THE LADYBIRD BOOK OF - British Wild Animals - Common Shrew, Mole, Hedgehog, and Bats Overview

Oct 13, 2026

Upload by Adam

A children’s nature book that introduces British wild animals through simple, factual descriptions. It explains how the mole survives by burrowing and using sensitive senses to find worms, and contrasts moles with common shrews, including their tiny weight and constant need to eat insects. The book then covers hedgehogs’ spines, their usefulness in gardens by eating pests, and practical ways to support them. Finally, it surveys British bats such as the noctule and long-eared bat, noting their size, seasonal activity, and insect-based diet.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLiterature

FormatPDF

Pages56

Reading Time1 h 26 min

AccessFree to download

Common Shrew and Mole

Hedgehog

Noctule and Bats

The Ladybird Book ofBRITISHILD ANIMALS A LADYBIRD SENIOR CeoffreyWll.ams Series 536 # THE LADYBIRD BOOK OF BRITISHWILD ANIMALS ByGEORGE CANSDALE Colour Illustrations by ROLAND GREEN,M.B.O.U.,F.R.S.A. Publishers:Wills &Hepworth Ltd.,Loughborough First publisbed 1958⑤Printed in England Common Shrew and Mole The Mole and the Common Shrew belongto the same animal family,but they arenot a bit alike in appearance. The Mole's eyes are so tiny that itcannot see at all,but this does not matter,because it spends all its life burrowing,finding worms by using its sensitive nose.The fur coat of the Mole is like velvet,andso it can move backwards or forwards in itstunnel without rubbing the fur the wrongway. The Common Shrew is one of the leastof the furry animals,and three of themtogether only weigh an ounce.It is alwayshungry,and life is one long round of eatingworms,grubs,and insects of all kinds,when it is not sleeping. Shrews have a very strong smell andalthough some animals kill them,notmany are actually eaten. Hedgehog The Hedgehog cannot possibly be mis-taken for any other animal,because fromthe day it is born it is covered with spines.At first these are soft,but by the time thelittle Hedgehog is only three weeks old,thespines are stiff and sharp. Hedgehogs are very useful creatures,and it is a good thing to have livingin a garden.They eat slugs,caterpillars,beetles,and other pests.Hedgehogs soonbecome quite tame,but it is best not to keepthem as ordinary pets. If a Hedgehog is living in your gardenyou can put out a saucer of milk eachnight,in the same place,for a treat.However,let the Hedgehog find most of itsown food and choose its own sleepingplace,as well as a cosy corner where it cansleep for most of the winter. 6 Noctule and There are more than twelve differentkinds of Bats which live in Great Britain,but it is not very easy to recognise them all. The Noctule,or Great Bat,is the largest,measuring about four inches long andnearly fifteen inches across the wings.Itflies higher than most bats,and you maybe lucky enough to see it in spring andsummer,when it comes out to hunt justbefore sunset. The Long-eared Bat has ears nearly aslong as its body,and folds these up neatlyunder its wings before going to sleep. All our Bats live on insects which theycatch in the air,and also spend most of thewinter fast asleep.

FAQs

How do moles find food and move through tunnels?

Moles have tiny eyes and rely on burrowing while using their sensitive nose to find worms. Their velvet-like fur lets them move backward or forward in tunnels without rubbing the fur the wrong way.

Why are hedgehogs considered useful in a garden?

Hedgehogs are useful because they eat slugs, caterpillars, beetles, and other pests. They can become quite tame, though the book advises not keeping them as ordinary pets.

What do British bats eat and when are they most active?

The bats live on insects they catch in the air. They spend much of winter fast asleep, while the noctule may be seen in spring and summer hunting just before sunset.

Oct 13, 2026

Upload by Adam