Treehoppers
Treehoppers – they are not birds nor are they primates, they are insects. Very. Strange. Insects. There are over 3000 species of treehoppers (with possibly many more waiting for classification or discovery) and they all sport some weird headgear. Some … Continue reading
Bums of Steel
Wombats are cute, stout, short-legged, waddling, marsupials. And they have bums of steel. When chased, often by a Tasmanian devil or a dingo, a wombat will dive headfirst into its burrow, blocking it with its rump of tough, extra-thick skin … Continue reading
Kiss the Ground
If you were to pick up a handful of healthy soil, you’d be holding billions of microorganisms in your hands. Yes, billions. And when those healthy soil microbes work in harmony with plants and animals, they sequester carbon. That means … Continue reading
Daylight Saving Time
Yesterday we turned the clocks back an hour and are now in standard time again. But why? The concept literally has its roots in “saving daylight” to reduce electrical usage. I’m on board with that! In the northern hemisphere, we … Continue reading
Pumpkin Day
Happy pumpkin day! Yes, there seems to be a day to celebrate just about everything – pumpkins included. Let’s start at the very beginning. The word itself has its roots in the Greek word that means “large melon.” Yes, large … Continue reading
International Sloth Day
Tuesday October 20 is international sloth day, a day to celebrate and learn more about these strange but wonderful creatures. I’ve seen one in the wild, fairly up close and personal. And while they are slow they aren’t that slow. … Continue reading
The Mystery of Fruit Flies
These itty-bitty bugs (a mere 1/8 inch) are a nuisance. They arrive seemingly out of nowhere when the weather warms, at which point my fruit bowl and compost bins are relegated to the garage for the summer. It is now … Continue reading
Stick Bugs
I have been prompted to investigate stick bugs because a friend of mine in Minnesota found one the other day. Without even researching further, this is interesting for two reasons. One, stick bugs are most often found in tropical and … Continue reading
Mission Blue
I saw a documentary this week that was both difficult to watch at times while inspiring at others. It was called Mission Blue, featuring the legendary American marine biologists Dr. Sylvia Earl. She has spent decades (she is now 85 … Continue reading
Black-Capped Chickadees
For a while now I’ve been thinking about chickadees (long story). Then one flew into the house the other day…yep, right into the living room and up to the skylight. I managed to get the poor thing back outside without … Continue reading