Week of February 2, 2025 – February 8, 2025
by Catherine McLaughlin, Environmental Educator
Many mammals hoard food caches or bulk up during this time of year. We can easily see animals moving around with the tracks they leave behind. But have you thought about what happens below the snow? There is a complex balance of the creatures that live below the soil to survive winter.
It can be hard to imagine what is happening beneath the snow and soil, but even with the frozen ground creatures are still moving around under the frost line. Moles and voles are still active even in this cold. They change from their spring and summer habits to survive the winter season.
Moles have two different burrows. Short burrows and long runs. The short burrows are often in the first few inches of the soil, whereas the long runs are deeper. In winter they resort to mostly using these long runs to move around to find their food. Often insectivores, they are looking for grubs, pupae, and other small prey that is also still moving around under the ground to eat. In winter they even catch earthworms by immobilizing them with their saliva.
Voles are known to be very territorial creatures, but in winter they change their habits to become cuddlers. They group together to keep a nest of warmth. When they need to find food, a few leave and return. Unlike moles, voles are herbivores that eat roots and bark in winter.
We may not be seeing their activity now, however when spring returns we will see voles returning to their solitary life and moles digging up spots in the garden.
What other complex things are happening under the frost line that we don’t see?