No Flower Picking!
It is that time of year again! Pink Lady Slipper Orchids (Cypripedium acaule) are among our favorite neighbors. You can see them flowering in good numbers right now in mature mixed forest habitats. As tempting as it may be to some, these beautiful plants make terrible transplants and will not survive a trip to your backyard. Please enjoy them responsibly and leave them where they belong. They look better in their natural habitat anyway and it will give you yet another reason to visit your favorite nature preserve or park!
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 MoreBobcat Signs
Can you spot the mammal here? No? Well…yes, you cannot find it because it is not there, but it has left its mark…literally. What do you see? This is a Bobcat scratching post and resting area, the bark stripped away by sharp claws. You can see the lines that have been carved into the wood. It is conveniently located over a pool of water, making it harder for anything to sneak up on the bobcat when it is at rest. It almost seemed similar to a place one of our pet cats would like to enjoy a snooze on! Nearby we found this pile of scat, also Bobcat. If you have a cat at home that may help you...
Read MoreTick Season
Tick season has arrived! Whether it is a warm and sunny day or a cool, cloudy one you can now expect to find some ticks outdoors, especially in edge habitats. In Western New York this is rarely a problem, and only a handful of sites have any ticks to be found. However, in places like Connecticut the population is robust, booming, and filled with diseases. Any time that you or your dog goes outdoors this spring, and throughout the year really, you should be mindful of ticks. The best way to protect yourself is to stay covered, change your clothes, check yourself from head to toe, and shower...
Read MoreDaffodil Buds
Here we can see some daffodil buds fighting their way through the earth, emerging from the leaf litter despite the snow still present around them. More snow may end up coming down on our early flowers in the next couple of weeks. What is popping up in your yard at this point in the spring? Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
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