Metea County Park

Notice the small yellow-orange box with an "H" in it? That is Metea North's 1-acre gem, the hilltop prairie? Thank you to the volunteers that showed up yesterday to help the staff remove invasive autumn olive, rose, honeysuckle and burning bush that were encroaching into the site. This is a natural wonder for Allen County with only six hilltop prairies to be found in Allen County. We will work at the site again on October 21st and 28th, finishing out the project for this year. If you are interested in helping, show up at 10am at the Metea North parking area off Hursh Rd. Please wear long pants, long sleeves, a hat and leather gloves as well as eye protection. We have some loppers to share. You are welcome to bring your own SAWZALL, Reciprocating Saw or pruning saws but we do not have funds to replace your personal gear. We appreciate your help and enthusiasm for saving natural areas! Hope to see you there!

Golden hour hits different in the autumn.

There’s something magical about standing by the pond at Metea on an autumn morning. As the early sun starts to peek over the tree line, low mist floats across the water, and the fall colors begin to glow through the fog.

It’s quiet, peaceful, and the perfect reminder to slow down and take in the season.

Have you caught a crisp fall sunrise at the park yet this year? Drop your best autumn park photos in the comments below!

Metea County Park is offering a Home School Series to learn about the compound microscope. It is a hands-on workshop that will focus on learning the parts of the microscope, focusing fundamentals, and specimen handling.

November 5, 12, & 19 9:30-11:00AM
$40/person - includes all three sessions, supplies & a microscope license)!
Spots are limited to 16! Pre-registration and payment are required to hold your spot!

Call Karie at 260-449-8619 or email [email protected] for more information!

The CREEK STOMP that was rescheduled for today has been CANCELLED. The area we usually do observations at is still underwater. Sorry!

This owl carving has been waiting for about 2 years to be found along this season’s trail. It was discovered today along the trail after months of standing guard. It is aged but has character!

We knocked on wood and the wood spirits have assembled . Visitors in search of these original carvings should concentrate on the "Trail of the musquash" and hike towards the direction of the rising sun. The spirits are not hidden and in view from the trail but not obvious. Please keep only 1 per family when found or move to a new location along the trail for others to find. There are 23 spirits guarding the trail and allowing for safe passage of the park's hikers. These carvings are each unique and carved by Tim and Jeff Ormiston. Please post photos of collected spirits and "good luck" to all who seek these wooden treasures!

Notice any giant, striking yellow-and-black spiders in your garden or along the trails lately?

Meet the Yellow Garden Spider (Argiope aurantia), also commonly known as the Writing Spider or Black and Yellow Orbweaver! If you’re seeing more of them right now, you’re not alone—late summer and early autumn are their prime season.

Here is why these impressive arachnids deserve a high-five (or high-eight!) instead of a broom:

🦟Master Pest Controllers: In the fall, insect populations spike before the first hard freeze. A single garden spider acts as natural pest control, catching grasshoppers, flies, stink bugs, and mosquitoes that might otherwise plague your yard or garden beds.

🕸Architects of the Garden: Their massive, circular webs can span up to two feet wide. You'll often see a bold, zigzag line of heavy silk running down the center—called a stabilimentum. Scientists think this prominent "writing" helps deter birds from flying straight through their webs or warns larger animals that the space is occupied!

🕷Autumn’s Next Generation: The large, conspicuous females you see right now are at the end of their lifecycle. They spend early fall laying round, brownish egg sacs packed with hundreds of eggs, carefully tucked into tall grasses or garden foliage. While the adults won't survive the winter frost, those eggs will safely overwinter to bring us a fresh batch of pest-busters next spring.

Harmless to humans and pets, these docile builders prefer to sit quietly in the middle of their webs doing heavy lifting for our local ecosystem.

Next time you spot one stretched out in the morning dew, leave her web intact—she’s working hard to keep the garden in balance!

Have you spotted any of these amazing weavers near your house this season? Drop a photo in the comments below! 👇



Spider photo: Karie Harding
Web photo: Adelina Harding

Come to a non-scary Halloween Activity at Metea County Park. We will be hosting a Jack O'Lantern Trail where kids can come and learn about the "misunderstood" creatures of Halloween like bats, spiders, snakes, owls & opossum.

Saturday October 17, 2026
Come by any time between 1-4PM
$5/child

Each station will consist of a craft, activity and a Halloween treat!

Come and TAKE A HIKE with us! This is a guided trail walk designed for nature lovers of all ages and experience levels!

Saturday, October 10, 2026
10AM
3/person

Register by emailing Karie at [email protected] or calling 449-8619.