This research constitutes a study of small mammals (mice, voles, shrews and chipmunks) and their disease dynamics. We are sampling woodland habitats using a total of 768 live traps and employing deer fence exclosures and open forest habitat providing the controls. Trapping sessions occur from June until August for 2 nights every 14 days. During each of these trap sessions basic body morphometrics will be recorded from target animals (Peromyscus spp., Microtus pennsylvanicus, Clethrionomys gapperi, Tamias striatus, Blarina brevicauda, and Microsorex hoyi. Non-target animals will be released from the trap without any handling. Data collected constitute non-invasive methods of animal handling techniques, body mass etc. Each animal will be marked with a Trovan passive induced transponder. The key to monitoring disease persistence and transmission will be to take a small blood sample from each target animal captured every fortnight. Animals will be anesthetized and using standard techniques and a blood sample will be taken. Subsequent analysis of the blood sample by an external laboratory will allow us to determine prevalence of antibodies in the rodents in order to monitor patterns of pathogen persistence and spread. With the blood samples collected we will conduct a survey to determine which pathogens, both zoonotic (disease capable of transmission from an animal to a human) and non-zoonotic circulate within the small mammal community in a woodland habitat.