Hurricane Matthew & Migration
First of all, my thoughts are with all who were or are experiencing the very worst of Hurricane Matthew, a deadly tropical cyclone that has been ravaging areas from Haiti to Cuba, the Bahamas, and now the United States. I, like you undoubtedly, know people who took some of the heavy blows from the storm in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. It proved to be a very difficult forecast which only exacerbated fears, and as heavy rain falls right now in the Mid-Atlantic and New England before the post-tropical cyclone heads out to sea instead of taking that long-discussed loop,...
Read MoreSachems
Speaking of Sachem skipper butterflies, I had so many this year! They seemed to be popping up all over the place in August and September. Here we have the female along with a couple of photos of a male. They are a nonresident and enter our Northeast region from the south. Gardens are a great place to find them enjoying a variety of flowers. Were you able to spot any at your home or favorite patch? Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreSummer Thunderstorm
This week’s persistent heavy rain and frequent thunderstorms are providing a great deal of relief to a drought-stricken region after a difficult summer. Much of the Northeast is in need of several inches of rain or more, and these storms are providing a lot – almost too much – in a short period of time. It will take a while for the water table to fully recover, but these sorts of stormy days and nights are necessary for the health of our environment and all the wildlife in it…including us. Be safe and remember, “turn around, don’t drown” and that,...
Read MoreHumped Bladderwort (Utricularia macrorhiza)
Gorgeous above the water surface, deadly below it – the Humped Bladderwort (Utricularia macrorhiza), and other bladderworts, use small submerged vesicles – bladders – to trap and digest small aquatic invertebrates to augment their nutrient intake in the wetlands they occupy. These are among the very few carnivorous plants found in the northeastern United States. Photographed by RTPI President Twan Leenders for the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History and the Meet Your Neighbours global biodiversity project.
Read MoreDrought Worsening
Hey, did you happen to notice how dry it has been? Because our drought is steadily worsening as well. The Northeast is dry and far more dry than earlier this spring, the beginning of the year, the start of the last water year after a dry summer of 2015, and this date one year ago. We also do not have a lot of water in the forecast. Let’s hope for some clouds and some rain, please! We need more than a thunderstorm or two, and a few well-placed lows saturating the region would certainly be welcome. Extremes hurt much of the life in our environment, and climate change increasing our...
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