Milkweeds: The Fab Five

Asclepias tuberosa – Orange Butterflyweed (photo: Donna Black) Some creatures are blessed with charisma. They are readily recognizable, and seeing even a picture of one elicits an “Awww” from the viewer. Pandas, whales, polar bears, and baby seals come to mind. Few insects have this widespread appeal, but monarch butterflies are a notable exception. By

Monarchs – The Royalty of Butterflies

Last winter, there was finally some good news for the monarch butterfly – the dapper orange and black species with white polka dots on their bodies. In the winter of 2021-2022, the population numbers were up 35% over the previous year. However, they are still down 85% since the 1990s. If you’re like me, you

Winter Anticipation

It’s December 19th, which means it’s almost time! You know the anticipation of the big event, right? The SOLSTICE! What? You thought I meant Christmas? The solstice is way more exciting. This year, at 10:58 am Eastern Time on December 21, the earth will roll on her belly and start a new cycle of lengthening

Today in the Meadow

6-7-2020 I am a nature girl interested in all the live things around me. When we moved “out to the country” several years ago, I wanted to create a habitat for the maximum number of wild things. I haven’t found good information on exactly how to manage the meadows for the best habitat, but my