LIFE IN THE FAST LANE
With a life expectancy of around 1 year, these little guys live life to the full and often go unnoticed scurrying around in the undergrowth along hedgerows, in woodlands and in bramble patches.
They feed on all sorts of seeds, nuts & berries and are very partial to blackberries. They eat slugs, worms, fungi and any insects they can find. You might be lucky and have some in your garden!
Sadly our wood mice, like other members of the rodent family, have been demonised over the years and treated as vermin . They are quite the opposite and play a vital role in the ecosystem and food chain.
Wood mice are sexually mature at 2 months old, and the female can have up to 6 litters a year, with 4 - 8 young in each litter.
They live in small burrows underground, often tucked away under hedges or bramble patches where they are safe from predators. To move around freely and hopefully out of sight from predators they rely on long grasses. Meadows are vital for them as they allow them to travel with plenty of cover and they will feast on the flower seeds.
Many of our birds of prey such as owls and kestrels rely on them as a food source; other predators include snakes, weasels and foxes.
