Site Discussions

Informative, entertaining, and just well written.
Thanks, Laurie!

Researching the praying mantis brought me to this website and even though I’m out on Long Island the geographical location for the chinese and european types I imagine are just like what you folks up north have. Since I was a kid I’ve always had a deep fascination for insects, primarily the praying mantis and I used to keep them as pets. Around my home, having lived here the past twenty years, I’ve never seen a praying mantis until this past week. I almost step on the first one as I was trimming the hedges along my walkway. It was a good 4 1/2 inches at least. Then the next day a little one was scurrying through the grass when I was mowing my lawn. And this morning I saw a good sized one, at least six inches long hanging vertically off a cinder block.  It was definitely a pleasure to see these praying mantises, all brown btw, around my yard, bringing back sweet memories from my youth.

Check this column out, Cynthia: https://northernwoodlands.org/articles/article/why-do-some-leaves-persist-on-beech-and-oak-trees-well-into-winter

Not one mention of the threat to wildlife and humans from toxoplasmosis which cannot exist without cats.

So. . .all being said, why do some beech leaves stay on during the winter?

Great information presented in graceful writing.  I love, for example, the phrase “If you get lemony looks…”

I heated with wood for 25 years when I lived in the south, but the winters became so mild, I had wood left over from 3 previous winters…but it was well seasoned!
Now that I live in Massachusetts, I don’t have a wood burning stove and the gas log fireplace is a poor substitute for a real fire. Thanks for the article and for reminding me of the satisfaction of gathering, splitting, and stacking the cordwood and the annual ritual of starting the first fire.

3 days ago at sunset thousands flew over.  They were spread out not in a thick swarm.  Just like 20 flying over and another 20-30 and then another bunch one right after the other.  Some hit the ground and a few hit the carport.  Noticed them earlier in the day on the feeder road of I10 near Mont Belvieu, TX. Since it was sunset couldn’t tell the color.  They were flying North from Trinity Bay.

Wonderful, wisdom filled article! I’ve had so many people ask me WHY I’m getting another load of wood when it’s obvious I already have at least 4 or 5 cord stacked. That’s next year’s is my reply. Then what don’t understand have to clean their chimney a LOT more often…and cuss that they can’t get “that durn woodstove going”!

Dave hits it perfectly. My 35 years of heating with wood was at first a hit and miss deal: wet wood, punky wood, chunky wood. But by year 3 I was rolling along, doing all the right things Dave points out - largely without even knowing it. Now away from my NH hardwoods I find I miss the rhythm of wood burning, but my shoulders don’t miss the maul and I’ve discovered what a house thermostat is.

My daughter and I just hatched 12 baby snappers! Raccoon was in nest and we checked and took what wasn’t destroyed. It was so amazing to watch them as they started forming in the egg to seeing them break out of their shell! Shes 6 so I hope she’ll always remember it! Left them go about 2 weeks later near where we found them but in a little more hidden pond never the river. Still amazed that all of them hatched❤

Thank you for this beautiful summary of the issue of forest fragmentation. I am doing some research into the topic for a possible project soon, and have found it enlightening. The 14 acres of forest vs 1 acre of core forest was especially shocking to me, and now I want to test that threshold as a part of what I will be doing.

Growing up in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, the climax forest was post lodge pole, spruce and fir, and it was special to walk from one area to another.  You could do that in one hike.  All the phases are beautiful, but the achievement was thrilling in an old growth area.  The moss around streams was deeper and greener and it was like the forest gods had taken a deeper hold there, a residence more supreme.

I have five toads living in my basement window well, with no means of getting out. They’ve been in there for a few years. Go underground in winter and there they are again in spring. I’ve taken pictures of them through the window from inside, and have often wondered if they’re happy in there, but don’t know what to do. I just leave them alone and watch. They seem to be a family; two large ones, two small ones, and an odd looking one in comparison that must have been adopted. There’s lots of interaction between them and it’s all really quite interesting.

Botfly larvae on deer mice (Peromyscus spp.) have been shown to preferentially take up residence in the groin area where they apparently inhibit the reproductive urges of male mice causing them to have smaller territories and thus to live longer (being less exposed to predation) - of obvious benefit to the botfly.

In an effort to support the birds and bees and other field loving species, we hold back on any brush hogging until late September or even October. After the goldenrod and asters have made their last call. An exceptional year for monarch butterflies, the last chrysalis just morphed and set sail for southern climes. Earlier brush hogging would seem to endanger or reduce food supply, habitat and ultimately reproductive success in our fields and pastures.

I just saw a wooly bear catapiler on the floor of my room and I was wondering what to do

Twin fawns were born here in MN maybe 5-6 months ago. They were always with the doe, however, lately I see the twins but no mother. Does she set them free this early….before winter? I worry that she may have been hurt.

Hi David

I too have heard this wonderful piece of New England lore….or is it Canadian lore?

Regardless, it has been tested and it seems unlikely to be true.  The details are here: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/237969156_Shattering_the_folklore_black_flies_do_not_pollinate_sweet_lowbush_blueberry

Cheers

Declan

In Texas we get Cedar Elm deformations. Not sure if they should be considered burls. I think what happens is when the mistletoe soaks the wood along the limb and makes it soft, various insects, (ants, grubs, beetles exc…) take advantage and make it there home, the grains then grow in knots around the hollow inside. I’ve cut into it before and it’s beautiful, but also riddled with holes from the insects. I’ve thought about casting resin into it to try and fill the gaps.

Btw, I love turned wood, but I’m more interested in unique knife scales.