Despite the menacing appearance of this shady group of uninvited visitors, they are actually pretty harmless. If anything, they were more comical than anything else.
Continue reading When Company Arrives Unexpectedly
Imposters!
I was nearly suckered as I was out in the garden taking some pictures. But something about it made me take a closer look. Something about those eyes…
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Dragonflies & Damselflies (Anisoptera & Zygoptera spp.)
My sons grew up believing that dragonflies would stitch their ears closed, courtesy of a fourth grade teacher they were all fortunate to wind up having. It took a while before they would uncover their ears when one would fly by.
Continue reading Dragonflies & Damselflies (Anisoptera & Zygoptera spp.)
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Not Your Usual Sex-Ed Video
Did you have that teacher that insisted you watch a video during sex-ed of a baby being born? Maybe I’ll show my students this one instead from now on! Continue reading Not Your Usual Sex-Ed Video
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Hoplia Beetle (Hoplia callipyge)
If you grow light colored flowers, you may have noticed this lovely little critter chewing holes in them in the spring. How sweet of them.
Continue reading Hoplia Beetle (Hoplia callipyge)
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Room for Rent, Cheap!
My usual approach to attracting wildlife to my garden is just to plant things that they would want to come in for. I’m not into feeders and other things that will become junky clutter after a season or two.
Continue reading Room for Rent, Cheap!
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That Circle of Life Thing
All of nature is centered on the premise of “survival of the fittest”. As I like to tell my students, the struggle is real.
Continue reading That Circle of Life Thing
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Friend or Foe? Ladybug (Coccinellidae)
Most definitely friend!! Though this bizarre looking creature may give you the heebie-jeebies just looking at it, you will want to welcome them with open arms. You are looking at the juvenile stage of everyone’s favorite aphid-eater: the ladybug!
Continue reading Friend or Foe? Ladybug (Coccinellidae)
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Just Passing Through
We live not too far away from a stretch of river. As a result, we tend to get a variety of visitors to our neighborhood that make the trek from the river bottom, and on up into the suburbs. Some even decide they like it well enough and make our yards their homes. Some are welcome, some not so much.
Continue reading Just Passing Through
Mostly Greek 