Mammals
Common Vole
Microtus arvalis · also called European field vole
Across a European hay meadow, hundreds of common voles may share the same web of burrows and runways, a small herbivore whose numbers rise and crash with the seasons and years.
Overview
The common vole, Microtus arvalis, is a Least Concern rodent of grassland and farmland across continental Europe. Its burrow colonies, outbreak years, and an unusual island population on Orkney make it one of the most studied voles in Europe.
A vole that travelled with people
The voles of Orkney are thought to have been brought there by early settlers, one of the clearest cases of a small mammal moved by prehistoric people.
Status
Least Concern, widespread and often abundant across continental Europe.
Common Vole: common questions
Is the common vole found in Britain?
Not on the British mainland, but a form lives on the Orkney Islands, where it is thought to have been carried by people long ago.
Why is the common vole an agricultural pest?
Its numbers can erupt into outbreaks in some years, and the voles can damage crops and grassland.
What does the common vole eat?
It is a herbivore that feeds on grasses, herbs, cereals, and roots.
Where is the common vole found?
It lives in grassland and farmland across much of continental Europe and into western Russia.