Venture into the woods as we go "herping" - an exciting outdoor exploration to sight these scaly and slimy creatures. You'll be turning over fallen logs, looking under rocks, and sticking your hands in the mud to uncover some of nature's most fascinating creatures.

Class will begin with a short presentation on safety protocols, ethical handling practices, a background on these amphibians and their habitats, and local salamander ID techniques. Then, we will embark on a “critter crawl” around Horn Farm, where we'll venture off paths and into wet or muddy areas to discover elusive salamanders.

The class is scheduled to optimize the likelihood of engaging encounters, however, spotting salamanders is not guaranteed. Because herps are moving, living creatures, the success of our excursion may vary depending on weather conditions, seasonal variations, location, time, and pure luck. Despite this, the dynamic nature of wildlife ensures that there will always be interesting things (outside of reptiles and amphibians) to discover under logs and rocks, in creeks and vernal pools, and the rich tapestry of biodiversity at the farm will be sure to spark informative conversation regardless of what creatures we encounter.

We invite participants of all ages to join us on our herping adventure – from young tadpoles to old tortoises. We do ask, however, that children under 12 be accompanied by an adult and suggest that children under 3 may not be well suited for these activities.

We recommend that you bring:

• a headlamp or flashlight (salamanders like to come out at dusk)
• waterproof boots
• brightly-colored outdoorsy clothes
• a head covering (for ticks)
• long pants and socks, on the thicker side
• a raincoat or poncho (the class will move forward rain or shine)

Join us for an exploration into the exciting world of salamanders where each step reveals new wonders waiting to be discovered. Happy herping- we hope to see you there!

Online pre-registration is required to attend.  Visit this link to register https://hornfarmcenter.org/civimessages/event/info/?reset=1&id=1038