Wood Mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus)

The Wood Mouse is a common murid rodent from Europe and northwestern Africa. It is closely related to the Yellow-necked Mouse (Apodemus flavicollis) but differs in that it has no band of yellow fur around the neck, has slightly smaller ears, and is usually slightly smaller overall: around 90 mm in length. It is found across most of Europe and is a very common and widespread species, is commensal with people and is sometimes considered a pest.

Wood Mice inhabit forests, grasslands, and cultivated fields. Almost entirely nocturnal and terrestrial, Wood Mice burrow extensively, build nests of plants and live in buildings during harsh seasons. It is one of the most intensively studied species in the genus. In Europe it ranges north to Scandinavia and east to Ukraine. The Wood Mouse is also found in northwestern Africa and on many Mediterranean islands.

The Wood Mouse has a breeding season from February to October in which multiple matings occur between males and females resulting in scramble competition. Such behavioral characteristics result in sperm competition and multiple paternity litters. The society is polygynous with copulation resulting from scramble competition during reproductive periods.

Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_mouse – 13.10.2008