Need some inspiration to entertain the kids during the holidays? Embrace spooky season with Butterfly Conservation’s top five weird, wild and wonderful things to do this October Half Term.
1. Carve a butterfly or moth pumpkin
Marsh Fritillary pumpkin – Joanna Saunders
Get ready for spooky season by carving a butterfly or moth inspired pumpkin. Simply head over to the Butterfly Conservation website and pick a butterfly [https://butterfly-conservation.org/butterflies] or moth [https://butterfly-conservation.org/moths], copy their outline onto your pumpkin and cut out your design! If you want to make things more detailed, print out a picture, trace the butterfly or moth using tracing paper and thick pencil, and transfer it onto your pumpkin. Then it’s time to get carving! Share your designs with Butterfly Conservation on their social media channels @savebutterflies
2. Go on a weird and wild walk
20240103-Rebecca Harvey-Angle Shades caterpillar in a spider egg sac
Autumn is the season when things tend to get a bit weird in the wildlife world. Grab your wellies and your raincoat (just in case) and head out to see what weird and wild things you spot! From zombie caterpillars to skeleton leaves, check out Butterfly Conservation’s spooky spotter sheet for some ideas of what to look out for – https://butterfly-conservation.org/discover-and-learn/activities-and-resources/spotter-sheets
3. Stay up after dark!
Bucket moth trap – Butterfly Conservation
Although the nights are drawing in, there’s still lots to see after the sun goes down! Make your own moth trap using this handy tutorial [https://butterfly-conservation.org/news-and-blog/how-to-make-your-own-moth-trap] and see what’s lurking in your outdoor spaces after dark. No time for DIY? Grab a torch and check out fallen fruit, berries or Ivy to see which moths are enjoying a sweet treat. You can even make your own moth cocktail with some wine (not for you, parents), sugar and a rope. Simple heat a bottle cheap red wine (do not boil) and stir in and dissolve 1kg sugar. Allow the mixture to cool and then soak a length or lengths of rope in the sugary concoction. Drape the “wine ropes” over low branches, bushes or fences just before dusk and check for moths by torch light during the first two hours of darkness.
4. Play hide and seek
Hibernating butterfly crop – Sophie Hall
Ever wondered what butterflies get up to during the colder months of the year? Some overwinter as caterpillars, some as eggs or chrysalises, and a few species, like the Brimstone, Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock will spend the winter as adult butterflies. To help them stay snug and safe over winter, encourage the kids to get outside and make butterfly and moth hiding places! Leaf piles and log piles are brilliant spots for caterpillars to hunker down or pupate, and leaving your hedges and Ivy uncut can help provide hiding spots for adult butterflies and moths. You can even create a “butterfly door” in outbuildings, sheds and other cool, dry places by leaving a hole or a gap to allow adult butterflies to enter in the winter and leave again in spring. For more ideas of what to do in your outdoor spaces this autumn and winter, visit https://wild-spaces.co.uk/incredible-ivy-bring-your-wild-space-to-life-with-this-wildlife-wonder-2/
5. Make a moth mask
Make a moth mask – Butterfly Conservation
Need some Halloween costume inspiration? Try making your own moth mask. This fun craft will have the kids entertained even on rainy days and can make a fun party activity. Head to this page https://butterfly-conservation.org/discover-and-learn/activities-and-resources/make-a-moth-mask to download your moth mask template and follow the simple steps. You can even get creative with natural materials you collect from your weird and wild walk.
