Western Harvest Mouse
Art by Jackie Blurton
Nature Note by the late Dr. Roland Shook
Harvest mice are characterized by conspicuous ears, grooved incisor teeth, and no external cheek pouches. Brownish in color; they suggest a small House Mouse. There are four species in the U.S.
Harvest mice prefer overgrown fields, grassy areas, marshes, and wood edges. They are nocturnal and good climbers; their diet consists primarily of plant cuttings, plant seeds, and insects.
The Western Harvest Mouse is a widespread species in western North America from the Pacific coast east to the Mississippi River, and Canada south to Mexico.
This species builds a grassy nest on the surface of the ground, in holes, or upon grasses, weeds, or even shrubs. They breed during the warmer months producing 1-7 blind, naked young. The young are weaned in about two weeks and can breed when they are four to five months old.
While these active little mammals go about their business at night, for most of us, the wild world at night is largely unknown and unexplored.
