Exploring & Preserving Maryland's Natural Treasures
Local naturalist George Foster will share his lifetime love for snail-killing or marsh flies, a family of highly evolved flies in the superfamily Sciomyzidae. Adult female flies lay their eggs in water or on vegetation near the water where snails are found. The larvae hatch and quickly attack freshwater or terrestrial snails or their eggs. Immature […]
Cost: $0-5
Winter at the beach. No scorching sand. No sticky sunblock. No annoying crowds. Only us and the birds. And the seals. And whatever else we find on this two-day exploration of the Delaware coast near Rehoboth Beach. We will spend Saturday on the lookout for wintering birds at Cape Henlopen State Park and the Indian […]
Cost: $80-95
Many people know how to identify trees by their leaves, but what about when those leaves have fallen or are out of reach? Through our learning process you will deepen your ability to notice details and you perception of trees. You will learn about a system for noticing the beautiful variety of bark characteristics and […]
Cost: $50-65
Less than 10% of forest cover in the United States can be classified as old growth. These “elderly forests” are biodiversity hotspots because there are some niches only time can provide. Scientists are unsure if it is even possible for a secondary forest to return to a primary state, nor how long that would take. […]
Cost: $0-5
Is February too early for wildflowers in Maryland? Surprisingly, no. The Eastern Skunk Cabbage has evolved many traits over the last 72,000 years, and blooming in cold weather is only one of many abilities that make it unique in the plant world. Join us for a hike to learn more about how this remarkable plant […]
Cost: $20-25
“I don’t want to live in a world where I could say to my daughter, ‘There used to be turtles that swam in the ocean.’” — Angela Kinsey
Cost: $7-15
Boots, gloves, winter tree key. Check! Time to learn about woody plant ID from Dr. Vanessa Beauchamp, associate professor in botany at Towson University. This field experience challenges us to look beyond the leaves and focus on other features used to distinguish tree species. Let’s learn about bark texture, leaf buds, and leaf and bundle […]
Cost: $10-25
Shells in Maryland are not just found in Ocean City! Join us for an afternoon on one of the nature’s most endearing symbols. Did you know that Maryland’s state fossil is a shell? Ecphora gardnerae gardnerae is an extinct species of snail that lived in Maryland 5 million years ago! We’ll have specimens for both […]
Cost: $0
The sun and moon rise every day or night. We take it for granted. But should we be complacent about our closest star and Earth’s only satellite planet? Let’s learn from Banneker Planetarium’s Director Dave Ludwikoski about the lunar eclipse and blood moon occurring in March and the solar superstorms predicted for 2025. Information will […]
Cost: $5-10
The art and science of field sketching and biological illustration combine beautifully in the craft of nature journaling. Join naturalist and nature journalist Peggy Eppig for a museum session in sketch techniques that capture scientific and interpretive data. Learn how to set up a phenology journal that tracks seasonal changes in the natural world. Explore […]
Cost: $30-50