Diet

They mainly eat insects, earthworms, beetles, snails, small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, eggs, birds, berries, roots, tubers, nuts, fruit, mushrooms and various other plants, and they also dig up wasps, bumblebees, bees’ nests and anthills in search of their eggs and larvae. The badger is very fond of honey. They are able to destroy wasp nests, consuming the occupants, combs, and envelope, such as that of Vespula rufa nests, since their thick skin and body hair protect the badgers from stings. Cereal food includes wheat, oats, maize and occasionally barley. Fruits include windfall apples, pears, plums, blackberries, bilberries, raspberries, strawberries and acorns.

Habitat

The European badger is found in deciduous and mixed woodlands, clearings, spinneys, pastureland and scrub. Badgers rock cave systems with many entrances. Caves are dug in dry forests, woods, dry mounds. They have a complex cave system with many entrances. All cave entrances are connected on the outside by woven paths that extend in different directions from the home to feeding and watering areas. Sometimes several badger families inhabit the same cave system.

From late October to early April, they go into hibernation. In winter it is observed during the thaw.

Important and interesting facts

The badger is nocturnal. It has a well-developed sense of smell. However, hearing is underdeveloped and vision is poor. It can distinguish objects fully at a distance of only a few dozen steps.

Badger is very clean. It dugs several burrows in a specially selected area near its home. As soon as one of them is full, he covers it with earth. When the whole patch has been used, the badger digs out another patch and prepares it for use. Just like humans, badgers live in homes with their families and love spending time with relatives. They have a strong sense of community with their immediate family.

The natural enemies of badgers are wolves, lynx and dogs.

Information sources: latvijasdaba.lv, Wikipedia

Photos: Māris Kreicbergs