By Kristen Swanberg, Senior Director of Education

Kidoinfo Giveaway: Win 4 tickets for your family to attend Audubon’s Raptor Weekend event on September 11th or 12th, 2010.  Tell us your favorite raptor in the comments below. One answer will be selected at random. Deadline to enter is Wednesday, September 8, 2010 at Midnight EST.

From Glocester to Block Island, raptors can be spotted soaring across our state.  These amazing birds eat meat and use their feet, instead of their beak, to capture prey. In fact, the word “raptor” comes from Latin meaning to “seize and carry away”. Hawks, falcons, eagles, and owls are all examples of raptors. Also called “birds of prey,” raptors have exceptionally good vision, a sharp hooked beak, and powerful feet with curved, sharp talons.

Raptors share common traits with all birds, such as feathers, wings, laying eggs, and being warm-blooded.  But it is their special adaptations that make them so amazing.  Let’s take a closer look….

Sharp Talons

The raptor’s sharp talons truly set them apart from all other birds – they are perfectly designed to catch, hold, and carry prey.  Most have three toes pointing forward and one pointing backward.  These toes have an extremely powerful grip.  Osprey and owls have one hinged toe that can be held in a forward or backward position.  Many owls even have feathers on their legs and feet while other raptors do not.  It is thought that these feathers help to keep them warm when they hunt on cold nights in the forest.

Hooked Beak

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By Kristen Swanberg, Senior Director of Education

Ever wonder what makes all that buzzing on hot summer days?  A very cool insect called a Cicada is the culprit.  Cicadas are quite large – one to two inches in length – with long wings and big eyes.  They are quite impressive to look at, but not to worry – they don’t bite or sting. They just make a lot of noise!

In the insect world cicadas fall into the scientific order called Homoptera along with leafhoppers and aphids.

In early summer when the soil temperature reaches above 64°F, cicada nymphs (juveniles) emerge. They have lived underground for years!  They typically appear at night and climb the closest tree.  Once these juveniles get a firm grasp on the trunk of the tree, they transform into an adult.  The nymph’s exoskeleton splits open along the back allowing the adult to emerge.  The adult cicada is a light green color at first, then darkens to a black/brown color.  The adult then leaves the exoskeleton behind and continues its climb further up the tree. That’s where the males make that loud buzzing sound you hear. They are looking to attract females.

In a slit made along a twig on the tree, the females lay their eggs.  The eggs remain there until the young hatch.  Upon emerging, the nymph drops to the ground then borrows down and remains underground for many years feeding on plant juices from roots.  As they near maturity the nymph will tunnel up through the ground continuing the lifecycle.

How do they make that sound?

The adult male cicada has two membranes called tymbals on each side of its first abdominal segment.  Muscles attached to the tymbals cause them to vibrate producing that buzzing you hear.  They also have a hollow abdomen helping to amplify the sound.  Their song is a long, continuous buzz that increases in intensity and loudness then dies off near the end.

Looking for Cicadas

Try looking for cicadas this summer.  They generally live in tall shade trees like oak and maple.  Your neighborhood might just be the right habitat.  First listen for the buzzing sound then try to find which tree the cicada is in.  Check the trunk of the tree for nymph sheds.  They are light brown and hollow.  If you find one, look down to locate the hole they emerged from.  The hole is about the size of your little finger.  As you look up along the trunk of the tree you just might discover a recently emerged adult cicada.  Have fun in your search!

The Scoop on Cicadas

• There are 75 different cicada species in eastern North America – all make slightly different buzzing sounds.

• Adult cicadas do not eat solid food, but instead drink fluids to avoid dehydration and live for only a few weeks.

• There are two groups of Cicadas.  Periodical cicadas which live underground for 13 or 17 years and emerge May to July.  And the more common annual cicadas that live underground for 2 to 8 years and typically emerge between July and August.

• Cicadas are among the longest living insects.

• Many people confuse cicadas with locusts by calling them the “seventeen-year locust”.  Locusts are in fact related to grasshoppers and crickets. They also make sounds in the summer but nothing like the cicada.

• Cicadas are eaten in many cultures. They are good source of vitamins and protein and are low in carbohydrates.  Lunch anyone?

Audubon’s Environmental Education Center is open year-round providing walking trails, nature programs, and exhibits for the whole family to discover.  For more information and a complete calendar of events, visit www.asri.org or call (401) 245-7500.

Summer is one of the busiest times of the year at the Zoo! Kids on summer break and families on vacation flock through the gates to enjoy a day outside together. You might see elephants out for a walk, camels stripping the leaves off of branches with their flexible tongues, or our new baby giraffe getting acquainted with the rest of his family. But what you might not be as aware of – even though it is right in front of you – is the many ways that Zoo Keepers and staff work to keep the animals comfortable and healthy in the high temperatures.

Just like people, animals have temperatures that are too hot (or cold) for their bodies to handle. Zoo Keepers and staff make sure that no animal is ever put in these extremes by constantly monitoring local weather and providing indoor, temperature-regulated enclosures for those that need it.

On the summer days where temperatures are okay for animals to be outside, Zoo Keepers give their animals plenty of choices on ways to cool off. Some of the things you might see on your next visit are:

• Shade.  Shade is the single most important factor in keeping animals cool at the Zoo. Some of our animals, like the red pandas, have shade from natural plants in their exhibit. Other animals, like our harbor seals and elephants have shade from special cloth supported by cables over part of their enclosure. Shade can even come from the shadows created by the walls and fences of the exhibit itself.

• Water. Another really important way that our animals keep cool in the summer is with water. Many animals have pools in their exhibit that they can choose to use. The Humbolt penguins spend lots time zipping around the water. Our moon bears could almost be mistaken for a person as they lounge in their pool. For other animals that are not naturally strong swimmers, like the emus and red pandas, the Zoo provides misters and sprinklers that animals can run through, sit in front of, or just ignore. It’s up to them!

• Ice enrichment. Keepers use ice to cool down the animals, as well as to provide a challenging feeding opportunity. Depending on the animal, keepers and volunteers make popsicles for the animals out of large buckets and yogurt containers. Part of the animal’s daily diet can be frozen in the ice. Some animals get fruit and vegetables while others like frozen peanut butter. Yum!

So the next time you visit the Zoo find a bench under a shady tree, walk underneath one of the misters set up for guests, grab a Dell’s lemonade and think about how much you and our Zoo residents have in common!

For more information about animals in their natural habitat, visit Roger William’s Park Zoo located at 1000 Elmwood Avenue. Providence, RI.

I wrote about some of our family’s favorite outdoor spaces for the July 2010 issue of Providence Monthly. Share your favorite spots in the comments below.

Brown Street Park & Playground
Location: behind Hope High School, East Side, Providence, RI
Parking: Street parking. Make sure to check the signs on where to park to avoid a ticket.

This park (a continuous work in progress) has been designed and built by a dedicated group of parents, neighbors and partners as a place that is both useful and beautiful. Although well used and nestled between Hope High School and residential streets this park private and cozy.

The Friends of Brown Street Park organization have a created an amazing outdoor space with thoughtful playground and exercise equipment and community garden. The large fenced-in park incorporates natural and re-purposed materials including old tires and a sculptural wood-slatted climbing structure into the playspace. The park is located behind the Hope High School running track. If the track is empty this a fabulous place to let your kids run laps.

Brown Street Park has a reputation for amazing programming including summer concert series, exercise classes and weekly story time. Find their full schedule on the website.

India Point Park & Playground
Location: India Street, Providence (near The Community Boating Center). The playground is located between the Gano Street entrance to the Park and the shoreline overlooking the Seekonk River. Pedestrian walking bridge crossing 95 connects Wickenden Street to the India Point Park.
Parking: Paved parking lot located short walk to playground.

We love this urban park for its large unstructured spaces located along the water, shady spots, multi-age playground and its appeal to people of all ages from many different neighborhoods. The park has picnic tables and paved pathways for walking and bike riding. A great spot for community events including the annual The Cape Verdean Independence Festival. On weekends you can watch the Mexican Soccer League play April through October.

The updated playground equipment has a maritime theme including boat-shaped sandboxes, climbing ropes, and a flagpole with yardarm. The fenced-in playground has a retaining wall on one side adorned by a community inspired stoneware mosaic mural, designed by artists Mika Seeger and Peter Geisser.

Bonus: Play the mural treasure hunt with your kids. Clues found here.
Website: http://www.friendsofindiapointpark.org/park.html

Burnside Park
Location: 2 Kennedy Plaza, Providence in downtown Providence adjacent to Kennedy Plaza
Parking: Metered street parking. Park in the mall parking lot. $1 for up to 3 hours. Or check RIPTA.com for schedules.

This small (mostly fenced in) park is a lovely shady spot in downtown Providence with plenty of benches and green space for a picnic. An equestrian statue of General Burnside of Civil War fame and known for his facial hair, now called sideburns, sits prominently in the park alongside a large ornate fountain.

Kennedy Plaza hosts events daily including lunchtime music concerts and weekly farmers market. New this year for families is the Kidoinfo story time. Every Tuesday mornings at 10am the all-ages storyhour will feature at least one book from a local Rhode Island author or illustrator along with weekly raffles and a book swap.

Website: http://www.kennedyplaza.org/
More information about the Kidoinfo story time found here.

Slater Memorial Park & Playground
Location: Newport Ave, Rte 1A, Pawtucket, RI
Parking: Multiple parking lots located throughout park including lots adjacent to the Carousel, playground and Daggett Farm.

This historic park is full of things to do and large enough you will have to drive from one end to the other. The popular Looff Carousel built in1894 and installed in the park in 1910 has retained its old fashioned charm (tickets required).  The park is a popular spot for special events including the children performance series on Tuesdays in the summer. There are tennis courts and plenty of open space for games and picnic areas. Walking and biking trails weave though the woods and alongside the water.

The fenced-in playground is a huge attraction for families. Recently built the playground has different play areas and climbing structures (including ropes and rock climbing wall) designed for toddlers and older kids. From the playground you can easily walk to Dagget House and farm, built in 1685. This free petting zoo is small and the perfect size to combine with the playground and a picnic lunch. Snack bar and bathrooms located adjacent to Dagget Farm.

For full summer schedule, check the Pawtucket Park’s Recreation Department website: www.pawtucketri.com.

Roger Williams Park
Location: Elmwood Ave., Providence, RI
Parking: Multiple parking lots located thoughout park.

This park reminds me of Central Park in New York City. You can visit all summer long and never do the same thing twice. Home to Hasbro Playground, “flying horses” carousel, the Zoo, the botanical greenhouse, the Museum of Natural History, baseball fields, hiking, tennis courts, bandstand and the Dalrymple Boathouse where you can rent paddle boats and mini speed boats. The Temple to Music made in 1924 is gathering place for concerts and festivals.

The fenced-in boundless playground designed and built by Hasbro is one where children of all abilities can play together. The playground is divided into 3 sections as well to accommodate children of different ages- from toddler to school age. This sunny playground—perfect for early morning or late afternoon visits during the summer—is located near the carousel (tickets required), snack bar and bathrooms.

Website: http://www.providenceri.com/government/parks/

Photo Credit: Photos at Brown Street Park and India Point Park by Douglas Itkin. Burnside Park photo by Michael Christofaro.

By Jeanine Silversmith

As a mom and hiker, I jump at every chance to get into nature and enjoy it with my children. But let’s face it, sometimes the kids are less than inspired. Sometimes a familiar hike needs something new. Sometimes they would rather sit and stare at a puddle in the parking lot (this almost always happens when I’m itching to move).

Kids keep us on our toes. It’s one of our many challenges as parents to find novel ways to motivate our children towards that which we deem important. Getting outside is a priority in my house and my kids are usually willing. That being said, I’m always on the lookout for new ideas. So when my friend Kristen Kardos, co-founder of RI New Moms Connection and a Kidoinfo contributing writer, offered this idea, I was stoked!

Kristen was ready to start exercising after her third child was born, and her middle guy decided he wasn’t interested in hiking. Gasp! Kristen hikes with her kids even more than I do, and I’m the one who started a family hiking organization. Goodness knows how she found the creative energy or time with a newborn to think up a hiking scavenger hunt, but mine is not to question. Mine is to modify the scavenger hunt just a bit and, with Kristen’s permission (thanks, Kristen!), to share it with all of you.

Click here for the scavenger hunt, grab pencils and clipboards (or anything stiff to write on), and head to a kid-friendly hiking trail, your backyard, or a nearby park. Work cooperatively to find as many of the items as you can, or compete against one another to see who can finish a row or the entire chart first. (Feel free to change or mix up the items on the scavenger hunt to create different playing boards.)

Just remember to get out there and have fun!

Jeanine Silversmith is a self-described tree-hugging, science and math geek whose love of nature, coupled with her absolute certainty that people, especially children, are happier, healthier, and wiser when they regularly spend time in nature, led her to establish Rhode Island Families in Nature. She loves to run, garden, bake, hike, and go camping, especially when accompanied by her husband, Ian, her five-year-old daughter, Sierra, and her two-year-old son, Devin. They live in Wakefield.

Provided by Audubon Society of Rhode Island

When the weather in Rhode Island is warm and the summer breezes blow, butterflies and moths are at their most active.

Butterflies and moths along with skippers are part of the Lepidoptera family of insects. The name Lepidoptera means “scale wing.” The beautiful broad wings these creatures possess are covered by tiny, brittle overlapping scales – which is why you should never handle a butterfly or moth by its wings as the scales come off so easily! The scales produce the colors and patterns we see on the wings. These animals are not just colorful in their adult form. Caterpillars, chrysalids and cocoons also reflect a myriad of colors, shapes and textures.

The question often arises as to what the differences are amongst butterflies, skippers and moths. What makes each group unique? There aren’t always hard and fast rules, but given below is a chart that provides some basic characteristics that distinguish each group.

Cocoon vs. Chrysalis

All Lepidopterans have four life stages. They begin as an egg laid on a host (food) plant by their mother. They hatch into a larva called a caterpillar, which eats (and poops!) constantly, shedding its skin several times (called instars) until they reach their full size and are ready to transform into a pupa. Butterflies usually attach themselves to an underside of a leaf or twig and form the hard-shelled chrysalis which can be dull and camouflaged or sometimes brightly colored with metallic gold flecks. Moths, on the other hand, may bury themselves in the soil, form underground cells or weave themselves into a spun silken casing called a cocoon. No matter the container, inside an amazing transformation is taking place. All those caterpillar pro-legs are being reabsorbed, wings are forming, and their whole body is changing into the adult butterfly.

After emerging, some butterflies and moths live for weeks, feeding on nectar and other material – others live just a few days. They must mate and reproduce before their life is over in order to start the cycle over again.

Butterfly
• Antennae clubbed
• Wings typically held closed vertically at rest, upright over body
•Most are diurnal
• Body slender and smooth
• Most are brightly colored

Skipper
• Antennae clubbed with hooked ends
• Wings typically held partially open vertically at rest
• Most are diurnal
• Body thick
• Most are dull colored, especially shades of orange to brown

Moth
• Antennae not clubbed, sometimes comb-like
• Wings typically held closed at rest, flat against body, horizontally
• Most are nocturnal
• Body thick and often fuzzy
• Most are dull colored and often camouflaged

Images provided by Audubon Society of Rhode Island: Eastern-Tiger-Swallowtail (top), European Skipper (middle), Moth (bottom)

Audubon’s Environmental Education Center is open year-round providing walking trails, nature programs, and exhibits for the whole family to discover.  For more information and a complete calendar of events, visit www.asri.org or call (401) 245-7500.

By Kristen Swanberg, Senior Director of Education

When you hit the beach this summer be on the lookout for horseshoe crabs (Limulus polyphemus). Amazingly, they have been on the planet for over 360 million years. They are one of the oldest creatures living on earth.

These creatures look like crabs when you turn them over, but in fact they are more closely related to spiders and scorpions. They have a large brown protective shell, a spiny tail and five pairs of claws.  They have nine eyes: two compound eyes, five additional eyes on the top of their shell, and two eyes located near their mouth.  Their gills are called book gills because they look like pages in a book.  These gills have two uses – first to absorb oxygen from the water and second to help them swim.  Horseshoe crabs swim awkwardly, they turn upside-down in the water and use their book gills as paddles to propel them.

Horseshoe crabs live in salt water along bays and shallow coastal waters.  They spend most of their time searching and digging for food like clams and worms. They are like bulldozers, pushing their bodies along the sand.  To break up their food they grind it between closely set bristles on their legs, then they pass the meat to their toothless mouths.  They have to be walking in order to chew their food.

Despite their appearance, horseshoe crabs are harmless creatures.  They use their tails to help them flip over and not to stab or sting swimmers.

In the circle of life, many migrating birds depend upon horseshoe crabs as they travel north from South America.  Shore birds like the red knot time their migration to arrive when horseshoe crabs come ashore to lay their eggs.  Many of their green, pea-sized eggs become food for hungry migrating birds, so it’s a good thing each female lays about 90,000 eggs in one season!

Horseshoe crabs are commonly found in Rhode Island waters, but they are threatened by pollution, destruction of habitat, harvesting for bait, and increased use for medical research.  These ancient creatures are important to our ecosystem, so the next time you see a horseshoe crab take a close look, but be sure to leave it where you found it, and share what you’ve learned with others.

Fun Facts:
• Only four species of horseshoe crabs live on earth.
• Females are larger than males.
• It takes eight to ten years for horseshoe crabs to reach adulthood.
• They can then live up to 30 years.
• Their blood turns blue when exposed to oxygen; this is because they have copper in their blood instead of iron like humans.

There is so much to learn about horseshoe crabs.  If you are fascinated and want to know more check out these resources:

• horseshoecrab.org/
• www.ceoe.udel.edu/horseshoecrab/index.html
• Discover Nature at the Seashore by Lawlor and Archor

By Roger Williams Park Zoo, Education Department

Did you know that June 21-27 is National Pollinator Week? It’s time set aside to celebrate the wonderful animals that make possible many of the flowers and fruits we will enjoy this summer.

Most animals that pollinate plants are small, making them easy to overlook. But they are an important part of our ecosystems and just as critical as elephants, chimpanzees or frogs.  In fact, one of the Roger Williams Park Zoo’s key conservation projects is directed at restoring the population numbers of a local pollinator – the Karner Blue butterfly. Like many endangered species, the Karner Blue butterfly numbers are low due to habitat loss.

As caterpillars, Karner Blues only feed on lupine, a wildflower that grows in dry and sandy habitats like savannas and pine barrens. As humans spread out and begin to control natural disturbances like wildfires and large animal grazing, there are fewer and fewer places for lupine to grow naturally.  Low numbers of lupine flowers results in low numbers of Karner Blue butterflies.

Luckily, the Roger Williams Park Zoo is working to restore wild lupine and help save the Karner Blue butterfly in cooperation with the US Fish & Wildlife Service and the New Hampshire Department of Fish and Game (NHFG).

At the Zoo, it all starts in the greenhouse where the horticulture team grows wild lupine. The Karner Blue caterpillars prefer second year plants, so the team makes sure to keep plants strong from one year to the next.

Next, NHFG delivers eggs and young caterpillars to the Zoo. Here, volunteers help rear the young. Teams monitor the caterpillars, which are about the size of a grain of rice, making sure that each one is accounted for. The caterpillars are fed fresh lupine leaves taken from the plants raised in the greenhouse. The caterpillars will eat and grow at the Zoo for about two weeks.

Meanwhile, Zoo staff and volunteers head up to New Hampshire to plant many of the wild lupine plants that have been started in the greenhouse. This ensures that the butterflies released into the wild will have a place to lay their eggs, bettering the chance for future generations of wild Karner Blues.

Once the caterpillars at the Zoo begin to turn into chrysalises, NHFG has a week to get them back to New Hampshire where they will emerge as adult Karner Blue butterflies. As part of a Zoo summer camp program, local teens help track adult butterflies as they emerge and pay attention to which pairs breed. Later, teens collect eggs laid by the adults. These are the eggs that will overwinter, arriving as the first batch to be reared at the Zoo next spring.

The goal of the Zoo and New Hampshire Department of Fish and Game is to bring the numbers of lupine plants and butterflies up in the wild so that the Karner Blue population can sustain itself. There is lots of work to be done, but with everyone’s hard work and dedication, the outlook is hopeful!

What can you do to help pollinators?
Start paying attention to pollinators that visit your yard. In Rhode Island we have bees, birds, butterflies, moths and beetles that pollinate. What time of year do they come? Which plants do they like?

You can also add native flowering plants to your yard. Choosing old-fashioned/traditional breeds is best. Over time, professional breeding purely for looks has caused some blooms to lose the smell or nectar needed to attract pollinators. Some local plants that flower in June are:

• Purple coneflower
• Phlox
• Violets
• Wild type roses
• Aster
• Milkweed

Without pollinators our world would be completely different. So celebrate them June 21-27 and all summer long!

For more information about animals in their natural habitat, visit Roger William’s Park Zoo located at 1000 Elmwood Avenue. Providence, RI.

Mark Moffett calls himself a storyteller. He’s also an ecologist, photographer, and writer. It’s hard to resist reading a book by such a talented person. In Face to Face With Frogs, Moffett combines his stories and photographs to share his knowledge of frogs and love of adventure.

Did you know not all frogs can jump? Or that some dart frog species carry their tadpoles on their backs? You and your child will learn facts about frogs from around the world. With close-up photos and nonfiction that reads like fiction, Face to Face With Frogs is a wonderful book for your family to read together.

For more information on Mark Moffett, go to www.doctorbugs.com

Details

Face to Face With Frogs
Mark W. Moffett
Copyright 2008
National Geographic
Paperback $6.95

Marcia Maynard is a former teacher and reading specialist. She blogs about preschool activities at www.readandraise.com.

By Jeanine Silversmith

For the second year in a row, I’ve registered my family to participate in the Rhode Island Great Outdoors Pursuit, a wonderful program designed to help families enjoy the ocean state’s recreational parks. Throughout the summer, there are 10 “pursuits” (events) involving fun outdoor activities and challenges such as hiking, fishing, kayaking, rock climbing and children’s games, as well as music, food, informational exhibits, raffles, and more.

The community-minded, nature-loving mom in me is so excited that this will help my family spend time outside this summer while meeting others. But believe it or not, the super-competitive, type-A personality I try so hard (and many times unsuccessfully) to keep hidden is also stoked. You see, the more pursuits we attend, the more points we earn. And the more points we earn, the better are our chances to win prizes.

With families as large and as close as mine and my hubby’s, summer weekends tend to get filled up pretty quickly, so I’ve already marked each of the pursuits on my calendar and I’m ready!

To play, all you need is a minimum two-member team with at least one adult and one child, and the desire to have a great time, all while discovering the beauty and activities in Rhode Island’s state parks and natural areas.

Don’t miss the fun! The game begins on Sunday, May 23, 2010 at Lincoln Woods State Park. To learn more, visit the website.

Jeanine Silversmith is a self-described tree hugging, science and math geek whose love of nature, coupled with her absolute certainty that people, especially children, are happier, healthier, and wiser when they regularly spend time in nature, led her to establish Rhode Island Families in Nature. She loves to run, garden, bake, hike, and go camping, especially when accompanied by her husband, Ian, her four-year-old daughter, Sierra, and her two-year-old son, Devin. They live in Wakefield.