Knots and Bolts

Perched on a leaf, a robber fly (also called assassin fly) waits and watches for any movement in the air. The fly will abandon its perch to capture an insect as it flies past. Once it catches…

Choosing the right trees to plant – in a yard, park, or other planned space – can be a daunting task. Options include native and non-native species, as well as cultivars bred for…

Grasslands are rare in the Northeast and are either transient or rely on regular disturbance to persist over time. In the heavily forested, pre-colonial landscape, beavers contributed to a…

Imagine being around when lumbering mammoths, giant ground sloths, and fearsome saber-toothed cats roamed the North American continent. Imagine living when ancient Egyptians were constructing…

In 2016, after retiring from her work as a veterinarian, Sabina Ernst and her family moved north to Jericho, Vermont. She and her husband, Justin Goggin, purchased a home and 10 acres within…

“It just looks like grass.” I’ve heard this many times from non-botanists after I’ve pointed out some subtle plant. Indeed, many flowering plants blend in readily with…

As spring arrives, we revel in the budding out of plants and trees and the emergence of insects, birds, and animals. The lengthening days awaken many species, and added warmth contributes to…

When Walter Kersch saw the sign announcing “400 acres for sale” across from his driveway back in 1971, he worried about what would happen if someone purchased the property and…

Pickerel frogs emerge early in spring from their muddy, pond-bottom hibernacula. They mate in April and May in the Northeast, and males call to attract females for four to six weeks. The calls…

A black bear emerges from her den in the early days of spring. The snow has melted in Vermont’s Green Mountains and percolated through the soil layers to become groundwater. The…

In winter, porcupines seek out ready-made dens, such as this tree cavity. (Porcupines are one of several wildlife species – from invertebrates and salamanders to birds and other mammals…

In previous issues, we have explained the origins of scientific names behind pine and spruce species. Here, we offer a look behind the monikers of balsam fir, eastern hemlock, and eastern…

It rained overnight. A morning walk along the well-worn path in the family’s woodlot is not crunchy and soothing, as it is on many fall mornings. Today it’s a bit sodden, with the…

Ralph DiCosimo never imagined he’d move so far north. He spent his childhood in an apartment in the Bronx, and another two decades on a suburban lot on Long Island, but he always dreamed…

The 450-acre Hall Tavern Farm sits along the bank of the Deerfield River in Franklin County, Massachusetts. Jay Healy, whose family has owned the property since the early 1900s, has managed…

During early and mid-autumn, eastern chipmunks are busy gathering nuts, seeds, and fungi to store for winter. Their cheek pouches can stretch to hold as much as 70 sunflower seeds, 32…

Picea is the classic Latin name for a conifer that produces a resinous material; the Latin term is probably derived from the Greek word for pitch, pissa. In the 1700s, several botanists used…

The American woodcock is a favorite of bird enthusiasts and hunters alike, delighting people with its quirky walking style, bug-eyed appearance, spectacular aerial courtship displays, and…

No flower can last forever. Indeed, most seem to last only a few days – or hours! – and leave us wanting for something less transient. The more delicate the bloom, the more…