Creek Exploration 101

Creek Exploration 101

shared by Naturalist Rachel Anderson

rachel.anderson@nashville.gov

photos credit Rachel Anderson

With the warm, humid days here to stay for a while, it’s definitely a great time to head to a nearby creek to cool off and have fun.  For many, it’s enough to feel the cool water on your feet, let the kids splash and build dams, maybe watch a leaf boat float along lazily.

Boats made of all natural materials can be fun to float down the creek

But the naturalist in me suggests another exciting idea – look a little closer, delve a little deeper, and discover what other animals (besides humans!) can be found in the creek.

Most people have caught crayfish and there are certainly plenty of these in our creeks.  But have you really looked closely at one?  How many legs do they have? What color are the pinchers? What other body structures do you see? What behaviors do you notice when you place it back in the water? 

It’s best to pick up crayfish right behind their front pinchers like this.

And there are other invertebrates (animals without backbones) that live in the creek and are pretty easy to find.  Gently lift a small rock and look closely at the underside.  Do you notice anything moving?  What shape is it? 

How many legs does this little creature have? Do you see the 3-prong tail at the end?

Don’t worry about naming your discovery, instead focus on what you can observe, what questions you might have, and what your discovery reminds you of! 

This interesting creature reminds me of a worm or a grub. It moves like one – shrinking and growing – but it’s white all over with an interesting ring of tentacle-like structures at one end. I wonder if that is the mouth? Is this the adult form or a larvae? 

This round insect is a water penny. Finding these indicates good stream quality, as they can only live in clean water. 

There are so many tiny creatures under these rocks, you may want to bring a clear cup for temporary viewing. A white ice-cube tray also works well.  If you gently sweep your finger across the insect on the rock, you can lift it up, then dip your finger in the water to release it into your container.

Want to find more interesting creatures? Place a net in the water, downstream of a rock where the water is moving quickly. Lift the rock and anything under may float downstream into your net!  If you rub the underside of the rock while it’s still underwater, you can dislodge tiny creatures as well.

As you pick up rocks and use nets to search, be on the lookout for vertebrate animals as well, like salamanders and snakes.  Most snakes in our river are harmless and quickly move away when disturbed. 

What do you notice about this snake we found in the creek one day?  We learned these reptiles, called queen snakes, eat crayfish because it regurgitated its meal when we caught it.  Probably a good idea to leave them be in the future!

Found a 4-legged friend? Be sure your hands stay wet when handling these sensitive salamanders.

How many different animals can you find during your exploration?  What do you wonder about them? Be sure to take pictures and videos of the animals you find, and then carefully release everything back into its habitat.  And be sure to come by the Nature Center with your questions and we can help you learn more about your discoveries!