Spineless Wonders

This week, campers have learned about creatures without spines, like spiders, pillbugs, worms, butterflies, and millipedes! To go along with this theme, both age groups have care of monarch butterfly caterpillars this week. It is amazing to see how these hungry critters grow: out of three caterpillars, there were two chrysalises by Thursday, and as I write this Friday morning we are wondering if we will have a third by the afternoon.





Campers went fielding with insect nets near the bike path at Amherst College. We discovered monarch butterflies, grasshoppers, crickets, spiders, moths and other animals in this meadow habitat.



We walked through the woods and found cool mushrooms, birds' egg shells and interesting flowers!


Climbing a huge mulch pile was a huge hit!


Campers got a chance to meet our live animals.


Some of whom were "spineless"...


...and others who were not!


Campers worked hard building little homes in the woods for fairies, squirrels and insects.


Campers became limnologists, exploring pond insects, mud and other aspects of freshwater science!

We hope your camper has had a wonderful experience at the Hitchcock Center summer camp! See you next year!

Bottle Rockets! Corn Snake! Beaver Pond!

The Explorers weren't afraid to get muddy yesterday at the farm irrigation pond.




Today's catch: green frogs!




Later, each camper got to make a bottle rocket and Bob helped set them off. Whoa!




It is always incredible to watch Maizie the corn snake eat her weekly mouse.




The Young Naturalists explored the beaver pond at the bike path.




And saw not one, but two great blue herons!

Fishing Fun

Both groups of campers have been having fun with fishing! Today the Young Naturalists hiked to Turtle Pond hoping to have a look at the catfish that live there. It was a success! Keegan caught one with a fishing pole, and before long all the campers were making their own fishing poles and digging for worms to try their luck.





The Explorers have been perfecting their fishing skills too. Campers dug for worms at the Hitchcock Center and then went fishing at Quabbin on Friday and today they are at Puffer's Pond seeing what they can catch. At the Quabbin Reservoir, campers toured the visitor center and had fun playing in the old jail downstairs!