Wildlands Conservancy offered a Build A Naturalist Program for Willow Lane students recently at Creamery Park, 8070 Spring Creek Road.

The topics for the classes were birds, bugs, butterfly weed, skunks, snakes and sassafras trees.

The program was taught by Denise Bauer, Wildlands staff naturalist who brought along various types of turtles, toads, snakes, lizards and more.

Jen Green, an intern at Wildlands, was on hand to help Bauer with the program. One lizard, Noodle, a bearded dragon who wandered into the Allentown Police Department is now a part of the Wildlands Conservancy program. Noodle also visited with the students.

Bauer taught the students how to look for worms to feed the turtles and toads, about the types of turtles and how they live.

Students also learned about a vole who was at the park in its natural habitat and was moving her babies. It appeared she had a new litter and a more mature litter as well.

The children would have been happy to spend the entire day, watching her, seeing animals, hunting for worms and feeding the turtles. About 16 Willow Lane students attended the August program.

Wildlands Conservancy has a variety of programs available throughout the year for all to enjoy. For additional information, visit their website at www.wildlandspa. org or call 610-965-4397.