Is Bleaching a Pumpkin Harmful to Wildlife?

While Facebook trolls say yes, Snopes unequivocally says no.  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ [View in Your Browser]( ​ WEDNESDAY EDITION Snopes Debunker 14 October 2020 Bleached Halloween Pumpkin Post Sparks Vitriolic, Misinformed Backlash ​ It’s the spookiest time of year, and the internet has been filling up with suggestions for making the most out of this Halloween season. A few weeks back, one Facebook user shared this tip: “Did you know if you give your pumpkins a bleach bath (1 part bleach to 10 parts water) they will last much longer into the season? It kills all of the mold and fungus that causes them to rot. Happy fall!" Since publishing the post on Sept. 26, Nancy Lucchesi has been inundated with hundreds of hateful messages and posts from strangers, accusing her of posting information that could harm critters that may eat bleach-treated pumpkins. But is bleaching a pumpkin actually harmful to wildlife in any way? And if not, why did strangers keep piling on hate for this post? Snopes’ Bethania Palma has the answers. ​[Read More]( [] [] Fact Checks Did These Democrats Not Wear Masks at Barrett’s Hearing? Photographs can be misleading, especially if you don't know when they were taken. [❌ Miscaptioned]( Did Amy Coney Barrett Say “Being Called the N-Word Does Not Constitute a Hostile Work Environment”? Barrett wrote for a unanimous three-judge panel in 2019 that upheld the dismissal of a workplace discrimination lawsuit by a Black employee who claimed he was called a racial slur by a supervisor. [✅❌ Mixture]( Did a Fly Land on Amy Coney Barrett? As far as we can tell, the fly is an apolitical creature. [❌ False]( Are Crab Cake Oreos Real? If you can delay vomiting long enough, we will tell you. [❌ False]( Did US Unemployment Reach Record Low Due to Trump? The Trump campaign alleged pre-COVID-19 unemployment rates were evidence that he could jumpstart the pandemic-stricken economy. [❌ Mostly False]( Does a Video Show Baby Giraffes Frolicking in a Park? A baby giraffe weighs about 150 pounds and stands about 6 feet tall. [❌ False]( [] [View Latest Fact Checks]( [Support Snopes] We Can’t Do This Without You Make a contribution today and help ensure Snopes.com endures — and grows. [$10]( [$50]( [$100]( [$250]( [View more options]( News Investigating the ‘Truth About Breonna Taylor’ Meme Fabricated criminal activities, distorted employment history, and conflicting reports emerged after the police shooting of a Black woman in Kentucky. [Read More]( First Lady: Barron Trump Positive for COVID, No Symptoms The White House initially said he had tested negative, after both of his parents tested positive. [Read More]( After Independent Coronavirus Test, NBC Sets Trump Town Hall The announcement sets up dueling events with Democratic opponent Joe Biden, who will appear in a town hall on ABC, on a night the two candidates were supposed to meet for their second debate. [Read More]( Study: Health Systems, Govt Responses Linked to Virus Tolls The study published in Nature Medicine modeled "excess mortality" in 19 European countries, New Zealand, and Australia to compare the effectiveness of counter-measures. [Read More]( A Look at Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s Notable Opinions, Votes Judge Amy Coney Barrett, President Donald Trump’s nominee for the Supreme Court, has written roughly 100 opinions in more than three years on the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. [Read More]( [] [View Latest News]( Staff Pick​ Did California Republicans Set Up Fake Ballot Drop Boxes? Election authorities said unauthorized drop-boxes for mail-in ballots violate state law. [Read More]( Manage Preferences Need to update your email address or how often you get Snopes in your inbox? You can do that by managing your email preferences [Manage Your Preferences](  Unsubscribe You can unsubscribe from all Snopes emails by clicking the link below. Please note, this includes from both paid and free newsletters. [Unsubscribe from Everything]( Snopes Media Group Inc. 864 Grand Ave #256 San Diego, CA 92109  © 1994 - 2020 by Snopes. This material may not be reproduced without permission.  Snopes and the Snopes.com logo are registered service marks of Snopes. ‌