Programs
All programs are designed to teach participants about nature and are fun, fascinating and engaging. Outdoors, we will encounter wild animals and plants in their natural homes. Some programs can be adapted to take place indoors; they include wildlife artefacts and activities along with some live animals, along with audio-visual presentations. Hover over “programs” on the main menu for a list of school and community programs.
Upcoming Public Events
Saturday March 13 11:00 – 11:45
Kids grade K-6 and parents
Sweet Treat from the WILD
Guelph Public Library Virtual Program (registration required)
Monday April 12 2:00 – 3:00
Fantastic Frogs
Guelph Public Library virtual program (registration required)
Contact Dan
Leopards!
Spotted like the cat they are named after, Leopard frogs emerge from their muddy bed below ice and water to join nature’s amphibian spring chorus. The mating call of the males is beautiful (at least to female leopard frogs), a mix of snoring, rattling,…
sweet treat from the wild
When spring gives winter a bit of a shake, when puddles are frozen during cold nights, but melt during warm days, it’s maple syrup season! Tapping pierces the outer and inner bark of the maple tree, and sap in the (you guessed it) sapwood…
backyard snakes
In most of Canada, our common back yard snake is the Garter snake. Often mistakenly called Garden snakes, these beautiful reptiles can be found in gardens, on lawns, in fields and forests, and almost every other habitat. They are harmless to humans, but definitely…
How to pick up a crayfish and not get pinched
In almost every stream and river, and some ponds, we have “miniature lobsters”. Much smaller, but packing muscular pincher claws that they use to catch their prey and defend themselves, crayfish patrol our water systems. During the day, most are usually found under rocks…
bald is beautiful
Turkey Vultures are AMAZING to watch. Their flight seems effortless; they hardly every flap their wings and use updrafts from cliff areas and sun-heated ground to patrol the skies. They’re on the lookout for dead animals, so they are a valuable part of nature’s…
Giant silkmoths!
In southern Ontario, June is the month for Giant Silkmoths to emerge! Since late last summer, all through the winter and most of the spring, they are in the pupa stage of development, wrapped in silken cocoons. Finally, in late spring, the adult moths…
tiger beetles: tiny and fierce
In late spring and summer, look for Tiger beetles as you walk through nature. The Six-spotted Tiger Beetle is like a shining, iridescent jewel – beautiful to us but deadly to small insects and other invertebrates. They are great for gardens since they attack…
the Wood Frog Eggs Hatched!
After a rather cold three weeks, the Wood Frog eggs have finally hatched! The tiny tadpoles look overstuffed, since they have some leftover yolk in their bodies which means they don’t need to eat for the first few days after hatching. Being a tadpole…
Backyard worms
Digging in the backyard garden or flowerbed, you can’t help but unearth a few worms in spring. A closer look reveals that their body is made of sections or segments. Earthworms are are in the phylum (group) Annelida, or segmented worms. Leeches are also…
The first wildflowers of spring?
Around our home the biggest trees are Silver Maples. They are beautiful, with silvery-backed leaves that becomes so colourful in fall, and I’ve even tapped their sap for maple syrup. Their sap only has half the sugar content as sap from sugar maples, so…
