Mequon Nature Preserve

05/30/2026

Save the date! The annual Summer Playdate is Saturday, July 11 from 11:00am-2:00pm. This free, outdoor event is fun for the whole family! Enjoy tractor rides through the preserve, a visit from local first responders, games, crafts, pond and prairie net station, and more! will be selling delicious waffles, and Brendan's Bracelets and Ted David Bluebird houses will also be there. Sign up your family (one ticket per car) with the link. We hope to see you there!

https://ticketstripe.com/summerplaydate2026

05/29/2026

The adult horsefly is known as an annoying, bloodthirsty summer pest. Horsefly larvae, however, live an interesting life and look more like something from a sci-fi movie than a future fly! The larvae can be found in wetlands, streams, or on pond edges, and have pale, segmented bodies. They glide through soil at fast speeds and use their tiny mouth hooks to catch prey like worms, small aquatic bugs, and other insect larvae. Although horseflies are usually despised, their larvae play an important role in maintaining balance in Wisconsin’s wetland ecosystems🪰

05/28/2026

Explore more, discover more 🌿

✔️ 200 acres of native prairie
✔️ Accessible wetlands boardwalk
✔️ Hardwood forests rich with wildlife

At Mequon Nature Preserve, every ecosystem invites you to connect, learn, and explore.

05/27/2026

Wild Geranium, Geranium maculatum, is a woodland plant that blooms from April to June. This pink to purple flower grows in groups along the shady areas of the forest floor. They are great to plant in any partial shade area in your garden! This plant was used medicinally by Native Americans to treat diarrhea and wounds. Wild geranium also goes by the name Wood geranium.

05/26/2026

The Bobolink, Dolichonyx oryzivorus, can be found throughout the north and southeastern parts of the US and will migrate to South America for the winter. They can be found in a variety of habitats, but prefer open fields, prairies, and marshes. The name oryzivorus means “rice eating” and refers to this bird’s love for rice and other grains. Bobolinks will molt twice a year. In spring and summer, the male Bobolink will have a black belly with white on its back, and a yellow back side of its head. After they molt, they will look like the female. The females are a light to yellow brown with black stripes. You might be able to recognize them by their calls, as they sound robotic and metallic like!

05/25/2026

Interested in learning more about the planets? The next Astronomy Program is Tuesday, June 9 at 6:30pm!

Join amateur astronomer Jim Hahn as we explore our Solar System. How did the planets form and how did they end up so different? We'll compare the planets and talk about how humankind came to know the structure of our planetary system.

This event is free to attend. Sign up with the link!

Join amateur astronomer Jim Hahn as we explore our Solar System. How did the planets form and how did they end up so different? We'll compare the planets and talk about how humankind came to know the structure of our planetary system.

05/23/2026

The Education Center will be closed on Monday, May 25 for Memorial Day. Trails remain open!

05/22/2026

These ducklings are on the move! Mallard ducks are the most abundant wild ducks in North America🦆. Females (hens) lay their clutch, which usually consists of 6-14 eggs, and after about a 28-day incubation period, the ducklings hatch and can swim just hours later. Their mother will lead them to water so that they can begin feeding on invertebrates—fueling their rapid growth. Hens may also sleep with one eye open, and half of their brains awake (unihemispheric sleep) to protect their young from predators. In about two months, these babies will be able to fly and begin their own lives!

05/21/2026

Restore. Explore. Discover. 🌱

At Mequon Nature Preserve, every visit is an opportunity to connect with nature, whether it's a student field trip, a family adventure, or participating in real conservation research.

However you explore, there's a place for you here 💚