SOUTHERN BOG LEMMING(synaptomys cooperi)Habitat: Bogs and wet meadows with thick vegetation. Head - Body 3-1/2 - 4-1/2"; Tail 1/2 - 3/4" Their backs are brownish gray with gray bellies and short tails...small hidden ears - They live in colonies and feed mainly on leaves, berries, seeds, bark and insects. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - RED-BACKED VOLE/GAPPER'S RED-BACKED MOUSE(clethrionomys gapperi)Habitat: Moist Forests Length 3-1/2 - 4"; Tail: 1-2" Their backs are reddish brown with grayish sides and a whitish belly...sometimes gray all over - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - MEADOW-JUMPING MOUSE(zapus hudsonious)Habitat: Meadows and Clearings Head - Body 3 - 31/2"; Tail 4-1/2 - 6" Their backs are yellowish brown above and white below; large hind feet, long tails and short fur. The Meadow Jumping Mouse can leap across distances 5 feet or more. They are primarily nocturnal and use a tunnel only in the winter months for hibernation. They have their young in grassy nests or under logs and give birth to an average of 5 young, blind, and hairless offspring. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - FIELD MOUSE/
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MASKED SHREW/COMMON SHREW(sorex cinerius)Habitat: Moist soils - Brush - Forests Head - Body 1-3/4 - 2-1/2"; Tail 1 - 2" They have grayish brown bodies and long tails...They hunt in tunnels dug by other mammals and eat mollusks, earthworms, and even carrion. Their life expectancy is approximately 1 year. They don't hibernate and they produce several litters, one in the Spring and one in the Fall...They have up to 10 young per litter. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - STAR-NOSED MOLE(condylura cristata)Habitat: Moist, low-lying soils Head - Body 2-1/2 - 5"; Tail 2-1/2 - 3-1/2" Their characteristic large nose is pink with fleshy projections. They're also known for their long, hairy tail. They are a burrowing mammal that is equally at home in the water as they are on land... They make winding tunnels under soil surfaces usually ending at a stream or a pond. They eat aquatic insects, snails, and small fish. Excess food is stored as fat in their tails. They have 22 projections in their nose which serve as feelers to help locate prey. They have an extreme sense of touch but poor eyesight. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SHORT-TAILED SHREW(blarina brevicauda)Habitat: All land types except deserts Head - Body 3 - 4"; Tail 3/4 - 1" Their bodies are dark metallic gray and they have short tails. Their venomous saliva kills mice and other mammals the same size or slightly bigger. They eat insects and Large Sawfly Larvae. They have two breeding seasons, one in the Spring and one in the Fall. Offspring are born 3 weeks later and produce up to 8 per litter. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - EASTERN MOLE(scalopus aquaticus)Habitat: Moist sandy soils and grasses Head - Body 4-1/2 - 6-1/2"; Tail 1 - 1-1/2" The Eastern Mole has soft, velvety gray fur and a hairless tail. They burrow through shallow tunnels looking for earthworms, insect larvae and other prey. They use a permanent passageway approximately 10" under the surface for protection against drought and cold spells. They don't hibernate, but stay active all winter. They mate in the spring and remain solitary after. They birth 4 weeks after mating and make their nests underground, lined with dried plant materials. They are especially useful for aerating soils. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - DEER MOUSE
(peromyscus maniculatus)Habitat: Dry places, Houses and Buildings Head - Body 3 - 4"; Tail 2 - 5" They are brown with white feet and belly. Their tail is dark above, white below and they have prominent ears. They vary in color from region to region and the Deer Mouse is one of the most widely distributed mammals in North America. It's a social creature, with groups of up to a dozen or more huddling together in the winter months. They stay active throughout the year and depend on stored seeds for winter survival. They're nocturnal and usually rest during the day in logs, burrow, trees, buildings, and even in bird nests. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - HOUSE MOUSE(mus musculus)Habitat: Houses and Buildings Head - Body 3 - 3-1/2"; Tail 2-1/2 - 4" They are grayish brown on back and gray below with a long, scaly tail and prominent ears. These uninvited house guests thrive on food but also will eat soap and glue. They take material for nests from pillows and newspapers. |