Camouflage: Crayfish, Minnows, Caddisflies and Red Efts!

Whew! We’re already four days into Session Four: Animal Superheroes! This session campers are learning about the adaptations of the animals that live here. Yesterday campers learned about different kinds of camouflage, a strategy that lots of animals use to survive. There are several kinds of camouflage, such as matching color, disruptive coloration, warning coloration, masking and countershading.

The Young Naturalists went to Amethyst Brook Conservation Area in Amherst yesterday to play camouflage games and discover camouflage creatures in the river.

Climbing and bouncing on a fallen hemlock tree was a huge hit.

We found some really cool mushrooms on our walk. They looked like tiny umbrellas!

We found Indian Pipe, a really cool parasitic plant that lacks chlorophyll. It seems more like a mushroom than a plant!

Some of us looked for minnows, crayfish and other creatures. I was looking for a caddisfly larva, the kings of river “masking” camouflage (when an animal covers itself with materials from its habitat to blend in). I found some but they weren't easy to photograph. Here's a link to their life cycle if you want to have a look. 

We found a mini “beach” with a rocky part and a sandy part. 

Tiny little crayfish! 

The afternoon campers created a little habitat in a basin so we could look at the creatures up close. We put some rocks and sand in to make it feel a little more like home. Then we put them back when it was time to go.

We have just a few photos here of the Explorers on their trip to Chapel Falls in Ashfield. They found a cool red-spotted salamander in its "red eft" terrestrial stage of life. Its bright coloring indicates warning coloration - a survival strategy that alerts predators not to eat it because it is poisonous.

Challenge and trip to Groff Park

The Explorers participated in a group challenge this morning to answer the question, how do we get our whole group to the other side of the rope without touching it? What are the best methods to accomplish this task? How can we work together?

The group learned a way to lock their arms and hands to provide a platform for others to cross.

Sometimes it was easier to pick each other up.

For some, it was easier to jump. They crossed first to help others in their group.

The group assessed their overall performance during one attempt - it was so, so and they agreed to try again.

Sometimes it took a combination of efforts, both lifting and stepping over.

Everyone celebrates as they are able to cross successfully.

The strong arm hold we learned.

Teamwork!

In the late morning all campers walked to Groff Park where we had fun exploring the Fort River.

Sometimes we had to climb over logs to find the perfect spot.

A new seat, made from a tree branch, was tested.

Some of us searched for crayfish and invertebrates.

Some of us played by the banks.

We caught a few crayfish!

We explored logs and fallen trees.

We learned about skipping rocks and tested which rocks were best for the task.

"Hey guys, I caught a crayfish!"

Crayfish!

We built a village in the sand.

Some of the rocks in the river are great for standing on.

We also found sparkling rocks.