moles do not make volcano-like mounds.

Voles and Gophers eat plants. They will eat roots, tender growth, and can strip the bark off young plants.
Moles are carnivores, generally eating worms and bugs that hang out in the soil. The tunneling can disrupt the roots, and open up too-large gaps in the soil and the roots may dry out more than is good for them. They can sure ruin a nice, smooth lawn, too.

Around here there are not many plants that these pests will not bother. I do not specifically remember anything positive or negative about 'mums or related plants.

Well, here's the update I promised to try to make to this thread:
So far, I haven't seen any more plant damage so cannot yet report on the crysanthemum theory.... but.....

The dog caught one of the little "tunnelers" after standing frozen in one spot and "cat-stalking" one of the holes for over an hour, waiting for it to come out ... that was great fun to watch.

It looked kind of like a mouse, but with a longer nose and "squishier" body. So, from what I've read of their appearance and habits, we do have voles (which research and experience tell me run underground AND aboveground).

...so, Diana_K, I can tell you that voles also tunnel underground (as I've dug down into their tunnels to put "smoke bombs" in them; which I've found only chase them back through the tunnel but new voles show up later in the same area ... different tunnels; so smoke bombs are not the solution).

The tunnels are skinny, only about 3 - 5 inches underground and just barely large enough for a woman's hand (mine are small) to slide into them if she keeps her fingers out straight. You will see those volcano mounds in some areas where these little guys are (sometimes as large as the length from your elbow to your fingertips across) and in others, just a hole the size of a snake hole...but if you dig into it, you find it stems off a full-size tunnel running parrallel. Why they make two different kinds of exits, I can't tell you.

The voles have stopped tunneling around my home area - and begun in my neighbors yard and behind my garage, so maybe they don't like the smell the smoke bombs leave behind after all?