Wilderworld: Cosy critters
Wilderworld: Cosy critters
There are lots of different creatures in our gardens and neighbourhoods. Let’s learn how to build a nest/habitat for the creatures around you.
Let’s go on a Wildercritter hunt! What mini critters can you find under rocks, leaves, and sticks? Where do they sleep? What do they eat? Look to the sky - what creatures can you see in the clouds & treetops?
Think about where these creatures might like to live and build them somewhere safe and snuggly with what you can find outside.
If you’re thinking of a home for our bug buddies, maybe you’d like to build them the finest bug hotel that they can find shelter in and raise their families. These bugs will not only be fun to watch, they are very important for our gardens, helping to pollinate plants and keep pests away from eating our veggie gardens!
“Did you know there are between 6 and 10 million different species of insects in the world?”
Think about all the different critters that might live in your bug hotel. Gather natural materials for your bug friends of all different sizes, from big fluffy bumblebees to spotted little ladybirds.
In your garden or on your walk, look out for pinecones, twigs, straw, dried leaves, bark... These all make great habitats!
The key is to arrange all of these treasures together so that there are lots of hidey holes of different sizes for critters to hide in - they like to be safe, warm and dry, just like us.
You can be a recycling superstar and make your hotel with reused materials, like this cosy can hanging in the veggie patch
If you’re feeling inspired to go all out and build a palace, you could give this luxurious bee hotel project a go with your family!
“Honey bees fly at around 25km per hour and beat their wings 200 times a second!”
If bugs aren’t your thing and you’re more of a fan of our feathered friends, spend some time thinking about the kind of cosy nest they would like to raise their babies in.
What kind of materials will you gather to build a bird’s nest? If you were a bird, what kind of place would you like to sleep in? Up high or down low - where will you put it? How can you make your nest really strong using only what nature gives us?
After you’ve hunted around the garden and gathered all of the things you need (think twigs, leaves, grass, bracken, moss... get creative!), shape them all together into a cosy nest.
Hint: twisting your materials like grass and twigs together will ensure your nest is good and strong!
Place your nest somewhere that birds like to go and be sure to check on it… you never know who may move in!
“Did you know? Kererū lay only one egg which both parents take turns keeping warm. Kererū don’t sing like other birds, but say ‘coo coo’. In the forest, you can hear them cooing, whooshing, and crash landing in trees!”
