We also found several frogs and toads, crawdads, and many insects and spiders. Wednesday we noticed Spots, the camp cat, try to catch a baby chipmunk! We were able to chase Spots and save the chipmunk. Spots was not very happy with us, but we assume the chipmunk is thankful for its life.

Whippoorwill would like to thank Teepee counselor Mike for stepping up and becoming Nature Mike in Nature John’s absence. He did an amazing job in the nature museum and the campers enjoyed having someone around to share in their curiosity. Thank you!

This week, as usual, kids found many crawdads (crayfish). In the 100-gallon aquarium in the Nature Museum, we have five fish – three Sunfish, a 15-inch Smallmouth Bass, and a 16-inch Catfish. They were caught in the pond by campers using bamboo poles, plain line and hooks. The kids catch crawdads and worms to feed to the fish.

The campers are finding red and black velvet ants in the grass. Luckily no one has been stung by one. The females are wingless and have a strong sting.

Campers have caught a couple of katydids, lovely green relatives of grasshoppers. You may be noticing them at home calling in the evening, “katy-did, katy-did, katy-did–did.

In the small aquarium we have several small toads and frogs, one little frog that still has its tail, a large American Toad, a large Green Frog, a wolf spider, and a fascinating leech. Two Teepee boys on their way to the trail spotted a long black snake holding a frog in his mouth near the waterfall. We were able to scare the snake and cause him to release the frog. Both creatures escaped unharmed.

We see the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird coming to the feeder to drink sugar water (one part sugar to four parts water) on a daily basis.

This is the last week for me at Camp Whippoorwill this summer. I wish that you campers continue to enjoy the wonders of nature in the beautiful South Harpeth River Valley.

First thing last Monday morning they shouted from the horse barn, “Help! We have a MONSTER here.” It turned out that they found a Hickory Horned Devil caterpillar – a ferocious looking five-inch green critter with black spines all along its back and large horns on back of its head. Once it pupates, it will emerge as a Royal Walnut Moth.

As the week progressed, the caterpillar began to shrink from 5″ to 2 1/2″. Then it crawled out of its skin and changed colors from green to yellow, white and finally to black and it is now a cocoon. We hope to see it emerge as the moth.

Several weeks ago we saw several green caterpillars wrap themselves in leaves and seal the openings. They are now hatching into beautiful Luna Moths. We had the latest one hatch on Wednesday during lunch hour. When they are strong enough, we release them.

This week, as usual, kids found many crawdads (also known as crayfish). In the small aquarium we have a small frog, many crayfish, and a 12″ water snake that likes to rest on a stick.

On Wednesday, Log Cabin camper Max caught his first fish ever and Archer caught a rather large blue-mouth fish. On Thursday, Parker caught the first catfish of the summer. It’s currently residing in the Nature Museum.

One day Counselor Kris caught a 46″ Black Rat snake. He transported it to the Nature Museum in a Lost and Found bin. I transferred it to the medium size aquarium. Within a half hour or less that snake started slithering out of the aquarium and in among the logs of the museum wall. I grabbed hold of the posterior 12″ and tried to pull it back out. I could not budge it. I could only see about 2 inches of the snake in a space between two logs and even that was gone when I returned from lunch.

It turned out that they had found a Hickory Horned Devil caterpillar – a ferocious looking 5-inch green critter with spines all along its back and large horns on back of its head. Once it pupates, it will emerge as a Royal Walnut Moth. We are seeing a lot of different caterpillars this summer.

This week as usual, kids found many crawdads, starting with a 5 1/2″ specimen found by Ryan and caught by Brody. We also found a 2-inch tree frog that has amazing pads for toes allowing him to jump across the small aquarium and stick to the glass sides, a jumpy Green Frog who can’t wait for “Freedom Day” when we release all the critters caught during the week.

In the 100-gallon aquarium in the Nature Museum, we do not yet have any fish yet for this session. We can see a number of crawdads hanging out in the rocks at the bottom of the aquarium.

I almost forgot to thank our very handy maintenance man, Mark, who built a new porch on the Nature Museum. Thanks Mark!

This week as usual, kids found many crawdads, a 2-inch tree frog that has amazing pads for toes allowing him to jump across the small aquarium and stick to the glass sides, two tadpoles that started the week with only their tails now have four feet and still have their tails two tadpoles that have two legs. We also found several black beetles and a leech.

On Wednesday afternoon, Log Cabin camper Dru helped to identify and collar a 13″ inch Northern Water Snake. In the 100-gallon aquarium in the Nature Museum, we have a 15-inch smallmouth Bass, a 15-inch Catfish and a 6-inch Sunfish. The Bass gobbles up anything we offer them to eat (mostly worms and crayfish). The Catfish hides out in the lower right corner of the aquarium.

This Friday we will release the three fish from the aquarium back into the pond. All the other live critters will be released into the habitat where we found them as much as possible.

In the 100 gallon aquarium in the Nature Museum, we have a 14 inch small mouth Bass, a 15 inch Catfish and a 6 inch Sunfish. The Bass gobbles up anything we offer them to eat. The Catfish hides out in the lower right corner of the aquarium.

Kids have found many crawdads; an American Toad; a 2 inch tree frog; two tiny (1/2 inch) tree frogs; 2 tadpoles that have four feet and still have their tails; two tadpoles that have two legs; several salamanders; and an unidentified chunky little fish. We have also found several beetles: a stag & longhorn.

News from Nature John

On Monday morning of Week three, the smaller of the smallmouth Bass (8″) was nowhere to be seen in the 100 gallon aquarium in the Nature Museum. Had the larger (13″) smallmouth Bass eaten the smaller?

After moving some rocks around, we found the smaller bass hiding. After emerging from among the big guy began chasing the smaller bass and chomping down on the little guy. Solution? We caught the smaller one and released it back into the pond.

On Wednesday at the pond, a camper caught a 13″ catfish and brought it to the Nature Museum. We will keep an eye on how the Catfish and Bass get along with each other

The museum is busy this week. Kids have found many crawdads as usual; an American Toad; a tiny frog; 2 tadpoles who only have two feet so far; a lovely orange salamander; and a box turtle.

At the waterfall (actually it’s a water trickle) behind the Nature Museum, one of the campers found an insect larva called a Hellgrammite. This is the larva form of the Dobson Fly, an awesome flying insect.

We finally got some rain Wednesday.

News from Nature John

This was caterpillar week at the Nature Museum. Kids found and brought to the museum, two smooth green caterpillars, two with black branched spines, and a thin inchworm. We have put them into clear-sided containers to observe what develops — butterflies or moths?

A camper caught a nine inch Bass fish at the pond with a bamboo pole, line and hook. We have put it into our 100 gallon aquarium. We still have the nine inch Slider turtle in the aquarium, but we are planning to release him
into the Hunting Camp Creek that runs by lower camp.

A camper found a soft, light tan, oval-shaped egg at the edge of the creek. We are waiting to see what emerges from this egg.

The kids continue to catch crawdads (crayfish), salamanders, and minnows. They are fascinated to see them so close.

Walking the bridge from lower camp to upper camp is an adventure in Nature observations. We see many multi-colored dragonflies, young turtles, and young fish in the swampy area below. (decades ago, this area was called
“Peanut Butter Land”).

The cacophony from the 13-year Cicadas has diminished considerably. We look forward to 2024 when they will return again!?!