This article was generated automatically based on the stated sources and translated into this language. The underlying video descriptions were editorially reviewed; this article itself was not individually reviewed by a subject-matter editor.
More about our AI transparencyFrom the end of August, hedgehogs are out and about in the garden at night. How to genuinely strengthen their habitat – with facts, practical steps and a source check for wildlife-garden fans.
If you sit outside on mild late-summer evenings, you sometimes hear a faint rustling under the hedge. It is often a hedgehog out foraging. This is especially true from the end of August: by then, many young hedgehogs are becoming independent and roaming their first surroundings. But what does a hedgehog really do at night? And what does its presence mean for your garden?
In short: Hedgehogs are crepuscular and nocturnal hunters. In search of invertebrates, they cover several hundred metres in one night. A hedgehog-friendly garden over the long term therefore needs not only a hedgehog house, but a functioning food web of dead wood, leaves, hedges, meadows and undisturbed corners.
This article refers to the European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus), a hedgehog species found across Western Europe. By invertebrates, we mean animals without a backbone – such as beetles, earthworms, snails and slugs, and earwigs.
Hedgehogs are predominantly crepuscular and nocturnal. After sunset, they leave their hiding places. They search for prey in leaf litter, under hedges and among herbaceous perennials. Their diet includes beetles and beetle larvae, butterfly caterpillars, earthworms, slugs and snails, earwigs and other invertebrates.
It is impossible to say in general terms what distance a hedgehog covers in one night. The source material refers to telemetry and GPS studies; these mention several hundred metres, and in individual cases much greater distances. The original studies were not directly accessible via the source references used – this figure is therefore marked as unverified (Video description).
August and September are important months for young hedgehogs. According to the long-standing data from Pro Igel e.V. cited in the YouTube description, around 80% of young animals in Germany are born in these months. After a gestation period of about five weeks, several young are born. Their eyes and ears open after around two weeks; at three to four weeks, they leave the nest for the first time (Video description).
These timings refer to Germany. In the Rhineland, litters may occur earlier because of the milder climate – a regional statement, not a nationwide calendar.
In picture books and on greeting cards, the hedgehog often carries an apple. It is a persistent image, but not a diet. Hedgehogs feed mainly on animal matter. If a hedgehog is moving under a fruit tree, it is usually interested in the invertebrates among fallen fruit, leaves and soil. Fruit is not a suitable staple food for hedgehogs (Video description).
A hedgehog house can be a place to sleep, but it does not create food. To understand what hedgehogs need, you have to look at the animals they feed on. The NaturKompass homepage names typical elements for this: dead wood piles, leaf piles, hedges, meadows and wild areas, and compost heaps (NaturKompass).
These elements are connected. Plants form the base. Dead wood creates habitat for beetles and other invertebrates; leaves provide food and cover for soil-dwelling animals; hedges create shelter and structurally rich transitions; meadows harbour different species from closely mown lawn; compost becomes habitat for many small organisms. Hedgehogs stand at the end of this food chain: plants → invertebrates → hedgehogs.
Anyone who wants to understand this connection will find an example in NaturKompass: the platform processes sighting data from GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility), an open repository for species observations worldwide, as well as ecological relationships from GloBI (Global Biotic Interactions). In this way, species occurrences are not merely collected but placed in relation to one another. One regional limitation applies: only sightings with valid coordinates within Germany, Austria and Switzerland are used. The raw data were not evaluated for this article; the information comes from the NaturKompass page (NaturKompass).
According to NaturKompass, dead wood piles can provide habitat for over 1,500 beetle species – a natural food base that extends far beyond the individual hedgehog (NaturKompass).
The table summarises statements from the sources used (Video description, NaturKompass):
| Garden element | Function in hedgehog habitat |
|---|---|
| Dead wood pile | Habitat for beetles and other invertebrates; natural food base |
| Leaf pile | Food and cover for soil-dwelling animals, which in turn are hedgehog food |
| Hedges | Shelter and structurally rich transitions between garden areas |
| Meadows and wild areas | Harbour different species from closely mown lawn |
| Compost heap | Habitat for numerous small organisms |
| Closely mown lawn | Named in the sources as a counterexample: meadows and wild areas harbour different species |
The following steps are deliberately small and achievable in an ordinary garden.
Leave one corner wild. Do not remove dead wood, leaves and stems everywhere. This creates retreats for prey animals and hedgehogs.
Stack dead wood. Pile branches and trunks loosely. This creates structure for beetles and other invertebrates.
Leave leaves in place. Leaf piles are more than untidiness: they provide soil-dwelling animals with food and cover.
Keep hedges and wild areas. They provide shelter and structurally rich transitions in the garden.
Fit fences with a hedgehog gate. An opening around 13 × 13 centimetres in size connects gardens with one another. Otherwise, closed fences and wall bases can cut hedgehog habitat into small islands.
Offer water. A shallow dish of clean water is especially helpful in hot, dry weather.
Check before brushcutter and grass trimmer work. Animals may be sitting under hedges, in tall herbaceous perennials or dense grass. Check the spot before the machine starts.
Do not run robotic lawnmowers at night. Hedgehogs often roll into a ball when in danger instead of fleeing. At dusk and at night, this makes them especially vulnerable.
Leave out milk. Hedgehogs tolerate lactose poorly. Water is the right drink.
Think carefully about feeding. Permanent supplementary feeding is not an automatic standard measure. Targeted feeding may be useful in certain situations; in the long term, a garden that produces enough natural food remains more important.
What are the limits of this article?
This article is based on the YouTube description and the publicly accessible NaturKompass homepage. Original publications from Pro Igel e.V., Deutsche Wildtier Stiftung, LBV and the telemetry and GPS studies mentioned were not accessed directly; they are marked as unverified in the sources. The databases GBIF, GloBI and GBIF-Traits mentioned by NaturKompass were also not evaluated directly here. The video itself was not transcribed and does not serve as an independent specialist source.
Why is the hedgehog with the apple not a suitable image?
Because hedgehogs feed mainly on animal matter. Apples and other fruit are not a suitable staple food. The frequently encountered depiction obscures the fact that, in nature, hedgehogs chiefly seek beetles, caterpillars, worms, snails and slugs.
Should I feed hedgehogs at night?
Not automatically. A shallow dish of clean water is a good contribution. According to the source material, permanent supplementary feeding should not become a standard measure. In individual cases, targeted supplementary feeding may be useful – but that cannot be assessed in general terms here. Milk should never form part of the food range.
Are robotic lawnmowers dangerous at night?
Yes, the risk is high. Hedgehogs often do not flee when in danger, but roll up. A robotic lawnmower running at dusk or at night can therefore injure them severely. The rule is therefore: do not run robotic lawnmowers at night.
How large must an opening in a fence be?
According to the sources used, an opening of around 13 × 13 centimetres is sufficient. For the hedgehog, this turns several individual properties back into a connected landscape.
When are most young hedgehogs active?
In Germany, according to the cited Pro Igel data, around 80% of young animals are born in August and September. Their eyes and ears open after around two weeks; at three to four weeks, they leave the nest. In the mild Rhineland, litters may also occur earlier.
The following sources named in the YouTube description were not directly checked:
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All species data comes from scientific sources (CC BY 4.0 / CC0). Attribution according to licence terms. Complete source overview →
Last updated: 10/09/2026. Corrections can be reported via the feedback form.