Meadow Voles

The Meadow Vole (Microtus Pennsylvanicus) can typically be found across Canada, Alaska and the northern parts of the United States and can even be found along the Atlantic coast. Also called the ‘Field Mouse’ or ‘Meadow Mouse’, it is a small nocturnal north American Vole. Unlike some rodents, the Meadow Vole is active all year round, and tends not to hibernate at all. It is one of 26 rodent species that can be found in North America.

In the winter, the Meadow Vole lives in little underground tunnels where it will have started storing food in possibly from late summertime. These burrows that it lives in may be ones it has dug itself for this one winter, or tunnels that it uses every year. Meadow voles may also use tunnels that have been long-abandoned by other small animals, as long as they think that the animals won’t be coming back.

Females will give birth to their young in these same tunnels. They can have one to five litters a year; each litter will have around 5 pups.

Meadow voles generally live in groups (often families) even though they are tend to be quite aggressive towards one another. It is in the breeding season when the males are understandably the most vicious towards other males, as like many other animals they fight over the females.

Meadow voles typically cause a lot of damage to crops, fruit trees and garden plants.

Thee voles generally have a long, cylindrical body, and have a quite chunky build. Their tails are short. They have small, round ears that may be partially hidden in its fur. Its snout is quite small and cone-like. Like many animals of the Rodentia order they have 4 toes on their front paws and five digits on each of their hind paws. On average the length of one of these voles is about 16cm.

Meadow voles eat grasses and their seeds. In the winter, when these food sources are not available they will gnaw the bark of trees which provides them with some nourishment.

August 10, 2010 · Maddia (Admin) · One Comment
Tags: , ,  Â· Posted in: Voles

One Response

  1. Antonio - June 1, 2012

    Ya i have four guinea pigs and they get begigr and spoiled every minute.Mine will stay in place but i need help on gettin him to do the circle thing