Head to head
Norway Lemming vs Bank Vole
Norway Lemming
VS Bank Vole
The Norway lemming and bank vole are both small European rodents that are important prey for owls, foxes, and stoats, but they live in different habitats and have very different reputations.
| Norway Lemming | Bank Vole | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Lemmus lemmus | Myodes glareolus |
| Habitat | Mountain tundra and moorland | Woodland, hedgerows, and dense low cover |
| Diet | Mosses, grasses, sedges, and shoots | Seeds, fruit, fungi, and occasional insects |
| Population pattern | Boom-and-bust cycles every few years | Rapid breeding lets numbers recover, with a lifespan under two years |
| Winter | Active in tunnels beneath the snow | Not documented |
| Famous for | The myth of mass suicide, from a staged 1958 film | Can carry a hantavirus that occasionally spreads to people |
| Native range | The Scandinavian mountains and nearby northern Europe | Much of Europe |
| Conservation status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Norway Lemming vs Bank Vole: common questions
Do lemmings really commit mass suicide?
No, that is a myth; a 1958 film staged scenes of lemmings jumping off a cliff, and real lemmings only disperse in boom years, sometimes drowning while crossing water.
How do the Norway lemming and bank vole survive predation?
Both are prey for owls, foxes, and stoats, and the bank vole offsets a short lifespan with rapid breeding, while lemming numbers swing in boom-and-bust cycles.
Where do the Norway lemming and bank vole live?
The Norway lemming lives in the tundra and moorland of the Scandinavian mountains, while the bank vole lives in woodland and hedgerows across much of Europe.