beginning firstly on the rump and progressing forwards, and then, separately, on the snout, and moving backwards. The timing of the spring molt is much more variable, even in the same population, so that individuals with summer and winter coats can be found together for several months during the spring, and even into the early summer. Its body is about in total length, including a long tail. The adult body weight ranges from , with males being slightly larger than females. The basal metabolic rate of vagrant shrews is 5.4 ml O2/g/h, with no evidence of torpor in winter. They are referred to sometimes as wandering shrews. Behavior Vagrant shrews feed mainly on earthworms, spiders, insects, and other small invertebrates, but also eat some plant material. Because of their high metabolic rate, they have been reported to consume over 160% of their own body weight in food each day. Their primary predators include owls, and even bobcats. They are active throughout the day, typically for just five to ten minutes at a time before resting. They do, however, spend longer periods of time foraging at night than they do during the hours of daylight. They are generally solitary outside the spring breeding season, defending home ranges of around , by squeaking and making short charges at intruders, although actual fighting is rare. During the spring, home ranges are much larger, especially for the males. Throughout most of the year, vagrant shrews construct shallow cup-shaped nests, up to across, from vegetation and animal hair. In winter, they cover the nests with a domed roof to provide shelter. Females also construct similar domed nests during the breeding season, in which to rear their young. These are, however, larger than the winter nests, and may reach as much as across and up to in height. Vagrant shrews sometimes use echolocation to orient themselves in unfamiliar locations, although they are probably not able to use it to locate prey. It often uses runways created by voles. Reproduction Vagrant shrews primarily breed between April and June, although births may occur as early as February, or as late as September. Gestation lasts twenty days, and results in the birth of a litter of two to eight young. A female may give birth to up to three litters each year. The young are born hairless and blind, weighing less than each. They grow rapidly throughout the first