Friday 6th December 2024

As usual, we started off with observations about the seasons, but it was an extremely mild day!  However, the leaves were almost all down with the wind, so we did talk about winter.  First, they talked about a drop in temperature and reduced sunlight and what this would mean for plant life.  We talked about everything slowing down and I introduced the word dormant (sleeping).  No insects were around except for a few midges over the pond, so that lead us to talk about insects.  They knew they were cold-blooded, so that in the cold weather they would need to go somewhere warmer.  They also knew that they could often be found under log piles and stones, where they would enjoy the added benefit of being protected from predators.  But they didn’t know that whilst some non-native creatures like Silver Y moths head back to their Mediterranean homeland, some of our native insects actual contain their own anti-freeze to stop them freezing up.  It is called cryoprotectant.  They do have other ways to survive too, such as emptying their guts of all their waste fluids and laying their eggs over winter.  One child knew that some ladybirds overwinter by huddling together somewhere warm in a group, whilst animals like hedgehogs and bears hibernate completely.  They remembered that our badgers and rabbits do not hibernate and in fact badgers have their babies in February.  We just had time to test if compost heaps were indeed warmer by rolling up our sleeves and sticking our hands in-don’t worry- we always wash them afterwards!  We finished off again by our seasonal evergreens: the holly and the ivy.  Both have berries, but only the female of the holly has them.  Hopefully, we will be using them next time-with gloves on!