Snow and cover are two words that often go hand in hand. Meteorologists produce snow cover maps. Cities with lots of snow take a perverse pride in having more snow falling on them than anywhere else, while bemoaning the huge amount of snow at the same time.
Snow and cover go together for other reasons as well. Many small animals live under the snow. The snow above their heads holds in the heat of the ground and the warmth of their bodies. This layer that is above the ground and under the surface of the snow is known as the subnivean zone.
The subnivean zone is full of life. Mice tunnel under the snow, where they are protected from bone-chilling wind. Their long tunnel systems along the ground have easy access to food such as seeds and plants. The snow helps them hide from predators. Animals that like to eat mice, like foxes and owls, have to listen closely for the scratch-scratching sound of the mice under the snow in order to precisely pounce on them from above.
Imagine what that is like from the perspective of a mouse. Imagine wandering through your warmish and familiar white tunnels, nibbling on seeds and grass. Suddenly the world around you is filled with a deafening crunch as a predator crashes through the snow with jaws or talons snapping and grasping for you. The subnivean zone is very safe, until it is not.
Other animals lurk there as well. Shrews and voles and even squirrels have tunnels through the snow. Some weasels have fur that turns snow-white in the winter. Their skinny bodies slip invisibly into the subnivean zone, where they hunt the tunnel dwelling mice, shrews, and other residents.
One unexpected user of the subnivean zone is the Ruffed Grouse. This delightfully chunky bird takes advantage of the subnivean zone by flying head first into the snow to bury itself in the evening. The bird’s body heat warms the small hollow in the snow and allows it to use less energy to stay warm.
The paradox of snow is that, even as it covers, it reveals. The edges of the world soften with a covering of white, but that white reveals things that are normally unseen. The snow leaves a tale of the animals who have been this way before you arrived. Animals that are seldom seen, such as Fishers, Coyotes, and Bobcats, cannot help but leave their tracks behind. The snow betrays their presence in a way that summer grass never does.
Tracks in the snow can tell a story of the animal’s life. Sometimes it is a story of food. Deer tracks lead to a mossy clump, where they nose into the snow and leave bits of moss and dirt scattered on the surface. Fox tracks follow rabbit tracks, ending in a clearing where the tracks are wildly going in all directions as the fox chases the rabbit. The fox tracks lead to a red patch in the snow, while the rabbit tracks disappear. Sometimes it is just an animal passing through, balancing on a log, or disappearing into a hole in the ground.
The bright white snow can reveal other things as well. Dark blue Snow Fleas leap around on top of the snow, resembling black pepper scattered across the snow that suddenly came to life.
These tiny insects eat decaying matter in the soil and are important to the breaking down of dead leaves. Snow Flea is truly a poor name, as they don’t suck blood like a real flea and they are active year round. The snow reveals their presence in winter. In the summer, I most often hear them. Their tiny bodies sound like millions of rain drops in the forest on a sunny day.
Other unexpected animals creep across the snow as well. Caterpillars and spiders slowly walk on top of the snow on a mission that only they know. Some insects only emerge in winter. Winter Crane Flies, Winter Stoneflies, and winter mosquitoes all emerge in the depths of winter. They remain unseen in the summer, waiting for winter to emerge and fly around.
It is easy to get tired of winter. It is hard to face another day of shoveling sidewalks, scraping cars, and slippery driving. Winter is, however, one of the best times to get outside and see what animals share our world. Their tracks are sometimes the only thing that betrays their presence.
Winter truly is a paradox. It is a season that many love to hate. Winter snow covers and reveals, protects and is dangerously cold. It is the best time to learn what animals share the world with us, yet the time that the fewest number of people go out.
Take some time this winter to go outside. Wander about and see what animal has left tracks in your yard. Walk down a forest trail and look closely at the ground for the tiny animals that share the world with us. Check out the ground around your home as the snow melts and look for the tunnels used by your animal neighbors.
Embrace the winter. It’s not going away anytime soon.
Audubon Community Nature Center builds and nurtures connections between people and nature. ACNC is located just east of Route 62 between Warren and Jamestown. The trails are still open from dawn to dusk as is Liberty, the Bald Eagle. The Nature Center is partially open, including restrooms, the Blue Heron Gift Shop, and some exhibits. More information can be found online at auduboncnc.org or by calling (716) 569-2345.
Jeff Tome is a Nature Educator at ACNC.
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