The black-and-white striped European badger (Meles meles) name comes from earlier bageard (16th century),presumably referring to the white mark borne like a badge on its forehead. The less common name brock is a Celtic loanword meaning "grey". A common species, turning up in gardens, as well as inhabiting woodland, farmland and grassland, it is a member of the Mustelid family, related to stoats, weasels and otters. The badger can eat several hundred earthworms a night. It is also one of the only predators of Hedgehogs - its thick skin and long claws help it to get past the vicious spines. The European badger is one of the largest; the American badger, the hog badger, and the honey badger are generally a little smaller and lighter. Stink badgers are smaller still, and ferret badgers smallest of all.
