The harvest mouse Micromys minutus is a very rare species in Switzerland. It has only been documented accurately since 1960. Most records are based on nest fi ndings and there have been few direct observations or captures, mainly because live trapping of this species is not simple. Therefore, an effi cient trapping technique is needed for population studies and to facilitate the management of its habitat. By combining the methods used to capture very small (Suncus etruscus) and climbing (Muscardinus avellanarius) mammals, we developed a design using Longworth traps with mouse excluders set on suspended platforms. This allowed us to trap more harvest mice in four fi eld sessions of 60 trap-nights than have ever been caught previously since its discovery in Switzerland.

uploaded for Revue Suisse de Zoologie by Plazi