If you've ever been lucky enough to see one of these engaging little creatures this blog may be of interest to you. I used to find lots of Dormice summer nests in some of the woods in Hampshire. I was told by some of the people from Southampton Uni that Dormice are a good indicator of a healthy woodland.
http://www.swog.org.uk/articles/dormice-monitoring/
Here's a link to the People's Trust for Endangered Species if you you'd like to add to their surveys LINK
Last edited by happybonzo; 09-11-2011 at 07:45 AM. Reason: fat finger typing
They are wonderful little creatures and we had one outside our back door for some time, it used to climb up the yasmin and stretch across to a wall mounted bird feeder then scurry back into the undergrowth. It may still be ther, just havnt seen it for awhile.
The Romans used to eat dormice I believe. They were considered a delicacy.
Martin
Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.
Correct! Dipped in honey and rolled in Poppy seedsOriginally Posted by Martin
The Romans used to eat dormice I believe. They were considered a delicacy.- Martin
That would be the edible dormouse (Glis glis) rather than what is usually considered to be a dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius) There's meant to be quite a big size difference.
They're called dormice as the latin prefix dorm- is connected to sleeping (think dormant and dormitory) and they hibernate for several months.
Never had the pleasure....of seeing, not eating, one
Must rank high in the cute stakes.
Nobody wins, unless everybody wins
This a dormouse nest that I found a couple of weeks ago.
Good find
Just to dampen the mood on doormice, I was round my friends house in the village and his cat was clawing something under his mums car, i rain over shooed it away and was shocked to see a lil mouse trying to crawl away, its back legs were both broken if not completely destroyed, and it was trying to pull itself along, was one of the saddest moments of my life, I did feel a slight tear in all honesty, in its poor state i had to put it down, ended it quickly with a blow to the head with a rock, picked the lil thing up and gave him a burial in my friends garden!!!
felt really attached the little thing, even though i'd known it 10minutes.
RIP.
Will.
Know more, carry less!
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