Overview

Bowtruckles are generally very calm and peaceful creatures, but can become aggressive when their home is threatened. These creatures serve as the guardian of their home and they only make their home in trees that were made of wood that was good wand quality.

About the creature

Their habitat is primarily in western England, southern Germany and in certain parts of Scandinavian forests. They are peaceful creatures, but can become harmful if their tree or the bowtruckle itself is threatened. They will attempt to gouge out the attacker’s eye. Dodging most types of charms was also something they were good at, because of their slender and speedy build.

When a witch or wizard wants to take leaves from a bowtruckle’s tree, they have to give an offer of their favourite foods as a distraction. Some of their favourite foods are woodlice and fairy eggs.

Their twig-like fingers are excellent for picking woodlice out of a tree, but it can also be used as a weapon against the attacker of their home, especially when aimed at the eyes. These fingers can also be used for lock-picking at times.

History

There was an island completely dedicated to the Bowtruckle, called the Bowtruckle Island, in the Great Lake of Hogwarts. During his time at the school, Newt Scamander frequently went to the island to care and befriend the little creatures. Leading him to gain their trust. Between February and June of 1913, Newt Scamander took Leta Lestrange to the Bowtruckle island in hopes of cheering her up, after he found her crying by the shores of the lake.

In December of 1926, a branch of Bowtruckles was kept in Newt Scamander’s suitcase. And in 1929 in La Fameuse Fougère, another branch lived there on a bonsai tree. Lastly, an unnamed bowtruckle was also spotted in the display window of Aux Vantaux Venteux.

During the school year of 1987-1988, fourth-year students studied the Bowtruckle in the Care of Magical Creatures class at Hogwarts. It was taught by Professor Silvanus Kettleburn and he described them as creatures that were slipperier than Frog Spawn Soap.

During the school year of 1995-1996, fifth year students of Hogwarts studied Bowtruckles during Care of Magical Creatures. This lesson was taught by a substitute professor named Professor Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank.

Credits/References

Written by Liane Hawthorne
Base code by Andrew Sutherland, edited by Iselin Merilä and Desmond Gray.