Prairie Ridge Ecostation

Prairie Ridge Ecostation Please visit our 40 acres of Piedmont prairie, forest, ponds, a stream and sustainable building

Fireflies are amazing animals! Did you know that they can...- Glow as larvae?- Lure in other species of fireflies to eat...
05/30/2026

Fireflies are amazing animals! Did you know that they can...

- Glow as larvae?
- Lure in other species of fireflies to eat them? (Don't worry — only some species do this!)
- Use their lights to scare predators?

The fireflies at Prairie Ridge can put on a spectacular show, and luckily we still have a few spaces in our upcoming firefly night on Saturday, June 6. Join us to learn how and why fireflies make light, and observe them flying over the prairie. Get an up-close look at some fireflies with a magnifier bug box that you'll get to take home at the end of the program! Learn more or register here: https://ncmns.net/PrairieFireflies

We've seen tracks and signs of animals using the pond, but nothing beats seeing one of our residents directly. This Snap...
05/25/2026

We've seen tracks and signs of animals using the pond, but nothing beats seeing one of our residents directly. This Snapping Turtle was spotted basking in the sun recently, covered in duckweed and living its best life. We don't see Snapping Turtles often, so this sighting was a rare treat!

As the drought continues and our pond shrinks, this habitat remains an essential and now even more vital water source for the Snapping Turtle and all the other wildlife at Prairie Ridge.

The mulberry fruits are ripe, so the air around Prairie Ridge is filled with the high-pitched calls of Cedar Waxwings! T...
05/22/2026

The mulberry fruits are ripe, so the air around Prairie Ridge is filled with the high-pitched calls of Cedar Waxwings! These charismatic birds love mulberries and hundreds of them have been chowing down in the trees. Waxwings get their name from the red wingtips that look like sealing wax. Their tall crests, black face masks and yellow tail tips make them elegant visitors to our mulberry trees. They’ll be visible hopping from branch to branch as long as the berries last — then they’ll head off to find better fruit sources for the rest of the summer.

Our staff love being on site after dark because we can experience animals that are rarely spotted during the day. Chorus...
05/20/2026

Our staff love being on site after dark because we can experience animals that are rarely spotted during the day. Choruses of Green Tree Frogs, large moths such as Luna Moths, or coyotes are most active at night. It's a treat to see them out and about during their favorite time of day! Check out some of the species we've spotted at night in the photos below. 🐸

Would you like to listen to frogs, look for moths, and search for owls after dark with us at Prairie Ridge? Join us for Biodiversity After Dark on Friday, 8:30-11:30pm — we have a few spots left!

Learn more or register at https://www.naturalsciences.org/calendar/event/nighttime-biodiversity/

Have you ever noticed this plastic tube at Prairie Ridge? It’s a rain gauge, a valuable tool that accurately measures pr...
04/30/2026

Have you ever noticed this plastic tube at Prairie Ridge? It’s a rain gauge, a valuable tool that accurately measures precipitation.

For over a dozen years, we’ve shared our measurements with the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS), a project that studies microclimates and their impact on weather patterns. Scientists, meteorologists, the National Weather Service, and others nationwide use CoCoRaHS data to study everything from global climate change to local rainfall effects on bird nests.

You can be become a CoCoRaHS participant too! The project is currently recruiting new members. Visit https://cocorahs.org for more info, and explore our data at https://ncmns.net/4vMYX9I.

Another great City Nature Challenge has concluded, and we’re thrilled to see all of the submissions rolling in from acro...
04/28/2026

Another great City Nature Challenge has concluded, and we’re thrilled to see all of the submissions rolling in from across the Triangle! We also got some great observations at Prairie Ridge. Here are a few of our favorites.

If you participated, you have until May 10 to submit your photos to iNaturalist for them to count. We’ll share the final results once international results are announced.

UPDATE:While general access is paused for construction on the Mary Ann Brittain Education Center, some of our programs w...
04/24/2026

UPDATE:

While general access is paused for construction on the Mary Ann Brittain Education Center, some of our programs will be offered in fresh settings and in new formats designed to keep our community connected. Join one of our small, registration-based programs: ncmns.net/3Oo0grH.

To stay in the loop, continue to follow us on social and subscribe to our newsletter: ncmns.net/3vgKWGX.

Want to help build our future? Support the MABEC campaign at ncmns.net/mabec.

We’re excited to take part in the 2026 City Nature Challenge happening this weekend, April 24-27! People across the stat...
04/23/2026

We’re excited to take part in the 2026 City Nature Challenge happening this weekend, April 24-27! People across the state will be submitting photos of wild living things to iNaturalist, contributing to an international survey of urban biodiversity.

We’ve participated since 2017, making this year our 10th anniversary. In fact, in 2018, a staff member rediscovered a plant at a Raleigh park that hadn’t been observed since the 1960s, which led to a local conservation project, highlighting the true impact of the City Nature Challenge.

Want to join us? We still have spots open Friday and Saturday! Check out our event listings for info on how to register.

Prairie Ridge Ecostation will close to general public visitation beginning April 1, the start of construction on the Mar...
03/31/2026

Prairie Ridge Ecostation will close to general public visitation beginning April 1, the start of construction on the Mary Ann Brittain Education Center.

This project will advance our mission by adding an indoor classroom, accessible restrooms and a dedicated educator space — expanding opportunities for learning year-round.

We will still remain active with small, registration-based programs, scientific research and ongoing stewardship of our 45-acre landscape. We anticipate reopening in 2027, sharing updates along the way. We’re deeply grateful to our donors and supporters for making this project possible. To learn more and support this effort, visit https://ncmns.net/mabec.

A fun way to make a nature journal page is to turn a haiku into a comic! It’s simple.First, observe nature, then create ...
03/28/2026

A fun way to make a nature journal page is to turn a haiku into a comic! It’s simple.

First, observe nature, then create a haiku based on what you see. These poems have just three lines, each with a set number of syllables: 5, 7 and 5.

Then, make three boxes on your page. Write a line of your haiku in each box.

Finally, illustrate your poem. Fill in the boxes with drawings that fit the text.

Add any additional notes about your observations and your metadata (date, time, location and weather) to finish your page. Making nature comics is a great way to bring creativity into your journal. Give it a try! ✍️

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1671 Gold Star Drive
Raleigh, NC
27607

Opening Hours

Tuesday 9am - 4pm
Wednesday 9am - 4pm
Thursday 9am - 4pm
Friday 9am - 4pm
Saturday 9am - 4pm

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