Common name: Wood Mouse
Also known as: Field Mouse and Long Tailed Field Mouse
Scientific name: Apodemus sylvaticus
Size: Up to 10cm in length
Weight: Up to 30g
Colour: Brown coat with a white belly. Very dark, large eyes.
Life span: Up to 6-12 months in the wild
Description
A small secretive rodent that moves with a slight hopping movement. They are mainly seen at night, but will sometimes be seen feeding at bird feeders during the day.
Distribution
A common mammal found all over the UK, and seen in my garden in Corfe Mullen many times.
Diet
Seeds, worms, berries, small insects and carrion. In woods they will eat acorns and sycamore seeds, buds in spring, insects and seeds in summer and berries and fungi in the autumn. Their food is stored in underground burrows (or in old wellington boots!)
Habitat
Normally found in hedgerows, grassland and woods. However, they will make their nest where ever they can find food - which may mean your garden, house or shed.
Did you know
They are very intelligent and given time will think out a strategy before doing something.
They are also very fast for their size and have amazing hearing and vision.
They live in underground tunnels that they dig themselves with their very sharp claws.
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