PREY SELECTION OF THE LEAST WEASEL MUSTELA-NIVALIS IN THE LABORATORY

Prey individuals representing the bank vole Clethrionomys glareolus an d the field vole Microtus agrestis were presented in pairs to male and female least weasels Mustela nivalis Linnaeus, 1766 in the laboratory . The voles were placed in two randomly selected boxes out of 8 boxes, which were connected to an arena housing the weasel. For each trial w e recorded the finding, killing and eating order of the two prey indiv iduals. Male weasels tended to kill bank voles before field voles, and female weasels preferred to eat the bank vole first. Both sexes selec ted juvenile bank voles as the first prey to eat.