On its way to the ocean via the Eno River, Falls Lake and Neuse River, Ellerbe Creek runs through our 84 acre campus. Before it reaches us, it flows under an interstate highway (twice), through a golf course, through quiet neighborhoods and under and through a mall, mostly unseen by the local human population. There are a handful of preserves along its 20 mile meander through Durham but for the most part, I’d wager, most folks don’t know it exists.Read more
Posts tagged: #summer camp
Pickerel Frogs
By the time you read this, it will be spring, meteorological spring. Spring to me actually begins in February. The days continue to get longer, red maple and elm flowers pop, and frogs, peepers, chorus and pickerel frogs, are all calling. I know there may indeed be some cold days between now and April, but it won’t last long, a few days at most. Winter’s done. If you’ve been down into our wetlands in the last week and a halfRead more
A Most Interesting Encounter
I was standing in the vending area of Catch the Wind talking to some of the Adventure On Summer Campers here at the Museum. One of the benches had tan and gray stains on the back rest of the bench and I was explaining how this residue was the result of Carpenter Bees digging holes in the lumber above our heads. I also mentioned how the males, which have a yellow-white rectangular mark on their faces, do not possess stingersRead more
Where are the Frogs?
I’ve been meeting nearly every week with Summer Campers at the Museum as part of a behind the scenes program where the campers get a glimpse of what the staff here at the Museum does as part of their normal routine. When they meet with me we conduct a survey of the Green Treefrogs around the Wetlands. Each week I have the campers fill out a data sheet with information such as the current weather conditions (temp, humidity, pressure, andRead more
Luna Moth Caterpillar
Once again it was the sharp-eyed Summer Campers (Floor to Canopy) who spotted the insect of the day out in the wilds of the Museum of Life + Science. This time it was Camp Counselor Hannah who first saw the large green caterpillar climbing on the block column leading into Catch the Wind from their Outdoor Classrooms in the woods. Good spot Hannah! Note: I removed the caterpillar from the column for the photograph and later placed it in the leafRead more