Multiple Captures of White-Footed Mice (Peromyscus Leucopus): Evidence for Social Structure?

Multiple captures (34 double, 6 triple) in standard Sherman live traps accounted for 6.3% of 1355 captures of Peromyscus leucopus (white-footed mice) in forested habitat in southern Illinois, from Oct. 2004 through Oct. 2005. There was a significant positive relationship between both the number and the proportion of multiple captures and estimated monthly Population size. Multiple captures were all intraspecific and occurred significantly more often from Nov. through Mar. when animals were not reproductively active, but this was confounded by seasonal changes in abundance. Age/gender distribution of animals in double captures did not differ from that expected from random pairing. We suggest that sociality and synchronous entry of two white-footed mice into traps were the primary determinants of double captures; sensitivity of traps may have been the primary factor in triple captures.