Forest Park Elementary School @ Cedar Mill Creek 5/28
Stream bugs and mayflies and scuds, oh my! These were some of the really cool aquatic macroinvertebrates the students from Forest Park Elementary School found in Cedar Mill Creek that runs behind their school. Though it had just rained and the water was moving fast (and carrying some trash with it, too 
), we found lots of moderately sensitive invertebrate life in the creek.
The students counted over 50 mayfly larvae taken from only two samples! Caddisfly larvae cased in leaves, small minnow and flathead mayflies, spindly water striders, fast little water boatmen and squirmy midges lined the sampling tubs. Flathead mayflies Even from doing a quick visiua assessment, we can mke an educated guess that Cedar Mill Creek is moderately healthy.
Nicole (SOLVE) searches for stream insects with students.
Flathead Mayfly larvae!
Left: Flathead mayfly (Order Ephemeroptera) larvae indicate moderatly good water quality. They scrap algae and such off rocks and may live in pretty fast currents under rocks in a stream. The name “Ephemeroptera” has to do with their short life span when they become adults… some only live a day!
Thank you Forest Park Elementary School students and parents! We hope to see you next school year!
SOLVE Green Team 