Morton Arboretum goes batty

Most live encounters with bats begin and end with a shriek.

Whether they're surprising a person in their home or part of a Halloween decoration, bats don't usually generate warm and fuzzy feelings.

Yet that's exactly why the little winged creatures are so fascinating, say Morton Arboretum employees who organized this year's Trick or Trees event where several bats will appear later this month.

They're irresistible, said Katherine Johnson, Children's Garden manager, who adds that there's something primal about the way the nocturnal creature captures people's imaginations.

"The bats are very cute," she said. "Most of us don't like mice, but when you get up close to one you see that they have these sweet little faces. The bats look like something that you'll want to touch and cuddle - they're just so cute."

They'll headline a weekend of batty events for children at Trick or Trees, an annual autumn attraction the arboretum is opening to nonmembers for the first time this year.

Little ghosts and goblins can attend wearing their costumes and trick-or-treat in the Children's Garden from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 24 and 25.

Events include a haunted maze, spooky tram rides and the Creepy Treeditions tree walk. There'll also be candy, crafts, games, face painting and pumpkin decorating.

"It's kind of like a giant school carnival," said Marilyn Baysek, special events coordinator. "We're trying to spook it up a little bit but not scare kids. We're showcasing trees but adding on a bunch of other fun things as well."

Musical Mark will sing about bats, and crafts include finger puppets of bats.

People may not touch the live bats, provided by the Organization for Bat Conservation, although the draw to do so is understandable, Johnson said.

"It's something you don't see every day and you certainly don't get to see close up," Johnson said.

The event is included with the cost of admission, although some activities will require a fee as small as a quarter, Johnson said.

"I don't want anybody to be deterred because it'll cost too much money," Johnson said. "It's not going to be an expensive event."

For details, visit mortonarb.org.