Wehr Nature Center is a place where everyone belongs. Open year-round, we offer accessible buildings, trails, and park features designed for visitors of all ages and abilities. Wander our more than five-miles of trails traversing five distinct habitats all within a five-minute walk. Enjoy universally designed exhibits, comfortable restrooms, and hands-on unique programs that bring people together through nature all year round.
Save the Date!
August 22 @ 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Discover the plants behind your favorite beverages at this leisurely, fun, and educational evening at Wehr featuring local coffee, tea, craft beer, and other purveyors. Live music, food trucks, and more!
September 13 @ 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Hop, crawl, fly, or jump your way into the most amazing insect exhibit in southeast Wisconsin!
All Ages and Abilities
10:00 am – 11:00 am
8:00 am – 10:00 am
9:00 am – 11:00 am
9:30 am – 10:30 am
11:00 am – 12:00 pm
10:30 am – 11:30 am
Featured Program
Join us for a monthly ecology walk at various Milwaukee County Natural Areas, where we’ll learn, observe, and ID native flowers! On our walk, you’ll also learn about the characteristics of the native plant community that we will explore.
Wehr Nature Center inspires all generations to explore and value the plants and animals of our natural world through experiential education, accessible trails, native landscapes and natural areas.
July – September Newsletter
Happy Summer! Wehr’s trails are overflowing with an abundance of green, flowers, interesting insects, and wildlife. In nature the delight is in the details – slow down and see for yourself during your next hike at Wehr.
In the summer issue of Wehr Words, we hope you’ll enjoy learning about Wehr’s efforts to support the next generation of environmental leaders, spotlight the amazing Wehr Astronomical Society, highlight the 16,000+ volunteer hours, and more!
One bird’s mess is another bird’s meal! Wehr’s Wild Turkeys will gladly clean up the stray seed thrown to the ground by busy birds at the feeders. It’s quite a sight to find cardinals, doves, and sparrows eating right alongside these giant turkeys.
See why Wehr Nature Center is “a place for all seasons, a place for everyone.” Explore more than five miles of nature trails through woodland, wetland, prairie and oak savanna on 220-acres of protected land in Whitnall Park at Wehr Nature Center.
This is without a doubt, the best place to birdwatch and see wildlife in the Milwaukee metro area. The nature center is fantastic. The staff is welcoming and the trails are extremely well-maintained. Always something exciting to see!
🌿🥜 Brews & Botany is right around the corner! 🍻🌱Did you know that some of Wisconsin's native plants have close relatives that help flavor some of our favorite beverages? As we count down to "Brews & Botany", we're highlighting plants that connect our local landscapes to drinks enjoyed around the world.Today's featured plant is the American Hazelnut (Corylus americana).This beautiful native shrub is a wildlife powerhouse! Its nutritious nuts are enjoyed by squirrels, foxes, deer, wild turkey, ruffed grouse, northern bobwhite, pheasants, and woodpeckers. Rabbits and deer browse its leaves and twigs, while its dense thickets provide valuable nesting cover for birds and other wildlife. It also serves as a host plant for numerous moths and butterflies, including the magnificent Polyphemus and Io moths.Its European cousin, the European Hazelnut (Corylus avellana), is the source of the familiar hazelnut flavor found in:☕ Coffee and lattes🥛 Creamy dairy-free hazelnut milk🥃 Hazelnut liqueurs like Frangelico🍫 Rich, nutty hot chocolateBut our native American Hazelnut isn't just for wildlife! With a little foraging (where permitted and done sustainably), its nuts can also be transformed into delicious homemade hazelnut milk. Award-winning Minnesota chef and forager Alan Bergo, better known as *The Forager Chef*, has a wonderful recipe that lets you experience the rich flavor of this native treasure for yourself.Check out his recipe here:foragerchef.com/hazelnut-milk/Want to discover more surprising connections between Wisconsin's native plants and your favorite beverages? Join us at Brews & Botany!The image displays a close-up view of hazelnuts still on the branch, enveloped partially by their delicate green husks. Two distinct nuts are visible, characterized by their round shapes and slight fuzziness. Surrounding them are various shades of green leaves, some with small, darker spots and textured veining. The background is softly blurred, allowing the focus to remain on the nuts and leaves. At the bottom, there's a transparent overlay with the text "Brews & Botany" and a graphic of a plant, suggesting a connection to botany or plant-related topics.Transcribed Text:Brews & BotanyThe plants behind your bevyLearn more and register here:www.wehrnaturecenter.com/event/brews-and-botany/#BrewsAndBotany #WehrNatureCenter #WisconsinNativePlants #AmericanHazelnut #NativePlants #Foraging #PlantBased #Pollinators #WildlifeHabitat
Did you know there is a group of caterpillars called "Slug Moth" Caterpillars? At first glance, you might mistake this tiny creature for a miniature slug rather than a caterpillar—and that's exactly what makes slug caterpillars so fascinating. Members of the slug moth family (Limacodidae) have evolved a body unlike almost any other butterfly or moth larva.Instead of the familiar rows of fleshy prolegs that most caterpillars use for walking, slug caterpillars have greatly reduced legs and tiny suction-like pads on their underside. They glide smoothly across leaves on a thin layer of liquefied silk, moving in gentle rolling waves rather than taking individual steps. Their flattened, oval bodies and hidden heads give them an almost alien appearance.One species you may encounter is the Yellow-collared Slug Moth (Apoda y-inversum). Its bright green, slug-like caterpillar feeds on the leaves of hardwood trees, including oak, hickory, beech, and ironwood. Rather than chewing holes through the middle of leaves, it often creates neat, straight-edged bites along the leaf margins. Its head remains tucked beneath a protective fleshy hood while feeding, helping shield this vulnerable body part from predators. ***(Photo is on the right side)Another Wisconsin species is the Yellow-shouldered Slug Moth (Lithacodes fasciola). Its caterpillar is a flattened, oval-shaped bright yellow-green with narrow yellow and green stripes running the length of its body. Tiny crater-like pits dot its back, giving it a textured appearance. Like its relatives, it glides instead of crawls and feeds on a wide variety of deciduous trees and shrubs, including oak, maple, birch, cherry, apple, willow, beech, blueberry, chestnut, hickory, honey locust, hornbeam, and linden. ***Photo is on the left side)When fully grown, slug caterpillars spin remarkably tough, cup-shaped cocoons with a built-in circular escape hatch. The adult moths that emerge are small, fuzzy insects, often beautifully patterned in shades of brown, cream, and black.While some slug caterpillar species possess stinging spines capable of causing painful reactions, these two species are considered harmless or only mildly irritating. Even so, it's always best to admire caterpillars with your eyes rather than your hands.These unusual caterpillars are a wonderful reminder that nature is full of surprises. Even among familiar insects like moths, evolution has produced incredible diversity in form, movement, and survival strategies.Photo on the left is a green caterpillar with spiky texture rests on a leaf on a wooden surface. Wehr Nature Center logo is in the lower left corner.Photo on the right is a close-up of a green caterpillar with yellow lines running parallel to the body accented by tiny blue dots, perched on a leaf, showcasing its detailed texture and color. Wehr Nature Center logo is in the lower left corner.
Enjoy member perks like free parking, discounts on select programs and events, and more!
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