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Species Description

• Adult total length: 4 - 5 3/4 in. (100 - 145 mm)

• Tail: 3/4 - 1 in. (17 - 25 mm)

• Hind foot: 1/2 - 5/8 in. (16 - 18 mm)

• Weight: 3/4 - 2 oz. (21 - 56 g)

• Physical Characteristics: The fossorial woodland vole is brownish above and grayish below. The fur is soft and thick and lies flat against the body when rubbed either forward or backward, an adaptation for traveling either direction in tunnels. The nose is blunt, and the short tail is only slightly longer than the small hind feet. The eyes and ears are small with the ears being partially concealed in the fur.

left lateral view of skull and mandible	dorsal view of skull	ventral view of skull

The woodland vole's preferred habitat is moist woodlands, but they often occur in orchards, fields, and gardens. Optimum habitat includes light moist soil or deep humus and a heavy ground cover. The Komareks took these voles in an open deciduous woods in Cades Cove where the voles had runways under a layer of dead leaves. In Greenbrier Cove, specimens were taken in an apple orchard and in a small marshy area at the edge of a woods (Komarek and Komarek, 1938). At Deep Creek (2,000 feet), woodland voles were taken in a sedge field bordered on one side with pines and on the other with oaks and shrubs.

Index

Natural History

• Reproduction
  Woodland voles may breed throughout the year in the park. Nursing females or females with embryos or placental scars have been recorded on the following dates: March 16 - 3 (well developed); March 24 - 2 (well developed); September 8 - 2 (1R, 1L); September 9 - 2 (1R, 1L; CR=25mm; near term); December 14 - 3 (1R, 2L; very small; nursing); and December 15 - 2 (1R, 1L; nursing). Males in breeding condition have been noted in September. An immature vole was taken in March (Linzey, 1995b).

  Gestation ranges from 20 to 24 days (Kirkpatrick and Valentine, 1970). Litters usually conist of one to three young, although litters containing as many as seven young have been recorded (Linzey, 1998). Females may breed immediately following the birth of the litter and produce up to four litters a year. Ovulation is not spontaneous but is induced by copulation (Kirkpatrick and Valentine, 1970).

  Newborn young are essentially hairless, lack teeth, and have their eyes and ears closed (Hamilton, 1938; Paul, 1970). The incisors erupt on the fifth or sixth day, the pinnae of the ears have unfolded by the eighth day, and the eyes open between 9 and 13 days of age. Young voles are weaned during their third week. Puberty accurs between 6 and 8 weeks in males and between 10 and 12 weeks in females (Schadler and Butterstein, 1979).

• Longevity
  Wild individuals have been known to live as long as 18 months.

• Terrestrial Ecology
  Woodland voles are active during all seasons and do not hibernate. They are usually more active at night than during the day.

  Woodland voles are excellent burrowers. They also make extensive use of both active and non-active mole burrow systems (Eadie, 1939). Woodland vole burrows are constructed just beneath the leaf mold and usually descend only 7.5 to 10 cm (Linzey, 1998 ). Occasionally tunnels may extend to a depth of 30 cm or more. In orchards, burrows often run along the roots of apple trees. In some areas, these voles have also been taken in shallow, exposed runways.

  Nests are normally located in the underground burrow, although they may be under a stump, log, or other piece of debris. They are constructed of dead leaves, grasses, plant stems, and rootlets. Several exits usually lead from the nest.

  Home range size is generally less than 90 m in diameter, although male mice have been known to range over 1.6 ha (Linzey, 1998). Homing ability has been demonstrated in this species with an individual returning 45 m to its home range in 24 hours (Benton, 1955 ). The senses of hearing and touch are extremely well developed.

  Woodland voles feed largely on roots, tubers, stems, bark, fruits, and seeds. Some insects may also be taken. Komarek and Komarek ( 1938) found pieces of grass, decomposed apples, and kernels of corn in the runways of this vole in the park. Linzey and Linzey ( 1973) examined the stomachs of seven woodland voles taken in September at Cataloochee and four taken in December at Cherokee Orchard. Vegetation comprised 78.5% of the total volume and was present in all animals. Seeds formed 20.6% of the total volume (36.4% frequency) and the fungus Endogone formed 0.4% of the volume (54.5% frequency).

• Predators and Defense
  Woodland voles have been found in the stomachs of four copperheads ( Agkistrodon contortrix) in the park (Savage, 1967 ). They have also been recorded from the corn snake (Elaphe guttata) (Linzey, 1995b).

• Parasites
  No records from the park.

• University of Michigan, Museum of Zoology
• eNature

Index

Acknowledgements

• Text
  • Dr. Donald W. Linzey, Wytheville Community College - wclinzd@wcc.vccs.edu
  • Christy Brecht, Wytheville Community College - wcbrecc@wcc.vccs.edu

• Photographs
  • Rober Barbour

• Map development
  • Richard Schulz, Great Smoky Mountains National Park - richard_schulz@nps.gov

• Web page design & coding
  • Denise Lim, University of Georgia, Athens
  • John Pickering, University of Georgia, Athens

• Benton, A.H. 1955. Observation on the life history of the northern pine mouse. Journal of Mammalogy 36(1): 52-62.

• Eadie, W.R. 1939. A contribution to the biology of Parascalops breweri. Journal of Mammalogy 20 (2): 150-173.

• Hamilton, W.J., Jr. 1938. Life history notes on the northern pine mouse. Journal of Mammalogy 19 (2): 163-170.

• Kirkland, R.L. and G.L.Valentine. 1970. Reproduction in captive pine voles, Microtus pinetorum. Journal of Mammalogy 51 (4): 779-785.

• Komarek, E.V. and R. Komarek. 1938. Mammals of the Great Smoky Mountains. Bulletin of the Chicago Academy of Sciences 5 (6): 137-162.

• Linzey, D.W. and A.V. Linzey. 1973. Notes on food of small mammals from Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee-North Carolina. Journal of the Elisha Mitchell Scientific Society 89 (1 and 2): 6-14.

• Linzey, D. W. 1995a. Mammals of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Blacksburg, Virginia: The McDonald & Woodward Publishing Company, Inc.

• Linzey, D. W. 1995b. Mammals of Great Smoky Mountains National Park-1995 Update. Journal of the Elisha Mitchell Scientific Society 111(1):1-81.

• Linzey, D. W. 1998. The Mammals of Virginia. Blacksburg, Virginia: The McDonald & Woodward Publishing Company, Inc.

• Paul, J.R. 1970. The pine vole in North Carolina. Reports of Investigations, no. 20. Illinois State Museum.

• Savage, T. 1967. The diet of rattlesnakes and copperheads in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Copeia 1967 (1): 226-227.

• Schadler, M.H. and G.M. Butterstein. 1979. Reproduction in the pine vole, Microtus pinetorum. Journal of Mammalogy 60 (4): 841-844.

• Smolen, M.J. 1981. Microtus pinetorum. Mammalian Species No. 147: 1-7. American Society of Mammalogists.

• Smolen, M. J. 1999. Woodland vole. Pages 642-644. In: D.E. Wilson, and S. Ruff (eds.). The Smithsonian Book of North American Mammals. Washington, D. C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.