The coloration of the top of the bank vole is rusty-brownish, of various shades. The tail is relatively long (40-60 mm), sharply bicolored, dark above and whitish below, 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 separated from leading edge 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, with 3 reentrant angles.

Forest regions of the European part of the USSR and some regions of Western Siberia; to the north to the middle part of the Kola Peninsula, the Solovetsky Islands, Arkhangelsk and the lower reaches of the Pechora, to the south to the insular forests of Ukraine, the Voronezh, Saratov, Kuibyshev regions, the environs of Uralsk; isolated locality is in the southwestern Transcaucasia. The eastern border of distribution is not sufficiently clarified: individual occurrences are known near Tyumen, in the vicinity of Tobolsk, in the Vasyugan district of the Tomsk region, in the Legostaevsky district Novosibirsk region; on the Salair Ridge, Altai and Sayans. 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 adhering to forested river valleys, and their remains, usually attributed to C. glareolus, together with the remains of the steppe fauna, were found outside their modern range on the lower Don and in the 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 the early Quaternary time, forms close to C. glareolus.

The red-backed vole lives in various types forests, from coniferous in the north to broadleaf in the south; along the forest islands penetrates far into steppe zone. In autumn and winter, it often settles in haystacks, omets 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, in part, also animal food (insects, worms). Reproduction 3-4 times a year, in each litter 2-8 cubs. Harmful in forests, nurseries, gardens and field-protective afforestations. Causes some damage in places winter time in barns, warehouses of vegetables and in residential buildings.

Vole subspecies: 1) Clethrionomys glareolus glareolus Schreber (1780) - the coloration is relatively bright with a significant admixture of reddish-rufous tones on the back; from Belarus and the Smolensk region to the Tatar ASSR.

2) C. g. suecicus Miller (1909) - the coloration is darker than that of the previous form, the dimensions are somewhat larger than those of other subspecies; from the Baltic along the northern regions of the USSR (Murmansk, Arkhangelsk, Leningrad, Vologda) to the Ural Range and the flat part of Western Siberia, inclusive.

3) C. g. islericus Miller (1909) - rusty-yellow upperparts, lighter than previous forms; Moldova, Ukraine, Kursk, Voronezh, Saratov, Kuibyshev regions, Southern Urals and etc.

4) C. g. devius Stroganov (1948) - the color of the summer fur on the back is smoky gray with a fawn-rusty tint; found in the lower reaches of the river. Pechory.

5) C. g. saianicus Thomas (1911) - upperparts are relatively dark, similar to C. g. suecicus Mill.; slightly smaller than the latter subspecies; Sayans, Altai, Salair Ridge.

6) C. g. ponticus Thomas (1906) - the color of the bank vole is intense, gray-brown, with a brownish-rusty tinge; found in the Guria-Adzhar Range south of the city of Kutaisi of the Georgian SSR; was previously known from several points in Turkey (Trapezund, etc.).

The field mouse is a small rodent distributed throughout the world. Refers to the most numerous species of mammals - the classification of mice. There are over 100 species on earth. Perfectly adapt to any conditions of existence. There are no mice only high in the mountains, in an area covered with ice.

Appearance

A small animal is called differently: field, meadow, vole, baby, striped. Appearance is familiar to everyone, since field mice are frequent roommates of people. In cold weather or with the onset of others adverse conditions V natural environment move to barns, warehouses, sheds, outbuildings, houses. Often live in gardens, vegetable gardens, household plots.

Field Mouse Description:

  • The maximum body length is not more than 12 cm, the average size- 10 cm excluding tail. A thin tail makes up 70% of the body length.
  • The body is elongated, the hind feet are elongated. When running, always come forward.
  • Long muzzle, small round ears, oblong nose.

The appearance is very attractive, harmless, cute. Especially interesting red nose. does not differ from the general proportions of most species of these rodents.

The coat is short, hard and has an uneven color. The belly is always lighter, the back with a black stripe. You can tell a vole by the stripe on its back. Coloring, color of wool varies depending on the region. Mouse vole is gray, brown, ocher, red. IN summer period darker, by winter begins to change. Below are field mice in the photo, you can see the differences between the animal and other rodents clearly.

Interesting!

A vole's unique teeth grow throughout its life. Except for a row of small teeth in the upper jaw. The lower jaw has a pair of long incisors. They appear in the second month of life of mice, grow by 1-2 mm daily. To prevent excessive increase in teeth, rodents are forced to grind them down constantly. Biting hard objects that do not represent nutritional value but surrounding them.

How much a small animal weighs is not difficult to guess. A small animal gains no more than 30 g in weight. On average, a field mouse weighs 20 g.

food addictions

What the field mouse eats is of interest to most of the population. Since pests gnaw almost everything - wood, concrete structures, bricks. Some, plastic, rubber and other synthetic materials.

Lifestyle

In countries with warm climate meadow mouse active all year round. In our area, with the onset of cold weather, mice do not hibernate, but the process of reproduction of a new generation slows down. Relatively well tolerated low temperature. They can safely overwinter on the field.

How field mice hibernate depends on the objects surrounding them, natural conditions. IN warm time years, rodents live in the field, with an increase in numbers, the onset of adverse weather, cataclysms - fire, drought, flood, premature frosts, they settle in gardens, vegetable gardens. Each individual arranges housing for itself at a depth of about 1 m, in winter it goes down to 3 m deep. Usually, a meadow mouse hibernates in a hole.

Interesting!

The habitat of the vole includes a nest where mice are born and grow up, several chambers with food supplies, labyrinths of passages with an obligatory exit to the water.

In addition to the burrow, wintering occurs in haystacks, stacks left on the field, stacks, in barns, sheds, outbuildings. The most daring or arrogant sneak into the house. The question of where voles live in winter can be answered ambiguously - wherever possible.

Hibernation is uncharacteristic for the field mouse. The rodent living in our area cannot hibernate. With insufficient food, if the animal could not stock up on food, it risks dying. In winter, it occasionally comes to the surface during a thaw.

On a note!

Some varieties of voles sleep in winter, they can wake up with the onset of heat. They prefer to sleep in a hole. They begin to accumulate useful substances in the summer, a layer of fat is deposited, which disappears over the winter.

Behavioral Features

Field mice are extremely active, mobile, which is associated with the peculiarities of metabolism. During the day, the rodent eats about 6 times, but quickly consumes energy. Cannot stand hunger, even more thirsty. Without food, water lives no more than a week.

They adapt well to new conditions. They move along mastered lines, certain trajectories. They mark their territory with urine. Activities are activated after dark. In dark rooms they are active during the day.

Mice are extremely cautious, which makes them shy in the eyes of a person. The slightest rustle, the sound makes the rodent run for cover, hide in a mink. Enemies of mice: lizards, snakes, rats, dogs, cats, wild animals. Danger lurks at every turn. Who eats a field mouse can be listed for a long time.

The small rodent tries not to run far from the hole, moves away by 1 m. It prefers to move in the shade, under bushes, in tall grass. Each individual is assigned its territory. They live in packs, where there is a leader - a male, several dominant females.

On a note!

Life span in wild nature is 1 year, although according to genetic data they can live up to 7 years. Predators are to blame for everything, who daily hunt for field mice. How many live in artificial conditions, depends on the conditions of detention, proper nutrition. Average age- 3 years.

Reproduction features

The field mouse becomes sexually mature after 3 months. A young female produces from 1 to 3 cubs, an adult - up to 12 in one litter. Pregnancy lasts about 25 days.

Cubs are born blind, naked, absolutely helpless. A photo of field mice after birth is presented below. The female takes care of the young offspring for up to 1 month, then the young are expelled. They equip their own housing, get food.

After 9-10 days after birth, the mouse is again ready for fertilization. Reproduces new offspring up to 4 times per year. The favorable period for this begins in May and lasts until October.

Sabotage

The field mouse is capable of inflicting colossal damage. agriculture. It digs numerous holes in the fields, damages ears of wheat, leaves mounds of earth. As a result, this makes it difficult to harvest, the grain loses its presentation.

Settling in barns, warehouses, and other premises where a person began to store cereals, grain, flour, mice eat up a third of the reserves during the winter. Contaminate the product with faeces, urine. There is an unpleasant mouse smell in the room.

On a note!

The vole does not bite. At the sight of a person, he tries to quickly hide. But, being cornered, is able to stick sharp teeth. Dangerous spread of viral, bacterial, fungal infections, tularemia, plague, fever, rabies.

Rodent control

An increase in the number of mice in the field threatens with serious losses for agricultural workers. No less damage from rodents in the garden, in the garden. Poison baits are used to kill pests. Struggling,. In the premises they use, products with a pungent odor,. Also important preventive measures.

The bank vole is a small rodent. Length 80-115 mm, tail over 50% of body length (4-6 cm), hind foot length 16-18 mm. The eyes and ears are small. Weight 15-40 g.

The coloration of the top is rusty-brown, of various shades, the belly is dark gray, the tail is sharply two-tone (dark above and whitish below), covered with short sparse hair, between which a scaly surface of the skin is visible. Sides are dark gray, lightening on the ventral side of the body. Paws and ears are grey.

The cheren is rounded, with weakly pronounced ridges; the interorbital space is not grooved along its entire length. The roots of molars are formed relatively early, the enamel layer of the crown is of moderate thickness. The base of the alveolus of the upper incisor is at least half the length of its crown from the anterior surface of the alveolar section M1. The posterior upper molar is most often with four teeth on the inside.

Spreading. forest zone from Scotland to Turkey in the west and the lower reaches of the river. Yenisei and Sayan in the east. In the USSR to the north to central regions Kola Peninsula, Solovetsky Islands, Arkhangelsk, and the lower reaches of the river. Pechory; in the Trans-Urals approximately from 65 ° N. sh. the border follows to the south-east along the right bank of the river. Ob and lower reaches of its right tributaries. The northern border in the region of the Ob-Yenisei watershed has not been clarified. In the east of the range, it was found along the middle course of the river. Yenisei, in the western part of the Central Siberian Upland, on the Salair Ridge, Altai and Sayan Mountains. The southern border runs along the Carpathians, insular and floodplain forests of Ukraine, Voronezh, Saratov and Kuibyshev regions, through the Uralsk region, and in Western Siberia it coincides with the northern border of the forest-steppe; the most southern of the currently known locations is the Samara forest on the river. Dnieper (Dnepropetrovsk region), extreme western regions Rostov region on the border with Donetsk. There is an isolated locality in the southwestern Transcaucasia (Adzhar-Imeretinsky ridge).

Inhabitant of the forest zone. Penetrates through forested islands in the steppe. Inhabits all types of forests. In winter, it often lives in stacks, haystacks and human buildings. It reaches the highest abundance in broad-leaved and coniferous-wide deciduous forests European type. Near the boundaries of the range, when living together with both of the following species, it lives in burnt areas, clearings, along forest edges and in deciduous forests, especially with rich grass cover. In the subzone of coniferous-deciduous forest highest density reaches spruce forests, especially blueberry spruce forests, green moss and stream spruce forests with abundant shrub undergrowth. Found in mountain forests up to 1600 m a.s.l. m. (Sayan Mountains, Soviet Carpathians). In autumn and winter it occurs in haystacks, sheds and buildings.

More often bank vole settles in various natural, relatively open shelters in the roots of stumps and hummocks, under ectropions, in the voids of fallen trunks, etc. Burrows are usually short; usually voles more often “mine” the thickness of moss or forest litter. Nests are placed in shelters on the surface or in the near-surface layer, rarely builds nests on the soil surface or above ground. It climbs better than other species of the genus, and traces of stay are noted up to a height of 12 m; there are known cases of settlement in artificial bird houses-hollows and the withdrawal of young in them.

The bank vole feeds on seeds of shrubs, bark, tree buds, mushrooms, lichens and herbaceous plants, and also berries and mushrooms in autumn. If there is not enough food (usually in winter), it gnaws at the bark of young trees and shrubs. Sometimes insects and other invertebrates are eaten. For the winter can make small stocks of food.

The bank vole is active at night and at dusk. Leads a solitary life. Arranges spherical nests (from dry leaves, moss, feathers and other soft material) in hollows and rotten stumps, rarely digs shallow burrows with 1-2 chambers. It climbs well and runs fast.

The breeding season is from March to October. Pregnancy lasts 18-21 days. During the year there are three or four litters, in a brood from two to eight naked and blind cubs; in years favorable for wintering, reproduction can begin even before the snow cover melts. After 2 months they become sexually mature.

The number varies markedly over the years, sometimes very high. Life expectancy up to 18 months.

Bank vole damages forest plantings, fruit trees, stocks of vegetables in warehouses, carrier of hemorrhagic fever. It interferes with the renewal of conifers and other species by eating their seeds.

Inside the forests it can be considered useful, as it is food for many commercial predators: foxes, martens, ermines, birds of prey and others.

Fossils are known from the early Pleistocene to Western Europe(England) and from the Middle Pleistocene in the USSR. Finds in the Crimea and on the lower Don lie much to the south of the boundaries of the modern range.

Geographic variation and subspecies. There is a development of brighter red tones in coloration in the direction from west to east and its general lightening towards the south. The size of voles increases towards the east (on the plains) and with height (in Western Europe). In the east of the range, the mountain forms are smaller than the flat ones and are darker in color. The relative length of the dentition decreases from north to south.
Up to 15 subspecies have been described, of which 5-6 are in the USSR.

Literature: 1. Mammals of the USSR. Reference-determinant of the geographer and traveller. V.E. Flint, Yu.D. Chugunov, V.M. Smirin. Moscow, 1965
2. A brief guide to vertebrates. I.M. Oliger. M., 1955
3. Key to mammals of the Vologda region Vologda: Publishing and production center "Legia", 1999. 140 p. Compiled by A. F. Konovalov
4. Mammals of the fauna of the USSR. Part 1. Publishing House of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR. Moscow-Leningrad, 1963

Vole family (Microtidae).

Widespread and numerous species of voles in Belarus. In the south of the republic, it lives in almost all forest biotopes. Forest bank voles of Belarus belong to the nominal form - C. g. glareolus. In Grodno, Minsk and Mogilev regions. the nominal form of this species lives. However, among voles in the Vitebsk region. there are instances of darker individuals - C. g. suecicus, and in the south of the Gomel region. there are specimens with a lighter coat color - C. g. hystericus.

Length: body 8.1-12.3 cm, tail 3.6-7.2 cm, feet 1.5-1.8 cm, ear 1.0-1.5 cm. Body weight 14-28 g (up to 36 g). The tail is covered with short and sparse hair, distinctly, rarely slightly bicolored; its length, as a rule, is more than 45% of the length of the body.

There is no sexual dimorphism. The color of the fur on the back is rusty-brown, on the sides it is dark gray, the bottom is light gray with an admixture of yellowness. The tail is dark above, light below, slightly pubescent. In winter, the back is brighter, rusty-buffy, the sides are reddish-buffy, the belly is whitish. In the northern, or dark, bank vole C. g. suecicus darker fur coloration. The winter fur on its back is rusty brownish, noticeably darker than that of the typical form. In the southern form C. g. istericus is lighter in color than the typical form.

It is easily distinguished from gray voles by the color of the upper body (there are rusty and reddish-red tones).

A typical background representative of the faunal complex of broad-leaved and coniferous-broad-leaved forests of Belarus. Everywhere it prefers clarified areas of the forest, clearings with well-developed undergrowth and herbage. It usually avoids wetlands, dry forests and cultivated lands, appearing there only during a period of high abundance. In favorable years, the maximum vole density is observed in mixed coniferous-deciduous forests. Animals adhere to areas with natural shelters - hollow trunks fallen trees, root plexuses, heaps of deadwood or stones. The animal climbs trees well.

The burrows and passages dug by the vole do not lie deeper than 15 cm. However, it digs burrows itself relatively rarely, according to other data (Savitsky et al., 2005), it does not dig at all. For nests, he uses natural shelters - heaps of brushwood, rotten stumps, root system various trees. Nests are spherical, 10-15 cm in diameter, built from moss shoots, herbaceous plants and tree leaves. For the wintering period, it often moves to human habitation, settling in stacks of straw, cellars, gardens, utility and residential buildings.

The bank vole is active at any time of the day, but mainly at twilight and at night. Usually the animal moves from cover to cover under fallen trees, dry grass or fallen leaves, avoiding being in open spaces for a long time. summer heat and heavy rains shorten the duration of the active period. The size of the individual area of ​​a vole depends on season of the year, sexual and age features animal, population density, living conditions and can reach 2 hectares.

Males are more sedentary than females. Regular seasonal migrations are not characteristic of this species, but in autumn, in the absence of food, the animals can move to more nutritious places. Migrations of the bank vole from forest biotopes to agricultural lands and shores of water bodies do not exceed 50–100 m.

The range of foods for the bank vole is extremely wide and varied. In summer, her food is made up of green shoots of strawberries, anemones, lungwort, bedstraw, St. edible mushrooms, winter and in early spring set of feed is poorer. These are shoots and bark of tree species, rhizomes of herbaceous plants, mosses, lichens. At all times of the year, animal food (worms, insects and their larvae) and sometimes carrion can be found in the vole's stomach. In just a day, they consume 5-7 g of food. In general, green fodder in all seasons of the year is the main one, accounting for 75.6% of the diet and increasing to 95.1% in spring. Seeds make up 26.7% of the diet. Berries and mushrooms are found in summer and autumn.

The instinct to store food is not sufficiently expressed and is manifested only in individuals that are poorly provided with food. However, the size of the reserves is small (usually less than 100 g) and most often by the spring they remain unused. Reserves are placed in root voids, hollows of fallen trees, crevices of rotten stumps and other random places.

The bank vole starts breeding at the age of about 1-1.5 months, according to other data (Savitsky et al., 2005), at the age of 1.5-2 months.

It reproduces quite intensively. spring sexual activity in males it begins earlier than in females and ends later. In connection with polygamy, the emptying of adult females is very rare. Pregnancy lasts 18-20 (sometimes more) days. The first pregnant females appear at the end of April, the breeding process ends at the beginning of October. Females of the first generations start breeding in the same year and are able to bring up to 2 litters. Females of the third generation start breeding only in the next spring. The number of litters is usually 3, sometimes 4, with 3-9 cubs in each. Newborns are naked, blind, weighing 1.3-1.8 g. The hairline appears on the 9-10th, the eyes open on the 10-12th day. From this time on, young animals begin to eat natural food.

An important object of food for predatory animals, birds and reptiles (common viper).

Populations are renewed annually by 90%, since in natural conditions a small number of voles live for more than a year.

The high incidence of hemorrhagic or, as it is also popularly called, “mouse” fever was the reason for an unscheduled meeting of the sanitary and anti-epidemic commission (SPEC) of the administration of the Karakulinsky District.

As explained chief physician Karakulinskaya RB E.V. Babikova, the epidemic situation in the incidence of HFRS in the republic remains tense.

In her report, Elena Viktorovna cited the following figures: for 11 months of 2017, 2022 cases of the disease were registered in SD, which is 3.5 times higher than in 2016. The incidence rate for SD exceeds the national average by 28 times. The largest number cases are noted in Izhevsk and adjacent areas. Ours is no exception. The territory of the district is an active natural focus. For 11 months of 2017, 3 cases of HFRS were registered. All of these are adults. Cases of the disease in 2017, as in 2016, are mainly related to agricultural work in personal and public farms, With outdoor activities in natural conditions (fishing, picking berries and mushrooms), the presence of rodents at the place of residence.

According to the results of laboratory studies conducted in the republic, the infection of the bank vole with HFRS increased in 2017 to 20.3% (in 2016 - 3.4%).

The forecast for 2018 is unfavorable: the natural focus of HFRS is located in active state, the high number of rodents and their infection with the HFRS virus will remain. An increase in the incidence of the population and the occurrence of group diseases "mouse fever" is possible at objects inhabited by rodents.

What to do? Medical workers state: specific measures for the prevention of HFRS in the form of vaccines or prophylactic medicines No. The main preventive measures are rodent control (deratization), preventing the entry of rodents into the premises, sanitary improvement of the territory (including the elimination of household waste dumps), personal hygiene, the use of personal respiratory protection equipment (masks, respirators) when working or in the habitats of rodents. These parameters are reflected in the decision of the SPEC on this issue. Recommendations were sent to the heads of settlements, heads of industries, enterprises, organizations and institutions of the district. Deadline is June 1, 2018.

Control over the implementation of the decision of the SPEC was retained by the Deputy Chairman of the SPEC S.A. Sharychev, deputy head of the administration of the municipality "Karakulinsky district" for the development of the agro-industrial complex.

V. Gibadullina, member of the SEC of the district.

Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (“mouse fever”) is a viral infectious disease.

Sources of the disease are mouse-like rodents. Infected rodents shed virus external environment with saliva, urine, excrement. Infection of a person occurs mainly by airborne dust by inhalation of dust infected by rodents. The infection is not transmitted from person to person. The incubation period is usually 2-3 weeks from contact with rodents or traces of their vital activity. The virus affects all organs and tissues of the body, but the kidneys are more affected. The disease begins acutely with an increase in body temperature to 39-40ºС. After 3-4 days of illness, the temperature decreases, but back pain, thirst, and a decrease in urine output appear. At the first sign of illness, seek immediate medical attention medical care. Delays in seeking medical attention can lead to dangerous complications in the form of infectious-toxic shock, acute kidney failure. Every year, deaths from HFRS are registered in the UR.