UPCOMING EVENTS
Bats are mysterious creatures! Unlike most birds, bats are active at night and out of our sight, making it difficult to observe and appreciate them. As biologists who get to study these fascinating animals, we want to share with you how interesting and important bats are. Wouldn't it be fun to spend an evening with local biologists while they capture and tell you cool things about bats?
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Join us at any of the upcoming events below and learn about the fascinating world of bats!
Sign up early, space is limited!
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April 27, 2019
Principia School Bat House Building Program; St. Louis Missouri
Event open to public, registration required.
What better way to spend Earth Day Weekend than attending a hands on bat house building event? We will be building 15 bat houses that can be hung on the sites of a house, a tree, or another sun-filled location on your property. We will provide you with hands on help, and teach you a thing or two about how bats spend their summers.
May 10, 2019
Principia 2nd Annual Bioblitz; St. Louis Missouri
Open to the Public
For the second annual bio blitz, scientists from all fields in ecology will document the diversity of flora and fauna that the property supports. Participants are welcome to join scientists during their walks and surveys to learn about local wildlife, plant, and animal species. The blitz will include a bat survey led by Shelly Colatskie, a bat biologist with the Missouri Department of Conservation. Join Shelly to see learn about the only true flying mammals in the world - bats!
May 11, 2019
Shaw Nature Reserve - Night Hike and Bat Presentation; Gray Summit Missouri
Event Full
During this family friendly event, we will attempt to capture bats in mist nets to teach the public how biologists capture, handle, identify, and measure bats. Shaw Nature Reserve is home to several endangered species of bats. If you're lucky, you might just see one up close! Please message us for more information.
June 06, 2019
Tyson Research Center Mist Net Survey; Eureka, Missouri
Program Closed to Public
Wildheart will conduct a mist net survey to document the various types of bat species present at the Research Center. We will conduct a full five hour survey starting at dusk, and ending at approximately 1 am. Participants are not expected to stay for the entire duration, but are welcome to. Due to the great habitat present, we expect to get a very nice variety and a large number of bats!
June 20, 2019
Dana Brown Overnight Center Mist Net Survey; Gray Summit, Missouri
Event Closed to Public
During this mist net survey at the Shaw Nature Reserve, Wildheart will attempt to capture bats and teach future field biologists about the methods used to capture bats, train students to use dichotomous keys to identify bats, and use active bat detectors to "listen" to bats at night.
August 09, 2019
Mist Net Survey at a Big Muddy National Wildlife Refuge; Columbia, Missouri
Open to Public, Registration Required
Our first mist net survey at a Wildlife Refuge, just west of Columbia, Missouri! The survey will be on Friday Aug. 9th from 7:30 PM until 11:00 PM or so, but participants are welcome to come and go as they please. Registration is required, so please contact us if you plan to attend!
September 14, 2019
Paul Wightman Subterranean Nature Preserve, Fults, Illinois
Open to the Public, Registration Required
By September, bats will have finished raising their young and be gearing up to leave for their winter grounds. Join us for our fall mist net survey where we will set up nets to catch bats, document species diversity, and teach you about bat migration, hibernation, and the reproductive cycle of bats. Don't worry, this event is family friendly :) For more information or to register, please call 618-935-2542 or email cliffmbr@htc.net. Event location: 3325 G Road, Fults, IL.
August 31, 2018
Bellefontaine Cemetery Bat Survey - Concluded
Closed to Public
Wildheart will conduct a mist net survey and also provide students with the opportunity to learn how bats are tracked to their summer roost trees. Participants will learn to track tiny 0.3 gram transmitters, which are usually affixed to bats, to roost trees throughout the cemetery. Through the exercise, students will learn how biologists track wildlife to their roosts.
May 11, 2018
Whitecliff Bat Survey, Crestwood Missouri - Concluded
7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Our first Whitecliff Bat Survey in 2017 was such a hit that we are going to do another one! During this family friendly event, we will attempt to capture bats in mist nets to learn about the types of bats that live at Whitecliff Park. You will get to see first hand how biologists capture, identify, and measure bats. Please message us for more information.
May 04, 2018
Principia High School BioBlitz, St. Louis - Concluded
7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Please join us for the BioBlitz, where local biologists will assess the plant and wildlife biodiversity on the Principia High School campus in Town and Country, Missouri. Wildheart will lead the bat survey in an effort to learn about bat diversity present on campus. The public is welcome to participate in the event and learn about bats local to our region. Registration is required, please email us for more information.