Use of odour bait to catch bank voles

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E. 1999. The range of olfactory familiarity between individuals in a population of bank voles. Acta Theriologica 44: 133-150.The aim of the study was to test a hypothesis that small rodents in natural conditions are able to distinguish between the scents of neighbour (N) and stranger (S) individuals of conspecific. Experiments were carried out in a 100-year-old alder forest of the association Circaeo-elongatae Alnetum (Koch. 1926), on a population of bank voles Clethrionomys glareolus (Schreber, 1780). Experiment I found higher capture rates in traps with the scent of N individuals (n = 35) and showed that the rodents could distinguish between N and S scents. Analysis of 90 sheets of Bristol board laid down in the forest in experiment II showed that rodents left significantly more traces of faeces and urine on sheets with the N scents. Experiment III showed that at distances of as much as 200 m from the place of origin of a donor there had been no decrease in the interest of other voles in its scent. Experiment IV increased the distance at which a fall-off in interest in the N scent was sought. As a result of 856 observations of the reactions of voles to the scents of donors originating at different distances, it was found that voles treated as N individuals those donors coming from distances of up to about 1000 m. Analysis of 840 sheets of Bristol board with scents of donors originating between 200 and 1400 m away used in experiment V showed that those smelling of donors from 1200 and 1400 m away were visited significantly less often by the rodents than others. A distance of around 1000 m may thus be the threshold for a decline in the interest of rodents in the N scent.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 57%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The range of olfactory familiarity between individuals in a population of bank voles

Owadowska¹

1999

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“…Snap-traps were provided with two types of bait: (1) plastic sponge soaked with sunflower oil and (2) similar sponges with the odour of bank voles from the laboratory (Andrzejewski and Owadowska 1994). Snap-traps containing oil bait were set on the first hahes of B and C lines (traps numbered 1-100) and on the second halves of E and F lines (traps 101-200).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Homing and space activity in bank voles Clethrionomys glareolus

Andrzejewski¹,

Babińska-Werka²,

Liro³

et al. 2000

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. "000. Homing and space activity in bank voles Clethrionomys glareolus. Acta Theriologica 45: 155-165.Spatial activity and homing of bank voles Clethrionomys glareolus (Schreber, ] 780) have been studied in the 100 years old alder wood (Carici elongatae-Alneturn Koch, 1926) in the Kampinos National Park near Warsaw. Six parallel trap lines of 600 m each were set. Each of external lines consisted of 100 live-traps. Between the two lines, 4 lines of 200 snap-traps in each were set at 100 m intervals. Individuals caught in live-traps were individually marked and released in the centre of the study area. During the study 613 bank voles were marked and 424 recaptures were recorded. Considerable mobility of animals was found (a high proportion of animals moved more than 600 m). Distribution of animals retrapped made it possible to determine hypothetical spatial patterns of homing. It is suggested that familiarity with the given area acquired during long distance movements help small mammals to find their way when homing regardless of the nature of homing.

“…Rodents spent 3 hours in a jar, 3 times daily. When not in jars, rodents were provided with food and water ad libitum (Andrzejewski and Owadowska 1994). Scent bait was obtained from bank voles (common in the field area) and wood mice Apodemus syluaticus (Linnaeus, 1758) (rare in the area).…”

Section: Study Area and Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To date, studies of significance of odors for ecology of small mammals have shown that live-trapping of small mammals is often more efficient when conspecific individuals had earlier stayed in those traps (Montgomery 1979, Heske 1987, Tew 1987, Tew et al 1994, Drickamer 1995 Andrzejewski and Owadowska (1994) developed an easy method for using rodent odors (not mixed with food odor) for bait and they successfully applied it when catching small mammals with snap-traps in a forest.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The attractiveness of conspecific and interspecific odor for bank voles Clethrionomys glareolus

Andrzejewski

Babińska-Werka²,

Liro³

et al. 1997

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. 1997. The attractiveness o f conspecific and interspecific odor for bank voles Clethrionomys glareolus. Acta Theriologica 42: 231-234.We investigated the reaction of bank voles Clethrionomys glareolus (Schreber, 1780) to odors of conspecific individuals and that of wood mice Apodemus syluaticus (Linnaeus, 1758) in a mature forest in central Poland (52°20'N, 27°25'E). Our results show no difference in catching bank voles in traps using conspecific or wood mouse odors as bait.