Warwickshire in 100 Objects: Nest of a Harvest Mouse

This is the nest of a harvest mouse (micromys minutus).  They are a native species of rodent that build their nests off the ground in long grasses, especially crops, or hedgerows. Their nests are made entirely from woven grasses. Harvest mice are active climbers and have prehensile tails, which can act like a fifth limb helping them to hold on to the stalks of grasses and plants.

This nest was collected for Warwickshire Museum in 1996 from Earlswood Lakes.