**Meadow Mice** (genus *Microtus*, also known as **Voles**) are small, stout, short-tailed rodents found in grasslands, meadows, and areas with dense, protective ground cover. They are a significant pest of gardens, orchards, and turfgrass because they feed heavily on the roots, bulbs, tubers, and bark of plants, often causing irreparable damage or death to small trees and ornamental shrubs. The primary conflict is their destructive burrowing activity and plant consumption, often occurring unseen beneath the snow in winter.
Taxonomy and Classification
Meadow Mice belong to the class Mammalia, order Rodentia. They are often confused with mice (long tail, pointed snout) but are sturdier with a rounder head and short tail. They are herbivores that live in complex tunnel systems and reproduce rapidly, leading to population explosions that cause massive economic loss in agriculture.
Physical Description
Adult Meadow Mice are 5 to 8 inches long (including the short tail).
- **Appearance (Key ID):** Stout, grayish-brown body; rounded, blunt snout; small ears hidden in the fur; and a short, barely noticeable tail (distinguishing them from long-tailed mice).
- **Damage Sign (Key ID):**
- **Surface Runways:** Distinct, above-ground trails (runways) of matted-down grass, about 1 to 2 inches wide, that connect burrow openings.
- **Root/Tuber Damage:** Holes in potatoes, bulbs, and damage to root systems.
- **Girdling:** Irregular patches of bark removed from the base of young trees and shrubs, often 1 to 2 inches above the ground or snowline, frequently leading to the death of the plant.
- **Conflict:** Destructive garden/orchard pest.
Distribution and Habitat
Meadow Mice are widespread across North America. Their habitat is dense ground cover, mulch beds, tall grass, and perennial borders in gardens, fields, and orchards. They rarely venture into buildings but can become problems in basements or sheds adjacent to their outdoor tunnels.
Behavior and Conflict
The conflict is plant destruction, especially in orchards and nurseries.
- **Girdling Damage:** Their feeding on the bark (girdling) during winter, especially under the protective cover of snow, is the most common cause of tree mortality in orchards.
- **Rapid Reproduction:** Their high reproductive rate and short generation time mean that a minor population can quickly become a devastating problem.
- **Tunneling:** Their shallow tunneling system can disrupt root systems and cause minor surface aesthetic damage to lawns.
Management and Prevention
Control is integrated pest management (IPM), with a focus on habitat reduction and exclusion.
- **Habitat Reduction:** Mow grass closely around gardens and tree bases. Eliminate dense ground cover and keep mulch pulled back from the base of trees and shrubs.
- Install **hardware cloth barriers** (wire mesh) around the base of vulnerable young trees, extending below the soil line and about 18 inches up to protect against winter girdling.
- **Trapping:** Use standard mouse traps baited with peanut butter, apple slices, or oatmeal, placed perpendicular to the runways and covered by a box or tile to protect non-target animals.
- **Repellents:** Granular or liquid repellents (containing capsaicin or Thiram) may offer temporary protection to plants.
Conservation and Research
Meadow Mice are managed as high-priority agricultural and nursery pests. Research focuses on developing effective non-lethal repellents, studying their population cycles, and enhancing habitat for natural predators (e.g., raptors, foxes).