Moon cycle:
- New Moon: 29th January 2025
- Full Moon: 12th February 2025
- New Moon: 28th February 2025
Snow Moon/Bear Moon
Traditionally, the second moon cycle of the year in the northern hemisphere has been known as the Snow Moon. According to the BBC, on average, snow falls somewhere in the UK on five or six days in February, a bit more than in January or March. Some Native American tribes named the second moon as the Hungry Moon because of the scarcity of food and the difficulty of hunting. According to Wikipedia, the Ojibwe, whose homeland covers much of the Great Lakes region, the northern plains, the subarctic, and the north-eastern woodlands, called the February full moon, the Bear Moon, which refers to when bear cubs are born.
Bears used to roam the countryside from Devon in southwest England to Northern Scotland. We’re not sure when they became extinct. One theory is that they died out around 3,000 years ago; another is that they were still around 1,500 years later. The dates vary because the Romans, among others, imported bears for many reasons including ‘entertainment’ and some might have escaped into the wild. Bears still play an important part in culture in the UK and elsewhere. The Teddy bear was named after US President Theodore Roosevelt, who refused to shoot a wild bear that had been tied to a tree for him to kill on a hunting trip. British author Michael Bond invented the fictional Paddington who appeared first in A Bear Called Paddington, published in 1958; 28 books were published subsequently and his fame has spread worldwide.

Squirrel Moon
The most common wild animal that the public might encounter these days is the grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis). There are an estimated 2.7 million of them in the UK (they are not found in north and west Scotland and some islands). They originated in North America and were introduced in the 19th century. Their introduction caused the population of native red squirrel to plummet. The reasons are thought to include competition (grey squirrels are larger than red squirrels) and partly because grey squirrels can carry parapoxvirus disease that killed vast numbers of the native species. In England, you can find red squirrels on the Isle of Wight and Brownsea Island, on the Formby coast in Lancashire, and in the extensive pine forests of Northumberland and the Lake District. In Wales, the island of Anglesey has been declared free of grey squirrels following an eradication programme that lasted 18 years and led to the deaths of 6,000 animals.
January and February are the months when the grey squirrels cycle of life starts with males chasing females who might later give birth to three to four young, known as kittens. This will be the first of two litters the females have in the year. Grey squirrels have a gestation period of 44 days; the kittens are born blind and hairless. They feed on milk until they are weaned at around 8 to 10 weeks of age. I propose that we call the second moon cycle of the year, the Squirrel Moon.
Noticing Squirrels
Grey squirrels are common in towns and cities and, as well as living in parks, they visit gardens, particularly those with bird-feeding stations. They will approach humans if they think they might get fed, and they seem to take delight in playing with domesticated dogs. In February, you might hear squirrels appearing to sneeze. The nasal, ‘muk muk’ calls are, however, a feature of the breeding season.
Grey squirrels are not particularly territorial but they might fight over food, particularly if it’s not plentiful. You might see their substantial nests (dreys) which they construct close to the trunks of trees. Sometimes they might occupy holes in older, more established trees. In January and February, you might see squirrels digging up food that they buried before Winter began. They also strip bark from beech and sycamore trees. Later in the year, flowers and buds form about 60 per cent of a grey squirrel’s diet.
Share your stories!
We hope you will join in noticing the changing year of nature in closer detail. We invite you to share your suggested Moon names and explain how this reflects nature events where you live. Please tag us in your stories or pictures using the hashtag #EnvironmentalLunacy.
Activity ideas related to squirrels
Have any children seen a squirrel? Have they heard them make any noises? What do they know about them? Create a class fact file and spot any sightings on a map. Ask friends and family too.
Invest in a night wildlife trail camera and set it up in the school grounds overnight to see if you have any night-time visitors. What other night time creatures visit? This could be a good way to document an unfolding year of wildlife around your school.
What other wildlife can you spot in February? Look out for tracks and other evidence. Keep a daily diary and have a rota of paired observation – either outside during lunch break, or quietly watching from a classroom window. Pupils could even build an outdoor hide.
Ask pupils how attractive they think the school grounds are to squirrels. Ask them to make a list of things they think might attract squirrels and say how the grounds could attract more wildlife. Squirrels are exceptional climbers and spend a lot of time in trees.
What other natural sounds might you hear at different times of the day? Take a compass outside and orient yourself facing north. Listen carefully and ask pupils to map the sounds they hear and the direction they come from. Can they identify different birdsong? Download the Merlin App and record birdsong – it will tell you what bird you are listening to.
What do pupils think about grey squirrels being culled? Should squirrel be available in restaurants? Investigate the pros and cons and set up a debate.
Resources and useful websites
Authored by Prof. Justin Dillon, UCL’s Centre for Climate Change & Sustainability Education and NAEE President.