Although very common this is a little chap you do not often see. The bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus) is a tiny creature, just 4 inches from nose to tip of its tail and it is a favourite snack for kestrels, owls and foxes and other predators and so it is a very cautious animal, spending as little time in the open as it can and often preferring to venture out at night.
The bank vole can be found all over mainland Britain. Its preferred habitat is coppiced areas of woodland with dense vegetation such as bracken and bramble but can be found in mature woods, hedges, scrub and gardens.
They are omnivorous, eating both insects and fruits such as hazelnuts, seeds, berries, as well as green plants and fungi. They live in underground chambers lined with moss, feathers and vegetable fibre and inside the chamber they keep a store of food to feed themselves and their family. They do not hibernate and are active all year although less so in severe conditions in winter of course when they call on their cache of food.
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