ODNR Division of Wildlife - A to Z Species Guide - Southern Bog Lemming

 Southern Bog Lemming

southern bog lemming

Southern bog lemmings travel via runways and underground tunnels. Nests are usually built from dry grasses and hidden under stumps.

southern bog lemming tracks

Southern Bog Lemming Tracks
(Click track to enlarge)

Southern Bog Lemming
Synaptomys cooperi

At-a-Glance

• Typical Foods: vegetation such as grasses, sedges, mosses and fruits, and invertebrates such as slugs and snails

• Ohio Status: Species of Concern 
Description
The lemming has brownish gray upperparts and a grayish belly. Its tail is extremely short and its ears are nearly concealed by hair.

Habitat and Habits
The southern bog lemming prefers to live in low, damp bogs and meadows with heavy vegetation growth.

Reproduction and Care of the Young
Breeding takes place year round with most litters being produced between April and September. An average female will produce two to three litters a year, with three to four young per litter. Gestation lasts about 23 days.