Fall is a great time to explore nature.
Johnny Appleseed Park District Naturalist Dan Hodges did a fun presentation on the plants and animals we can expect to see in the fall. "I just love the flowers of autumn. We get these really wonderful, beautiful shapes and colors, sometimes dominating the landscape." He also pointed out nuts like acorns, buckeyes and beechnuts ripening in our forests. One of Dan's favorite things every fall is the music made by the wide variety of bugs which live in Ohio. He included audio samples of the different cricket, cicada and katydid songs we hear in our backyards every night. Dan says that our trees will begin changing colors soon and we can expect to see peak colors in mid-October. Birds are preparing to either migrate to a warmer climate or survive the winter here in Ohio. "There's so many aspects of nature around us, in our backyards, in our communities, certainly in our parks and in our wild spaces too. There's something for everybody. If you really like the beauty of flowers, now is the time for you. If you love listening to insects, now is the time for you. if you want to see some of those animals prepare for their journey or their hibernation, now is the time for you. It's a great time to be outside!"