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Critter Crawl Night Tour

Join us after dark on a night-time adventure with our Education Staff and Docents! Discover the amazing world of nocturnal life in the Sonoran Desert on this family friendly ‘crawl’. Guests will learn about Sonoran Desert ecology while taking a closer look at the local critters. Plus, you will get the knowledge you need to be prepared for your own night-time treks.
Preregistration is required and limited to 24 guests. For your safety, children ages 4 and under and pets are not permitted.
Register: https://7830.blackbaudhosting.com/7830/Critter-Crawl-Night-Tour-12Jun2026
Distance: Each experience is unique and follows the critters. However, you will walk no more than 1 mile.
Duration: 1.5 hours
Content Notice: This tour contains content regarding snakes, spiders, scorpions, bugs, owls, and other nighttime animals. The arboretum is primarily dark at night and artificial lighting is limited.
What to bring/wear: Close-toed shoes, plenty of water (at least 32oz/person), flashlights/headlamps for each member of your party, and snacks (if needed). Our gift shop will NOT be open to purchase water bottles or snacks.
Trail conditions: Mostly flat, hard packed dirt with small portions of sand and cobblestone. Our trails are not leveled and contain uneven terrain, humps, and dips. Trail width is at minimum 2 ft across.
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Foster your child`s love for nature with one of our Adventure Packs! Free to borrow from Member and Guest Services upon arrival, these packs include:
👁️Binoculars
📖Field Guides
🔍Magnifying Glass
🩹First Aid Kit
📷Scavenger Hunt
🦇Adventure Buddy Plushie
If your child completes the Scavenger Hunt - they`ll get a small prize!
Plan your adventure today by visiting btarboretum.org
#familyactivities #naturelovers #ThingsToDoAZ #VisitSuperior #btarboretum #natureeducation #scavengerhunt
With Halloween fast approaching, it`s the perfect time to appreciate the spookier plants in nature! 🎃
One such plant is the stapelia, also known as a carrion flower. To attract pollinators like flies, it releases a scent similar to that of a rotting carcass, making it a flower you definitely want to avoid smelling!
What are some of your favorite spooky plants? Let us know in the comments!
#carrionflower #halloweenplants #spookyplants #plantlovers #plantfacts #stapelia #natureeducation
These are Arizona poppies, also known as Kallstroemia grandiflora! They can be found all across the Sonoran Desert and have some amazing adaptations that help them grow in our dry climate.
Once planted, these seeds will only start germinating when the conditions are just right. Their dormancy can sometimes last two years! If it`s too hot or too dry, they`ll wait for better weather.
So if you`ve planted Arizona poppies in your garden, and they haven`t been growing, it`s not too late! Give them some extra care and time and you just might see them bloom when you least expect it.
#arizonapoppies #summerpoppies #plantfacts #flowerlovers #desertgardens #gardenersofinstagram
🪴Prepare for our Fall Plant Sale by previewing our lineup of succulents, cacti, perennials, shrubs, and more! View the complete list by clicking the link in our bio.
All plants are in limited supply and available on a first-come, first-served basis, so if there`s a plant you`re eyeing, come get it before it`s gone!
Fall Plant Sale:
📅October 17 - November 1
⭐October 16: Member`s Preview
🕗8:00 am - 5:00 pm
#fallplantsale #fallgardening #gardening #arizonagardening #desertgardens #cactiforsale #plantlovers
The Sonoran Desert is home to at least nine species of leopard frogs. Who knew something that depends so much on water could survive in a place like Arizona?
These frogs can be spotted in the Demonstration Garden pond and the Desert Legume Garden pond. They can be shy and will hide when you first approach, but if you give them time you`ll be rewarded with some cute froggy faces.
#leopardfrog #DesertWildlife #FrogLovers #frogsofinstagram #naturelovers
It`s officially spooky season!
What better way to celebrate than showing some appreciation for our tarantula friends? Tarantulas are the biggest spiders in North America and are expert hunters. The hairs on their body help them sense movement, guiding them to their prey. They are known to eat beetles, grasshoppers, and sometimes even mice!
These unique spiders are timid and fragile, so always keep a safe distance when observing in the wild.
#deserttarantula #tarantula #spookyseason #spiderlovers #DesertWildlife
Join us every Wednesday from now through April 2027 for a guided bird walk! As an Important Bird Area, Boyce Thompson Arboretum is the perfect place for new and advanced birders alike.
📆 Every Wednesday
🕣 8:15 - 9:30 am
🎟️Free with Admission
No binoculars? No problem! Loaner binoculars are available at our admissions window.
Walk size is 15 people. Registration is first come, first serve. To register for a walk, sign up at the Gift Shop. Reservations are not accepted.
**Due to the holiday, there will not be a Bird Walk on December 23**
#birdwalk #arizonabirding #birdsofarizona #ImportantBirdArea #birders #birdlovers #BirdEducation