The Crawford Park District is offering the following programs:

Face to Face: Spiders

Saturday, Oct. 28, at 11 a.m. at Lowe-Volk Park, 2401 State Route 598.

Calling all arachnophobes! Today is the day to conquer one of your fears! The Crawford Park District will give program participants the opportunity to learn all about spiders’ super senses, while observing several spider species up close. You will also get a chance to hold spiders, including orbweavers and tarantulas! Lowe-Volk Park is located 3 miles north of U.S. Route 30. For more information on other programs offered by the Crawford Park District, visit www.crawfordpd.org.

Viewing the Night Sky

Saturday, Oct. 28, at 7 p.m. at Lowe-Volk Park.

The Crawford Park District invites you to join members of the Crawford Park Astronomy Club as they share their knowledge and telescope skills with all who are interested in celestial sights. Some of the targets for fall are:

• M15 – located in Pegasus, 33,600 light-years away, and a globular cluster.

• Ring Nebula (M57) – about 2,000 light-years away, found in Lyra, a supernova remnant, and looks like a puff of smoke!

• The Hercules Cluster (M13) – contains nearly a million stars and is the finest globular cluster in the northern sky.

• Summer Triangle – an asterism of three bright stars from separate constellations.

• Andromeda Galaxy (M31) – our neighbor galaxy only 2.5 million light-years away.

• Albireo – the most beautiful double star in the sky with one star glowing golden while the other glows blue like a sapphire.

There are a lot of other objects to view. What we see will depend on what the clouds are doing.

Zombie Zoo

Tuesday, Oct. 31, at 7 p.m. at Lowe-Volk Park.

The Crawford Park District invites you to delve into the world of nature’s zombies and the organisms that create them! From crickets that drown themselves to caterpillar bodyguards to “fungified” kamikaze ants (which inspired the popular show The Last of Us), you will be amazed at the gruesome zombie fates that are a daily occurrence in nature!

Homeschool in Nature: Smells Like Nature

Thursday, Nov. 2, at 10 a.m. & 2 p.m. at Lowe-Volk Park.

This month the Crawford Park District Homeschoolers will put their noses to the test! Can you identify many different smells from animal musk to mint leaves and many things in between? Call the Crawford Park District at 419-683-9000 to register your 5- to 12-year-old.

Saw-whet Owls

Friday, Nov. 3, at 6:30 p.m. at Lowe-Volk Park.

Secretive and nocturnal, saw-whets are Ohio’s smallest owl. With a handful of nesting records in Ohio, saw-whets breed mostly in northern boreal forests, with some venturing south in the fall and winter months. The Crawford Park District welcomes back bird bander Bob Placier, who will return with his mist nets to gather data on these diminutive owls. A PowerPoint presentation will be followed by checks of the mist nets in the hopes of catching a few of these nocturnal flyers. Between net checks, there will be a campfire to enjoy the fall evening. Dress for the weather and bring a flashlight. Fun for the whole family!

Submitted by the Crawford Park District.