Meadow Vole and Pine Vole

Abstract

Meadow voles occur throughout most of the northern and eastern United States and Canada in low wetlands, open grasslands, and orchards. Meadow voles are most active above the ground, as evidenced by surface trails-often littered with droppings and grass cuttings-in the ground vegetation where they live (fig. 1). They sometimes live underground where the soil has been cultivated or where a burrow system is already present. Pine voles live throughout the eastern half of the United States and favor open woodlands and orchards. Pine voles spend much of their time in underground burrows and usually have an extensive subsurface trail system that is excavated about 3 to 5 em (1 to 2 in.) deep. These burrows open to the surface and often connect to above-ground runways.