Wehr Nature Center

Wehr Nature Center Wehr is a place for all seasons, a place for everyone! Thank you,
Wehr Nature Center

For more than 50 years, Wehr Nature Center has inspired all generations to explore and value the natural world through experiential education, accessible trails, native landscapes and natural areas. Wehr Nature Center in Whitnall Park fosters an environmental awareness and conservation ethic in visitors of all ages through interactions with its restored habitats and education programming. The Center provides the public and Milwaukee County valuable information and resources on current local and global environmental issues and enables school groups to interact with and learn more about nature and conservation throughout the County Park System through its Nature in the Parks outreach programming. While the University of Wisconsin Colleges and University of Wisconsin – Extension, Milwaukee County Parks, and Wehr Nature Center do not regularly review content posted to social media sites, the administration shall have the right to remove any content from any official site for any reason, including but not limited to content deemed threatening, obscene, a violation of intellectual property rights or privacy laws, or otherwise injurious or illegal. Public opinions/comments posted on this site do not necessarily reflect those of UW-Extension/UW Colleges, Milwaukee County Parks or Wehr Nature Center. NATURE PRESERVE RULES
So all may enjoy the nature preserve along with not disturbing the wildlife:

-Please stay on trails
-Use caution near steep slopes and water
-Please don't pick, remove or add plants/wildlife
-No dogs and other pets
-No running
-No bikes
-No fishing

We are happy to provide other locations where these activities are allowed and appropriate.
___________________________________________________________
DIGITAL PHOTO POLICY
You will retain all rights to any photograph you submit -- including ownership if applicable. If you submit a photograph tagging the Wehr Nature Center, using the location of the Wehr Nature Center, or submitting to one of our photo contests, you grant the Wehr Nature Center a royalty-free, non-exclusive right to:

-Display the photograph on our the Friends of Wehr Website, or any of our social media accounts.
-Use the photograph on the Internet and in Social Media in support of our mission.
-Use the photograph in the Wehr Nature Center’s internal and external communications materials including but not limited to websites and web publications, fact sheets, fundraising publications, advertising, multimedia, presentation and membership services, and annual report. The Wehr Nature Center will endeavor to credit all photographs with the caption "Person's Name" when the full name is available.

09/30/2026

🕷️🎃 Who’s lurking beneath the leaves at Halloween Haunts? The DECOMPOSERS! 🎃🕷️

Centipedes, millipedes, and roly-polies may not be the creatures you expect to meet in an Enchanted Forest, but these creepy crawlies play an important role in nature!

🎤 We’re the decomposers,
And we live with the slugs.
Look at all our legs—
And don’t call us bugs!

🪱 Centipedes are predators, hunting beetles and ants.
🍂 Millipedes help clean up by munching on dead and decaying plant material.
🪨 Roly-polies feast on leaves that have started to spoil.

They all love the dark, damp places beneath logs, rocks, and branches—and without decomposers, dead stuff would pile up past your nose! 😱

So, while you're exploring the Enchanted Forest at Halloween Haunts, keep an eye out for the tiny creatures that help keep the forest clean. You might even hear their Decomposer Rap! 🎶

And remember… if you eat too much Halloween candy and get a little 🤢, don't worry. The decomposers are ready to clean up!

🎃 Halloween Haunts at Wehr Nature Center
Three nights of spooky fun, nature, and an Enchanted Forest filled with creatures both imaginary and real!

🎟️ Get your tickets before they disappear!
See this link: https://www.facebook.com/share/18Dm9paN4V/

Video is of three people in costumes representing a Centipede, Millipede, and Roly-poly in front of a dark background with a large white spider web behind them. They are preforming the "Decomposer Rap" for our annual Halloween Haunts.

📢 IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR OUR FOLLOWERS!Facebook has rolled out a new subscription-based model affecting business, org...
09/29/2026



📢 IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR OUR FOLLOWERS!

Facebook has rolled out a new subscription-based model affecting business, organizational pages, non-profit organizations, and places like Wehr Nature Center.

We are currently working through the details and determining how these changes may affect the way we share information with you.

Until we have a plan in place, please note that we may be limited in the number of links we can share each month. You can always find the Wehr Nature Center website listed in the Details section of our page, even if we are unable to provide direct links to specific programs, events, registration pages, or other online resources.

🌳Right now we are able to put links into the comment section, and we will indicate if a post has a link in said comments.

We appreciate your patience and understanding as we navigate these changes. We hope to have a solution in place soon!

🌿 Thank you for following and supporting Wehr Nature Center!

🐢🌿 Nature Photo of the Day: White TurtleheadToday’s nature photo is White Turtlehead (*Chelone glabra), a beautiful nati...
09/28/2026

🐢🌿 Nature Photo of the Day: White Turtlehead

Today’s nature photo is White Turtlehead (*Chelone glabra), a beautiful native perennial blooming along Mallard Lake at Wehr Nature Center.

Have you ever wondered how Turtlehead got its name? It's pretty white blossoms resemble the head of a turtle poking out from its shell! The genus name Chelone even comes from the Greek word for tortoise. 🐢

White Turtlehead thrives in moist to wet soils and can be found growing along stream banks, ponds, marshes, fens, and other wet habitats. Its late-summer to fall blooms are an important nectar source for butterflies, bumblebees, and Ruby-throated Hummingbirds.

But perhaps one of its most interesting relationships is with the Baltimore Checkerspot butterfly (Euphydryas phaeton). White Turtlehead is an important host plant for Baltimore Checkerspot caterpillars, providing them with food as they develop.

While our naturalists would love to post a photo of a Baltimore Checkerspot from Wehr, none of our staff have seen one in person on the property. We would certainly be counting our lucky stars if we did! 🦋✨

Have you ever spotted a Baltimore Checkerspot at Wehr? Let us know! To learn more about this butterfly see the link in the comments.

🧙‍♀️ By moonlight bright and slime so green, Don’t be the last to join the scene! 🎃Double, double, toil and fright,Hallo...
09/28/2026

🧙‍♀️ By moonlight bright and slime so green,
Don’t be the last to join the scene! 🎃

Double, double, toil and fright,
Halloween Haunts will soon ignite!
Through haunted woods and eerie trails,
Beware of witches, ghosts, and tales! 🕷️🦉

Tickets are waiting—don’t delay,
Choose your date and time today!
For a spooky night you won’t want to miss

Hurry, hurry, don’t be late—
The witch is waiting at the gate! 🧙‍♀️

38th Annual Halloween Haunts
October 15–17, 2026, from 6–8:30 PM.

https://www.facebook.com/share/1JEVB1aLZu/ 🎃👻

Who has been here? 🐝🔎Take a closer look at a bottle gentian (Gentiana andrewsii). Its flowers may look like tightly clos...
09/27/2026

Who has been here? 🐝🔎

Take a closer look at a bottle gentian (Gentiana andrewsii). Its flowers may look like tightly closed buds, but someone has figured out how to get inside!

🐝 The bumblebee pollinator: Large, strong bumblebees can push their way between the soft, flexible petals to reach the nectar hidden inside. As they squeeze through the flower, pollen sticks to their bodies and can be carried to the next flower.

👅 Long-tongued bumblebees: Their long tongues make it easier to reach nectar hidden deep inside flowers.

🐝 Short-tongued bees: Reaching deep nectar can be more challenging. Some bees may find another way to get their reward.

🦷 The nectar robber: Some bees bite or use holes near the base of a flower to reach nectar without entering through the normal opening. This shortcut can provide a meal for the bee—but may bypass the flower's reproductive parts, meaning the bee doesn't necessarily pollinate the plant.

So, who has been here?

Next time you find a bottle gentian, look closely. Can you spot the clues? 🌿🔎🐝 Hint there is large chew mark near the base of the one flower to the left.

09/26/2026

🎃👻 Halloween Haunts is right around the corner! 👻🎃

Don’t forget to get your tickets for Wehr Nature Center’s 38th Annual Halloween Haunts—three nights of spooky fun, nighttime nature, and more than 300 glowing jack-o-lanterns lighting the path through our Enchanted Forest! 🌙🎃🌲

✨ What’s new this year?
🌌 Theme: Turn Off the Lights, Save the Night
🎭 New characters joining our beloved legacy characters
📖🥾 Pre-hike Story Stroll featuring Millie Fleur Saves the Night
🍿☕ Light concessions available for purchase

🎟️ General Public: Tickets are currently available to purchase, please see the link in the comments.

Important ticket information:
⚠️ Advance ticket purchase is required—**no tickets will be sold at the event.
⚠️ Tickets are non-refundable and non-exchangeable. Please carefully check your selected date and guided-hike time before completing your purchase.

⏰ Ticket sales end at 3:00 p.m. on the day of the event, if tickets remain available.

💵 Admission:
$16 per person
$12 for Friends of Wehr members
$5 parking fee payable online during registration for non-members

📅 October 15–17 | 6:00–8:30 p.m.

Halloween Haunts is designed to create chuckles and smiles—not nightmares! Come experience Halloween in nature with a cackling witch, talking owl, rapping arthropods, and a woodland glowing with hundreds of jack-o-lanterns. 🦉🕷️🎃

🎃 Get your tickets early—you don’t want to have a ghost of a chance!

For tickets, event details, and important information, visit the 38th Annual Halloween Haunts event page and check the drop-down menus for What Can I Expect at this Event?” and "What are the ticket policies?

Thank you to our event sponsor, Waterstone Bank! 💙

🎃 Tickets are LIVE for Halloween Haunts at Wehr Nature Center! 👻Halloween Haunts combines the make-believe magic of Hall...
09/24/2026



🎃 Tickets are LIVE for Halloween Haunts at Wehr Nature Center! 👻

Halloween Haunts combines the make-believe magic of Halloween with the beauty of nighttime nature for a spooky, family-friendly adventure! For three nights each year, Wehr’s woodland transforms into an Enchanted Forest filled with a cackling witch, a talking owl, and even some rapping arthropods. 🕷️🕸️

🧟 Don’t be a zombie—get your tickets early!

🎟️ Advance ticket purchase is required. No tickets will be sold at the event.

Please note: All tickets are non-refundable and non-exchangeable.

🌙 Learn more about Halloween Haunts and register through the link in the comments!

Bug Day is fast approaching. Do you have tickets? To learn more about this awesome bug-filled event please visit this l...
08/26/2026

Bug Day is fast approaching. Do you have tickets? To learn more about this awesome bug-filled event please visit this link: https://www.wehrnaturecenter.com/event/bug-day/

🦋 Meet the Virginia Creeper Sphinx Moth! 🌙

Have you ever mistaken a moth for a hummingbird? The Virginia creeper sphinx moth (Darapsa myron) is one of the moths that can make you do a double take!

With a wingspan of about 1¾–2½ inches, this beautifully patterned moth has brown, tan, gray, and olive tones on its forewings, while its hindwings flash orange to rusty colors when it takes flight.

🌿 Where do the caterpillars live?
Despite its name, Virginia creeper isn't its only host plant! The caterpillars feed on Virginia creeper, wild grapes, and related plants. Mature caterpillars can be green, pink, tan, or brown and have the characteristic “horn” found on many sphinx moth caterpillars.

🌸 What do the adults eat?
Adult Virginia creeper sphinx moths feed on flower nectar, hovering in front of flowers as they drink—much like a hummingbird! Their role as nighttime pollinators makes them an important part of woodland and brushy ecosystems.

🌳 Where can you find them?
Look for them in woodlands, woodland edges, and brushy areas. They are also attracted to lights, making nighttime moth surveys a great way to discover these fascinating insects.

And here's a fun fact: sphinx moth caterpillars get their name from the way they often rest with their head raised, resembling the posture of an Egyptian sphinx!

✨ Next time you see Virginia creeper or wild grapes growing along a woodland edge, take a closer look—you might be supporting a future sphinx moth!

The image features a close-up view of a green caterpillar positioned atop a green leaf. The caterpillar is elongated and segmented, displaying a textured surface with small, pale bumps and subtle orange dots along its body. Its head is raised, and small horns are visible, giving it an inquisitive appearance. Surrounding the caterpillar are the jagged edges of the leaf, showcasing its intricate veins and a vibrant green color. In the lower right corner, there is a circular inset that contains an image of a brown moth. The moth has broad wings expanded outward, showing patterns of dark brown and black tones, along with a prominent V-shape cutout in the middle of its hind wings. The background of the entire image is dark, emphasizing the vivid colors of the caterpillar and leaf, contributing to a striking contrast.

Bug Day is fast approaching. Do you have tickets? To learn more about this awesome bug-filled event please visit this l...
08/23/2026

Bug Day is fast approaching. Do you have tickets? To learn more about this awesome bug-filled event please visit this link: https://www.wehrnaturecenter.com/event/bug-day/

🕷️🕸️ Did you know Charlotte from "Charlotte’s Web" was inspired by the amazing world of orb-weaver spiders?

If you’ve ever pictured Charlotte spinning her iconic web, you’ve pictured one of nature’s most incredible architectural feats!

Orb-weaver spiders, members of the family Araneidae, are famous for their beautiful, wheel-shaped webs. They create these intricate structures using specialized organs called spinnerets, located at the tip of their abdomen.

So, how do spinnerets work?

🕸️ Tiny silk factories: Orb weavers typically have three pairs of mobile spinnerets, covered with microscopic openings called **spigots** that connect to specialized silk glands.

🧵Liquid becomes silk: Inside the spider, silk begins as a liquid protein solution. As the spider draws it through the tiny spigots, the proteins are transformed into incredibly strong and flexible threads.

🎯Precision engineering: Using their legs and body movements, spiders carefully control where each strand goes as they construct their intricate orb webs.

♻️Spider recycling: When an orb weaver is ready to rebuild, it may eat portions of its old web and recycle the valuable proteins to help produce new silk!

Charlotte may be a fictional character, but the spider biology behind her incredible web is very real. 🕷️✨

Next time you see an orb web sparkling in the morning dew, take a moment to appreciate the tiny architect who built it!

The image features a close-up of a spider situated at the center of its intricately woven web. The spider has a glossy, reddish-brown body adorned with yellow dots and markings, and its eight legs extend outward, prominently displaying their segmented structure. The background is predominantly dark, enhancing the visibility of the spider and its web. The web itself is composed of fine, delicate strands that intersect in a geometric pattern, showcasing the spider's craftsmanship. An arrow points to the spinnerets located at the rear of the spider's abdomen, indicating their function in web production.

’sWeb

Here’s the beef, corn and Mozzarella and the spinach and three cheese empanadas from La Empanada LLC. They will be serv...
08/22/2026

Here’s the beef, corn and Mozzarella and the spinach and three cheese empanadas from La Empanada LLC.

They will be serving up some delicious empandas at Brews & Botany.

Address

9701 West College Avenue
Franklin, WI
53132

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Friday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Saturday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Sunday 8:30am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+14144258550

Website

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