Want to be a citizen scientist for a few days? Join the annual Great Backyard Bird Count! For four days in February, the world comes together for the love of birds. People spend time in their favorite places watching and counting as many birds as they can find and reporting them to us. These observations […]
Time for the Annual Backyard Bird Count Read More »
If you’re a parent, a pet owner, or both, you likely love spending time in your outside spaces together. You’ve likely removed any potential hazards indoors for kids, dogs, and cats, but how about outside? Are there possible dangers lurking, especially related to pesticides? Here are some things to consider: Weed and feed products for
Parents and Pet Owners Beware! Read More »
Want to add some natural insect control to your yard? Think amphibians. This group of creatures include frogs, toads, newts, and salamanders. They are among the most beneficial creatures you can find in your garden. Most, like tree frogs, start life in water and then move to land. Some, like the California newt, remain in
Invite Amphibians into your Yard Read More »
World Pollution Prevention Day is observed around the globe on December 2, a day created to instill awareness on environmental pollution and its negative impacts on our health and the planet. International organizations such as the United Nations (U.N.), the World Health Organization (WHO), Greenpeace, and others have been urging countries all over the world
World Pollution Prevention Day Read More »
Do you cringe when you happen upon an eight-legged creature scurrying across your front porch? If it’s a spider, you’re in good company. Fear of spiders, known as arachnophobia, is one of the most common phobias around. It may come from concern about being bitten by a deadly type or simply the idea of the
Did you catch the spring spectacle of male turkeys gobbling and strutting their stuff to attract the attention of hen turkeys? Males often court in groups, with the dominant male gobbling, spreading his tail feathers, drumming / booming, and spitting. In my neighborhood there’s a huge flock with a least a half dozen of them
Those Wild Turkeys Read More »
If you notice a quarter of a tomato plant missing overnight, but you can’t figure out what’s causing it, look closer! A master of disguise, the tomato hornworm may be the culprit! These are enormous caterpillars – up to four inches long! Their striping pattern makes them hard to spot despite their size. One tell-tale
Good or Bad Guy Chomping Your Tomatoes? Read More »
You’re likely familiar with the smallest of all birds – the hummingbird. Found only in the Americas, these tiny aerial acrobats are important pollinators AND insect eaters, doing their part as flying pest controllers! They can use our help by providing them with the basics – shelter, water, and food. September 3, 2022 is National
Protect our Amazing Hummingbirds Read More »
With the bounty of flowers blooming this time of year, you’re likely to spot one of the most helpful little critters in the garden, though you may not recognize it as such. What appears to be a small bee hovering like a tiny helicopter over a blossom but looks and may even sound like a
This Bee Impostor Is a Good Guy! Read More »
Did you know you can unwittingly expose pollinators to harmful pesticides? Some plant growers still use strong insecticides when growing their garden plants. Neonicotinoids, commonly referred to as “neonics,” are very toxic to pollinators, beneficial insects, and aquatic invertebrates, and are the most widely used class of insecticides in the world. The active ingredients in
Protect Pollinators from Neonics Read More »
