HABITAT
Opening of a pine vole burrow- Permission to display picture from the Virginia Cooperative Institute.
Pine voles can be found in deciduous forests, dry fields, and apple orchards all over the Eastern United States as far as Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas (Haner, Farrar, & Schnell; 1999). Pine Voles are most famous for the damage that they do to apple orchards, and the resulting high economic losses (Geyer, Beauchamp, Seygal, & Rogers; 1981). Apple growers experience annual losses of $50 million primarily from root damage due to pine vole feeding (Lapasha & Powell; 1994). Farmers continue to view pine voles as common pests, since apparently, urban environments have no major effect on pine vole habitat selection (McPeek, Cook, & McComb; 1998).

Pine voles will often select wooded areas with high vertical vegetative stratification, but still with an abundance of evergreen shrubs, ground cover, and old fallen logs (McPeek, Cook, & McComb). Apple orchards remain a favorite habitat. Schmid-Holmes & Drickamer (2001) list forest structure, forest composition, and temperature conditions as the three most significant factors in forest patch selection. They also assert that small mammal abundance in patches is related to habitat size, patch shape and related edge effects, patch isolation, interpatch distance and matrix character, vegetation characteristics, and microclimate (Schmid-Holmes & Drickamer). Pine voles are most abundant in deciduous forests with moist, friable soils suitable for burrowing, but can also be found anywhere from dry fields to the edges of coastal bays (Whitaker & Hamilton; 1998). Density of pine vole colonies in areas is affected by the spacing of trees since their root systems are an important food source for the animals (Whitaker & Hamilton).

Pine voles feed on vegetation, root and stem systems, fruits, seeds, bark, subterranean fungus, and insects (Whitaker & Hamilton). A diet of succulent roots and tubers make pine voles independent of the need for a water supply (McPeek, Cook, & McComb). Apparently, pine voles do cache food, and do so primarily in winter months (Geyer, Kornet, & Rogers; 1984).

As far as soil types, pine voles prefer a loam/peat moss mixture to soils with gravel or stone and medium rather than very dry soils (Whitaker & Hamilton). Soil types influence the distribution of pine voles because the animals spend most of their time underground in burrows (Haner, Farrar, & Schnell). Pine voles prefer Alfisol and Ultisol soil types because they are optimal for the elaborate burrow systems that they tunnel (Haner, Farrar, & Schnell).

Low Juniper shrubbery is a very popular habitat for Pine Voles. Permission to display picture from the University of Maryland, Home and Garden Information Center.