By David Copp
Geographic Range
Microtus pinetorum ranges from central Texas to Wisconsin, and eastward to the Atlantic coast (excluding Florida).
Habitat
Woodland voles live in deciduous forests in eastern North America. They are surface burrowers, moving through thick leafmold and loose soil.
These animals are found in the following types of habitat:
temperate 
; terrestrial .
Terrestrial Biomes:
forest .
Physical Description
(0.49 to 1.3 oz; avg. 0.9 oz)
(3.27 to 4.72 in)
Woodland voles have a combined head and body length of between 83 and 120 mm; the tail ranges from 15 to 40 mm in length. They weigh between 14 and 37 grams. There is almost no sexual dimorphism within the species. The dorsal region varies from light to dark brown in color. The ventral surface is whitish or silvery. Their bodies have become modified for their partially subterranean habitat by a reduction of the eyes, external ears, and tail. Their foreclaws are also somewhat enlarged for digging.
Some key physical features:
endothermic ; homoiothermic; bilateral symmetry .
Sexual dimorphism: sexes alike.
Reproduction
Woodland voles may breed several times a year.
Mating generally takes place from spring through fall with a peak in late spring to early summer.
Woodland voles have a monogamous mating system.
Mating systems:
monogamous .
Mating generally takes place from spring through fall with a peak in late spring to early summer. Some woodland voles may breed throughout the year if they live at low altitudes or experience mild winters. About 21 days after breeding takes place, a litter of between 3 and 7 young is born. The litter size can range from 1 to 13 newborns. Females are polyestrous and may have several litters in a year.
Key reproductive features:
iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; viviparous .
Females make nests in underground burrows, shallow surface depressions, or under rocks and logs. Nests are globular in shape and lined with shredded vegetation. They are approximately 150 mm in diameter. Young are helpless at birth and are weaned in about 17 days.
Parental investment:
altricial ; pre-fertilization (protecting: female); pre-hatching/birth (provisioning: female, protecting: female); pre-weaning/fledging (provisioning: female, protecting: female).
Lifespan/Longevity
[External Source: Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research]
On average, woodland voles live less than three months. The longest known lifespan in the wild is just over a year. (Kurta, 1995)
Behavior
Woodland voles are surface burrowers, normally going no deeper than 100 mm below ground. They may also use the burrows of mice, moles, and large shrews. They are active at any time of the night or day. There seems to be strong sociality between males and females, and they are usually bonded in monogamous male-female pairs. (Kurta, 1995)
Home Range
Woodland voles spend their entire lives within the same home range of 700 to 2800 square meters. (Kurta, 1995)
Communication and Perception
When sensing danger or when surprised, woodland voles make a high pitched noise that may serve as a warning signal. They have small eyes, so they probably do not rely much on their vision, and instead rely on their senses of touch, smell, and hearing to locate one another and find food.
Food Habits
Woodland voles are mostly herbivorous animals that feed on tubers, roots, seeds, leaves, and nuts. They may also eat berries and insects. In the fall, woodland voles cache tubers and shoots inside of a burrow to eat in times of winter shortage. (Kurta, 1995)
Animal Foods:
insects.
Plant Foods:
leaves; roots and tubers; seeds, grains, and nuts; fruit.
Foraging Behaviors:
stores or caches food .
Predation
- hawks (Accipitridae)
- owls (Strigidae)
- snakes (Serpentes)
- weasels (Mustela)
- skunks (Mephitinae)
- opossums (Didelphis virginiana)
- foxes (Canidae)
- raccoons (Procyon lotor)
Ecosystem Roles
Woodland voles may disperse seeds and they are an important food source for numerous predators.
Economic Importance for Humans: Negative
During a severe winter M. pinetorum may cause damage to trees. In orchards these animals may strip the bark from the roots and lower trunks of fruit trees.
Ways that these animals might be a problem for humans:
crop pest.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List: [link]:
Lower Risk - Least Concern.
US Federal List: [link]:
No special status.
CITES: [link]:
No special status.
State of Michigan List: [link]:
Special Concern.
Some populations at the periphery of the range of this species are considered to be threatened or--as is the case in Michigan--of "special concern." However, woodland voles are common throughout most of their range and sometimes considered agricultural pests.
Other Comments
Voles are often confused with moles due to similarity of appearance and behavior.
For More Information
Find Microtus pinetorum information at
Contributors
David Copp (author), University of Michigan.
Allison Poor (editor), University of Michigan.
