Page 31 - 2020 Summmer/Fall Catalog

In Search of Bats
Those shadows flitting about the night sky aren’t birds...and they’re not vampires either. They are flying mammals! Join us as we investigate the myths and facts about our fabulous neighbors: bats! We’ll roast marshmallows around a cozy campfire while we learn about bats, then go on a hike to find these mosquito-eating machines. We’ll use bat detectors to “listen” for them as they search for food. Wear long sleeves, pants, and some bug repellent.
The Many, Many Lives of Seeds
Youngsters often tell each other to “Take a hike!” We’ll do just that, on and off-trail through Pilcher’s underbrush and forest edges, in an attempt to pick up, learn about, and understand the young of our woodland neighborhood. We’ll examine the seeds we pick up on our clothing, as well as those which we find under trees, or clinging to dried stems and in pods. We’ll take them to the shelter of our nature center building, examine them closely, under microscopes and discover their fantastic outer garb and ponder the strange workings of their inner worlds! Then we’ll “put them to work” in an ephemeral work of art...because youth, even for plants, can be fleeting!
Facility Program
20-2-8017A 20-3-8017B
Pilcher Park Nature Center
Age Fee
5+ $8 5+ $8
Day
Thurs Thurs
Date
Jun 25 Jul 23
Time
7:30p-9p 7:30p-9p
Facility Program
20-4-8215
Pilcher Park Nature Center (Community Room)
In Search of Fireflies
Age Fee Day
8+ $6 Sat
Date Time
Nov 7 10:30a-11:30a
Whether you call them fireflies or lightning bugs, these insects transform the evenings in our summer woods and fields into mystical realms! Discover the secrets of their light patterns, and attempt to join in the firefly flash dance! Please keep all flashlights, light-up shoes, cell phones, and other light- producing devices at home, to make this program successful. We will provide the appropriate photo-chemical sources for your foray into fireflydom!
Fungus Among Us
Facility Program
20-3-8214A 20-3-8214B
Pilcher Park Nature Center
Is it a plant? Is it an animal? Come along and discover the world of fungi, the most important living things you’ve never heard of! Join us at Pilcher Park for an exploration of the myriad of mushrooms and their kin that help our forest thrive, from giant puffballs to crowned corals. Learn firsthand how to identify the deadly and the delectable as we examine the variety of fungi that pop up throughout the year. Dress for dirt, as we’ll be keeping a close eye to the ground on a hike through the woods!
Age Fee
6+ $8 6+ $8
Day Date
Wed Jul 1 Wed Jul 8
Time
7:45p-9:15p 8p-9:30p
Facility Program
20-2-8417A 20-2-8417B 20-3-8417C 20-3-8417D 20-3-8417E 20-4-8417F
Pilcher Park Nature Center
Age Fee
8+ $6 8+ $6 8+ $6 8+ $6 8+ $6 8+ $6
Day Date
Sun May 24 Sun Jun 14 Sun Jul 12 Sun Aug 2 Sun Sep 13 Sun Oct 11
Time
9a-10:30a 9a-10:30a 9a-10:30a 9a-10:30a 9a-10:30a 9a-10:30a
Looking for Volunteer Opportunities?
Pilcher Park has a stewardship program that focuses on removing invasive plant species like buckthorn and honeysuckle in Pilcher Park. Keep an eye out for dates that will begin in the fall.
Be sure to like us on Facebook (Pilcher Park Nature Center) for scheduled dates.
If you have questions, call 815-741-7277 or email pilcherpark@jolietpark.org.
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