Southern Bog Lemming

Synaptomys cooperi

The Southern Bog Lemming is a stocky, short-tailed rodent of sphagnum bogs, wet meadows, and forest edges in the eastern United States. It is most easily detected by the distinctive green-stained runways it leaves through lush vegetation and piles of clipped grass. Despite sharing the lemming name, it does not perform boom-and-bust population cycles like the Arctic true lemmings.

Habitat

Sphagnum bogs, wet meadows, and moist forest openings

Diet

Sedges, grasses, mosses, and forbs

How common

Uncommon

Not certain it is a Southern Bog Lemming? What animal is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.