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| Messenger photo by Rick Palsgrove |
| This hornets’ nest is among the items that can be viewed at "Wild Ohio" at Groveport Town Hall, 648 Main St. |
Things are getting wild at Groveport Town Hall.
"Wild Ohio," an interactive exhibit featuring the plants and animals of Ohio, will be on display at Groveport Town Hall, 648 Main St., through Oct. 30.
The exhibit is a partnership with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Metro Parks, and the Ohio Wildlife Center. It includes a wide selection of animal skulls, and furs from the Groveport Heritage Park Nature Center, taxidermied animals, insect mounts, tracking, Ohio plant identification, reptiles and amphibians, wildlife photos, and presentations by local naturalists.
Interactive activities include animal track and leaf prints, printings and rubbings, educational materials and videos, all with a background of animal sounds CDs.
"There’s an impressive collection of 11 animal furs, 12 skulls and 16 tracks can be credited to donations from local residents, Heritage Nature Center, Metro Parks, Ohio Wildlife Center and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife and Division of Forestry," said Groveport Community Affairs Director Linda Haley. "Displays include nine trays of mounted insects, as well as a mounted wild turkey, snow goose, deer head, great horned owl, coopers hawk, weasel, pheasant and ruffled grouse."
Two unique local items on display in the exhibit are hornets’ nests discovered by Groveport resident Pat Wears. According to Haley, Wears found the large nests near Little Walnut Creek and retrieved them during the winter while hornets traditionally hibernate underground. The lightweight nests are hollow with a consistency of packed paper.
Wears explained that hornet nests usually last only one season, since "nests usually dissolve in the spring rains."
Other items retrieved by Wears which can be found in the Groveport Nature Center include moose antlers, porcupine quills, and moose and bear droppings.
"I don’t know of another opportunity to view such a diverse collection of Ohio’s animals and insects, especially in one site," stated Tina Dillman, Groveport naturalist and director of Groveport Nature Center. "It’s not just an exhibit to look at. You also create your own field book that guides you through each section of the exhibit. And then you can create your own art at the end of the book."
The free exhibit is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. For information call (614) 836-3333.
"Wild Ohio" activities and events
•Oct. 17 at 7 p.m. – Enjoy a free wildlife encounter when the Ohio Wildlife Center visits Groveport Town Hall, 648 Main St. See some of the live animals that call Ohio home.
•Oct. 18 at noon – Learn about animal footprints and make a set of animal tracks at "Track It." The event is free.
