Scots are being warned against a harmful trend known as "pumpkin dumping" that involves disposing gourds in the woods.
Jack-o-lanterns are a spooky staple, but there is always the question of what to do with them after the night has passed. Many people's first instinct is to throw them right in the bin, but this adds up to a huge waste, as an estimated eight million pumpkins are dumped in the UK annually.
According to conservationists, throwing pumpkins away into wild spaces can be bad for woodland animals like hedgehogs and can attract unwanted vermin.
More households are bringing their pumpkins into the woods so deer and other animals can eat them to reduce waste, according to Woodland Trust Scotland.
Instead, the charity recommends revellers put pumpkins in their food waste or compost bin or bury them in your garden for the benefit of worms and other invertebrates.
The charity, which blames the growing trend on social media, has explained why this could be doing more harm than good.
Spokesman George Anderson said: "For the last few years we at Woodland Trust Scotland have been trying to get people to stop dumping their pumpkins in our woods after Halloween.
"Word seems to have spread, including on social media that this was a good thing to do, but pumpkin dumping doesn't help woodland wildlife. Pumpkins can make wildlife such as hedgehogs ill if they eat them."
"Wild woodland often supports delicate ground plant and animal communities. Dropping pumpkins into the mix can seriously disrupt nutrient levels and throw things out of kilter - the dumped pumpkins can also attract rats."
To protect the wildlife, these pumpkins must be cleaned up by officials, who say this is a huge waste of resources.
He added: "Removing dumped, rotting pumpkin waste costs us precious time and money which we could instead be spending on vital conservation work."
According to Zero Waste Scotland, pumpkins emit methane while decomposing - a greenhouse gas which is terrible for the environment.
"Plan ahead if you're carving a pumpkin this year - put it in your food waste or compost bin when you're finished, or bury it in your garden for worms and other invertebrates to enjoy", George suggested.
"Make soup, make a bird feeder for your garden but please do not make a beeline for our woods with your foosty old pumpkin."
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