A New Species?

When I spotted the damselfly I immediately thought it was new to the Museum, that I hadn’t previously seen this species here in our Wetlands. But I had seen it before. When I checked my odonata checklist I realized that I had first seen this species on May 21, two years prior. It was an azure bluet. Azure bluets are not uncommon. If you were to search for them in our wetlands or any other shallow pond in the state, you’d likelyRead more

Bluebird Update 5.3.16

As is usual, on Tuesday of this week (5/3) I made the rounds checking the contents of our six bluebird nest boxes on our modest bluebird trail. I found, as I peeked into the nest boxes, 15 bluebird nestlings within three of those boxes. One nest box had no activity, another showed a minimum of activity, and one had become vacant. The nest at the Cow Pasture was still full of bluebird nestlings. They were crowded in, appeared to beRead more

All Is As It Should Be

It is now May. Insects that we haven’t seen for months are back among us. Reptiles and amphibians are active as if winter had never happened. Many birds that have been far away in Central and South America have returned to the Museum grounds to make nests and raise families. It’s as if they never left. Keep your eyes and ears open for these creatures as you walk the paths and trails here at the Museum. I’ve gathered more thanRead more

Bluebird Update 4.26.16

At this time last week there were 22 nestlings and 5 unhatched eggs in our six bluebird nest boxes. That’s 10 bluebird nestlings, 12 chickadee nestlings, and 5 unhatched bluebird eggs. The 5 bluebird eggs have since hatched, but we now have fewer nestlings than we did last week. We currently have 21 nestlings. How can that be? One of the chickadee nests was emptied of its inhabitants. Predator! This, despite the fact that all of the nest boxes haveRead more

Tent Caterpillars

There are two species of moth, among others, which are active now in the form of larvae or caterpillars. They are similar in name and seasonality. They are communal. And, they are both tent caterpillars. The one above, as labeled, is an eastern tent caterpillar (Malacosoma americanum). The other, is a forest tent caterpillar (Malacosoma disstria). These are the hairy caterpillars we humans most often see crawling across sidewalks, driveways, and everywhere else in spring, after having consumed all orRead more

Bluebird Update 4.12.16

It’s April, 12 and we have a good bit of action going on in our six nest boxes here at the Museum. All but one nest box is occupied, having a total of 27 eggs. There are 15 bluebird eggs and 12 chickadee eggs. All of those eggs are being incubated at this time. The Cow Pasture nest, as it had last week, holds five bluebird eggs.The female flew out of the nest box as I approached. The nest boxRead more

Worms (caterpillars), Everywhere!

While walking along the paths and trails here at the Museum, you may have noticed tiny green, brown or even black, wiggly objects dangling down from the trees on silvery threads of silk. Indeed, you may have walked into a few of them, smack in the face. They seem to be everywhere. You may already be familiar with them, calling them inchworms, loopers, or cankerworms. You may even know that they are the caterpillars (larvae) of small unobtrusive brown moths.Read more

Bluebird Update 4.5.16

We now have five occupied and active nest boxes containing a total of 25 eggs, 12 Carolina chickadee and 13 bluebird eggs. Of those five nests, three had incubating adults fly out of the nest box as I approached them. Each of those nests contained six eggs. Those birds are done laying. The Cow Pasture nest, which held no eggs last week, now has five. I didn’t witness adult activity while at the site. The female may or may not beRead more