This week in the woods, Editor Meghan McCarthy McPhaul encountered this garter snake making its way across a field, perhaps on its way to winter lodging. The snakes typically move into hibernacula…

The great annual movements of fall include monarch butterflies winging toward Mexico, whales heading to the Caribbean to give birth, and multitudes of birds in the autumn skies. There’s another…

Patty is a poet and translator whose work often explores the connections and boundaries between the self and the natural world. She’s the author of the award-winning poetry collections Bell I…

Here is a simple and safe tool to remove ticks completely, from people and pets, that fits in your pocket. (No shipping charge on this item - we want everyone to carry this essential tool!)

This pewter key ring is a way to remind yourself of this curiously ungainly ungulate; the magnificent moose holds a special place in our mind’s eye. Danforth key rings are a thoughtful gift that…

We’re pleased to name Meghan McCarthy McPhaul as the next editor of Northern Woodlands magazine. Meghan first wrote for us over a decade ago and has worked on the editorial staff since 2020. In…

This week in the woods, late season caterpillars are making their fuzzy way across the ground in search of the perfect cocoon site. To help them on their way, they use “prolegs,” which…

On warm days through early fall, you can find two large species of “digger” wasps flitting about late-blooming flowers. Like many wasps, these species elicit strong, often negative…

Ever fish around in the dark for your keys? Make the task easier with this double-trout pewter key ring. Handmade by Danforth Pewter in Middlebury, Vermont. Comes on two split rings. Measures 2 1/4…

While walking through a patch of brambles in Thetford, Vermont, we noticed many of the plants had bunched up leaves that were turning pink or brown at the center. What are these bunches, and what do…

Our readers captured a variety of colorful amphibians, fungus, and insects this August. Other intriguing photos include a timber rattler in Benezette, Pennsylvania, submitted by Charlie Schwarz, a…

Susie Spikol is a naturalist, writer, and communities program director at the Harris Center for Conservation Education in Hancock, New Hampshire. She is the recipient of New Hampshire’s…

This week in the woods, we saw several Andrena bees, most likely peaceful miner bees (Andrena placata) heavily loaded with late-blooming aster pollen. These solitary bees are notable for the…

The Northeast is famous for its fall foliage, as the lush, green leaves of summer transform into bright hues, turning hillsides and valleys into quilts of scarlet, ochre, and gold. Among the brightest…

We have so much to celebrate this autumn at Northern Woodlands. We invite you to join us on Thursday, September 19, from 4:30 – 6:30 PM for an informal gathering to welcome the community to our…

This week in the woods, we’ve been noticing the abundance of brightly colored berries and other fruit. The Northern Woodlands biweekly What in the Woods is That? quiz features six types of fruit…

As the height-of-summer floral abundance fades, goldenrods and asters fill the landscape with hits of yellow, purple, pink, and white. Beyond the beauty they provide, these late bloomers are a…

Rodney Elmer has been chasing game through the forests of Vermont – and beyond – since he was a kid. He’s turned his passion for the woods and hunting into his life’s work…

Our native plant pollinator garden continues to bring many challenges and rewards. After some woodchips washed away during heavy rains, we’ve been very much focused on drainage. In addition to…