The European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) also known as the common hedgehog ranges across much of Europe, from Iberia and Italy, north into Scandinavia and northwest Russia, and west into the British Isles. It is a beloved animal throughout its range and a welcome visitor to backyard gardens where it feeds nocturnally on worms, slugs, snails, caterpillars, beetles, and other invertebrates.