Southern Red-Backed Vole

Myodes gapperi

 

ID

• Reddish colored with a broad rusty-red dorsal band, though species in Northern New England are said to be more ocherous
• Small eyes
• Prominent ears
• Pale gray underparts (Whitaker)

Distribution

Reproduction

• Breeding happens from late winter or very early spring until late in the fall
• Gestation takes 17-19 days and litters are usually between 2 and 8 young
• Males don’t seem to help with caring for the young, but they continue to live with the female until the young are older
• Individuals are capable of breeding at 2 to 4 months old (Whitaker)

Behavior

• Shares already-made burrows with other small animals or uses fallen leaves as shelter
• Can be active at any time of the day, but tends to be nocturnal in warmer weather and diurnal in colder
• Can climb (Whitaker)

Food Habits

• Nuts, seeds, berries, green vegetation, succulent roots, and fungi
• Stored food for winter when preferred foods become unavailable (Whitaker)

Size/Life Cycle

• Average measurements: 116-172 mm (total length), 6-42 g (total weight) (Smithsonian)

Predators

• Short-tailed weasels, hawks, marten (Whitaker)

Habitat

• Cool, shaded woods, moss-covered boulders, alpine summits, aspen meadows.