Nighttime critters take center stage at PAROC event

It was an evening full of wonder at Saturday evening’s PAROC Creatures of the Night learning opportunity.

Children and adults used their senses to discover what creatures come out at night, with activities throughout the Prophet Aquatic Research and Outreach Center, located on the north side of the Emporia State University campus.

Numerous imaginative stations were available for attendees at the sold-out event, which was free and open to the public, although pre-registration was required.

“We capped it at 45, and it filled up almost immediately,” organizer Daphne Mayes said. “We’re very excited to see such strong interest and participation.”

Groups of children, parents, and caregivers rotated through three stations, all with the theme of nocturnal animals, Mayes explained. Inside the PAROC building, Emporia Arts Council hosted a craft of making paper plate owls, with a corresponding informational presentation about identifying American owls native to the area, including owl sounds and calls.

Lori Heller, in one of her last events with the Emporia Public Library as she retires from her long career there, was ensconced in a pop-up tent on the expansive PAROC deck overlooking the water — her “bat cave.” She read night- and nocturnal animal-themed picture books to children who gathered inside her cozy tent.

Perhaps the most visited station was at the water’s edge, where a fire pit burned steadily and guests roasted marshmallows to make s’mores.

Special guest Mark A. Brown brought his huge telescope to the PAROC deck, giving youngsters the opportunity to view Saturday night’s nearly full moon at high magnification.

Brown, originally from Emporia, is a NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Solar System Ambassador, one of 1,385 volunteers in U.S. states and territories, and one of only 15 in Kansas. Brown has been named Director of the Peterson Planetarium on the Emporia State University campus, and will take the reins in August as the fall semester commences.

At Peterson Planetarium, audiences of all ages can learn about the solar system, gaze at stars and planets, and participate in STEM activities. The planetarium is an educational outreach of the ESU Science and Math Education Center and serves as a teaching facility for various university courses, as well as local school districts and the community.

Brown noted, “The adults actually get more of a kick out of it when I do events like this than the kids do.”

The final — and immensely popular — activity included a firefly hike and adventure on the Campus Woods Nature Trail adjacent to the PAROC, complete with a moth-catching station, small flashlights for the younger hikers, and nets and jars for insect-catching.

At both the telescope and firefly hike activities, concerns about light pollution were stressed. Guests learned why animals are active at night and what affects them, including light pollution. Brown explained that the moon helps migratory birds. Too much light pollution causes the birds to lose their way on their migration journey.

“This week is also Moth Week, and we’ve done a moth night program the past two summers, but this year we decided to expand it to include other nocturnal animals, including fireflies,” Mayes said.

Mother Nature cooperated Saturday night, and firefly lanterns twinkled across the PAROC’s vibrant prairie restoration area at the edge of the Campus Woods Nature Trail.

The PAROC enhances ESU’s capacity for outreach education about the importance of water and aquatic environments and provides opportunities for students and teachers to research aquatic organisms. Additionally, the PAROC collaborates with local K-12 schools to educate on the value of natural resources. Outreach efforts include working with and educating preschool children, K-12 students, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, and 4-H members. PAROC Summer Science Camp begins Aug. 1.

Learn more about the PAROC and its offerings at esuparoc.com, call the facility at 620-341-5727, or email [email protected]. For more information about the Peterson Planetarium, visit their website at https://www.emporia.edu/about-emporia-state-university/campus-organizations-and-attractions/peterson-planetarium/ and find them on Facebook.

“This week is also Moth Week, and we’ve done a moth night program the past two summers, but this year we decided to expand it to include other nocturnal animals, including fireflies.” Daphne Mayes Outreach and engagement coordinator

"This week is also Moth Week, and we’ve done a moth night program the past two summers, but this year we decided to expand it to include other nocturnal animals, including fireflies."

Daphne Mayes

Outreach and engagement coordinator

Perhaps Ms Mates would care to explain why the PAROC sign stays lit all night if she is so concerned about light pollution While she's at it she could also explain why herbicide was used so close to the water to reconstruct the prairie.

james, I don't think the 5 gallons of Roundup next to the river, or next to the old abandoned land fill to the east, is going to affect much, when you consider the "oceans" of Glyphosate being spread around the world, continuously. But, you have a point, as this is to educate, I do hope they teach that lesson, too . It does look nice, already.

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