Prey selection of the least weasel Mustela nivalis in the laboratory

Prey individuals representing the bank vole Clethrionomys glareolus and the field vole Microtus agrestiswere presented in pair to male and female least weasels Mustela nivalis Linnaeus, 1766 in the laboratory. The voles were placed in two radomly selected boxes out of 8 boxes, which were connected to an arena housing the weasel. For each trial we recorded the finding, killing and eating order of the two prey individuals. Male weasels tended to kill bank voles before field voles, and female weasels preffered to eat the bank vole first. Both sexes selected juvenile bank voles as the first prey to eat.