Bank Vole
Clethrionomys glareolus
Unlike many other vole species, bank voles are agile climbers and frequently forage for berries and nuts high up in deciduous shrubs.
- Scientific name
- Clethrionomys glareolus
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Chordata › Mammalia › Rodentia › Cricetidae › Clethrionomys
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Deciduous and mixed woodlands, hedgerows, and dense herbaceous ground cover.
- Diet
- Seeds, berries, green leaves, fungi, moss, and occasionally small invertebrates.
- Range
- Europe, Western Siberia, Asia Minor
- Size
- Length: 9-11 cm (excluding tail); Weight: 15-40 grams
- Lifespan
- 12 to 18 months in the wild
- Active
- crepuscular
- Threats
- Habitat fragmentation, loss of hedgerows, domestic cat predation, and rodenticide poisoning.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless and docile. Observe from a respectful distance to avoid causing stress. Do not attempt to handle wild rodents, as they may bite if cornered and can carry pathogens like Puumala hantavirus. If bitten, wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water and seek medical attention.
The bank vole ( Clethrionomys glareolus ) is a small vole with red-brown fur and some grey patches, with a tail about half as long as its body. A rodent, it lives in woodland areas and is around 100 millimetres (3.9 in) in length. The bank vole is found in much of Europe and in northwestern Asia. It is native to Great Britain but not to Ireland, where it has been accidentally introduced, and has now colonised much of...
Photo: Christoph Moning, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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