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VOLES
Other Names: Meadow Vole, Field Mice
Voles are the most prolific breeders in the rodent family, producing 3-5 pups per litter and up to 17 litters in a year. A female vole can have 80 offspring in a year! However, nature has its system of checks and balances. Since the vole has a wide variety of predators, including large birds, most only survive a few months in the wild. | | Description of the Vole
Scientific Name: | Microtus Pennsylvanicus | Color: | Chestnut brown mixed with black on the back | Weight: | ½-1 ounce | Length: | 4-7 inches | Tail Length: | 1 inch | Body: | Stocky, rounded body; blunted nose | Ears: | Furry & do not stick out much above the hair on the head | Eyes: | Relatively small eyes | Lifespan: | 2-18 months | Droppings: | ¼ inch long with pointed ends; dark color | Reproduction of the Vole
Litter Size: | 4 pups per litter | No. of Litters: | 5-10 litters per year; most prolific of all rodent species | Sexual Maturity: | 1 month | Gestation Period: | 20 days | Breeding Season: | Outdoors: Spring & Fall | Diet of the Vole | | | 
| Daily Amount: | 1/10 ounce | Daily Water:
| Utilizes moisture in food | Daily Food: | Roots, barks, grasses, stems, leaves, fruits | Habitat of the Vole Geography: | Different vole species are located all over North America | Nest Location: | Outdoors in underground burrows around tree roots, low-lying shrubbery and beneath fruit trees. Nests can be located by following trails through the grass back to covered areas | Home Range: | Up to 1.5 acres | Active Periods: | Night and day; away from nest for short periods of time so it is very rare to spot
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