Rainy Days

We love spending hot summer days hiking, swimming, and exploring the Biosphere! But plans change when a big thunderstorm rolls across Georgian Bay. While we’re stuck inside listening to the rain on our roof and booming thunder in the distance, the animals that call the Biosphere home have their own tricks to ride out bad weather. 

Some animals, like squirrels and small birds, will seek shelter from rain in trees and hedges. Small insects like butterflies need to avoid the giant raindrops falling from the sky, so they hide out on the underside of leaves. Bats won’t fly in heavy rain, because the water makes them too cold to fly. As well, some scientists think that bats dislike flying in the rain because raindrops prevent them from using echolocation to find their way around.

On the other hand, some animals love the rain! Amphibians like frogs, toads, and salamanders need water to keep their skin damp. A good rain allows them to move across land to travel to breeding areas or to hunt for food.

(Image: Grace Hunter)

So while a stormy day stuck inside at the cottage may not seem like much fun, remember that rain is important for our animals in the Biosphere. We want to hear what the Kids in the Biosphere do for fun when stuck indoors on gloomy days. Send us your favourite rainy day activity at kids@gbbr.ca, and we’ll share it in a future blog post!

Three cheers for barbecue on the grill and calling whip-poor-wills!