How Chipmunks Survive Winter
Chipmunks are abundant creatures in the summer but where do they go once fall and winter finally come around? During the fall, they prepare for hibernation. Well, kind of. They gather food to store for the winter. Some species keep the food in their burrows, but others don’t. Chipmunks eat…
Spider with Web Craft
As Halloween is coming up, I was looking for a fun craft that could also be a decoration. On Pinterest, I found a Spider with a Web craft and it just so happens to go with meeting Pinki our Tarantula on social media this week. You will need: Scissors Hole…
Conservationists who were Important to Iowa: Louis H. Pammel
While Louis H. Pammel wasn’t born in Iowa, he became a huge part of Iowa history. Pammel was born in Wisconsin in 1862 where he stayed to attend the University of Wisconsin. He received his bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and Ph. D. from the University of Wisconsin. He trained under…
New Community Relations Coordinator
When asked where she’s from, Daria Mather has a hard time answering that question. In third grade she moved from Des Moines, IA to Peoria, IL where she lived until coming back to Iowa for college at Simpson College in Indianola, IA. She always felt like she would end up…
How Do Chickadees Survive Winter?
The Black-capped Chickadee is one of the most common birds in the northern half of North American meaning you have probably seen one or many in your backyard. Since these birds are so common, you might have noticed they’re still around eating from birdfeeders. But shouldn’t they be migrating by…
Conservationists from Iowa: John F. Lacey
While we don’t have an animal ambassador named after John Lacey, he was still an important conservation figure who hailed from Iowa. Lacey was born in 1841 in West Virginia. It wasn’t until 1855 his family moved to Iowa. They settled on the Des Moines River near Oskaloosa, IA. Here…
Bee and Butterfly Festival 2020
The Dickinson County Nature Center is excited to announce that Dee’s Bee & Butterfly Festival is set for September. “Although this year will not be the same as previous years, I am excited to keep the tradition of celebrating our pollinators alive through this modified event,” said Bryanna Kuhlman, environmental…
Community Relations Coordinator Job Opening
Community Relations Coordinator Job Description To Apply Email cover letter and resume to Lee Sorenson at lsorenson@co.dickinson.ia.us.
Family Nature Night – Geocaching
The Dickinson County Nature Center is excited to host its first summer program of 2020 with Family Nature Night Friday, July 24. The free family program will focus on geocaching, a global phenomenon in which users can hunt for specially hidden caches with GPS-enabled devices. Staff will give a…
Monarch caterpillar instars
After hatching from an egg, monarch caterpillars live about 10-14 days. (Read about the monarch butterfly life cycle here) However, a lot happens in that time. The larval stage of a monarch is called a caterpillar. When the caterpillar first hatches, it is 2-6 mm long. As it grows, it…
6 clouded sulphur butterfly facts
A pretty yellow butterfly that flits around from flower to flower. It’s so delicate that it barely seems like it’s real. However, the clouded sulphur butterfly (Colias philodice) is one of the most common butterflies in the state of Iowa. Let’s take a look at some of the neat facts…
Handprint butterfly
Butterflies flitting to and fro — it’s the epitomy of spring and summer. Their colors are bright — yellow, orange, red. They land on bright flowers and create a perfect vision. You’ve seen butterfly craft after butterfly craft, but we want to offer yet another. All this one takes is…