Gary
Autumn’s Blossoms of Life
Drive on any country road in the Autumn, and you’ll be greeted by bursts of golden yellow, soft white, and violet-blue scattered along the roadsides and fields. These are the blossoms of goldenrods, asters, and other wildflowers, transforming the countryside into a living canvas. These vivid blooms invite pollinators to sip on the flower’s sugary-rich […]
Peril in the Milkweed Patch: Monarch Caterpillars Under Siege
It is early autumn, and the super generation of monarch butterflies – those destined to live long enough to fly to Mexico — is hatching as caterpillars from barrel-shaped eggs laid meticulously on the underside of milkweed leaves. While the butterflies that laid the eggs will never make the epic journey south, this generation will. […]
The Journey of the Eastern Leaf-Footed Bug
In the dappled sunlight of a late summer morning, my garden became alive with the soft humming of bees and the silent fluttering of butterfly wings sipping nectar from the backyard flowering bushes. Though it was summer, birds still visited the feeders to feast on various seeds. As I sat on my porch watching the […]
Hidden Leaps of the Eastern Eyed Click Beetle
While wandering through the sun-dappled oak woodlands in a park on Long Island, I paused beside a rotting oak tree to examine a cluster of mushrooms sprouting near its base. I knelt to get a closer look, when in the corner of my eye, I spotted Nearby, I spotted a black bug lying on its […]
The Importance of Milkweed: Supporting Biodiversity Beyond Monarch Butterflies
When people think about milkweed, the monarch butterfly comes to mind. Monarch butterflies’ existence depends on this plant. It is a source of nourishing nectar; its leaves are essential for growing caterpillars. Without milkweed, monarch butterflies would become extinct. Common milkweed also hosts other living things. Walk into a milkweed patch, and you will find […]
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