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Project Noah Nature School
Microtus pennsylvanicus
The grooves are probably damage from voles burrowing beneath the snow, and they are known as "runways." This particular system of runways fans out without intersecting, and each eventually dead ends. Following them backward leads to one entrance, shown in the second photograph. It is remarkable how clean the runway surfaces are, almost without debris. The meadow vole is also known as a field mouse.
Recent warmth exposed ground that has been snow-covered for several weeks. Near one of the apartment buildings, next to a pavement I often walk, new grooves have suddenly appeared in the adjacent lawn. The area of the first photograph is about 4 square feet, and each groove is about 1.5 inches wide.
References: http://is.gd/F8cXfk and http://is.gd/o4JdS1
Spotted on Feb 27, 2011
Submitted on Feb 28, 2011
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