25.10.2019
Red mouse vole. The field mouse is the enemy of all farmers and gardeners. Pictured is a water vole
The color of the top of the bank vole is rusty-brown, in various shades. The tail is relatively long (40-60 mm), sharply two-colored, dark above and whitish below, covered short hair, between which you can see the scaly surface of the skin. Skull length 21.7-26.0 mm. The length of the upper molars is usually less than 6 mm. The base of the alveolus of the upper incisor (visible when opening the bone) is spaced from the anterior edge of the 1st molar at a distance of at least half the length of the crown of this tooth. 3rd upper molar with inside with 2, or more often, 3 incoming angles.
Forest areas of the European part of the USSR and some areas Western Siberia; north to the middle part Kola Peninsula, Solovetsky Islands, Arkhangelsk and the lower reaches of Pechora, south to the island forests of Ukraine, Voronezh, Saratov, Kuibyshev regions, the outskirts of Uralsk; there is an isolated location in southwestern Transcaucasia. The eastern limit of distribution is not sufficiently clarified: individual occurrences are known near Tyumen, in the vicinity of Tobolsk, in the Vasyugan region Tomsk region, in Legostaevsky district Novosibirsk region; on the Salair Ridge, Altai and Sayan Mountains. Outside the USSR, it is distributed north to Scotland and Scandinavia, south to the Pyrenees, southern Italy, Yugoslavia and Turkey.
In the Pleistocene on the territory of the USSR, bank voles penetrated far to the south into the open landscape, apparently sticking to forested river valleys, and their remains, usually attributed to S. gladeolus, together with the remains of the steppe fauna, were found outside their modern range in the lower Don and Crimea; in addition, they are known from the Kanev region on the Dnieper. The earliest finds are known from England in the Upper Pliocene; in early Quaternary times, forms close to S. glareolus.
The bank vole lives in various types forests, from coniferous in the north to broad-leaved in the south; along forest islands it penetrates far into steppe zone. In autumn and winter, it often settles in stacks, sweeps and buildings. Burrows with several exits and 1-2 chambers; sometimes makes a nest on the surface of the soil. Climbs bushes and trees. It feeds on tree seeds, herbaceous plants, bark, buds, lichens and, partly, also animal food (insects, worms). Reproduction is 3-4 times a year, each litter contains 2-8 cubs. Harmful in forests, nurseries, gardens and shelterbelts. In some places it causes some harm winter time in barns, vegetable warehouses and residential buildings.
Vole subspecies: 1) Clethrionomys glareolus glareolus Schreber (1780) - relatively bright color with a significant admixture of reddish-red tones on the back; from Belarus and the Smolensk region to the Tatar Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic.
2) S.g. suecicus Miller (1909) - the color is darker than that of the previous form, the size is somewhat larger than that of other subspecies; from the Baltic states to northern regions USSR (Murmansk, Arkhangelsk, Leningrad, Vologda) to the Ural Range and the flat part of Western Siberia inclusive.
3) S.g. islericus Miller (1909) - the upper color is rusty yellow, lighter than previous forms; Moldova, Ukraine, Kursk, Voronezh, Saratov, Kuibyshev regions, Southern Urals, etc.
4) S.g. devius Stroganov (1948) - the color of the summer fur on the back is smoky-gray with a pale-rusty tint; found in the lower reaches of the river. Pechory.
5) S.g. saianicus Thomas (1911) - the top color is relatively dark, similar to S.g. suecicus Mill.; the size is somewhat smaller than that of the last subspecies; Sayans, Altai, Salair Ridge.
6) S.g. ponticus Thomas (1906) - the color of the bank vole is intense, gray-brown, with a brownish-rusty tint; found in the Guria-Adjara ridge south of Kutaisi, Georgian SSR; was previously known from several points in Turkey (Trebizond, etc.).
The wood vole is a small mouse-like rodent that is related to the hamster.
Forest voles represent an important link the food chain, since a huge number of predators feed on them.
Description of the forest vole
The body length of the forest vole is 8-11 centimeters, weight ranges from 17 to 35 grams. The length of the tail is 2.5-6 centimeters. The ears forest voles almost invisible. Their eyes are small.
The color of the back is red-orange or rusty orange. And the belly is white or gray. In winter, hair becomes thicker and redder. Distinctive feature What differentiates forest voles from other species is that their molars have roots. They have 56 chromosomes.
Lifestyle of forest voles
The presence of a huge number of enemies among forest voles has made these animals very secretive. During the day they hide in their burrows, under snags, between roots, under fallen leaves. And at night they go out in search of food. They live from 5 months to 1 year. They are active all year round.
Forest voles are difficult to spot, but there are many of these animals. Forest voles live in North America and Eurasia. In North America they live in the Carolinas, Colorado, British Columbia, Labrador, and Alaska.
They are widespread throughout deciduous forests, in the taiga, in the fields. Even in a city park at night you can hear the rustling of leaves and quiet fuss, this forest voles. They also live in swampy areas of the forest-tundra. They can climb mountains to a height of up to 3 thousand meters.
Forest Vole Survival Tools
Nature has not equipped voles with sharp teeth, large claws, or muscular legs, but these animals have found a way to survive - they are extremely fertile.
Every year, forest voles give birth to 3-4 offspring.
At one time, a vole gives birth to about 11 babies. Already at 1.5 months, young voles are also ready to reproduce.
One pair of these rodents reproduces up to 1000 times throughout their life, bringing into the world an entire army. This is one of the most the best means survival.
Diet of forest voles
The diet of forest voles consists of plant food. Seeds, tree buds, grass, berries, nuts, and mushrooms are used. And in winter they eat bark and lichens. Forest voles crush rough food with their large front teeth, which wear down quite quickly. However, front teeth grow throughout life.
Voles, like other rodents, are voracious. They do not hibernate, so they have to make provisions for the winter.
Each vole collects up to 500 grams of seeds.
They crawl into barns and visit grain fields, causing significant damage to agriculture.
But without forest voles they would have died of hunger predator birds. And birds destroy harmful insects. Therefore, by giving part of the harvest to voles, people save a large share from insect pests.
Forest voles are an important food source for fur-bearing animals, especially martens. Types of forest voles
There are 13 species in the genus of forest voles, including bank voles, red-gray voles, red-backed voles and Tien Shan voles.
The bank vole or European forest vole does not exceed 11.5 centimeters in length, its weight is 17-35 centimeters. Its back is rusty brown and its belly is greyish. The tail is two-colored - dark on top and whitish below.
Bank voles live in the mountain forests of Europe, Siberia and Asia Minor. They live in broad-leaved and mixed forests, giving preference to linden-oak plantations. They live alone, but in winter they can gather in groups. The bank vole is a numerous species.
Red- gray vole its length reaches approximately 13.5 millimeters, and its weight ranges from 20 to 50 grams. The upper part of the body of this vole is red-brown, the belly is light gray, and the sides are gray-blue. These rodents live in China, Japan, Finland, Mongolia, Sweden, Norway and Russia. They settle in birch and coniferous forests.
The bank vole is the most common subspecies of forest voles. Animals form the main branch of the food chain for predators and birds. This cute rodent is recognized as a major pest for parks. The vole is dangerous to humans, as it carries a life-threatening infection.
Characteristic
The animal's head is small, with a thickening in the frontoparietal region. The facial region is lowered down with narrowed nasal bones. The zygomatic arches are low. The animal's eyes are black, slightly convex. The roots of the animal’s teeth form earlier than those of other representatives of the species and have thin enamel. The eardrums are small, but this does not affect the sensitive hearing of the rodent.
The color of the bank vole can vary from light red to rusty. Tail white at the bottom and dark at the top. The surface of the vole's tail appears bald, but in fact it is covered with a thin layer of short hairs, between which scales of skin are visible. The size of the animal rarely reaches more than 120 mm, and the tail is no more than 65 mm. In appearance, the mouse resembles a cute and harmless creature, but if you encounter such an animal, it is better to be careful, since the bank vole’s teeth are sharp and in case of danger it will defend itself.
Lifestyle
The bank vole, a photo of which can be seen in this article, often lives in deciduous forests. Likes to settle on the edges and woodlands. In taiga zones it likes to live in berry spruce forests. In the south, small animals prefer to inhabit forest islands near fields, where they willingly go to feed. In the north bank vole prefers to coexist with humans, inhabiting houses and barns.
In the Urals, the animal chooses the most unusual way of life among the stones. If a person sees a vole, then he can be completely sure that several animals live around. The rodent never lives alone, but chooses a couple or a whole family. The vole spends the most active part of its time moving and can only rest a little at night. These mice are quite lazy in terms of home arrangement. Contrary to opinions, this cute animal rarely digs holes for itself, and if it does, it is very shallow, which makes the vole easy prey for predators. Typically, animals build a home by making a small bedding among tree roots, brushwood, and under fallen trees. Sometimes the most nimble mice climb trees and settle in bird nests.
Reproduction and offspring
Bank vole, whose offspring can feel safe in big family, reproduces only if there is a sufficient amount of food. If the animal feels safe and comfortable, it is able to produce offspring at the age of 30 days. This is even before they reach puberty. Basically, animals begin to reproduce 50-60 days after birth.
In one year, a female can give birth to 4 litters of small rodents. On average, their number ranges from 6 to 13 cubs. And if we imagine that there is more than one bank vole in a family, the offspring, no matter how many, can overrun small area forests. The animal's gestation period lasts for half a month. The cubs are born naked and blind, weighing 10 grams each. Already two weeks after birth, babies can calmly leave the shelter and can feed on their own. This one breeds in spring, summer and winter.
Nutrition
In all seasons, the vole’s favorite delicacy is the seeds of branched plants. The diet of rodents also includes green parts of plants and insects. In winter, voles prefer to gnaw tree roots and shoots of berry bushes.
These small animals do not store reserves, so if necessary they can eat whatever they find. Therefore, in winter they often prefer human housing, where they have something to eat every day. If the rodent lives in the forest, then it can feed on the roots of the tree all winter, which leads to the death of the plant. That is why bank voles are considered the main pests of forests.
Habitat
The bank vole, whose characteristics show that the animal is unpretentious, lives in almost every corner of the planet. The range stretches from Scotland and Scandinavia to southern Italy, Turkey and Yugoslavia.
Also, the small animal can be found in all regions of Russia. Unfortunately, not all voles are able to survive in cold climate conditions, but this does not in any way reduce their total number. Voles also constitute the main diet for predatory animals, which supports their populations.
The main enemies of the animal
- Gray owl. It is a large bird with strong wings and powerful hearing. She is able to detect the movement of a vole even under a large layer of snow. Thanks to its tenacious paws, the tawny owl dives into the snow and takes out its prey. Thanks to bank voles, this predator survives the winter without knowing hunger.
- The flexible predator is able to pursue a vole due to its small size and agility. Weasel rodents are the main diet in winter.
- Kestrel. The rufous falcon mainly hunts gray voles, but does not reject red-haired representatives of the species.
- Marten. IN summer time this animal can eat berries and insects, but in winter the main diet for the marten is voles. On average, an adult marten can even attack a squirrel, but this is much more difficult than finding a small rodent under the snow.
Maliciousness
The bank vole (taxonomy classifies it as a rodent) is the main pest of forests. When the number of rodents increases, they actually destroy the gardens and young trees of the reserves.
Animals living near fields cause enormous damage to the crop, polluting it and often infecting it with various viral infections, which requires human control of the animal population. If voles begin to live next to humans, they often contaminate food and livestock feed. The rodent also causes a lot of trouble, spoiling things and gnawing through loopholes. In Europe frequent cases is infection with hemorrhagic fever and outbreaks of renal syndrome. It is this subspecies of the vole that carries the dangerous
hantavirus , which causes diseases such as salmonellosis, tularemia, pseudotuberculosis. Therefore, people in agricultural areas try their best to get rid of mice by introducing specialized poison and pesticides into their burrows.Despite the fact that the bank vole is a rodent pest that destroys crops and causes harm forest areas, the animal becomes an integral part of the survival of forest predators. Bank voles never hibernate. Their activity never decreases in winter; they are capable for a long time exist under the cover of snow. This gives predators an advantage when looking for food during the cold winter.
The top is rusty brown in various shades. The tail is two-colored, dark at the top and whitish at the bottom. The surface of the tail is covered with short hairs, sparsely spaced, so that skin scales are visible between them.
Skull with a juvenile appearance: a rounded brain capsule with a slight flattening in the frontoparietal region and a shortened, downward-sloping facial region and nasal bones narrowed in the middle. The arches of the cheekbones are low. Medium sized ear drums. The angular section of the mandibular bone is not shortened. The roots of molars form earlier than in other species. The chewing surfaces of the triangular loops and the loops themselves have sharpened corners and a relatively thin enamel lining.
Biology
Lifestyle. Mass view linden-oak biotopes deciduous forests. In the taiga zone it prefers berry spruce forests and clearings bordering them. Avoids forests with tightly closed stands and inhabits forest edges and woodlands.
In the east of the range, preference is given to light secondary forests and coniferous edges, preferably overgrown with shrubs. The species is common in floodplain plantations.
In the south it is found in island forests and shelterbelts. From the forest belts it comes out into the fields to feed, but does not move further than 100 - 150 m from the edge.
In the European north, the bank vole often inhabits outbuildings and human housing. In winter, the animals are found in stacks and stacks. IN Ural mountains together with other forest voles, it inhabits scattered stones.
The species lives in pairs or families. Activity is year-round, around the clock, polyphasic. During the daylight hours, up to 17 phases of activity are observed.
It usually does not dig real holes; if there are any, they are very short and shallow. Mines forest floor and a layer of turf. Widely uses voids in the roots of tree stumps, in dead trunks, under inversions, and in piles of brushwood. Winter and summer ground and subsurface nests located in natural shelters are common for the species.
The animals climb trees better than other species of forest voles and are able to climb to a height of up to 12 m. There are known cases of nesting and the birth of young in bird houses - nest boxes.
Reproduction and the abundance of the species is closely related to the abundance of complete food. In favorable conditions, 50% of animals are able to reproduce at the age of 26 - 30 days, and by 46 - 50 days, all 100% of individuals reach sexual maturity. One female brings up to 4 litters per year, more often 2 - 3 litters. There are from 5 to 13 cubs in a litter. Pregnancy lasts 17 - 24 days.
The cubs are born naked and blind, weigh from 1 to 10 g and gain sight at 10 - 12 days. On the 14th - 15th day they leave the hole, but switch to green food even earlier.
Spring-summer voles reproduce and die before the onset of winter. Animals born in August - September give birth in the spring, but do not participate in summer reproduction.
IN winter period reproduction is observed during snowy winters without sudden temperature changes.
Nutrition. In all seasons, the diet of the species is dominated by seeds of herbaceous and woody plants deciduous forests. It prefers the seeds of acorns and linden, in the east - cedar and berry bushes. Green parts of plants are present in food throughout the growing season. Animal feed, mainly larvae of various insects, are present in the diet in summer months. In winter, the main food is shoots of berry bushes, bark, and buds. If the main feed fails, it switches to any substitutes, including mushrooms and plant roots. Makes small reserves.
Morphologically related species
According to morphology ( appearance) the described pest is close to ( Clethrionomysrutilus). The main differences: a slightly two-color tail, the skin does not show through the hairs of the tail, the length of the tail is less than 40 mm, the color of the dorsal part is dominated by bright rusty-brown tones in summer and light, yellowish-brown in winter.
In addition, the Tien Shan forest vole is often found, which is also close in morphology to the bank vole ( Clethrionomys glareolus).
At the same time, the following geographical variability is observed: the development of brighter tones of red color in the direction from west to east and a general lightening of the color to the south; an increase in size is observed in east direction in flat areas and with altitude (in Western Europe). In the east of the range, mountain inhabitants are smaller than lowland inhabitants and have a darker color. The relative length of the dentition becomes shorter in the direction from north to south.
15 subspecies have been described, of which 5 - 6 are in Russia.
Geographical distribution
Bank vole distributed from the Kola Peninsula and the Arkhangelsk region to the Middle Urals in the east and the borders of the island forests of Ukraine and Southern Urals on South.
In addition, the species' range extends north to Scotland and Scandinavia, to the Pyrenees in the south, southern Italy, Yugoslavia and Turkey.
Maliciousness
Bank vole- the most dangerous hemisynanthropic species, actively penetrating into urban environment, and at the same time inhabiting not entirely favorable biotopes - dry meadows. This increases the possibility of transmitting various types of infections to humans and requires constant monitoring of the species’ population in order to regulate it.
In the taiga zone of the European part of Russia, this species is the main pest of forest and plantation crops. During a periodic (once every 4-5 years) increase in numbers, the animals significantly damage young forest plantations and gardens adjacent to forests. Due to the ability to climb trees well, it causes damage above ground level.
In residential premises, warehouses and storage facilities, the bank vole damages and contaminates food and animal feed.
In European foci of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), this species is the main carrier of hantaviruses. At the same time, he is an active participant in the circulation of pathogens of various infectious diseases: tularemia, tick-borne encephalitis, lymphocytic choriomeningitis, salmonellosis, pseudotuberculosis and many others.
Pesticides
Chemical pesticides
Manual introduction into holes, other shelters, tubes, bait boxes:
Layout of ready-made baits in food enterprises and in everyday life:
Control measures: deratization measures
Sanitary and epidemiological well-being is due to the successful implementation of the entire complex of deratization measures, including organizational, preventive, exterminatory and sanitary educational measures to combat rodents.
Organizational events include a complex following measures:
- administrative;
- financial and economic;
- scientific and methodological;
- material.
Preventive actions are designed to eliminate favorable living conditions for rodents and exterminate them using the following measures:
- engineering and technical, including the use of various devices that automatically prevent rodents from accessing premises and communications;
- sanitary and hygienic, including maintaining cleanliness in the premises, basements, and areas of the facilities;
- agro- and forestry engineering, including measures for the cultivation of forests in recreational areas to the state of forest parks and maintaining these areas in a state free from weeds, fallen leaves, dead and drying trees; This same group of activities includes deep plowing of the soil in the fields;
- preventive deratization, including measures to prevent the restoration of the number of rodents using chemical and mechanical means.
The task of carrying out this group of activities lies with legal entities and individual entrepreneurs operating specific facilities and the surrounding territory.
These events are held legal entities And individual entrepreneurs with special training.
Harvest mouse- a small animal that is brown or grey colour back and light gray belly. The red-backed vole has fairly large ears and a dark stripe along its back. The vole family is characterized by a small body size (up to 15 centimeters), and the tail can be longer than the body. Field mice live in large families containing up to 10 nests each. In a month, the pest processes and throws up to 60 kilograms of soil onto the surface.
Despite their miniature size, forest voles, like rats, cause a lot of trouble for their owners. The common vole is the enemy of bumblebees. She destroys their homes, eats insect larvae and the honey they make. This brings significant losses to beekeepers and can completely discourage insects from the area.
Practically all year round the main food of animals is leaves, stems and seeds of wild plants herbaceous plants. The bank vole also feeds on berries and grain during its growth period. Gray voles also eat insects, their larvae and some invertebrates.
Lifestyle
The lifestyle of rodents follows the principle of seasonality. Also, animal biorhythms depend on the duration daylight hours. Air temperature and, accordingly, the time of year also have a significant impact on lifestyle.
In summer and spring, forest voles are active in the afternoon and at night. How do they live in winter? In winter and autumn, gray voles and rats are active during the day. The animal does not hibernate in winter. E minks during this period are natural shelters or passages underground.
Gray voles, like rats, “build” their minks up to 4 meters in height. They are usually equipped with several exits, one of which leads to water. The mouse lives in a house with a specially equipped chamber. In winter, food supplies are stored in it.
It is worth noting that the water vole living near swamps does not dig holes. She lives in a spherical house made mainly of grass. The dwelling is located at a height, on a bush.
Video “Vole in nature”
The “main character” of the video is a field mouse who gradually eats a piece of bread.
Distribution and reproduction
Rats and forest voles live in the territory of the former Soviet Union, in Siberia, Kazakhstan, on Far East. In Ukraine, rodents live in the Carpathians, the region of the Azov and Black Seas, where the water vole is found. The bank vole feels uncomfortable in the dry steppes near Sivash, so it does not live there.
Forest voles prefer to live in forest-steppe forests. Rodents are most often found in cultivated fields or hills, rising almost one and a half kilometers above sea level.
The bank vole loves wet areas, so it can be found in grassy meadows and fields. With great desire, the red-gray vole also settles in vineyards, gardens, and valleys, which is very harmful to gardeners.
The underground vole places its homes among the roots of plants. When the cold sets in, pests easily hide in stacks of straw and piles of fallen leaves. Sometimes the field mouse sneaks into human homes or grain storage facilities, which does not make farmers happy.
The bank vole actively reproduces in the spring. Rodent cubs appear in specially equipped chambers, the bottom of which is covered with dry grass. From this part of the dwelling there are several paths that go to the surface. On average, a female gives birth to 4 litters of 5-8 cubs per year. Pregnancy lasts 22 days.
The interval between litters is about two months. The little mouse is born naked and blind. He is absolutely helpless. Next, the mouse becomes covered with fluff, grows and develops. After 10 days it is no different from adult. Three-week-old babies search for food on an equal basis with other mice. And after another couple of months, the field mouse is already able to reproduce.
Harm
Despite their miniature and cute appearance, mammals are of little use in the household. They exist, by and large, thanks to the fact that they manage to steal from gardeners, farmers or gardeners.
Mice and rats, settling in apartments, warehouses or in the countryside, cause irreparable harm. They eat tree bark, green parts of plants and gardeners' supplies, including grain. The red vole causes significant losses, and when the rodent population becomes huge, it is impossible to estimate losses from spoiled grain crops at all. Therefore, it is in the interests of gardeners themselves not to allow the mouse family to increase.
To choose the right product, you need to decide what results you are trying to achieve. And also, what method: humane or more radical. It is also necessary to take into account the environment in which disinfection activities are planned. After all, when getting rid of rodents, pets or livestock should not be harmed.
The underground vole is afraid of Storm wax tablets. This drug can reliably protect the crop that the pest feeds on. The substance is scattered in burrows and other places where the bank vole likes or may be. The main thing is not to take the drug with your hands. After all, rats can smell a person and will not eat poison. After consuming poison, the animal’s life ends after 10-14 days.
Mice can also be controlled with Muskidan glue. It is applied to a plywood or cardboard base, in the middle of which the bait is placed. Once on the sticky surface, the field mouse is firmly glued to it.
The water vole is also afraid of natural enemies, which can sharply reduce the population size. For example, an owl takes the lives of 1,000 or more rodents in a year. And for the fox and marten, the red vole is the only food. Therefore, they are actively hunting for her. A ferret, hunting for mice, is capable of destroying up to 12 representatives of the water vole species in one night. And the weasel, with its long and narrow body, easily penetrates the dwellings that the red-gray vole has equipped and takes the life of its cubs.
