Harvestman with Mites
This Harvestman had a very large mite problem! Check out all of those parasites…I felt for this creature. It may be why it was hiding in a crevice of the bark of this maple tree. I do not think this ended well for it. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreBirds As EAB Indicators
Being small in size as an adult and hidden underneath tree bark as larvae, Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) can be rather difficult for humans to detect. For bark-foraging birds such as woodpeckers however, this is not a difficult task. As these birds move up and down a tree’s trunk and branches, they listen for larvae chewing on the wood and can even feel vibrations from the larvae moving through the galleries they create. Once detected, woodpeckers will hammer away at the bark in order to collect the larvae beneath. While the larvae is removed from the bark, a hole and missing bark around...
Read MoreTulip Tree
Can you feel the coarse and massive folds of bark on this Tulip Tree (Liriodendron tulipifera)? The leaves are exploding in a green fire across our landscape…finally! Go outside and soak in some nature this weekend.
Read MorePileated Woodpecker Holes
These are some extra fresh Pileated Woodpecker holes! That wood looks like it has been cut very recently, and it certainly looks like a professional job. Whenever you see a dead or dying tree in your yard please try to leave it there if possible – if it is not infected with something such as Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, or a particularly dangerous falling hazard to people. It will end up serving a host of species that depend on these decaying plants for food, shelter and nesting. Cutting even these trees down solely for aesthetic purposes is robbing the environment of a vital component....
Read MorePileated Woodpecker Visit
I was thrilled to add this Pileated Woodpecker to my January 2015 bird list as I saw it yesterday in between bouts of snowfall. It was pecking its enormous bill at some of the dead bark and holes on this tree, hoping for some insects and having a taste – you can see its tongue in one of the photos! I ended up with all five expected woodpeckers at home to start the year with the others being Downy, Hairy, Northern Flicker and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. My “best” find this January was probably still the two Orange-crowned Warblers I enjoyed on New Year’s Day. What was...
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