Wildlife After Dark

This is the only "Wildlife After Dark" program offered this year, so you won't want to miss out! Spotting wild animals is hard. Many creatures begin their day when the sun sets, conveniently when it’s toughest for us to see them. It’s almost like they do it on purpose.

Join us for a three-mile round trip guided night hike, exploring the wonders aglow in the forest and learn about the nocturnal animals of our park. There will be some uneven terrain, and portions of the hike will be walked in darkness without a flashlight. Here's how we will enjoy critters at night:

Black Light for Bugs: Ever notice how bugs are attracted to porch lights? Most insects see a different range of light than we do, so black lights are really effective at attracting them. We will set up a sheet with a black light and you'll be astonished with how many species of gorgeous moths, beetles, and other insects make their way to the beacon.

Prowl for Owls: During our walk along the trail, our eyes will be adjusting to the darkness. Owls are mysterious creatures that have excellent night vision and hearing. We will try to call three local species, and see if any call back!

Watch and Listen for Bats: We will walk to the open field at the Ivanhoe Birding Trail and spot these amazing mammals. The best time to spot them is 15-20 minutes after the sun dips below the horizon, and they're especially active in the late spring, summer, and early fall because that’s when insects (their prey) are most abundant.

Spider Eye-Shine: There are sparkling, shining eyes at night, and it's not just the deer, raccoon, and rabbit eyes that are exciting. At night, wolf spiders can be easily spotted because the 'tapeta' in their large eyes shine brightly.

Light up the Night: We will train our eyes to adjust to the darkness. You'll be surprised with how much you can actually see at night without a flashlight! But there will be one animal glowing in the night. We will learn all about the unique natural history of this quintessentially southern species: the lightening bug.

Please meet at the Ivanhoe Trail Access parking lot. Please DO NOT park at the Ivanhoe horse trailer parking under the trestle. The hike will begin right at 8:30 p.m., so please plan on arriving early. This program is weather dependent and may be canceled.

THIS PROGRAM REQUIRES REGISTRATION SINCE SPACE IS LIMITED. Please call the office at (276) 699-6778 to register.

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