Harvest mouse ©Amy Lewis
Harvest mouse
Scientific name: Micromys minutus
The harvest mouse is tiny - an adult can weigh as little as a 2p piece! It prefers habitats with long grass, but you are most likely to spot its round, woven-grass nests.
Species information
Category
Statistics
Length: 5-7cmTail: 6cm
Weight: 4-6g
Average lifespan: 1.5 years
Conservation status
Protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981. Priority Species under the UK Post-2010 Biodiversity Framework.
When to see
January to DecemberAbout
The tiny harvest mouse lives in long tussocky grassland, reedbeds, hedgerows, farmland and around woodland edges. It is mainly vegetarian, eating seeds and fruits, but will also eat invertebrates. Harvest mice build a spherical nest of tightly woven grass, high-up in the tall grasses, in which the female will give birth to around six young.How to identify
The harvest mouse has pale, ginger or yellow fur, and a white belly. Its tail is almost hairless and nearly as long as its body.In our area
Records indicate these little creatures have moved to rushy or wet pastures that are only lightly grazed if at all, or cut once a year for hay. They have even been found in reed-beds over water. They have recently been surveyed in the north of the county , near Wem Moss. We are managing this site for harvest mice, ensuring they have plenty of long tussocky grass to make their nests.