Voles, Shrews, Moles and
Mice
The
Meadow Vole spends the winter in snow tunnels
eating grasses and seeds as well as the bark at the base
of young trees. Voles breed throughout the year. Even
during the winter; a female may produce 3-4 litters of up
to 10 young per litter. Voles are a very important food source for hawks, owls, coyotes and foxes.
They are not the easiest prey to catch at the best of times. In
extremely deep snow conditions their tunnels, which are usually just
below the snow surface, are very suddenly too deep for the predators
to hunt them. This creates a dangerous situation for hawks,
owls, coyotes and foxes. Deep snow could result in starvation
for these predators and an overpopulation of meadow voles.
Hidden under the leaves which fell in the autumn season is a whole
world. This tiny micro world of living organisms is given the term:
subnivean.
Just when you thought that everything beneath the snow was frozen
and quiet,
you suddenly discover that there is a network of activity right
below your snowshoes!
The Short-Tailed Shrew is one of the smallest North American mammals.
It also spends the winter under the snow. The shrew eats its
own body weight in earthworms, insects, nuts, and mice on a daily
basis. Under the snow it is a fierce predator! A poison gland in the base of the shrews jaw
enables it to paralyze its victims.
The shrew shares a
network of tunnels created by the moles and voles. Always active,
it rests only for short periods of time and then resumes its unending search for
food.
Moles are another type of tunelling creature, but these ones come
with poor eyesight. The Star-Nosed Mole, recognized by the
star-like tentacles on its snout, continues to be active through the
winter. The 22
tentacles around its snout fan out in a star-like design. More
than just a pretty face the sensory organs translate tactile
information back to the brain. It may not see very well, but
oh, what a nose!
Moles are seldom seen as they live
beneath the soil and below the frost line. They may be found at a
depth of up to 18" below the leaf litter, preferring a wet
habitat environment. A moles diet consists of earthworms and other
invertebrates. They have extremely powerful shovel-like front feet
for making tunnels and searching for food.
The White-Footed Mouse, travels on top of
the snow. It is an important prey in the diet of carnivores. During
the winter mice live in a communal nest, huddling
together for warmth. These nests may be in a variety of
locations, even in abandoned bird nests. The socially
dominant mouse is usually located in the middle of a
community. Constantly on the hunt for food sources such as seeds, nuts,
berries and the soft outer bark of young trees, mice also have the
unique ability to store food in their tails. They don't
have a special pocket, but their tails do swell up with stored
energy reserves known as fat.
The Ermine or Short-tailed Weasel is the most
feroceous of tunnelling creatures. In winter this weasel is all white except for a black
tipped tail and black eyes. The slender body
of the weasel allows it to enter the subnivean tunnels of the
mice, moles, voles and shrews.
Down To Earth