Southern Bog Lemming
(Synaptomys cooperi)

Description & Range:

The southern bog lemming is a small vole that measures approximately 4-5.5 inches in length. They have a very short tail, broad head, small ears, and small eyes. Their fur ranges from a chestnut to dark brown on their backs, and is silvery-gray on their underside.

The southern bog lemming’s range extends from southern Quebec down the east coast of the United States, and west to western Minnesota and southwestern Kansas.

​Habitat:

Southern bog lemmings are often found in sphagnum bogs, as their name suggests. They can also be found in grasslands, mixed deciduous/coniferous forests, freshwater wetlands, marshes, and meadows. They create surface runways and burrow systems underground, and prefer areas with thick mats of vegetation. Their nests have two to four entrances, and are made of dry leaves, grass, and fur. They construct their nests close to the surface in the summer and deeper underground in the winter.

Diet:

Southern bog lemmings typically eat vegetation such as leaves, stems, and seeds. They eat a variety of grasses, including bluegrass and white clover. They also eat mosses, sedges, fungi, bark, roots, and fruits like blackberries and blueberries. Occasionally, they will eat slugs, snails, and beetles..​

Reproduction:

Southern bog lemmings breed year-round, though most young are born between April and September. Females produce 2-3 litters per year with an average of 3-5 young per litter..

Behavior:

Southern bog lemmings are active both day and night. They are active all year round and do not hibernate. This species can be colonial, living in groups of up to several dozen. While they create runways and burrows in heavy vegetation, they may also use the runways and tunnels of other species. They often live in the same area as other vole species, mice, shrews, and moles.

Sources:​

https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Synaptomys_cooperi/
https://www.nrs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/jrnl/2007/nrs_2007_ford_005.pdf
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