Come explore Irvine, the first Thursday of the month, and observe Irvine at dusk, when the grounds are quiet... or are they? Use the time to walk the trails, relax at Wedding Point, check out our Aviary, explore the Wetlands, discover the Native American site, play in the Outdoor Classroom or wander the Woodland Garden.... Read more »
Did you know that Maryland has 15 species of bumblebees, but that many are disappearing? After a powerpoint introduction, we will look at real specimens of the most common species before going outside to try some field identification. Learn about the lives of these fascinating and charismatic bees from their special ability to buzz pollinate... Read more »
Explore the sights and sounds of Irvine on a warm summer evening. The animals at Irvine are used to people disappearing at the end of the workday, so dusk is a great time to see secretive mammals. On a gentle hike we will listen to our summer songsters from insects to owls, look for fireflies... Read more »
Fly on over to our Aviary to learn about our resident raptors, what makes them great hunters, and what they eat. We will start with an Aviary Tour then dissect raptor pellets to explore what their diet is made of. Families will even get a chance to watch a raptor munch on their lunch! This program... Read more »
In this hand-on workshop, learn how to correctly identify and harvest wild herbal plants for salves. The healing abilities of different plants will be discussed so each participant can create a personalized oil infusion to take home. Then we will use a blend of prepared infusions to make your own salve using ingredients harvested at... Read more »
From flowers to fruits and early seeds, mid-summer is a time for both harvesting and observing where fruits will soon be ripening. Explore Irvine on a gentle hike before we sit and sip a summer tea while discussing correct plant identification, harvest and preparation methods. Age 18+ Great for anyone interested in learning to forage –... Read more »
Celebrate national moth week as we look for these fascinating insects at Irvine. Discover the world of moths: from the nighttime beauty of the luna moth, to giants such as the cecropia moth, to the amazing defenses of the tiger moth, plus meet some colorful moth caterpillars from Irvine’s butterfly house. Then hike some gentle trails to hunt for these nighttime insects. At... Read more »
Meet Naturalist Paige under the deck to talk about our terrific turtles! Enjoy this opportunity to meet some of the Maryland turtles residing here at Irvine. We will also take a trek to our wetlands to search for basking turtles. The ponds are a 15 minute walk from the parking lot. Please bring footwear that... Read more »
Know what’s cooler than just playing in Irvine Nature Center’s awesome outdoor playspace? Meeting an o-possum-ly adorable animal ambassador and cooling off with a popsicle! Join our friends at (cool) progeny for unstructured nature play in the shade. Bring a picnic and stay for lunch before exploring Irvine’s trails! Register in advance. (Fee includes admission... Read more »
Fly on over to our Aviary to learn about our resident raptors, what makes them great hunters, and what they eat. We will start with an Aviary Tour then dissect raptor pellets to explore what their diet is made of. Families will even get a chance to watch a raptor munch on their lunch! This program... Read more »
Explore the sights and sounds of Irvine on a warm summer evening. The animals at Irvine are used to people disappearing at the end of the workday, so dusk is a great time to see secretive mammals. On a gentle hike we will listen to our summer songsters from insects to owls, look for fireflies... Read more »
Summer evenings are filled with the hum, click and buzz of insects. Discover who, how and why insects are calling and how you can use them to tell the temperature! In this program, we will learn the calls of 6 target insect songsters and then go outside to the quiet of Irvine’s woods and meadows... Read more »
