About

Round, brown and famously covered in spines, the hedgehog is one of the UK’s most familiar wild animals. These nocturnal mammals can be spotted in parks and gardens, where bushes provide the perfect daytime hiding place or nesting spot. They love long grass full of insects to feast on once the sun has set.

Hedgehogs eat all kinds of invertebrates, as well as amphibians, birds' eggs and just about anything else they can catch. They particularly like big, crunchy beetles and earthworms, making them a gardener's best friend.

Hedgehogs hibernate over winter, from about November to April. After spending the autumn feeding to build up their fat reserves, they curl up in a nest of leaves called a 'hibernaculum'. This is usually built in a sheltered spot, such as at the bottom of a hedge or in a log pile. They are one of the few mammals that truly hibernates, dropping both their body temperature and heart rate to save energy. They survive on their stored fat until spring, when it's time for them to become active again.