Free programs look at birds, bugs and invasive plants

RIVER VALLEY — The National Park Service will present three free educational programs focusing on the insects, birds and invasive plants in the Upper Delaware Valley on Saturday, August 7 and Sunday, August 8. The programs will be offered at various public access areas along the Delaware.

“Bug Busters” will be held on Saturday, August 7 at 10:30 a.m. at the Ten Mile River Access. This program will dispel some of the common misconceptions about insects and the way they affect our lives. It will discuss the fascinating roles that insects have in Native American mythology.

That same day, “Birds of Prey” will be presented at 2:30 p.m. at the Lackawaxen Access. This program will offer information about the habits of owls, hawks and eagles and facts concerning the migration patterns of local birds-of-prey and their environmental impacts. Red-tailed hawks and bald eagles may be visible throughout the presentation.

“Invasive Invasives” will be presented on Sunday, August 8 at 2:30 p.m. at the Lackawaxen Access. Invasive plants are those that threaten the natural and ecological balance of the river’s ecosystem. This program will focus on two problematic species in the Upper Delaware Valley, purple loosestrife and Japanese knotweed.

For more information, or to request a list of this summer’s free educational programs, call Education Specialist Ingrid Peterec at 570/685-4871.