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. The 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, north to the central regions of the Kola Peninsula, the 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-broad-leaved forests of the 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 the coniferous-broad-leaved forest, it reaches the highest density in spruce forests, especially in blueberry spruce forests, green mosses 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 forest areas 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 significantly south of the borders modern area.

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

Fans of Mozilla Firefox, today we will talk about an animal that is directly related to this browser. Its emblem depicts an animal that looks like a fox. But is it? Firefox translates to "fire fox", that's right. But few people know that the Chinese name for the small (red) panda - "hon ho" - has the same meaning. And it is this animal, and not the fox at all, that is part of the emblem of this browser.

The relationship between small and big panda very remote. Many millions of years ago, approximately in the early Tertiary period, they lived on Earth common ancestor, which lived on the territory of modern Eurasia.

There are 2 subspecies of this animal: western red panda ( Ailurus fulgens fulgens), found in Nepal and Bhutan, and Stayana's red panda ( Ailurus fulgens styani), living in the region of southern China and northern Myanmar. The main difference between the two lies in size and coloration - Stiana's red panda is larger and darker than its western relative.

In nature, red pandas are now found only in a few Chinese provinces (Sichuan and Yunnan), Nepal, Bhutan, northern Burma, and also in northeastern India. Their habitat is coniferous forests (mostly fir), which alternate with deciduous tree species: oak, maple, chestnut and others. They are necessary for the growth of bamboo - the main food little panda. Such forests can be found at an altitude of 2000-4000 meters above sea level. Most of the year they are shrouded in clouds, which creates favorable conditions for the development of mosses and lichens. And why we mentioned them, you will find out a little later.

Red pandas grow to the size of a large cat, but due to their thick and long fur they seem larger than they actually are. body length with fluffy tail is about 80-120 centimeters, and the average weight is 4-6 kilograms. The short legs are equipped with strongly curved claws, which are only partially extended forward, and the feet are covered with short hair, which helps when walking on ice or snow. On the front paws there is an "extra toe", thanks to which the panda can hold bamboo branches while eating. Outwardly, males are not much different from females.

Dark belly and legs

These animals have a very beautiful coloration - dark or light red, but not everywhere, but mostly on the back, sides and tail. The tummy, along with the paws, is colored dark brown or even black. On the red tail there are light rings. The head of the animal is decorated with white areas on the muzzle, on the cheeks, along the edge of the ears and around the eyes.

red striped tail

Nature has prepared such a color for this animal not by chance. The red color performs a protective function and allows the small panda to remain inconspicuous during rest or sleep among the red lichens that are strewn with trunks and branches of coniferous trees, in particular fir.

In the habitats of these animals, the average air temperature fluctuates around 10-25 degrees and precipitation is constantly falling - rain or snow. And this means that the wool should retain heat well. In especially cold periods, in order to keep warm, the panda curls up on the branches or in a hollow in a tight ball and covers its head with its tail, like a blanket.

They spend most of their time in the trees, where they feel like fish in water. They come down to earth for food. They are most active in the evening, and during the day they settle comfortably in hollows and sleep. The long tail helps them keep their balance while in the trees. When descending to the ground, they hold it straight without touching the ground.

Each panda, whether male or female, has its own territory, and considerable. In males, this is about 5 km 2, and in females it is 2 times less. They mark it with special marks: a secret from the anal glands, urine or heaps of droppings, thanks to which the animals immediately know which neighbors live next to them.

Adults live alone, uniting in groups only during the breeding season, which occurs in January. Sometimes you can meet a small group of pandas even in the off season - this is an adult female with her grown offspring.

The cub is born only 90-145 days after mating, but the "real" pregnancy lasts only about 50 days. This is due to the fact that the fetus begins to develop only after a sufficiently long period of time after conception.

Before giving birth, the female constructs a nest for herself in a hollow or in a rock crevice. Usually, red pandas give birth to 1-2 cubs, sometimes there may be more, but in the end only one will survive. They develop very slowly. Until the age of 5 months, they feed on mother's milk. Initially, the fur of the cubs is colored gray, and only after 3 months they begin to acquire a red color. Next to the mother, the cubs can stay for a whole year until a new generation appears. By this period, most often young animals themselves reach puberty, separate from the female and begin an independent life.

Despite the fact that they are predators, most of their diet is plant foods (almost 95%). These are primarily young and fresh bamboo shoots, mushrooms, berries and fruits. But sometimes they can snack on small rodents and bird eggs.

As a result, their dental system is like that of herbivores - the structure of the molars allows them to grind plant food. As we can see, this panda's food is very low-calorie, and in order to get the required amount of energy, the animal has to eat about 2 kilograms of food per day. In zoos, they are fed with fruits, leaves, bamboo buds, grass, rice boiled in milk and sweet milk.

They have few enemies. This Snow Leopard and man. The second is much more dangerous than the first. From a leopard, they can quickly climb a tree, but you can’t hide anywhere from a person. Now this animal is listed in the International Red Book under the status of endangered. The main reasons for the decline in the number of red pandas are deforestation and hunting for beautiful fur, which is used to make hats.

Fortunately, red pandas breed well in captivity, as zoos have all the favorable conditions for development. In nature, their life expectancy is approximately 8-10 years, while in zoos - about 15 years.

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, covered with short hairs, between which a scaly surface of the skin can be seen. 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 at least half the length of the crown of this tooth from the anterior edge of the 1st molar. 3rd upper molar on the inside with 2, or more often, 3 reentrant angles.

Forest regions of the European part of the USSR and some regions of Western Siberia; north to the middle part of the Kola Peninsula, Solovetsky Islands, Arkhangelsk and the lower reaches of the Pechora, south to the island forests of Ukraine, 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; through forest islands it penetrates far into the 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. In some places it causes some damage in winter in barns, vegetable warehouses 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 last 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 animal with a brown or gray back and a light gray abdomen. The red-backed vole has rather large ears, and a dark stripe is located along its back. The family of voles 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. For a month, the pest processes and throws up to 60 kilograms of soil to the surface.

Despite their miniature size, forest voles, like rats, cause a lot of trouble to their owners. The common vole is the enemy of bumblebees. She destroys their dwellings, eats insect larvae and honey made by him. This brings significant losses to beekeepers and can completely drive insects away from the site.

Practically all year round the main food of animals is the leaves, stems and seeds of wild 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 way of life of rodents is subject to the principle of seasonality. Also, the biorhythms of animals are dependent on the length of daylight hours. The air temperature and, accordingly, the time of year also have a significant impact on the way of life.

In summer and spring, forest voles are active in the afternoon: at night. How do they live in winter? In winter and autumn, gray voles and rats are active in the middle of the day. The animal does not hibernate in winter. E minks during this period are natural shelters or passages underground.

Mink gray voles, like rats, "line up" up to 4 meters high. 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 stocks are stored in it.

It is worth noting that the water vole, which lives near swamps, does not dig holes. She lives in a spherical house made mostly of grass. The dwelling is located at a height, on a bush.

Video "Vole in nature"

The “protagonist” of the video is a field mouse, which gradually eats a piece of bread.

Distribution and reproduction

Rats and forest voles live on the territory of the former Soviet Union, in Siberia, Kazakhstan, on Far East. In Ukraine, rodents live on the territory of 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 the forests of the forest-steppe. Rodents are most often found on cultivated fields or hills, rising above sea level by almost one and a half kilometers.

The bank vole is very fond of wet areas, so you can meet it in grassy meadows and fields. With great desire, the red-gray vole also settles in vineyards, orchards, in valleys, which is very harmful to gardeners.

The underground vole places its dwellings among the roots of plants. When the cold comes, pests easily hide in stacks of straw and piles of fallen leaves. Sometimes the field mouse makes its way into human dwellings or grain stores, which does not please the farmers.

The bank vole breeds actively in 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. For a year, the female, on average, gives 4 offspring of 5-8 cubs. Pregnancy lasts 22 days.

The interval between offspring is about two months. The mouse is born naked and blind. He is absolutely helpless. Further, the mouse is covered with fluff, grows and develops. After 10 days, he is no different from an adult. Three-week-old babies are looking for food on an equal footing with other mice. And after a couple of months, the field mouse is already able to breed.

Harm

Despite their miniature size and cute appearance, mammals are of little use on the farm. They exist by by and large, thanks to the fact that they have time to steal from gardeners, farmers or gardeners.

Mice and rats, settling in apartments, warehouses or in the country, bring irreparable harm. They eat tree bark, green parts of plants, and gardeners' supplies, including grain. The red-backed vole causes significant losses, and when the rodent population becomes huge, it is impossible to estimate the losses from spoiled crops at all. Therefore, it is in the interests of the gardeners themselves not to allow an increase in the mouse family.

To choose the right tool, you should decide what results you are trying to achieve. And also by 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, domestic animals or livestock should not suffer.

The underground vole is afraid of "Storm" wax tablets. This preparation can reliably protect the crop that the pest feeds on. The substance is scattered in burrows, as well as other places where the bank vole loves or can 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 the poison, the life of the animal stops after 10-14 days.

The fight against mice is also carried out with Muskidan glue. It is applied to a plywood or cardboard base, in the middle of which the bait is placed. Getting on a sticky surface, the field mouse is firmly glued to it.

The water vole is also afraid of natural enemies, which can drastically reduce the population. For example, an owl takes the life of 1000 or more rodents per year. And for the fox and the marten, the red-backed vole is the only food. Therefore, they actively hunt for it. A ferret, hunting for mice, is capable of destroying up to 12 representatives of the water vole species per 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 from its cubs.

How to determine the presence of a vole mouse in a summer cottage, effective methods rodent control? These questions are of interest to many gardeners. But which of them show the best results, how to prevent a new invasion of rodents? Everything you need to know about voles can be found in the following material.

Features and description of the rodent

The vole mouse differs from its relatives in its small size. An adult is able to reach no more than 13 centimeters in length, with most (up to 70%) occupied by the tail. The mouse has a pointed muzzle, small brown eyes. The ears of the animal are tilted slightly forward, but pressed to the head. Looks like a cute rodent causing irreparable damage agriculture, despite their small size.

Mouse fur is very coarse and hard. In most cases, the color of the rodent is beige, gray or brown. The belly of the mouse is colored White color, on the back there is a clear black line. The exact color of the rodent depends on its age, young individuals have a dark color, slightly older mice are lighter, old rodents are almost beige, there are gray hairs.

Mice live in natural shelters or in self-dug holes. Remarkably, small animals are able to dig a hole up to four meters in length. One exit necessarily goes to the reservoir, the burrow also includes a nesting room and several storages for food supplies. The latter are usually located at a depth of more than one meter. The favorite habitats of pests are swamps.

Vole mice differ from their relatives in some features by which it is easy to recognize a rodent:

• voles are the only representatives of the rodent class to have a black stripe on the back;
• in size, field mice are slightly larger than their relatives;
• voles are very similar to Daurian hamsters, the only distinguishing feature- the presence of a long tail;
• unlike other species, the vole has a long period of puberty - about 100 days;
• mice like to settle in feeding areas, destroying the harvested crop;
• Also, voles have one feature that is not characteristic of other species - they are able to settle near swamps.

Interesting to know! Rodents are active in the evening, at night. In autumn and winter, they are awake even during the day. It is noteworthy that mice do not hibernate for winter period of the year.

Reasons for the appearance

Why do voles start up in summer cottages? Rodents need food, constant availability of water and heat. All these qualities are possessed by warehouses, basements, which are available in the country. Also, rodents are able to feast on human supplies located in secluded corners of the kitchen. The ways of passage of pests are: ventilation ducts, open windows and doors, cracks in the floor, walls.

It is very easy to notice a pest in a summer cottage. The main signs of the life of the animal are the presence of minks, feces throughout the house, in secluded places. Also, pests leave their marks everywhere. This is due to the fact that the teeth of rodents grow throughout their lives, they need to be sharpened. What does a vole eat? It is typical for mice to gnaw on the bark of trees, the lower parts of shrubs in the winter season.

Harm to a person

When entering the cellar, the rodent completely destroys all supplies for the winter. In spring, pests feed on young shoots, bark, causing significant damage to the crop that has not yet appeared. Given the harm caused by mice, immediately deal with the destruction of rodents, otherwise the loss of food, plantings in the garden cannot be avoided.

How to get rid of a mouse - voles

Mankind has come up with many methods of dealing with voles, all of them can be divided into several main categories:

• that have stood the test of time;
• physical methods that involve the use of mechanical devices: traps, traps, mousetraps. This category includes the natural enemy of mice - a cat,;
• chemicals: various aerosols, poisons, poisoned baits. show excellent results, but is often dangerous for humans or animals living in the country house.

When choosing the right method against vole, consider the features of the room in which there are pests, the presence of animals.

Folk remedies and recipes

Folk recipes against voles:

Many prefer to use proven mechanical methods, but keep in mind that you will have to regularly remove the carcasses of dead individuals. If the number of rodents is very large, then the bait may not work (the mouse can gobble up the bait, dodge the mousetrap). Many people prefer to get a cat, but "fluffies" live in the country with their owners only until winter. Not every cat is able to instill fear in mice, most pets themselves are afraid of rodents or simply do not want to hunt them.

Excellent results show homemade traps:

Chemicals

Effective drugs:

• wax tablets "Storm". Spread the product in boxes, burrows, drainage pipes. The tablets have a deterrent effect, if the pest tastes the remedy, it will die within two weeks;
• universal "Granules". They are made from natural wheat grains. The tool has a cumulative effect (an infected mouse carries poison on its paws, fur, affecting its relatives);
• glue "Muskidan". Effectively copes with voles not only in the summer cottage, but also indoors. It is recommended to apply it on cardboard, place the bait in the middle. When it hits the glue, the mouse sticks tightly and quickly dies.

You can get rid of voles by settling suburban area natural enemies: owls (one individual eats up to two thousand mice a year), martens, foxes feed exclusively on voles. Weasel is able to penetrate the holes of a rodent, destroy offspring.

The field mouse is a dangerous rodent that can destroy a lot of crops. If a pest is found, immediately start fighting it, use useful advice specialists.