July Kids’ Corner
from the Gale River Cooperative Preschool

FUN OUTDOORS FOR KIDS OF ALL AGES

In New Hampshire, July feels like peak summer. It has been warm for a while, the forests are lush and green, and the local water bodies are heating up! Whether you’re a freshwater or saltwater swimming fan, you should take some time to explore rivers and search for macroinvertebrates. The word macroinvertebrate refers to creatures that are large enough to see without a microscope and that don’t have a spine. These animals could be on land or in water, but often scientists focus on the aquatic macros because they can tell us a lot about the ecosystem.

Aquatic macroinvertebrates are usually the nymph or larval stage of an insect’s life cycle. Like how butterflies are caterpillars first, most insects have some sort of larval stage they go through on their journey to adulthood. These creatures like to cling to the underside of rocks in rivers with moving water. They include the larva of dragonflies, mayflies, stoneflies, caddisflies, and more. A lot of these creatures have adaptations during this stage of life. Caddisfly larva build themselves a tiny home out of pebbles, sand, bark, and leaves as protection. Dragonfly nymphs suck in water then shoot it out from their behind to move quickly through the water. Some of these nymphs remain in this stage of life for more than a year then live as an adult for only a few weeks! 

Macros tell us a lot about the health of a river ecosystem. Alongside being an important part of the food chain for fish and other creatures, they have different tolerance levels of pollution. Macros with a high tolerance of pollution can live in really polluted water while macros with low pollution tolerance can only live in clean and healthy rivers. Scientists will collect macros from a stream and then sort and count them. If they find more pollution intolerant macros that means the water is pretty healthy! It’s simple to hunt for macros as long as you have a net and don’t mind getting wet!

Want tips on how to explore the macroinvertebrates this July? Here are some ideas before you head outside!

• Hunting for aquatic macroinvertebrates is a fun, hands-on activity that is pretty accessible. All you need is a net, a bucket, and the willingness to get a bit wet. Start by filling your bucket with water and setting it on a level surface on the river bank. Then, wade into the water to a spot where the water is moving but isn’t dangerous.

  Interested in macroinvertebrate activities and crafts? We’ve got you covered!

• Macros have adaptations, or super powers, that help them survive. You can create your own macroinvertebrate (either a drawing or a sculpture) and give it a super power!

• Create your own river system! Water is such an engaging and exciting part of our world. Think about the parts of the river habitat and create your own. How does the water stay in the river? What kinds of plants and animals are there? You can choose your own materials and create a mini river.

  Photo credit: https://macroinvertebratesp1.weebly.com/about.html

  Thanks to our partner, the Gale River Cooperative Preschool in Bethlehem, for helping our area parents get kiddos outside for fun no matter the time of year.

  We can't wait to share the family fun we're planning with you. Keep an eye out in the coming months for announcements.

  LOOKING FOR MORE INFO ON THE GALE RIVER COOPERATIVE PRESCHOOL? FIND OUT MORE BY CLICKING THE LOGO BELOW!