Factors behind burgeoning black bear populations
The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department set a statewide population goal of 3,500 to 5,500 black bears, based on available habitat for food, cover, and winter denning, as well as the size of black bear territories. But in 2024, the population numbered between 6,800 and 8,000.
Moving on: Porcupettes no more
Young porcupines are dispersing from their mothers this time of year, and with that, leaving behind the cutest name for a baby animal – porcupette – as they strike out on their own.
Young loons may linger before winging to the ocean
At this point in the season, most migrating songbirds and raptors have already left. But on lakes and ponds across New England, some loons are still fishing and paddling.
Creating caches in preparation for winter
Red-breasted nuthatches, like the one hiding seeds under the white pine’s bark, typically stay in cold climates. They employ a clever trick to ensure they have enough food to last the winter: they create secret food caches across the landscape for later consumption.
Nematode nemesis: The hidden world of carnivorous fungi
Every major lineage of fungus has produced some species capable of consuming the minuscule animals that occupy nearly the entire surface of the earth. Nematodes make up the majority of this micro-zoo.
Black Locust: An invasive with roots?
The coming of autumn often makes trees harder to identify – but sometimes, it does the opposite. Take the black locust, for example. Without foliage, many of its distinctive traits become visible.
In the (tiny) footsteps of a chipmunk
As autumn nears, I find myself returning to botanist Robin Wall Kimmerer’s line in her book, “Gathering Moss,” where she describes ecological succession as “a tale of the interwoven fates of mosses, fungi, and the footfall of chipmunks.”
Sumac galls offer proof of an ancient association
With the onset of late summer’s cooler nighttime temperatures and shorter days, staghorn sumacs (Rhus typhina) are among the first leafy plants to lose chlorophyll from their cells. The breakdown of this pigment triggers the transition from green foliage to yellow, orange, and red, often starting as early as mid-August. After a striking autumnal display, their rich red to burgundy-colored fruit clusters remain all winter.
Turtlehead tests bumblebees’ pollinator mettle
The lockbox blossoms of white turtlehead (Chelone glabra), a native plant in the plantain family, are an ideal match for the powerhouses of the pollinator world: Bombus (bumblebee) species.
Cyanobacteria’s ancient, hidden history
Cyanobacteria have become a detrimental presence in New England’s lakes and rivers, erupting into toxic blooms that choke out other forms of life. Yet while we are familiar with their destructive side
Syrphid flies puzzle and pollinate
Survey the insects orbiting a globe of milkweed blossoms or the delicate blooms of a chokeberry, and you might spy an apparent chimera.
Northeastern bulrush is on the edge, but not on the brink
The northeastern bulrush, which is sometimes called the barbed bristle bulrush (Scirpus ancistrochaetus), grows from rhizomes along the margins of ponds, marshes, ephemeral pools, and other wetlands.
The Baltimore checkerspot: Finding Maryland’s state insect in Vermont
Unlike most butterflies, Baltimore checkerspots overwinter as caterpillars. They have antifreeze chemicals that enable them to partially solidify without damaging their bodies and then thaw out again.
What makes blueberries blue?
Like many eye-catching berries, blueberries contain pigment chemicals that selectively absorb some light wavelengths, reflecting the other colors back to our eyes for us to see. They also have a waxy layer, or bloom, that scatters and reflects blue light.
The real story of the viceroy & the monarch
Monarch butterflies are noxious to potential predators because of the cardenolide toxins lacing their bodies, courtesy of the milkweed plants they fed on as larvae. Viceroy butterflies have no such defenses, so they act as a copycat, disguising themselves as monarchs.
The brilliant Blackburnian warbler is a treetop gem
While Blackburnian warblers are not uncommon in mature conifer and mixed hardwood forests, they can be hard to see, since they forage and nest high in the branches. But once spotted, they are easy to identify.
Eastern towhees: The dapper sparrows of the underbrush
From forest edges and thickets on late spring mornings in the Northeast comes what sounds like an exhortation from across the pond: drink-your-tea! This is not a British parent’s plea, but rather the song of a chunky, colorful sparrow: the eastern towhee.
Goldenrod crab spiders are masters of disguise
A member of the family Thomisidae, goldenrod crab spiders are both crabby and spider-y. A medium-sized crab spider, these creatures are familiar garden visitors across southern Canada and the United States.
The spring alewife run goes against the flow
One of the most exciting rites of spring is the alewife run, an annual event where throngs of fish race upstream from the ocean to inland water bodies on a reproductive journey.
State issues guidance, reminders for backyard burning as fire season begins
Spring outdoor cleanup often means burning, and state officials with the Departments of Environmental Conservation and Forests, Parks and Recreation remind Vermonters to follow a few guidelines for backyard open burning to protect the environment and public health and safety.