May introduces: Junior Trailblazers!

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Welcome to our very first Junior Trailblazer feature! These shorter features will offer coloring pages, nature exploration, and more for our youngest conservationists. 

Our first edition brings you a Bobcat coloring page. 

It looks like this bobcat might be in one of our sites - what park or preserve might she call home? 

Download, print, and color the page. When completed, scan and send a copy to CELMOutreach@HCFLogv.net to possibly be featured in a future Trailblazer!

Creative Conservation

These crafts and activities can be done at home with some adult supervision

"Making Moth Sugar"

Moths have antennae that look like little feathers. These antennae are like sensors or radio aerials, picking up far away signals. Doing so, they are able to scent attractive food from far away - including this "moth sugar."

What you need:
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • water
  • 1qt plastic jug
  • paintbrush
  • sponge

What to do: 
  1. Fill the jug with water
  2. Mix sugar into the jug of water. Shake to blend the sugar well!
  3. In late afternoon, use the paint brush to "paint" the moth sugar on a stump, rock, or maybe a fence post - anywhere that might make for a good spot to land and eat. Late afternoon is best so the sun can dry it, but not fully evaporate it.
    You can also soak a sponge in the sugar water and then hang on a tree.  
  4. Wait until just after dark, and go observe where you placed the moth sugar - do you have any visitors? take photos, draw pictures, or just enjoy watching them. Can you identify any?
  5. If no moths have come, try again another day and add a little apple juice to your mix. 

There are over 100,000 species of moths in the world! In Florida we have many beautiful moths to enjoy like the Polyphemus moth, Harnessed Tiger, or the Luna moth. You may also be interested in reading this month's article, "Lettuce Lake's Lepidoptera" for insight into some of the butterflies in our area. 

Luna Moth, Actias luna by Geoff Gallice 






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