Red Tree Vole

About the Red Tree Vole

The red tree vole (Arborimus longicaudus) is a rodent of the Pacific Northwest, found in the US states of Oregon and California. They were formerly known as Phenacomys longicaudus and have also been called the red tree mouse.

The red tree vole is a rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found only in coastal forests of Oregon and northern California. They feed exclusively on the needles of conifers, primarily Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), though they occasionally eat the needles of western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla), Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis), grand fir (Abies grandis), and Bishop pine (Pinus muricata).

Red tree voles are about 6-8 in long, including the tail. When they are young, they exhibit a dull brown coat and develop a more reddish color with age. They are nocturnal and very difficult to see, but they can be detected by finding piles or wads of resin ducts (see below) on the ground.

Red tree voles live almost exclusively in Douglas-fir trees, though they have occasionally been found in Sitka spruce and western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla). They sometimes spend their lives in just one tree, and in very large trees with... Wikipedia →