June 2021 • Madison Square Park Conservancy

As a managed green space, Madison Square Park is a vital source of food and shelter for native and migrating fauna throughout the year. By documenting wildlife we can help protect the health of the park. Below we highlight some of the species you can help track down and document on iNaturalist:

Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)
Can you find these purple and pink pom-poms of butterfly joy?

Brown-belted Bumble Bee(Bombus griseocollis)
These bumble bees are adorably fuzzy, and also incredibly important to our local ecosystems! There's plenty of these brown-belted busy bees buzzing through the Park. Help us document the Bombus griseocollis!

Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis)
We love dragonflies at Madison Square Park! Pachydiplax longipennis are a great indicator of a healthy ecosystem. So if you find one, let us know.

Cicada (Family Cicadidae )
The star of the season, Cicadidae, have been all over the news and your social media. Help document the Park's cicadas and continue a tradition that has been around since 1715!

Silver Haired Bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans)
Shhhh. Lasionycteris noctivagans will sometimes stop by the park for a snooze. If you are at Madison Square Park in the evening, let us know if you see one!

Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla)
These small yellow birds love to hide from passersby. See if you can find an Ovenbird hiding in the bushes as you walk through the Park.

American Elm (Ulmus americana)
Celebrate the 4th of July by documenting the condition of our towering Ulmus americana!

Powdery Mildew (Order Erysiphales)
Look for white powdery spots on the leaves and stems of the Park's plants! This is a disease called powdery mildew, and identifying it can help us keep the Park plants healthy.

Visit our website to learn more about our scavenger hunt or click here to download the full scavenger hunt work sheet!