Site Discussions

This is amazing!  I love the idea that individuals of the same species can be so different, and therefore affect their habitat.  It just blows me away.

Hi Lynn

As you likely know Bartholomew’s Cobble, according to the National Park Service has the largest variety of native ferns in the United States. I have been volunteering there off and for 37 years. I have decided it’s time I learn the ferns. Robert, the current Ranger loaned me a copy of your book. When Janice, who has lead Fern identification walks at the Cobble arrived to walk with me she had a copy of the book for me. According to a brochure from The Trustees written by Waldo Bailey in the 60s all of the ferns listed in your book were at the Cobble. Of all the guides I have looked at I prefer yours. The silhouette pages are a good starting point. Each fern is given spore pictures and useful tips.
Thank you.

Thanks for the interesting story. I have quite a herd of squirrels that frequent my bird feeder and I enjoy sharing my retirement with them. Never ate one, although my grandfather taught me as a boy how to trap and skin muskrats in pursuit of a merit badge in Boy Scouts. Today I wouldn’t think of killing an animal for it’s hide, let alone eating it. I’m curious though, how much is eating a squirrel like eating a rat?

Thanks again for sharing your story,
Kim Pierson

We have a very small porcupine that comes on our patio to eat fallen acorns.  I had noticed it scratching one arm vigorously but we just noticed yesterday that it’s under belly is horribly dry and crusted.  It sounds like there is nothing we can do for it.

Wow! It never occurred to me that ancient languages can provide insights into environmental history. Also, silly me only learned about the prevalence of eastern pyrophilic species in the past year so it was great to learn more of the backstory.

In partial answer to your question, leatherleaf is common around acidic bogs. I’ve often seen winterberry in coastal areas of New England.

As per usual, Mr. Saul’s Week Two article is detailed and accurate.  Keep up the fine writing & research.

Wow!  What an amazing amount of information Paul and Denise hold. Hopefully someone is cataloguing their knowledge.  Also, great kudos to them for taking on the leadership roles and providing the time and energy to share their findings with everyone that would to know this.  Their work surely greatly appreciated.  Thank you Paul and Denise!

I saw one of these in a flower bed I was pruning late August. She had about 5-6 little piles of sand outside a small hole. We watched her drag/shove a small catydid into the hole. I thought I heard some chattering/chirping sounds coming from the hole. But maybe that was my imagination. Very interesting bug.

I am one of those none killing bunch, I turn away with hopes of the daddy long legs moving away, so pleased to read this info, especially because I do not look back just walk away from her/him, thank you.

I have a black racer living on the edge of my property. Saw it last year while cleaning up my yard and just today saw a long piece of discarded skin leading in to a brush pile. Also saw one the other day in the woods about a half mile from my property.

I was a friend of Billie Waterman.  He played drums in my high school rock band.  The last time I saw him was 1969 or 70 in NYC.  He took us to the Cloisters.  He was using a stick crutch on his one leg.  Later I heard he disappeared on a trek.  I miss him.  He was a good friend and I looked up to him.

  A very informative article! As I read about swamps dominated respectively by alder, buttonbush, and sweet gale, I thought of wetlands in my area that are dominated by each of those.  And there are other shrub swamps around that seem to be dominated by leatherleaf.  Do other shrubs, such as winterberry, become dominant in some shrub swamps?
 

Your garden looks amazing! Did you figure out what works best to deter the deer? We have 2 pollinator gardens at the forest where I work, but the deer seem to like everything! They even eat the plants that are supposed to be “deer-resistant”. It’s so frustrating! TIA for any help/advice.

Thank you for this wonderful detail.  Sometimes it’s sitting and waiting for nature to show up and other times it’s just a matter of looking closer.

Thanks so much for this detailed bit of botanic history.

I have a suspicion that wide-spread establishment of beavers, creating their meadows, would serve as a check on extensive wildfires.  Any comment on that idea?

What interesting and useful work so well explained!!

I am so inspired by your journey to study all of the different bees and their habitat! I have noticed in the last few years how many different insects that resemble the honey bee are on the flowers, vegetables, apple and pear trees, blueberries, and canes that are grown here on my property. Now I’m going to pay attention to the trees that I have not planted, but that populate my 15 acres of forest. How exciting! Thank you very much for sharing your story and knowledge.

It was really cool reading your article, as a kid I hoped that someday I would get to see one of these elusive insects but never did. I had bug books galore and it was my favorite pastime. As an adult I still find them interesting and enjoy finding interesting insects that are not commonly seen.

Today is August 27th, 2025 at about 5:30 in the morning. I woke up and could not go back to sleep so I went outside to have a few puffs off my black and mild cigar, while sitting outside I was looking around at all the moths and other creatures scurrying and flying around the porchlight.

As I’m scanning around I happen to notice on the camp chair I sit on, a wasp which startled me cause I’m allergic and if it would have stung me that would not be a great start to the day! After looking at it a little more I’m like, that’s not a wasp, it has a different head section that’s a little bulkier than a usual paper wasp. Then it moved its arms away from its head and I realized it was a paper wasp mantidfly!!!!! My surprise turned into excitement because I’ve always wanted to see one of these!! I’m now 37 going on 38 so it’s been a long time coming!

On a google search to read more about these guys, their location and regions I have found that Montana usually you don’t typically see them so I feel especially lucky. I came across your article and I must say it was a great read so thank you for putting this out there! I will enjoy hanging with this little guy until he decides to carry on with his trek! Thanks again and take care!