It is typically found in fields of cereal crops, such as wheat and oats, in reed beds and in other tall ground vegetation, such as long grass and hedgerows.

[3] They underwent a reduction in range during glacial periods, and were confined to areas in Europe that were free of ice.

Other evidence suggests that Micromys minutus could have been introduced accidentally through agricultural activities during Neolithic times.

One of these nests I procured this autumn, most artificially platted,[8] and composed of the blades of wheat; perfectly round, and about the size of a cricket-ball.

[9]Tennis balls used in play at Wimbledon have been recycled to create artificial nests for harvest mice.

It has a small nose, with short, stubble-like whiskers, and thick, soft fur, somewhat thicker in winter than in summer.

[13] The upper part of the body is brown, sometimes with a yellow or red tinge; the under-parts range from white to cream coloured.

The harvest mouse is common in all east coast counties of England, reaching the North York Moors.

[16] Grasslands with a mix of perennials and annual grasses are required to balance the increases in nesting periods and the mice's need to secure nutrients.

[18] They spend most of their life in long grass and other vegetation such as reedbeds, rushes, ditches, cereals and legumes.

The righting response in harvest mice develops earlier, but takes longer to master than the other skills the pups learn.

[28] As of 2019 the harvest mouse is protected under the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981[29] and the UK Post-2010 Biodiversity Framework: Implementation Plan.