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 Voles - Pages on voles, AKA meadow mice or field mice depending upon what part of the world you live in. Pages devoted to the classification & behaviour of the vole, as well as useful advice on how to control vole populations and damage.
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The meadow vole life cycle is one of the shortest of all mammals with the average life expectancy being only a month. The short meadow vole life cycle means that population numbers are inconsistent from one year to the next.
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Meadow Vole Life Cycle
Tests conducted on the longevity of the meadow vole show it to be one of the shortest lived of mammals. Of all the voles that were recorded only 12% survived to the ripe age of eleven to twelve months, while the normal life span was closer to a month. The short meadow vole life cycle leads to a lack of stability of the population and a rapid turn over rate from one generation to the next.
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The meadow vole life cycle is one of the shortest of all mammals
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Meadow voles are promiscuous, they breed all year round but March through November is the main breeding season. The number of young in a litter varies from two to nine with six or seven as the most common litter size. During the meadow vole life cycle breeding is virtually continuous and the female will mate immediately after giving birth.
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The most relevant links we could find, placed here free
 eNature
- This page contains a profile of the meadow vole. www.enature.com
EEK!
- This page contains information about aspects of the meadow vole life cycle. www.dnr.state.wi.us
Gestation in meadow voles lasts 20 to 23 days, their offspring are born pink and hairless, with closed eyes and ears. Fur begins to appear by 4 days, and young are completely furred except for the belly by 7 days. Eyes and ears open by 8 days. Weaning occurs from 12 to 14 days.
Young born in spring and early summer attain adult weight in 12 weeks, but undergo a fall weight loss. Young born in late summer continue growing through the fall and maintain their weight through the winter. Maximum size is reached between 2 and 10 months.
The short meadow vole life cycle contributes to large differences in population numbers from one year to the next. Voles play an important role in the ecosystems they occupy since they constitute such a large part of the prey base for many animals. When voles are scarce, the predators that usually feed on them are forced to turn to other sources of food, such as songbirds and waterfowl eggs and young.
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