Branching Out Summer 2018 by Reston Association

Walker Nature Center

A LOOK INSIDE • Fairy Festival 3 • Calendar 4 • Kids’ Corner 6 • Wildlife Counts 7

BRANCHING OUT

Nature Notes Reston Named Biophilic City JUNE – Side Effects Include Love of Nature and Wellness By Sharon Gurtz

• • • •

Northern Red-backed Salamanders lay eggs. Elderberry and Viburnum shrubs bloom. Wild Bleeding Heart, Threadleaf Coreopsis and Bee Balm bloom. White-tailed Deer fawns are born.

By Susan Sims

JULY • • • •

Tent caterpillar moths emerge from cocoons. Black Cohosh and Purple Coneflower bloom. Monarch and Red Admiral butterflies arrive. Annual Cicadas and Katydids are common.

AUGUST • • • •

Stonecrop, Blazing Star and Goldenrods bloom. Tiger Swallowtail butterflies are common. Southern Flying Squirrel young are born. Copperhead snakes give birth to live young.

Spring ushered in a new honor for Reston - it was designated a biophilic city by The Biophilic Cities Project in March 2018, in recognition of the natural beauty, outdoor recreational opportunities and urban forests that abound. Reston’s conscious resource management policies and Reston Association’s professional and dedicated environmental staff and volunteers contributed to Reston’s acceptance as a case study city for the project. Thanks to devoted staff and the work of Reston Association’s Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC), Reston joins Washington, D.C., Pittsburgh, Singapore, and Edmonton as a biophilic city, among others. This dedication establishes Reston as a leader in environmental stewardship and the incorporation of nature in daily life. That’s a significant achievement for an unincorporated community! This honor is the direct result of collaboration among the many who invest time and attention to Reston’s unique natural environment.

What’s a Biophilic City?

Biophilic cities are urban centers that value and appreciate human connection to nature and provide opportunities to be outdoors and engage with the natural environment in multisensory ways. Biophilic cities feature abundant natural areas, while working to promote and protect nature through programs and policies. To qualify as a biophilic city, an area does not have to be an “official” city, but it must meet the above criteria. Reston’s founder Robert E. Simon Jr., established Reston with “Seven Goals” in mind, one of which was fostering structural and natural beauty. Reston’s dedication to this goal has impacted policies that preserve and protect green space. Reston was especially recognized for its tree canopy, with 53% of the area featuring nature’s gentle giants.

Continued on page 2

Summer 18 Volume Twenty

Reston Named Biophilic City continued from page 1

Walker Nature Center 11450 Glade Drive, Reston, VA 20191

Attention to natural details has inspired and ensured the establishment of 55 miles of trails and pathways, multiple meadows and wetlands, as well as our home, the Walker Nature Center – 72 acres of managed habitat and trails providing safe spaces for wildlife and flora, as well as sublime land for visitors to explore, engage and commune with nature. Reston is a place where the forest is a backyard.

Enjoy year-round access to trails, free parking and restroom facilities dawn to dusk.

FEATURES

72 acres of forested land, a picnic pavilion, demonstration gardens, educational signage, a campfire ring, two streams, a pond, the entrance to 44-acre Lake Audubon and an interpretive green building, known as Nature House.

NATURE HOUSE HOURS

Monday–Friday 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Closed on Tuesdays

Saturday 10 a.m.–1 p.m. Sunday 1–4 p.m. CLOSED JULY 4 INDEPENDENCE DAY

FOR MORE INFORMATION

703-476-9689 • www.reston.org naturecenter@reston.org www.facebook.com/walkernaturecenter

What is Biophilia?

Biophilia is a concept introduced by Edward O. Wilson in his book Biophilia, published in 1984. Wilson posited that humans possess an innate tendency to seek connection with nature and other forms of life, that may be rooted in our very biology. Through human connection with nature, including fellow humans, people perform work that sustains life and growth. This sustainment is at the heart of biophilic design architecture which focuses on reconnecting people to the environment and to life’s vital processes. The Biophilic Cities Project is led by Professor Tim Beatley and his team of researchers at University of Virginia’s School of Architecture. Dr. Beatley and his team work to advance planning and implementation of biophilic cities through partnerships with urban planners, leaders and designers. The project documents environmentally-friendly building practices, fosters dialogue among planners, convenes researchers and partners, and endeavors to develop strategies for building and sustaining nature focused communities that are livable and thriving.

What Does This Mean for Reston?

As Northern Virginia continues to grow because of a healthy economy, solid education and business opportunities, Reston stakeholders are positioned to continue the green, environmentally-focused policies that are innate to Reston’s identity. Growth must be done thoughtfully, incorporating the health and wellness benefits of natural areas into development plans.

@restonnature @walkernaturecenter Groups: Please call ahead to arrange your visit. Branching Out is a quarterly publication of the Walker Nature Center (WNC), owned and operated by Reston Association. The mission of the WNC is to foster an environmental stewardship ethic in the community. It is named after Reston’s first Open Space and Nature Center Director, Vernon J. Walker.

Being designated as a biophilic city gives Reston a seat at the international table. Reston Association will be able to share and learn with other successful, naturefocused cites to encourage proper and mindful urban development, which ultimately benefits residents and visitors to Reston. Recognition of this stature elevates Reston to a global standard. Robert E. Simon’s rules for living and thriving in a community included nature and outdoor access because it is necessary for well-being. A livable and thriving community understands we succeed when people are connected – to our trees, our water, our resources – when we are connected to each other.

NEW

Reston’s First BioBlitz Saturday, June 2

Branching Out is printed on 100 percent recycled paper using soy ink. It is produced using 100 percent wind power. Please recycle.

A 24-hour biological inventory challenge. Help identify as many plants and animals as possible. Sign up by May 30 to join a team at http://bit.ly/2FNuVta or report your sightings in the iNaturalist app (Reston BioBlitz 2018 Project).

Please and Thank You By Katie Shaw

Friday, August 3 • 7 - 9 p.m. Adults • #306201052 Free, $5 suggested donation

In April, we celebrated National Volunteer Week with organizations across the country that value the impact of volunteer service. A special awards ceremony highlighted the people who lend their time and talents to make a difference in Reston. The Nature Center is proud of all of the environmental volunteers who were recognized, including the Welcome Desk Attendants, Friends of Reston, the Reston State of the Environment Report (RASER) Working Group, Pat Wagner and the Stream Monitoring Team. If you’d like to volunteer, contact habrock@reston.org or fill out an application at www.reston.org. Charitable donations are gratefully received at www.friendsofreston.org. Note that your donation is for the Nature Center. You will receive a letter of thanks for tax purposes.

Donors:

Temperatures are hot outside, so join us inside for some of the coolest short films that shed new light on environmental topics in concise, creative and quirky ways. Popcorn and drinks for sale. Registration by Aug. 2 recommended Copresented by Friends of Reston

Fairy Festival Calling all fairies young and old! Experience the magic of gossamer wings, fairy wands and whimsical tales. Explore a woodland trail filled with fairy houses, and help to build a fairy house from natural materials. Sip fairy tea and enjoy refreshments with the Fairy Queen. Make a craft, and find hidden fairies. Register by July 18. Choose from two event times. 306011306 7/21 Sat 10:00 am - 11:15 am Or 11:30 am - 12:45 pm Walker Nature Center All Ages $7 $9 Participants will be invited to enter a Fairy House Contest with prizes for best children’s or adult/family fairy houses, plus a Fairy Costume Contest for adults and kids.

Aperture Apartments, Charlie & Julie Bond, Larry & Melanie Butler, CA Technologies, Chadwick Washington, Janine Greenwood, Nancy & Craig Herwig, John Marshall Bank, Odin Feldman Pittleman, Reston Community Center, Reston Environmental Action, Reston Garden Club. Thanks to all of the Nature Center 5K participants and prize donors, too!

Volunteers— More than 150 this spring! Christian Abante; Ann & Lauren Abruzzo; Raiqbul Alam; David Allen; Ken Andrews; Jan Archibald; Milly & Rosie Armao; Karen Ascencio; B & D; David & Joanne Bauer; Angelie Benn; Maya Berry; Arna & Mansi Bhardwaj; Julie & Charlie Bond; Rhea Braganza; Whitney Brewster; Doug Britt; Anne Cannizzaro; CA Technologies; Brian & Stephanie Cavanaugh; Sai Mahit Chandra; Sophia Chapin; Sarita Chauham; Nathan Chen; Melissa Choi; Jessica Chou; Andres & Caridad Cifuentes; Caitlin Connelly; Celeste Constantine; Don Coram; Cameron Cruz; Freya & Lee De Cola; Ariana Deiss; Yvonne DeMeritt; Claire & Ryan Denny; Sarah DiCarlo; Marilyn Dicke; Jin Din; Ellen Douglas; Jody Douglas; Robin Duska; Kim Edwards; June Ferrara; Leslie Garcia; Shravan Gattu; Robin Gimbert; Faith Golbranson; Kaitlyn & Naomi Gordon; Cindy Gottel; Alice & Ryan Gray; Janine Greenwood; Carol & Jay Hadlock; Anderson, Parker & Vanessa Hoang; Mildred Hollis; Aiden Hrnjez; Laura Huff; Graham Ishaq; Rohan Iyer; Susan Jennings; Maynur Karluk; Nora Kelly; Nayeon Kim; Leanna Kirkland; Casey Klemmer; Braydon Kooba; Vansi Korisapati; Liz Krell; Henmant Kurmi; Pat Lenz; Aaron & Raba Letteri; Amanda Lichy; Paulette Lincoln-Baker; Aiden & Matthew Ludwig; Nisha Ly; Anjala Maddur; Maggie Mark; Jose Martinez; Will Masse; Alex McGaffin; Erin, Ethan, Rose & Violet McGregor; Sharon McHugh; Hanna McLauchlin; Vanshika Mohan; Bob Mowbay; Scott Mueller; Katelyn Murray; Vincent Nguyen; Carla Nicolini; Ciarra Owen; Terri Ostrowski; Barbara Paolucci; Jane Park; Barbara Pelzner; Ellen Perrins; Julia Persing; Adam Peterkin; Tanvier Phaliwal; Elizabeth Piper; Gabrielle Pope; Jillian Porter; Natalia Pulvarti; Anvitha Puritipati; Rysa Rahman; Rohan Ravulapali; Ed Robichaud; Sonakshi Rout; Aenin & Zenin Sabah; Angel Samsuhadi; Erica & Serenca Sandham; Danna Sarabia; Kim Schauer; Jim Seeley; Jim Seret; Jackie Shapo; JoAnn Shaub; Christopher Shea; Carolyn Soltani; Tahmina Sparta; Abigail Stiglitz; Evan, Mary Kay & Noah Stine; Conner & Preston Sulfstede; Ibrihaim Suyad; Andrew & Katie Thompson; Leana Travis; Panee & Sean Vaghedi; Brenda Van Doorn; Emilio Vazquez; Anastasian Vlasova; Patricia Wagner; Verna Webb; Norma Welland; Wetland Studies & Solutions; Stephanie Williams; Connor Witt; Craig Wong; Isabella Wyland; Allen Yi; Karim Zada; Karim, Cassie & Luke Zhang; Lucy Zou

Advance registration, including payment, is required for all nature activities unless otherwise noted. A WebTrac account is required for online registration. New accounts may take up to two business days for approval. If you have questions, need assistance or prefer not to register online, contact naturecenter@reston.org or 703-476-9689 ext. 5.

All programs will be held at the Walker Nature Center, 11450 Glade Drive, unless otherwise noted. Refunds are available with two weeks’ notice or if we cancel for any reason. Activities may be canceled due to severe weather, severe weather warnings or low enrollment. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

June

SODA BOTTLE TERRARIUM

Discover the joy of growing things by creating your own terrarium. Learn what a plant needs to survive and create a perfect home for your new plant inside of a plastic bottle. Register by June 3. 206121008 6/6 Wed 10:30 am – 11:30 am Ages 3–5 $7/RA Member, $9/Non-member KIDS FISHING DERBY

Bring your fishing rod or borrow one of ours to compete in this fun morning of fishing. No experience is necessary. We’ll provide bait, prizes and light refreshments. Adults are not permitted to fish during the kid’s fishing time. Register by June 6. Contact habrock@reston.org or 703-435-7986 to volunteer. 206101301 6/9 Sat 9:30 am – 11:30 am Lake Audubon Boat Ramp- 2070 Twin Branches Road Ages 3-15 $5/RA Member, $7/Non-member BIRD WALK-NATURE CENTER SNAKEDEN STREAM VALLEY 6/10 Sun 7:30 am – 10:30 am Adults PERFECT PATTERNS

Spots, stripes, colors and prints on animals are amazing. Learn about the patterns and colors in the animal world. Create your own animal print using a variety of tools, stamps and paper shapes. Did you know an animal’s coat can help it blend into its surroundings? Meet a box turtle and discover how its pattern helps it survive. Enjoy a snack and craft. Register by June 8. 206111001 Mon 6/11 10:00 am – 11:00 am Or Tue 6/12 10:00 am – 11:00 am Ages 18–35 months $7/RA Member, $9/Non-member

CAMPFIRE-NIGHT SOUNDS

OWL PROWL

Frogs croak and katydids chirp. Summer is a noisy time of year in nature. Insects and birds fill the air with sounds. Listen and discover who is making them through stories, songs and fun activities. Register by June 12.

Meet a wildlife rehabilitator from Secret Garden Birds and Bees for an up-close look at some live owls of Virginia. Then prowl along the trails in search of the Nature Center’s resident owls. It will be a hootin’ good time. Register by June 26.

206011003 6/15 Fri 7:00 pm– 8:30 pm WNC Fire Ring on Soapstone Drive between Glade Drive and Lawyers Road All Ages $ 6/RA Member, $8/Non-member

206011008 6/29 Fri 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm WNC Fire Ring on Soapstone Dr. between Glade Dr. and Lawyers Road Adults & Ages 5+ $7/RA Member, $9/Non-member

ENV. FILM-A PLASTIC OCEAN

This film brings to light the consequences of a disposable lifestyle. We thought we could use plastic once and throw it away with negligible impact to humans and animals. That turns out to be untrue. Follow a team of adventurers, researchers and ocean ambassadors on a global mission to uncover the truth about what is lurking beneath the surface of the ocean. Registration recommended by 6/22. Copresented by Friends of Reston. 206201051 Fri Adults

6/22 7:00 pm–9:00 pm Free, $5 suggested donation

BRUSCHETTA GARDEN WORKSHOP

Grow your own one pot bruschetta vegetable and herb garden! Learn which herbs grow well in containers and get some tips on tomato plants. We’ll share a bruschetta recipe with you and make a batch together. Take home a small container garden of basil and tomatoes perfect for sunny patios or porches. Register by June 20. 206201012 6/23 Sat 11:00 am – 12:30 pm Adults $15/RA Member, $20/Non-member

WALKING STICK WORKSHOP

Summer is here, and it’s time to explore new territory. Make a walking stick that can travel with you on your next adventure. Choose the perfect stick, make a leather grip and engrave your name or initials to make it your own. All supplies included. Register by June 27. 206011012 6/30 Sat 11:00 am – 12:00 pm Adults and Ages 5+ $8/RA Member, $10/Non-member

JULY

CAMPFIRE - CELESTIAL STORIES

Discover stories of the night sky around a crackling fire. Learn all about the upcoming partial solar eclipse. Celebrate summer with sparklers and toasted marshmallows. Register by June 30. 306011003 7/3 Tue 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm WNC Fire Ring on Soapstone Drive between Glade Drive and Lawyers Road All Ages $6/RA Member, $8/Non-member LAKE ANNE PADDLE

Canoe or kayak on Lake Anne with a naturalist. Search for wildlife that call the lake home. Learn some lake history and how residents can help the local watershed. We’ll look for waterfowl in the cove and enjoy a relaxing evening paddle. We’ll provide the boats and safety equipment. Register by July 3.

306011007 7/6 Fri 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm Lake Anne Plaza Boat Docks Adults and Children 10+ $7/RA Member, $9/Non-member BIRD WALK-BUTTERMILK CREEK/LAKE FAIRFAX 7/8 Sun 7:30 am – 10:30 am Uplands Pool, 11032 Ring Road Adults NATURE’S NUMBERS

Summer brings many great things to count! How many chicks in a nest? How many ants on a log? Explore and count blooming flowers, leaves and critters! Make a natural numbers craft and sing counting songs. Park at Hunters Woods Pool. Register by July 7. 306111001 Mon 7/9 10:00 am – 11:00 am Or Tue 7/10 10:00 am – 11:00 am Hunters Woods Pavilion - 2501 Reston Parkway Ages 18-35 months $7/RA Member, $9/Non-member FIREFLIES IN JULY

Just what makes those little bugs glow and why do they do it? Learn what they eat and where they live. How can you attract them to your own backyard? Find out the answers to these questions and more as we stroll by Lake Newport and explore Brown’s Chapel Park to catch a glimpse of this bioluminescent phenomenon. Make a glowing craft to take home. Register by July 9. 306011008 7/12 Thu 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm The Lake House, 11450 Baron Cameron Ave. All Ages $6/RA Member, $8/Non-member KNEE DEEP IN A CREEK

Hot days are perfect for dipping your feet into the cool water. Explore Snakeden Branch stream looking for frogs, tadpoles, minnows and other aquatic creatures. Wear your wading shoes and clothes that can get dirty. We will provide nets and buckets. Register by July 11. 306121008 7/14 Sat 10:30 am – 12:00 pm Ages 3-5 $5/RA Member, $7/Non-member

FAIRY FESTIVAL

Calling all fairies young and old! See ad on page 3. Register by July 18. Choose from two event times. 306011306 7/21 Sat 10:00 am – 11:15 am Or 11:30 am – 12:45 pm All Ages $7/RA Member, $9/Non-member

AUGUST REPTILES RULE

Learn about the scaly residents of our community. What are the most common reptiles found in Reston? Meet the Nature Center’s snake and turtle up close. Then take a hike to look for reptiles at Lake Audubon. Do you know the difference between a Copperhead and a Northern Watersnake? Register by August 2. 306011008 8/5 Sun 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm All Ages $5/RA Member, $7/Non-member CRITTERS IN THE CREEK

Hot August days are perfect for dipping your feet into cool water. Explore The Glade Stream looking for frogs, tadpoles, minnows and other aquatic creatures. Wear your wading shoes and clothes than can get dirty. We will provide nets and buckets. Register by Aug. 3. 306111001 Mon 8/6 10:00 am – 11:00 am Or Tue 8/7 10:00 am – 11:00 am WNC Fire Ring on Soapstone Drive between Glade Drive and Lawyers Road Ages 18-35 months $5/RA Member, $7/Non-member BEAVER HIKE

Reston’s beavers are busy, and the Glade Stream Valley is the best place to observe their activity. Explore their history in Reston, their unique characteristics and the habitats they create. Meet “Buster the Beaver” then hike to the Beaver Management Area. Register by August 6.

BIRD WALK-TWIN BRANCHES TRAIL 8/12 Sun 7:30 am – 10:30 am Park on Glade Drive near intersection with Twin Branches Road Adults STREAM SLOSH

Dip into a cool stream to escape the heat of summer. Use a net to search for fish and frogs, and take a peek under rocks to look for insects. Wear your wading shoes and clothes that can get dirty. We’ll provide the nets and buckets. Register by Aug. 15. 306011007 8/18 Sat 10:30 am – 12:00 pm All Ages $5/RA Member, $7/Non-member ANIMAL HIDE AND SEEK

How do animals hide? How do they find each other? Discover ways that animals disguise themselves. Create a camouflaged critter and play a special kind of hide-and-seek. Go on a walk to use your senses to locate animals hiding in the Nature Center woods. Register by Aug. 19. 306121008 8/22 Wed 10:30 am – 11:30 am Ages 3-5 $6/RA Member, $8/Non-member CAMPFIRE FUN

Join us for one last evening of fun around the campfire before summer ends and school starts. Play games, sing silly songs and toast marshmallows with your family and friends. Register by August 21. 306011003 8/24 Fri 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm WNC Fire Ring on Soapstone Dr. between Glade Dr. and Lawyers Road All Ages $5/RA Member, $7/Non-member

306011008 8/9 Thu 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm WNC Fire Ring on Soapstone Dr. between Glade Dr. and Lawyers Road Adults and Ages 5+ $5/RA member, $7/Non-member

Toad Abodes

Steps

Materials

• Container- flower pot or coffee can (Broken pots work just as well.) • Shovel or Trowel

1. Decorate the outside of your container with your favorite toad friendly pattern, stones or words like “Toad Abode”. A cute label will reduce the likelihood that an uninformed visitor or family member will move your abode or throw it away. 2. Find a shady spot in your garden or yard. Dig a small hole that is large enough to accommodate half of your container when lying on its side. 3. Set the container into the hole and bury the bottom half in the dirt. Toads like to burrow, so it’s important to create a solid dirt floor. Leave enough space for the toads to enter.

• Handful of leaves

4. Put a handful of leaves inside the container for bedding.

• Paint, markers, stickers or stones to glue on

5. For extra appeal, place your toad abode near a water source or put out a saucer of water nearby. Check it every week to make sure the water is fresh. More Ideas: Keep you toad abode out of areas that your pets frequent. Place a solar light near it to attract insects for your toad to eat at night. Ask an adult to help you chisel out an escape hatch on the bottom of the pot. Put tape around the hatch to prevent cracking and cover sharp edges.

Toad-ally Terrific By Earl the Squirrel (with help from Abby Stocking)

What comes to mind when you think of toads? Do you worry you could get warts or bumps on your skin if you touch them? Do you think they’re ugly or gross? Or are you like me and think that they’re pretty cool critters? Unfortunately, toads are one of nature’s creatures that are often unappreciated. Remember you should never judge a book by its cover. Although perhaps not as handsome as squirrels, toads are adapted to survive on the ground where many dangers can lurk. Let’s discover some cool facts about toads.

Toad Maze

Help the toad find its way to the snail so that it can eat a little snack.

• Toads usually have bumpy backs and shorter legs than frogs. • Toads like to live on land instead of in water. • Toads have thick skins that help to keep them from drying out. • Toads lay their eggs in water in long, jellylike strings. Tadpoles hatch from the eggs and live in the water. They will grow legs and lose their tails when it’s time to live on land. • Some of the bumps on the backs of toads are filled with a liquid called a “toxin”. If an animal tries to eat a toad, the toxin leaks out. It tastes yucky, so the predator will likely spit it out. Those warts can save a toad’s life! • Toads eat insects, snails, slugs and worms. They are a gardener’s friend because they eat the pests that like to munch on plants. Want to learn more about toads? Check out some books inside Nature House. I recommend Toadie and the Snake and its sequel by local author Ellice Stern. These are also for sale in the gift shop.

Kids’ Corner

Wildlife Native Counts & Spotlight: THE LOBELIAS: CARDINAL FLOWER Classes AND GREAT BLUE LOBELIA Adults. Meet at the Nature Center. Counts are free. Classes are $5 or free for count participants. Volunteers are invited to enjoy a free lunch, tally results and swap stories at Nature House after all counts. Summer Bird Count #206201205 Saturday, June 2 • 6:30 – 11:30 a.m.

Join us for the half-day annual Summer Bird Count throughout Reston’s natural areas. Meet local bird experts, learn tips on identification and have fun while helping us obtain information on our feathered friends. Register by May 30.

(LOBELIA CARDINALIS AND LOBELIA SIPHILITICA) By Sharon Gurtz

The Lobelias are some of the most stunning of all native plants for the garden. If you need some color and want to ensure visits by bees, butterflies and hummingbirds, you will be rewarded with either of these members of the Lobelia family. Two beauties, Cardinal Flower and Great Blue Lobelia, can be used in Northern Virginia landscapes and are stunning when placed together, showing off their patriotic red and blue colors. Cardinal Flower likely got its name because the color is similar to that of the headdresses of Roman Catholic Cardinals. The species name (siphilitica) was given to Great Blue Lobelia because it was thought to be a cure for syphilis. The Native Americans used it medicinally like aspirin to relieve aches and pains.

Butterfly Class: An Introduction #306201205 Thursday, July 5 • 7– 8:30 p.m.

Cardinal Flower blooms from July into September, while the Great Blue Lobelia shows off its blueviolet color later in August to October. Both have stiff, leafy stems that grow in clumps with blooms on terminal spikes. Flowers have petals joined in a tube with an upper lip of three lobes and a lower lip with two.

Discover the colorful and diverse lives of Reston’s “flying flowers.” Learn to identify Reston’s common butterflies and get a basic introduction to their life history. Register by July 2.

Butterfly Count #306201205 Saturday, July 7 • 9:45 a.m.–1 p.m.

Join us for the annual Butterfly Count through Reston’s natural areas. Meet fellow butterfly lovers, learn tips on identification and have fun while collecting information on our fluttering friends. Data will be submitted to the North American Butterfly Association for their national Fourth of July Butterfly Count report. Register by July 4.

Dragonfly Class: An Introduction # 306201205 Thursday, July 26 • 7–8:30 p.m.

Discover the fast and fascinating lives of Reston’s “flying dragons.” Learn basic identification, natural history and conservation of local dragonflies. Learn to identify Reston’s common dragonflies and get a basic introduction to their behavior and complex history. Guest Presenters: Ken Rosenthal and Don Coram. Register by July 24.

Dragonfly Count # 306201205 Saturday, July 28, 9:45 am–1:00 pm

GREAT BLUE LOBELIA Rob Routledge Sault College Bugwood.org

CARDINALFLOWER David Stephens Bugwood.org

Both the Cardinal Flower and Great Blue Lobelia are considered perennial, but references classify them as relatively short-lived, with the Great Blue Lobelia out-living the Cardinal Flower. If you have a damp location in your landscape, these plants could be perfect. Both like moist to wet humus-rich soil with at least some shade. Allowing your plants to self-seed is the easiest way to create new plants. Resist the temptation to dead-head and allow some to go to seed. You will be rewarded with new plants the following spring.

Plant it and they will come

Whether you are looking for hummingbirds, bees or an assortment of butterflies in your gardens, these two plants will be sure to please. Cardinal Flowers are hummingbird magnets; hummingbirds love the nectar and are the primary pollinators for these plants. The Great Blue Lobelia is primarily pollinated by bees. Both attract an assortment of butterflies, especially Spicebush and Pipevine Swallowtail, and Cloudless Sulphur. If you don’t know what to do with that perennial damp spot in your landscape, try giving one of these terrific plants a home.

Join us for the annual Dragonfly Count through Reston’s natural areas. Meet dragonfly lovers, learn identification tips and have fun while obtaining information on our fast-flying friends. Guest Leaders: Ken Rosenthal, Don Coram. Register by July 25.

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID RESTON, VA PERMIT NO. 21

www.reston.org Walker Nature Center 11450 Glade Drive Reston, Virginia 20191

COME TO CAMP AT THE WALKER NATURE CENTER Walker Nature Center, 11450 Glade Drive Register: Online at www.restonwebtrac.org or in person at 12001 Sunrise Valley Drive For more information, call 703-435-6551 or email camp@reston.org.

Nature Tots

Ages:

3 – 5 by Sept. 30, 2018 (Campers must be potty trained.)

Days: Time:

Walker’s Rangers Ages:

6 – 9 by Sept. 30, 2018

Monday – Friday, Four One-week sessions

Days:

Monday – Friday, Four one-week sessions

A.M. Session: 8:45-11:45 a.m., P.M. Session: 1-4 p.m.

Time:

9 a.m. - Noon

Fee: RA members–Sessions 1B, 3B, 4A = $95/session Session 2A= $76/session Non-members– Sessions 1B, 3B, 4A = $120/session Session 2A = $96/session

Session 1B: June 25-29 Animals A to Z Session 2A: July 2-3, 5-6 No Camp on July 4 Sensory Sensation Session 3B: July 23-27 Time Travelers

Fee: RA members-$95/session Non-members-$120/session

Session 2B: July 9-13 Nature Comics Session 3A: July 16-20 Time Rangers Session 4B: August 6-10 Nature Magic Session 5A: August 13-17 Nature’s Engineers

Session 4A: July 30-August 3 Bug Buddies

Summer 18 Volume Twenty