Michael Durham Photography

Red Tree vole (Arborimus longicaudus)

A female red tree vole (Arborimus longicaudus) among Douglas fir needles. Red tree voles are rarely seen. They are nocturnal and live in Douglas fir tree tops and almost never come to the forest floor. They are one of the few animals that can persist on a diet of conifer needles which is their principle food. As a defense mechanism, conifer trees have resin ducts in their needles that contain chemical compounds (terpenoids) that make them unpalatable to animals. Tree voles, however, are able to strip away these resin ducts and eat the remaining portion of the conifer needle.

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Filename: Red_Tree_vole_21414rv-228.jpg
Image Size: 5900x3933 / 5.2MB; www.DurmPhoto.com; Arborimus longicaudus Douglas fir tree Pseudotsuga menziesii arboreal rodent arboreal vole conifer needles douglas fir needles night forest nocturnal creature nocturnal forest nocturnal vole north coast population red tree vole red vole secretive animal
Contained in galleries: Rarely Seen - The Red Tree Vole

A female red tree vole (Arborimus longicaudus) among Douglas fir needles. Red tree voles are rarely seen. They are nocturnal and live in Douglas fir tree tops and almost never come to the forest floor. They are one of the few animals that can persist on a diet of conifer needles which is their principle food. As a defense mechanism, conifer trees have resin ducts in their needles that contain chemical compounds (terpenoids) that make them unpalatable to animals. Tree voles, however, are able to strip away these resin ducts and eat the remaining portion of the conifer needle.