On Sunday, we joined the South Shore Young Naturalist Club for a walk through the scenic woods of Indian Commons. This week, the topic was mosses and the local expert, Anne, guided us through the moss-filled woods. We saw red-stemmed moss, bad hair day moss, broom moss, golden moss, cushion moss, a couple of different sphagnum mosses… plus a whole bunch of lichens. I should have reviewed my lichens. I had forgotten almost all their names.
Our destination was a picturesque pond and bog where there were tons of mosses, of course, but also loads of pitcher plants — carnivorous plants filled with liquid. I found several with prey intact. The inside of these pitchers were lined with downward pointing hairs that stop the insects from climbing out. You can see both in the photo below. Needless to say, I was more excited by the pitcher plants than the mosses. And the huckleberries that we picked and ate.
The kids had an awesome time running with their friends along the narrow trail.
witches whiskers 