Natural History of the Prairie Vole (Mammalian Genus Microtus) [KU. Vol. 1 No. 7]

This concise study invites listeners into the hidden world of the prairie vole, a modest brown rodent thriving beneath the tall grasses of the North American heartland. Detailed measurements and vivid description bring its compact body, short tail, and distinctive coloration to life, while the author highlights its semifossorial habits and elaborate tunnel networks. Subtle anatomical clues—like plantar tubercle count and molar shape—set it apart from close relatives, and range maps trace its spread from Canadian prairies to Ohio.

The narrative then moves through the vole’s daily routines, exploring its diet of grasses, seed caches, and the surprising plants it both eats and uses for cover. Insightful sections detail seasonal breeding patterns, litter sizes, and the social structure that underpins bustling colonies. A thorough survey of external parasites—fleas, lice, mites, and ticks—adds ecological context, showing the vole’s role in the prairie food web. Naturalists, students, and curious listeners will find this well‑structured account an accessible portrait of an often‑overlooked, ecologically vital small mammal.