Honeybees and Bumblebees Prepare for Winter Honeybees (introduced from Europe to North America in the early 17th century) and bumblebees (several species native to southwest Ohio, including common eastern bumblebees, golden northern bumblebees, two-spotted bumblebees, and others) have a lot…
Research shows that in the United States alone, more than 600 million pounds of candy are purchased each year for Halloween. The vast majority of candy wrappers end up in landfills due to the inability by most curbside recycling programs…
October is a transitional month. With the recent passing of the autumnal equinox, the sun now sits above the horizon for less than half the day. And as autumn marches on, temperatures drop. Together, these changes impose challenges for local…
The McEwen Road entrance to Centerville-Washington Park District’s Grant Park will be undergoing a transformation soon! Plans are underway to create an all-access trailhead and a paved multi-use path surrounding a 4-acre pollinator habitat. The improved park entrance will provide…
Tiger swallowtails are among the most recognizable of our local butterflies, maybe second only to monarchs. There are two reasons for this. First, with their large size and prominent pattern, their appearance is pretty unmistakable. And second, tiger swallowtails are…
On August 29, the Centerville City School Board approved the sale of 33.25 acres of land to the Centerville-Washington Park District (CWPD). The land is adjacent to CWPD’s Grant Park, a 189-acre natural area with hiking trails along creeks and…
When you think about flies, you probably don’t think about descriptions like, “tremendous size and leg strength,” “potent saliva laced with neurotoxins,” “think fighter jet,” or “iron maiden death grasp.” Yet all of these phrases appear in postings about a…
The Centerville-Washington Park District is serious about providing the park experiences you want. The more we hear about what is important to the community, the better we can serve. In order to determine communitywide priorities and ensure we stay on…
Are you looking for an easy outdoor activity to enjoy as summer winds down? Gather your family and friends for a game of nature Bingo in your parks! Print out these cards, drive or walk to a CWPD park, and…
In most plants, offspring grow from seeds. Flowers are a plant’s mechanism for producing those seeds. To do so, flowers must fertilize the female reproductive cells (ovules), located within the pistil, with male reproductive cells, contained in pollen produced by…