Parklands Madness: Second Round Recaps
The winners for the second round of Parklands Madness are in! Keep reading to learn about the skills our players used to survive and advance.
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Arthropod and Insect Region:
Dragonfly Larvae vs. Orb Weaver
In a battle of the frightening, these two monstrous arthropods fought hard and long, but in the end, the colorful and graceful Orb Weaver spider nudged out the domineering, yet precarious Dragonfly larvae!
Leech vs. Mayfly
These two creatures live both in and out of water, making this match-up a particularly close game! In the end, the long-living leech nudged past the days-old mayfly for the W!
Hellgrammite vs. Snail
If you assumed that the battle between the ferocious Hellgrammite and the simple snail would be a blow-out, think again! The strong shell and attuned protective responses of the snail held off the Hellgrammite’s pincers in this close match. But in the end, the relentless Hellgrammite claimed victory!
Southern Devil Scorpion vs. Roly Poly
This match-up of armored creatures was one for the books! Despite the size difference, the strong carapace of the Roly Poly gave it an edge through much of the match-up, but its underdog energy was not enough to overcome the might of the scorpion. The Southern Devil Scorpion continues its win-streak!
Prairie Region:
Monarch Butterfly vs. Killdeer
The broken-wing act may have gotten the Killdeer to this round, but the act was not enough to beat out the Monarch Butterfly, whose bright orange wings warn of something more ominous. The repulsive taste of the Monarch Butterfly to potential prairie predators has been saving its life throughout time, and it came through to help the Monarch win this round!
Milkweed vs. Eastern Mole
The strong-standing milkweed and the blind mole was an interesting match-up this round, but the battle was valiant, nonetheless! The poisonous leaves and sticky sap of the Milkweed were no match for the huge hands and mighty drive of the Eastern Mole who advances to the next round!
Red Fox vs. Elk
In this David versus Goliath game, the smaller prevailed! In what was supposed to be an easy win for the hulking Elk, a stunning upset led to a win for the Red Fox! The fox’s quick and agile responses helped it stun and shake the Elk, giving it the ultimate edge.
Striped Skunk vs. Ruby-Throated Hummingbird
The stinky, stripy defense of the skunk was not nearly enough to overcome the vivacious Hummingbird. Last round, the speed of the small flyer helped it win, but this time it used its unique ability to fly backwards and upside down to confuse the skunk and score the win!
Arboreal Region:
Red-Tailed Hawk vs. Screech Owl
In a battle of the raptors, the stunning and iconic call of the Hawk rang loud through the trees as it scored a win against the spritely and violent Screed Owl. Here, the sheer size of the Red-Tailed Hawk gave it advantage over the small, yet violent owl.
Flying Squirrel vs. Raccoon
Size truly didn’t matter in this match-up of arboreal mammals. The quick-to-anger raccoon tried its hardest to nudge a win, but the soaring capabilities of the flying squirrel helped it edge out the raccoon for a win!
Rat Snake vs. Cardinal
In a true win for the city of Louisville, the flashy and evading Cardinal bird used its speed and agility to beat out the tree-climbing Rat Snake. The Rat Snake may be long and appear ferocious, but its slow moving nature was no match for the Cardinal’s cunning.
Honey Locust Tree vs. Praying Mantis
Talk about scary! These pointy, spiky, and generally spooky arboreal species had an honest battle, but it was the unique form of the Praying Mantis that guided it to victory over the pointed, yet quiet Honey Locust Tree.
Aquatic Region:
Fowler’s Toad vs. Red-Eared Slider
This match-up between two skittish aquatic species almost didn’t happen, but both gathered courage and showed up for a battle of the carnivores! In the end, the long-claws and swimming ability of the Red-Eared Slider helped it declare victory over the hoppy toad.
Snapping Turtle vs. Hellbender
This game was almost too close to call, with the battle neck-and-neck until the very end! But the patience and fierceness of the snapping turtle pushed it over the finish line first with the large, lanky hellbender close behind.
Beaver vs. Freshwater Mussel
This odd-ball battle was fought in the creek, where the strong shell of the mussel was not enough to overcome the smarts of the beaver. Though the shell of the mussel is strong, the paws of the beaver had the might to overcome the mussel’s muscles.
Otter vs. Blue Heron
What seemed like an easy win for the large Blue Heron turned into a stunning upset, seeing the otter’s agility and playfulness win over the calm and graceful bird. The otter’s ability to swim quickly and evade attacks under water confused the heron and gave the otter a lead!