Morning dew brings beautiful views!

by Kate Hofmann

Have you ever walked across a lawn early in the morning and gotten your sneakers soaked? Have you ever seen delicate drops sparkling on every blade of grass and flower petal? If so, you know dew! Next time the world is wet and shiny-new, go check it out. Here are a few things to see and “dew”:

• Pretty Dew Views. Look for sparkling dewdrops on plants, flowers and spider webs. If you like to take photos, these can make lovely pictures.
• Dew Zoom In. Look closely at a single droplet. Do you see how whatever is underneath it looks bigger than usual? That’s because the curved shape of the drop works as a magnifying lens.
• A Dewy Zoo. Search for insects decorated with dew. When beetles and other small creatures get cold at night, they stop moving, and dew collects on them. As the sun warms them, the dew dries, and the creatures go on their way.
• Dew to Drink. Can you spot insects or other animals using dewdrops as drinking fountains? If there’s no water source nearby, dew can be their best bet for a sip.

Whatever you do, don’t delay! It won’t be long before the dew disappears until another day!

Click here for Ranger Rick’s Nature Notebook activity about dew.