Student and community volunteers used skits about nature to teach area children and adults about plants and animals “invading” Iowa over the weekend.

ISU students, professors and Ames families donned black suites and sunglasses Saturday night at McFarland Park for the 17th annual Halloween Hike, “Rangers in Black: Aliens Among Us,” sponsored by the Story County Conservation Board.

The volunteers performed skits to inform adults and children about the invasive species taking over Iowa’s native plants and animals. Nearly 500 people attended, said Linda Zaletel, Story County naturalist.

Amy Lekwa, senior in animal ecology, played a bluebird in one of the skits along the path.

The performance demonstrated how sparrows and starlings are constantly invading the native bluebirds’ territory, she said.

“Do you guys have any idea how I can keep these other birds out of my nest? I was here first,” Lekwa asked the audience.

Three volunteers played a group of sparrows and starlings. The skit taught kids that sparrows and starlings invade the bluebirds’ home to repopulate, she said.

Lekwa said interactive skits like hers help kids learn.

Joel Geske, associate professor in the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication, volunteered for the hike with his family.

“Its kind of a family affair,” said Geske’s wife, Nan. “For many years all of [my children] have helped [and] we keep getting them to come back.”

Sarah Raymond, sophomore in elementary education, volunteered as a hike leader with her co-workers.

“We will definitely be back next year,” she said. “It is great to see the kids get so excited.”

Raymond said the hike was enjoyable for both the children and volunteers.

“It was a good experience and you can meet people from the community that you don’t at the university,” she said.

John Pohlman, chairman of the Story County Conservation Board, said the hike is more educational than a traditional haunted house.

“I just don’t see how anyone can walk through haunted houses and look at scary monsters and chopped-up bodies and see that as fun,” he said. “This is a great opportunity for families and a lot of fun for the volunteers.”