Food Hoarding by the Least Shrew (Cryptotis parva): Intersexual and Prey Type Effects

Abstract
We examined the hoarding behavior of male and female least shrews Cryptotis parva in response to two type of insect prey. The shrews hoarded a significantly greater proportion of crickets than mealworms and hoarded crickets and mealworms in different positions relative to the nest; crickets were hoarded near and mealworms away from the nest. Female shrews killed and hoarded more prey, regardless of type, than males. The variance in hoarding and killing of crickets by females was lower than in males.