Brown Dog Tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus)
While the warmer weather this past week has been a treat, it has also been a good reminder that with increased temperatures comes increased insect and arachnid activity. My husband had a little encounter with a Brown Dog Tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus), a common tick to the area, while spending some time outside. While dog ticks do not transfer Lyme’s disease, other ticks such as Deer ticks (Ixodes scapularis) certainly can if not removed in a timely manner. If you are out hiking this week just remember to check yourself and your pets for these creepy crawlies! Elyse Henshaw...
Read MoreSnowmobile Cell Phone Tour Wrap Up
For any of those that enjoy the winter season, many will say this past winter was a great one. The cold temperatures and consistent snowfall made Chautauqua County a winter outdoor enthusiast’s paradise, coating the trails and ski slopes throughout much of the blustery season. Thanks to all of the wintery weather the area received, the trails throughout Chautauqua County were open for snowmobile, ski, snowshoe and foot traffic throughout much of the designated season. Furthermore, the conditions created a great opportunity for people to get out on the trails and enjoy some of the...
Read MoreForest Pest Early Detection Training 2/23
Have you heard about Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (HWA), Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) and Asian Long-horned Beetle (ALB)? Would you like to know more about these invasive forest pests that have been found within the state and local region? Come join the WNY PRISM and the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History (RTPI) for an informational forest pest early detection training from 12:30PM-4:30PM on Monday, February 23. Topics covered will include the impacts of each forest pest as well as how to identify each invasive insect, signs and symptoms of an infestation and what to do if you find any of...
Read MoreChautauqua County Snow Depth
Our friends at the Chautauqua Lake Snowmobile Club have this NOAA/NWS snow depth map regularly updating on their website to let members and the visiting public know how much snow is on the ground in Chautauqua County. While it has gone down a bit recently due to a brief warm-up (very brief, and I am being very generous in saying “warm-up”!) and some rain, freezing rain, and sleet, there is still a ton of snow covering the earth in the region. You can see the escarpment well in this photo and the effect of elevation on snowfall and temperature. It will be utterly frigid later this...
Read MoreWinter Trails Fun
This weekend is going to be a B-E-A-Utiful one for all that enjoy getting outdoors during this time of year in Chautauqua County! With the latest storms passing through from the Midwest this week, there is ample snow for everyone to play in. While you are out this weekend, enjoying the deep snow throughout the county, take a moment to check out these little blue Snowy Owl signs scattered across the snowmobile trails. Many of these signs are placed at trail junctions, road crossings and trail heads, and each tell a stellar story about the natural history or a historical happening at each...
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