Diet of the House Mouse (Mus musculus) in Two Pine and a Kauri Forest

The diet of the house mouse (Mus musculus L.) was studied in an exotic pine (Pinus radiata D. Don) and an indigenous kauri (Agathis australis Salisb.) forest near Auckland from 1976-1977. Stomach contents of 594 and 117 mice collected by snap trapping in the Woodhill and Hunua Forest respectively revealed an omnivorous diet consisting largely of adult arthropods, lepidopteran larvae and seeds. In the Woodhill pine forest adult arthropods and lepidopteran larvae were the main foods throughout the year, while seed generally became important between spring and autumn. In the Hunua kauri forest, adult arthropods and seed were important foods all year round. Kauri seed largely prevailed in the stomach contents during April and May. Predation by mice on birds' nests was not evident.