Austin Nature & Science Center

⛈️GUIDED HIKES CANCELLED FOR THIS SATURDAY 🌬️

Due to forecasted storms, Guided Hikes will not take place this Saturday, April 4th. Please visit us next Saturday, April 11th for "Meet the Animals" from 10:00-2:00! ANSC will be open for regular admission.

🌸 APRIL SATURDAY PROGRAMS AT ANSC! 🐢

⁉️WHAT IS IT WEDNESDAY ⁉️

Last week's wiggly little mystery was a BUPRESTID LARVA! Also known as flatheaded borers, these are the larva of the often-dreaded but very beautiful wood-boring beetles. We often don't see these little grubs because they are inside wood or under bark - that's why many species can be damaging to trees. The eggs are laid on a host plant, and the hatched larva are voracious chewers, often making tunnels and grooves where they pupate and emerge from holes as adults. They often will "attack" already-damaged trees, but can do their own damage to healthy trees as well, especially in large numbers.

Here's something very different, another beautiful treasure brought in to our Trade Counter that looks extra special with light shining through it - what is it?

⚒️ THANK YOU IMPD VOLUNTEERS! 🪚

The Austin Park's Foundation's It's My Park Day Spring 2026 was a great success despite the weather, thanks to the wonderful volunteers who showed up all over the city to help with work in our parks! Here at ANSC, volunteers repaired and added new split-rail fencing in several areas of our site, and did lots of trail, brush, dirt, and gravel work in our Birds of Prey area. The biannual event will return in the fall - check out https://austinparks.org/impd/ for more information and ways to help.

⁉️ WHAT IS IT WEDNESDAY ⁉️

You know your BEAVER CHEWS! That's right, last week's beautiful piece of wood was found in heavily beaver-populated pond area full of chewed-up wood with the characteristic sharp points and big teeth marks! Beavers are often referred to as some of nature's best engineers, and often the way they cut into trees to bring them down is actually a complex process of chewing in calculated directions on specific sides at specific heights in order to fell trees in the direction most beneficial to them, usually towards water. This often leaves those sharp, stake-like ends on the chewed-up stumps.

Beavers also use trees as a major food source - they're herbivores who prefer small tender branches or the inner layer of bark (cambium), chewing off but not eating the hard outer bark or the inner core of bigger trees. Then they use the non-edible parts to make their dams and lodges. In many places, the felled trees and stumps from beaver activity are beneficial to the ecosystem by providing homes and shelter for other animals (lots of birds, turtles, etc.), and allowing more sunlight to reach crowded areas of ponds, increasing the overall health and biodiversity of many of these beaver ponds!

This week's mystery is a gnarly little friend discovered by one of our Nature's Way Preschool classes in our preserve! What is it?