Friends of Wachusett Mountain is a non-profit group dedicated to conservation,
environmental education and land stewardship at Wachusett Mountain.

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Aquatic Invertebrates of Wachusett Mountain

Who are we?

Friends of Wachusett Mountain has teamed up with students and faculty from Fitchburg State College, as well as some local biologists and experts to study the aquatic invertebrate populations on Wachusett Mountain.

What are we doing?

The goal of this study is to survey the aquatic invertebrate communities and determine the numbers and types of invertebrates living in and around the old growth forest on the mountain. Invertebrates can be important indicators of water quality.

Where are we looking?

Aquatic invertebrates can be found in both lentic (still water, e.g. a pond) and lotic (flowing water, e.g. a stream) habitats. We have been sampling ponds, streams, lakes, bogs, and vernal pools.

What have we discovered?

So far, we have found many healthy invertebrate communities in both lentic and lotic habitats around the mountain. Examples of invertebrates we have found include mayflies, stoneflies, dragonflies, damselflies, caddisflies, hellgrammites, scuds, backswimmers, mollusks, planaria, leeches, nematodes, and water pennies. This study has just started and will continue through October of this year. Once we have collected all of our data we will compare and catalogue numbers of different species found, and put together a preserved collection to be used both as a teaching tool and as a comparison collection for future studies.

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Mailing address: Friends of Wachusett Mountain, P.O. Box 301, Princeton, MA 01541-0301.
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Website Design & Maintenance: Christopher Brown