Site Discussions

I’m still not sure what plant I came in contact with but after reading this article I’m going to go check for wild parsnip.  I was weed eating and mowing for my in laws.  The next day I woke up and had the “whip” like marks on my legs and the “boil” like blisters. Never did these marks itch but man did they hurt.  I have had shingles in the past so at first I thought maybe I had it again. The blisters hurt to apply any creams so I didn’t. It never spread just hurt.  I still have the scars on my legs and it’s been 6 weeks. Thank you for giving me an idea of what to look for.

I don’t think they have to keep it from closing, John, as trees up here compartmentalize their wounds. So the rotten part of the tree where the bees make a nest site is essentially walled off from the live parts. See this story we did recently on compartmentalization: http://northernwoodlands.org/articles/article/anatomy-of-an-ice-damaged-sugar-maple/

I wonder, though, if they have a trick for inhibiting decomposition? Something that slows down the rotting of the section they’re living in.

Maybe someone who knows more than I do can chime in.

Very interesting article about the struggles of our regional bats and the efforts taken to ensure their safety.  I was happy to read that swift action has been taken, and continues to be taken, to place many species on the endangered list.

I grew up here in Mt. Holly and never have seen these crawfish - ever!
This summer the Mill Brook is full of them.  I was wondering if hurricane Irene could have been the cause.  If anyone knows anything please let me know.

Discussion is too elementary. I certainly don’t know everything about sharpening saws, so it would be nice if you would discuss some your TRICKS.
Thanks

I hope someone can help…HOW DO THE BEES KEEP THE CAVITY IN A LIVE TREE FROM CLOSING? RESINS?

I’ve always heard that spruce makes a great cabin log, Randy, but hopefully someone who knows more than I do can chime in.

I never knew that was chickory! Thanks for the info.

For those who enjoy looking at beetles in their pools there is a survey currently going on to look for ALB:

http://extension.unh.edu/ALB/ALB_Main.htm

Do you have an opinion as to spruce’s suitability for cabin building?

Well, I built my 3,500 sq.ft., story and one-half out of red pine and white pine I had planted some years ago, in fact one day we had to cut a single red pine just to make a fill-in spot. I treated it all on the outside the next year and only had one problem with carpenter ants which were quickly taken care of. My family, brother-in-law and I built it. Built it in 1975, from March until Halloween. Unfortunately, the wife did not like it, due to bears in the driveway, so in 1985 we sold it.

I do miss that log cabin greatly. Incidentally it was built on an esker of land and in the middle of a red pine plantation.

This recalls Haldane both in information and writing style.  An excellent tribute to two exceptional Biologists.

Great essay. I always try to bring up Haldane in my biology classes. Keep up the good work, Kenrick Vezina!

Hi Tina,

I believe you saw an osprey’s nest. Osprey often nest on powerline platforms. They are large, fish-eating raptors, so their nests are usually not too far from water (sometimes they build their large nests on piers or bridges in/over water)—and they have large babies! See this site for more information on osprey, and photos of their powerline nesting sites: http://www.ospreynest.info/index.php?pagecontent=Power+line+nests&user=9&adcode=134

Thanks for writing!
Meghan

Hello: I was interested in hearing about stinging nettles. An old folk remedy seems to work.  Usually nearby the nettles are dock plants. Take several of the leaves and crush them in your hands, rub the juice on the sting from the nettles and this can relieve the pain, the itch and the blisters. It has always worked for me.

I just took a photo, as I love interesting insects and all other outdoor things, and was gratified to find out what kind of bug I’d found. Glad I didn’t try and hold it, I had no idea it would bite! Thanks for the info.

Wonderful piece. Thank you! I spent a long career teaching people to use thermal imaging equipment and was always fascinated by what I could see outside at night—but only using a high-tech” tool!

I saw a couple of huge nests here in upstate NY and would love to know what kind of bird built them. They were on top of a powerline and they look to be about 3 feet wide. One of the nests had babies in it, that were not really babies at all, cause they were huge!!! The bird looks to be mostly black, or dark in color, with a white breast. Can anyone help me identify these amazing birds???

I own a small farm in Royalton VT.  Our house was built in 1798 and it is surrounded by six specimen butternut trees of various sizes and ages the oldest perhaps being 100 years old, or older.

We purchased the property in 2001.  The Butternut were covered with Black Canker and in serious decline.  I have experience with specimen trees so I decided to try and save them.

I believe one problems that Butternuts have is due to the enormous amount of foliage they produce and loose each year.  I think they suck the nutrients right out of the soil especially in they are not in a forest location with plenty of organic matter.  Mine are surrounded by lawn.

I started to heavily fertilize them by going around their approximate drip line with an iron bar and poke several holes in the ground which I then fill with a high nitrogen fertilizer.  I do this every spring.  They have recovered nicely though the Canker is still there.  My major problem now is limbs occasionally breaking due to crotch rot and the weight of new foliage.  I have had them trimmed, especially the tree that overhangs our house.

The second problem I have discovered with butternuts is that some trees are viciously attacked by ants and other bugs at the base of their trunks.  I keep an eye on them and put bug spray and or powder on the trees’ trunks at ground level at the first indication of bug damage.

All in all, the trees are fairly stable now and I see new growth each year.  And they have begun to produce nuts once again.

Thanks!

Steve Judge

We love putting butternuts in our chocolate fudge (the recipe on the back of the marshmallow fluff jar)!