The summer barbecue is just finished; the dishes cleared
away and the coals giving off a warm glow. It doesn’t feel quite time to go
into the house though; the mild breeze encourages a few more minutes of just
sitting in peace. A snuffling, snorting, scrabbling sound comes from the corner
of the garden. This is most likely the local “erchin” starting its nocturnal
investigations.
“Erchin” is
just one of the many names for what is probably Britain’s most commonly seen
mammal; the hedgehog. The scientific name: Erinaceus europaeus translates quite
simply as European Hedgehog, and was first used by Pliny the Elder. This name
is from the Greek for hedgehog: “cher”,
which is from Indo-European “ĝhēr”, meaning a spiny creature. This is where the
word “urchin” has its origins. In the sixteenth century it was applied to people
because of their ragged appearance or the sharpness of their wit. Names
related to urchin include “erchin”; “hirchen”; “hurchaeon” and “urcheon”.
The relationship between people
and hedgehogs has been ambivalent over the years. To some it is a welcome garden
visitor, to others a carnivorous pest, and to some a bearer of bad omen.
Various attributes have been attached to this little mammal, some true, some
unexplained, and many wildly superstitious. One thing remains constant though;
it is a well known companion.
As
the name suggests their habitat is generally the hedgerow; something of which
Northumberland can boast a proportionately large amount; though in Britain they
may be found almost everywhere, except some Scottish Islands. They tend not to
be found in wet areas or pine forests. Also uplands and mountains are not
popular because there is a shortage of nesting sites and food supplies.
Hedgehogs have also adapted their lifestyle for urban survival. They make good
use of cemeteries, railway land, parkland, and of course gardens.
Adults are about twenty-five
centimetres long and can weigh up to a kilogramme. Males are usually heavier
than females, but size and weight vary considerably between individuals. The
most obvious characteristic is of course the spiny back, the rest of the animal
remains largely invisible, because of its tendency to roll into a ball when
approached. A closer look will reveal a fairly unremarkable body. Each foot has
five toes, bearing strong claws. The tail is short and inconspicuous, while the
snout is long and pointed with a black nose. It does have rather large ears,
but they do not protrude far from the fur around the head. The spines on the
back are hairs that have developed into the strong, but light covering that is
so well known.
There are
several colloquial names that have been applied to the hedgehog; including
“hedge-pig”; “furze-a-boar”; “hag hog”; “porkpoint”; and “furzehog”. The
connection with the hog is probably because of the method that the animal
employs while searching for food. It snuffles and snorts about (very loudly),
head down, making steady progress on its route. This suggests that it is smell
that plays the largest part in its search for food, although hearing is
probably also involved.
Beetles and
caterpillars form a large part of the diet, though other ground living
invertebrates may also be consumed; such as spiders, earthworms, slugs and
earwigs. Unfortunately, they will also take bird eggs, which is a concern in
some areas of bird conservation, such as the the Uists; islands to the west of
the Scottish mainland, which are home to many rare wading birds. The solution
to the problem has not been agreed as to whether a cull is needed, or if
relocation of hedgehogs is practical.
They do also sometimes eat fruit
and there is an old notion that they roll over onto apples to impale them on
their spiny backs, to be carried away for later. This idea is attributed to
claims of Pliny the Elder but is given little acceptance in reality. Hedgehogs
are not known to store food, and such acrobatics to gather it are unlikely.
Hedgehogs
are also credited with the questionable ability of eating adders, and that they
are immune to the snake’s venom. This has led to mythology that the animal is a
killer of the evil serpent and is therefore a warrior for good. It is also,
paradoxically, seen as a symbol of avarice and gluttony; probably because of
the hog-like behaviour shown when searching for food. Presumably because of its
spines, it has also been taken as a sign of wrath. It was believed that they
could fire their spines out like arrows. This myth most likely arose from the
fact that when the spines are erected old spines fall out; as spines are
gradually replaced approximately every eighteen months.
A belief making the animal
unpopular with farmers was that a hedgehog would suckle from a lactating cow.
However this also seems unlikely as the cow would probably take unkindly to the
sharp teeth, even if the hedgehog could gain access to the udder. They are
usually welcome to the garden though, as they are natural pest controllers as
well as attractive little animals.
If you wish to encourage
hedgehogs into your garden the best way to do it is to provide some food.
Traditionally this has been bread and milk, but this is not a beneficial diet
for your visitor. Hedgehogs cannot digest milk and it can cause diarrhoea,
leading to dehydration and ultimately death. Additionally, bread will make the
animal feel that it has had enough to eat, when in fact it has not taken in
enough nutrients. A good diet to provide is one of dog food and, surprisingly
cat biscuits are also a welcome offering that can help maintain the health of
the animal’s teeth.
Another way for the gardener to
provide help is to leave piles of leaves behind sheds and under hedges. This
gives the hedgehog a place to shelter and build its hibernaculum. This place to
hibernate is very important to the hedgehog. Hibernation is not merely sleep;
it is an energy conservation method to get them through the lean winter months.
The bodily functions slow down greatly, including heart rate and body
temperature, until they are in a kind of suspended animation. They will remain
in hibernation throughout the winter, unless there is a particularly mild spell.
Hedgehogs are ready to breed in April, soon after hibernation ends. The nest is
also a pile of leaves and grass. Between three and five young are born; at
first pink and blind, but sprouting hairs after only a few hours. The main
predators of the hedgehog are the fox and the badger.
In fact the hedgehog not only
faces problem from predators but also problems caused by people, such as the
use of pesticides, slug pellets, drowning in ponds and of course cars. It is
also prone to many illnesses. These are too numerous to mention here; Practical
Wildlife Care by Les Stocker (2002) devotes a whole chapter to hedgehog
afflictions. They range from fleas (which cannot be passed to humans or pets)
to “balloon syndrome”. The cause of balloon syndrome is unclear, while the effects
are obvious; the animal swells up like a balloon. Its soft skin swells until
the feet can’t touch the ground, and the hedgehog is helpless. Treatment is
literally to puncture the skin, using either a scalpel, or a syringe and tap to
release the air.
The most common problem seen in
hedgehogs is “Out During Daylight” (ODD). They are strictly nocturnal and will
usually not come out during the day unless they are youngsters that have not
been able to find enough food; they are ill or injured, or they are blind and
have lost the concept of night and day. Any of these usually call for
intervention but it is best to phone the RSPCA or a wildlife sanctuary if you
are in any doubt.
Many superstitions, other than
their methods of obtaining food, have been attached to the little mammal. The
nest for example was thought to be a reliable method of predicting the weather,
or at least what the prevailing winds were to be:
Observe
which way the hedgehog builds her nest,
To
front the north or south, or east or west;
For
it ‘tis true that common people say,
The
wind will blow the quite contrary way
(Poor
Robin’s Almanac for the Year of Our Lord 1733)
Where this
belief came from and whether there is any truth in it remains unknown, but it
is yet another legend attached to the already mysterious creature.
The
superstition does not end there however; hedgehogs have long been associated
with evil, witches and witchcraft – paradoxically as they have also been seen
as adversaries of evil. Possibly the most famous witches in English literature
chanted:
Thrice
and once the hedgepig whined (Macbeth,
Act 4, Scene 1)
As recently
as the nineteenth century the existence of this belief is supported by the
story of an unfortunate hedgehog in Co. Wexford. Believing it to be a witch the
local people threw the creature into a pool to discover whether it would float
or sink. The ability to swim sealed the animal’s fate and it was burned as a
witch.
Unfortunately,
many hedgehogs are still burned today, though by accident rather than design.
Bonfires that are built up over time provide an irresistible shelter for them.
When the fire is lit they do not have time to escape the flames. It is
therefore a good idea to check a bonfire for hedgehogs before lighting it.
The
reputation of the “erchin” is then a variable one, but it is to most a welcome
and dear visitor. References to “our” hedgehog are common, and in many cases
they become quite tame (I’ve had one venture into the house to grab some food
from the cat bowls). Behind all the superstition and negative omen is a
wonderful little creature, which we can all be entertained by. Hopefully we will
see many this summer and we can all enjoy their company.
No comments:
Post a Comment