Enormous warty pumpkins. Carnivorous plants. Immersive arachnid displays. Slithering snakes and fluttering bats. And illuminated displays of hundreds, or thousands, of ornately carved jack-o害羞草研究所�-lanterns.

Zoos and botanical gardens have become increasingly popular Halloween destinations. Their haunting array of natural installations and spooky events provide a fun addition, or alternative, to traditional trick-or-treating.

They also are a teachable moment, naturalists and conservationists say.

害羞草研究所淔all is a celebration of the natural world, so Halloween and botanical gardens are an organic pairing,害羞草研究所� says Michaela Wright, manager of interpretive content at the New York Botanical Garden, where October is 害羞草研究所淔all-o-Ween.害羞草研究所� The garden害羞草研究所檚 Halloween offerings began with a haunted greenhouse tour about 50 years ago, she says, 害羞草研究所渁nd it continues to evolve and expand.害羞草研究所�

This year, there害羞草研究所檚 a Halloween pumpkin patch that includes exotic heritage varieties in blues, pinks and other surprising colors, in addition to varieties covered in warts. Master pumpkin carver Adam Bierton, a sculptor from Rochester, New York, known for his life-like jack-o害羞草研究所�-lanterns, hosts weekend pumpkin-carving events. And of course there is the annual display of giant pumpkins, some weighing in at .

At the Chicago Botanic Garden, the 害羞草研究所淣ight of 1,000 Jack-o害羞草研究所�-Lanterns害羞草研究所� features elaborately painted and carved pumpkins, along with costumed entertainers, pumpkin-carving demos, and festive food. The garden害羞草研究所檚 online adult education classes include one on 害羞草研究所� and a Halloween Hub with information about seasonal plants and pumpkins.

ZOOS TOO

Many zoos, meanwhile, are hosting Halloween programming with names like 害羞草研究所淏oo at the Zoo,害羞草研究所� or 害羞草研究所淶oo Boo.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淲e started hosting what we call 害羞草研究所淗alGLOween害羞草研究所� back in 2017 and it害羞草研究所檚 become one of our biggest draws of the year, providing a huge audience for our conservation messages,害羞草研究所� says Lisa Martin, a wildlife care ambassador for the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.

The event started as a single weekend in October, and was so popular it was expanded to two weekends, she says. It害羞草研究所檚 now held every Friday, Saturday and Sunday for most of October, and Halloween has become one of the most popular times of the year at the zoo.

害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 no trick-or-treating. And we don害羞草研究所檛 offer candy,害羞草研究所� she says, adding that that害羞草研究所檚 a relief for many parents.

This year害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淗alGLOween害羞草研究所� features a 害羞草研究所淪keleton Band,害羞草研究所� a 害羞草研究所淏oo Crew害羞草研究所� of scarecrow stilt-walkers, and an illuminated 害羞草研究所淧ython Path害羞草研究所� through the reptile house, among other events.

An immersive display of arachnids in the Cool Critters building 害羞草研究所済ives kids a chance to learn about something that seems scary but might not be so scary in real life,害羞草研究所� says Martin.

The San Diego Zoo Safari Park just north of the city also features a bat house.

And at the zoo, which is also an accredited botanical garden, a 害羞草研究所淲ildlife Explorers Basecamp害羞草研究所� has all kinds of bugs, and bee and ant colonies. Elsewhere, horticulturists are on hand to answer questions about seemingly spooky plants like strangle-vines and vampire dragon orchids.

Fort Wayne Children害羞草研究所檚 Zoo, in Indiana, is hosting a series of 害羞草研究所淲ild Zoo Halloween害羞草研究所� events. Each weekend in October has a different theme, like 害羞草研究所淪uperhero Weekend,害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淧irates and Princesses Weekend,害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淲itch and Wizard Day害羞草研究所� and, for those over 21, 害羞草研究所淩ock and Roar Halloween害羞草研究所� with live music and drinks.

The Bronx Zoo in New York offers 害羞草研究所淏oo at the Zoo害羞草研究所� events during the day and 害羞草研究所淧umpkin Nights害羞草研究所� after sunset. At night, guests can follow a jack-o害羞草研究所�-lantern trail of over 5,000 illuminated pumpkins while they learn about nocturnal animal behavior.

Says Martin, of the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance: 害羞草研究所淧eople learn best when they害羞草研究所檙e having fun, and they just may come in for some Halloween fun, and go home with a better understanding of conservation.害羞草研究所�

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