The yellow-necked mouse

Latin: Apodemus flavicollis.

The yellow-necked mouse is dark brown on the top side, while the underside is pure white, except for a brown band (collar) in front of the front legs. It is larger than the house mouse, head and body measuring 10-12 cm, and the tail is slightly longer than the rest of the animal.

It is primarily associated with forests, but is also common in gardens with many trees and shrubs. Most of the year they stay out in the open, and the ones that invade houses do it towards the end of October. The yellow-necked mice continue to seek inside through the winter, apparently as the food in their natural habitats disappears.

Yellow-necked mouse

( Latin: Apodemus flavicollis)

Most yellow-necked mice spend the whole of the year out in the open, but some enter houses, usually later on than the house mice, about the end of October. They will eat stores of fruit in cellars or other places.

In the wild, yellow-necked mice feed on all kinds of seeds and they are very fond of hazelnuts and almonds. They are primarily woodland animals, which have spread to gardens and parks with scattered trees and bushes. They are common in many parts of Europe and also occur in southern England. The closely related wood mouse, Apodemus sylvaticus, is found throughout the British Isles and it also enters buildings in autumn.