Bedelands Farm Local Nature Reserve is situated on the northern edge of Burgess Hill and access to it is from the playing fields next to Burgess Hill Town Football Club, off Maple Drive, and from Coopers Close. Other entry points are from a footpath near Valebridge Close and from beneath the viaduct in Valebridge Road. The site is owned by Mid Sussex District Council and the Friends of Burgess Hill Green Circle Network help to maintain it. The Nature Reserve consists of ancient meadows, woodland, hedgerows and ponds.
What’s the difference between a mouse, vole and shrew?
Mouse
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Very large eyes, long tail, very large ears, pointed snout.
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The UK is home to six different species of mice. Five of these are native, the sixth, the edible dormouse, was introduced to Hertfordshire as an escapee in 1902.
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Most mice species have a very short life expectancy in the wild – up to a year – with the exception of the dormouse, which can live for up to five years. This is rivalled only by the edible dormouse that can live for up to nine years!
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Mice are rodents – a scientific classification which groups animals that have a pair of continuously growing incisors.
Vole
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Small eyes, short tail, small ears, rounded snout.
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There are four species of native vole in the UK. The bank vole, field vole and water vole are the only species that occur on mainland Britain. The fourth species is the Orkney vole which is found on five of the Orkney Isles.
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The average life expectancy for voles is between 3 and 12 months. The larger species like the water vole may live for around 18 months.
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Voles, like mice, are also rodents.
Shrew
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Small eyes, short tail, small ears, pointed snout.
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Four species of shrew are native to the UK. Three of these are found on mainland Britain. The fourth, the lesser white toothed shrew, is a species only found on the Isles of Scilly, Jersey and Sark.
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Shrews also have a very short life span – around 1 year as an average.
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Shrews aren't rodents. Instead they're grouped into an order called Eulipotyphla – commonly known as insectivores – which includes hedgehogs and moles.
This is an official *Caching With Kids* geocache - recommended for families with children to find together. See our Facebook Page!
This group fo caches requires puddle suits and wellies in Winter, and use your own judgement other times of the year. It was particular boggy in Jan 2020, when maintenance was carried out.