Copulation is characterized by a series of intromissions followed by ejaculation (Horne and Ylonen 1996). Due to their small size they are extremely sensitive to any adverse changes in their environment for example an increased use of pesticides or herbicides in some habitats may directly kill bank voles or reduce the supply of insects on which they are totally dependent. Some bank voles become more confident in urban areas and you might even spot one near your bird feeders looking for an easy meal! living in the northern part of the Old World. Few species of trees are present; these are primarily conifers that grow in dense stands with little undergrowth. Females reach sexual maturity after six weeks and males after eight. The Woodland Trust and Woodland Trust Nature Detectives logos are registered trademarks. They are active during both the day and night but become more nocturnal in summer, they need to break up their activities with frequent periods of rest. This material is based upon work supported by the They don’t hibernate so you can spot them all year round. 2296645), is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Woodland Trust. 1999. Females will kill the pups of their female neighbors and males will kill pups as a mating tactic (Koskela et al. The ADW Team gratefully acknowledges their support. The average life of the smaller vole species is three to six months. 1997). Journal of Comparative Physiology, 185: 561-564. Heritabilities of dominance-related traits in male bank voles (*Clethrionomys glareolus*). The Bank vole is endemic to Great Britain, but is also found throughout Europe (except for Iceland, northern Scandinavia (except for Finland) as well as the Iberian Peninsula and most of Italy), Asia Minor and certain parts of Western Siberia. 1999; Horne and Ylonen 1998). Tail black above and white below, and tail length 50% of head and body length. 2001). Ostfeld, R. 1985. Learn how to identify it, spotting tips, how it breeds and more facts. Maternal effort and male quality in the bank vole, *Clethrionomys glareolus*. defends an area within the home range, occupied by a single animals or group of animals of the same species and held through overt defense, display, or advertisement. April 10, 2002 Field voles have a shorter tail (around 30% the length of its body, compared to 50% for the bank vole). Bank voles are very active and agile animals, and are frequently seen - they even visit bird tables. 2001; Oksanen et al. They are not indigenous to Ireland and may have been accidentally introduced to the south west of the country in the 1920’s. Teeth are prismatic and are characterized by flat crowns, which are adapted for their herbivorous diet (Macdonald 2001). It uses its large ears to listen out for its many predators, such as the fox and kestrel. Blackberries are a particular favourite for bank voles. 2001; Prevot-Julliard et al. Gestation lasts from 17 days with optimal nutrition, to 24 days if the female becomes pregnant while lactating during postpartum estrus (Macdonald 2001; Koskela et al. Coniferous or boreal forest, located in a band across northern North America, Europe, and Asia. at http://www.redlist.org/search/search-basic.html. The grass-tunnelling field vole is our most abundant mammal. Two large-scale experiments. Macdonald, D. 2001. Bellamy, P., R. Shore, D. Ardeshir, J. Treweek, T. Sparks. Weaning lasts for two weeks in underground nests with the female being able to become pregnant again before weaning of the first litter is complete. Oecologia, 122: 4877-492. Journal of Animal Ecology, 70: 713-720. Some deciduous trees also may be present. Humans benefit from bank voles through their beneficial ecosystem roles. The bank vole has a well developed sense of smell which is important for receiving information on individuals who have used territorial scent markings in an area. Their expansion will most likely continue due to increased afforestation in the Irish countryside which when mature are the preferred habitat type of the bank vole. offspring are produced in more than one group (litters, clutches, etc.) Bank voles mature quickly with females maturing at 2-3 weeks and males maturing at 6-8 weeks (Macdonald 2001). Proceedings of the Royal Society, London B, 266: 1495-1499. Bank voles prefer habitats which offer plenty of dense undergrowth like those found in deciduous woodlands, hedgerows, copses and overgrown ditches, they will only inhabit coniferous forests that have not fully matured and contain a thick shrub layer. We are restoring, planting and protecting woods and trees to help maintain the biodiversity so vital to all of our native wildlife. Myodes glareolus have been characterized as omnivorous (Ostfeld 1985) and herbivorous (Macdonald 2001). 1999). The average gestation length is 21 days (Macdonald 2001). It uses its large ears to listen out for its many predators, such as the fox and kestrel. (Bellamy, et al., 2000; Flowerdew and Gardner, 1978; Horne and Ylonen, 1996; Horne and Ylonen, 1998; Jonsson, et al., 2000; Koskela, et al., 1998; Koskela, et al., 1997; Macdonald, 2001; Oksanen, et al., 1999; Oksanen, et al., 2001; Prevot-Julliard, et al., 1999; Yoccoz, et al., 2001). American Naturalist, 126: 1-15. The bank vole is a good form of natural pest control as they eat large numbers of insects and their larvae throughout the year. Proceedings of the Royal Society, London B, 265: 1129-1134. 294344) and in Scotland (No. Topics Juveniles will have a more grey to brown fur colouration. Flowerdew, J., G. Gardner. 2001; Yoccoz et al. Keep in touch with the nature you love without having to leave the house. The fore feet have four toes while the slightly larger five toed hind feet leave small tracks up to 2cm in length which are quite similar to the footprints of mice. All Right Reserved. SC038885). Of the two, field voles are much the commoner in Britain but because they are found in expanses of long grass they are infrequently found in gardens. Bank voles live in shallow underground burrows which they line with dried grass, feathers and wool, in areas with thick cover they construct ground level nests of grass and moss. The bank vole is found in forests, especially in deciduous and mixed woodland with scrub, low plants and leaf litter. at http://www.cites.org/eng/resources/fauna.shtml. 1998; Koskela et al. Prevot-Julliard, A., H. Henttonen, N. Yoccoz, N. Stenseth. United Kingdom: Andromeda Oxford Limited. Adult bank voles reach a head-body length of 10-11cm and a weight of 17-20g, with males and females being approximately the same size. Limiting resources and territoriality in microtine rodents. Larger species, such as the European water vole, live longer and usually die during their second, or rarely their third, winter.As many as 88% of voles are estimated to die within the first month of life. 1999. Road verges as habitat for small mammals in Britain. 1997. 1996. In otherwords, Europe and Asia and northern Africa. Ultrasound communication is used during mating between males and females. 2000). They appear to prefer deciduous, coniferous, and taiga forests (Yoccoz et al. Bank voles are found in a wide variety of habitats, including forests, scrub forests, hedges, banks, and swamps (Macdonald 2001; Bellamy et al. Habitat: woodland, farmland, grassland urban areas. VAT No. Credit: JONATHAN PLANT / Alamy Stock Photo. Mammal Review, 30: 131-139. 1999; Horne and Ylonen 1996, 1998; Koskela et al. In the summer and fall food is cached. 2000. Accessed Rounded snout and small eyes and ears (ears usually not visible, hidden under fur). 2001. Currently the bank vole is not protected under any international, European or Irish legislation. Upon reaching maturity, males disperse, while females stay in their natal area (Macdonald 2001). They don’t hibernate so you can spot them all year round. Like all voles, it has small eyes, a short tail and a rounded snout. Diet changes with season and location but includes green parts of plants (Macdonald 2001), fruits and seeds from available trees, such as the European ash tree (Fraxinus excelsior) (Flowerdew and Gardner 1978) and grass (Macdonald 2001).