Welcome Student Members!
Can you believe we're already in February 2025? Time is flying! Recently, we've had a few chilly mornings with frost sparkling on the grass, and it got me thinking about how important cold weather is for our wildlife. Sure, snow is great for building snowmen and having snowball fights, but freezing temperatures are also essential for nature!
Why Frosty Weather is Important:
- Winter Hibernation: Cold snaps tell animals it's time to hibernate. Without that frosty signal, some animals might stay active when they should be resting and saving energy.
- Pest Control: Freezing weather helps control pests like slugs, ticks, and wasps. If it stayed warm all winter, we'd have too many of these little critters buzzing and crawling around!
- Wildflower Magic: Did you know wildflower seeds need frost to grow properly in spring? If you forgot to plant wildflowers last autumn, here's a cool trick: pop your seeds in the freezer for a week, then plant them. It tricks the seeds into thinking they've had a winter frost!
Wildlife to Spot This February:
- Snowdrops: I've already spotted some snowdrops blooming, and it's a bit early! Can you find any early flowers near you?
- Hares: Look out for hares blending into the brown winter fields. They're masters of camouflage!
- Little Egrets: These bright white birds stand out against the grey winter landscape. Keep your eyes peeled near rivers and wetlands.
- Redwings and Fieldfares: These winter thrushes fly in from colder countries to feast on berries in our hedgerows.
- Foxes: With their thick winter coats, foxes are more visible now. You might even spot their pawprints in the frost!
- Robins: Our friendly garden visitors love to puff up their feathers to stay warm. Listen for their cheerful song on cold mornings.
Outdoor Activities
