Spring and summer beckon us outdoors — especially kids, and their natural curiosity is the perfect springboard for a scavenger hunt. Whether you’re out and about in Walden Woods, Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, or your own backyard, you can see plants and animals native to our area. To set off on your scavenger hunt, take a paper bag or small box to collect your treasures. A clipboard with paper and pencil for notes is always useful, and binoculars or a magnifying glass will bring nature to life in an entirely new way.
American Elm Tree (Ulmus americana)
The American elm tree was adopted as Massachusetts’ official tree on March 21, 1941, to commemorate the fact that General George Washington took command of the Continental Army beneath one of these stately trees on Cambridge Common in 1775.
Commons.wikimedia.org/sterlingherronHemlock tree (Tsuga canadensis)
The Eastern Hemlock is the only hemlock native to our state. It’s evergreen, so its short, thick needles don’t fall off all at once in the fall. Under the right conditions, an Eastern Hemlock can grow up to 100’ tall and live for more than 500 years!
©Samuel Brinker, inaturalist.org, photo 60841461Mayflower (Epigaea repens)
The mayflower is the state flower of Massachusetts and likes moist, shady areas. It’s a lovely plant, but don’t disturb it — digging one up in MA is punishable with a $50 fine!
©Malcolm Manners, inaturalist.org, photo 8042769Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia)
Mountain laurel is one of our most beautiful flowering shrubs. It blooms in May and June with unusual hexagonal or pentagonal-shaped flowers in shades of white and light pink. Be careful, though. All parts of mountain laurel are poisonous.
© istock.com/YinYangButterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa)
Out in the sunlight, you’ll find butterfly weed. This is a host plant for monarch butterfly caterpillars and has bright orange or yellow flowers in summer.
© istock.com/Christina RadcliffeBeaver (Castor canadensis)
The Concord area has many fascinating animals, too. The beaver is common in MA and is North America’s largest native rodent. They mate for life and can live up to 20 years and more.
© istock.com/impr2003American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)
See if you can spot the sunshine-yellow feathers of the American Goldfinch. These small (5”) birds have a distinctive “bouncy” style of flight and would love to visit your bird feeder this summer.
©Aleksandr Popov, inaturalist.org, photo 60493442Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes)
Look for a red fox. You can tell them by their reddish coat and black “leg-stockings.” They adapt quickly to new environments and live in family groups.
How many did you find?
Visit the sites below for more plants and animals to look for on your next scavenger hunt.
• inaturalist.org • masswoods.org
• massaudubon.org • mass.gov
