People love hedgehogs. They are part of a select group of native species, which includes butterflies, that are almost universally adored by the UK public. I’m no exception. I am honoured and delighted that hedgehogs are regular visitors to my suburban Devon garden and I greatly enjoy hearing them grunting and shuffling about while I’m tending the moth trap on a summer’s evening.
Despite this, I don’t claim to know a lot about hedgehogs. I know not to put milk out for them and I know that their favourite food is slugs. However, it turns out that I know even less than I thought.
What's in a hedgehog's diet?
Contrary to the popular belief that hedgehogs mainly eat slugs, studies repeatedly show that caterpillars, beetles and earthworms are much more important. In one study of 137 hedgehogs in England, 74% had beetles in their diet, 49% had moth and butterfly caterpillars in their diet and 34% had earthworms – only 23% had recently eaten slugs. The difference is even more stark when the calorie intake of hedgehogs is considered. Slugs and snails typically provide less than 5% of a hedgehog’s energy requirements, while caterpillars and beetles can each make up one third or more.
Another study, carried out on a golf course near Heathrow airport, revealed dramatic changes in hedgehog diets through the year. While beetles and earthworms were fairly consistent in the diet through the year, caterpillars were extremely important prey items in late summer and autumn. At this time of year, which is important for hedgehogs as they build up their fat reserves for hibernation, around 50% of a hedgehog's diet (in terms of energy intake) can be caterpillars. One single hedgehog dropping in this study contained the remains of 56 individual caterpillars, most likely Noctuid moths.
It's great to know that the Wild Spaces that I’ve created in my garden are not only benefitting butterflies and moths by providing places for caterpillars to live and develop, but also one of Britain’s best loved mammals.
Richard Fox
Head of Science, Butterfly Conservation
@RichardFoxBC
Hedgehog Awareness Week
Our friends at The British Hedgehog Preservation Society are celebrating #HedgehogWeek from the 30th April to the 6th May. Get involved and see what you can do to help hedgehogs.