Guadalupe Chapter - Texas Master Naturalist Program

09/14/2026

Join us in Seguin for our monthly meeting and program. September 26, 2026 to hear Dr. Sonja Swiger present the latest findings on the New World Screwworm. A link the online login will be added soon.

08/29/2026

In case you missed the August Monthly meeting, here is the recording of Carolyn Wolfer’s presentation discussing her 5-year long research project on the Manfreda Maculosa, the sole host plant for the extremely rare Manfreda Giant Skipper. Very interesting!

Carolyn Wolfer shares her 5-year research project on the Manfreda M...

08/16/2026

Join us August 24, 2026 at the Schertz Senior Center, 608 Schertz Pkwy for our monthly meeting. Fellowship starts at 6:30 p.m. Program info below.

07/28/2026

🌿 Thank You, Texas Master Naturalist Class of 2025! 🌿

A heartfelt thank you to the Texas Master Naturalist Class of 2025 volunteers who joined us for Pay It Forward Day at the Canyon Lake Gorge!

Together, we cleared fallen trees, removed brush, and transformed the area into a new outdoor classroom where students can gather to learn, explore, and connect with nature during future educational programs. Your hard work has created a meaningful space that will benefit thousands of students for years to come.

We’re excited that this new outdoor classroom will be ready to welcome the Class of 2026 during their Gorge tour and serve as a lasting reminder of the Class of 2025’s commitment to conservation, education, and stewardship.

Thank you for giving back and helping make the Gorge an even better place to learn.

📅 Save the Date:

Our next Pay It Forward Day is Saturday, February 13, 2027. We hope you’ll join us again as we continue improving the Canyon Lake Gorge for future students and visitors.

Thank you for leaving a lasting legacy at the Gorge.

07/28/2026

Learn how to invite butterflies over into your garden with the AgriLife Extension Butterfly Gardening course. Spot Texas butterfly species and pick the plants that'll have them fluttering to your yard! 🌼 🦋

Start learning today: tx.ag/ButterflyGardeningCourse

Texas A&M Entomology

07/28/2026

A major international newspaper doesn't usually spend a whole photo essay on a wildlife crossing in San Antonio.

The Guardian did. It's part of their "Design a better world" series, a look at how designers around the world are solving big problems with smart thinking. They covered the details we love talking about too, like the steel walls that block highway noise and light, and the berm and plantings that keep people and wildlife on separate paths.

Within six months of opening in 2020, biologists had already spotted raccoons, deer, bobcats, and small mammals using the wildlife crossing.

We've known what this bridge does since its early days. We're happy the rest of the world is noticing.

See the full gallery from The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2026/jun/26/san-antonio-texas-land-bridge-wildlife

07/24/2026

https://ownyardlife.com/what-it-means-when-a-cardinal-tilts-its-head-at-you-in-texas/

Discover why a cardinal tilts its head at you in Texas and how this curious behavior helps it see, hear, and stay safe.

07/23/2026

Our next certification training class begins August 4! Follow the link for more details and sign-up info. We still have seats available. Join us for evening classes at the Schertz Schertz Area Senior Center!

Certification Training Now Accepting Applications for The 2026 Class Thank you for your interest in the Guadalupe Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalist program, a statewide organization sponsored jointly by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. The mission of...

07/22/2026

**POST IS OUTDATED- We appreciate the outpouring of support the community has offered!**

📣Guadalupe River State Park needs your help!

Recent flooding left debris throughout the park and we’re looking for volunteers to join our post-flood clean-up crew.

Volunteer opportunities are available Wednesday through Friday this week from 8:30am to 11:30am (July 22nd-24th).

Entry fees are waived for all volunteers.

📩To sign up or ask questions, please email Ranger Jessica at [email protected].

Volunteers must be active in VMS (Volunteer Management System). We can provide the sign-up link via email if needed. Age requirement for this particular opportunity is 18 and up.

Thank you for helping us restore the park for our community and wildlife!

07/20/2026

A 10-year-old child's experiment proved that memories can be passed down through generations.

It all began when Jo Nagai, a second-grader from Kobe, Japan, noticed his hand-raised swallowtail butterflies seemed to recognize him, while wild ones flew away.

Determined to find a scientific answer, he reached out to Georgetown University entomologist Dr. Martha Weiss, who had famously demonstrated that moths can retain memories through the chaotic cellular breakdown of metamorphosis.

Inspired by her work, Jo proposed replicating her study on butterflies, leading to an extraordinary cross-continental collaboration. Using a home-designed setup, Jo trained caterpillars to associate a mild vibration with the scent of lavender.

Astoundingly, after their brains were completely rebuilt in their chrysalis, 70 percent of the adult butterflies still avoided the lavender scent—proving their memories survived the transformation.

But the most shocking discovery occurred when Jo bred these trained insects.

Without ever experiencing the vibration themselves, both the offspring and the grandchildren of the trained butterflies inherited an instinctual aversion to the lavender scent. At just ten years old, Jo documented these revolutionary findings in a 33-page paper and presented them alongside Dr. Weiss at the International Congress of Entomology in Kobe. This extraordinary discovery of transgenerational memory not only challenges traditional understandings of genetics and inheritance but also highlights how the curiosity of a child can disrupt the boundaries of modern science.

source: Upworthy. (2026). Ten-year-old butterfly researcher discovers that memories can be passed down through generations.