Fall seems to be a sad time of year. We lose things – warmth, leaves and favorite song birds. However, bird migration is an astounding phenomenon. That these small, seemingly delicate creatures can travel such distances …
Unihemispherical sleep is an amazing adaptation that has been well studied in several animals, particularly birds. Researchers have used electroencephalograms (EEG) to understand the ability of birds to sleep with only one hemisphere of their …
It’s a wonder that one of the world’s most spectacular and strongest flying insects begins life as a dingy, sinister-looking aquatic larva. Dragonflies undergo incomplete metamorphosis; there is no pupal stage, during development from egg to …
The yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) is not often seen, but is a common summer time resident of the refuge. They use dense wooded stands with lots of cover and water nearby to raise their broods. Cuckoos may be …
The production of plant galls is fascinating, complex, a bit bizarre and not fully understood. Galls are mutated plant tissue, many of which are formed by the chemical secretions of insects. In the case of …
Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia) is a native wildflower that grows in rich moist woods. This plant has attractive medium-green lobed leaves and the white flowers are arranged on 8” – 10” tall stems. The tiny flowers have long …
Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canandensis) is a beautiful spring ephemeral found throughout our area growing in moist woodlands and along streams. The genus name –sanguinarius- is Latin for “bleeding” and refers to the blood-red juice present in the …
Forest bathing is a term invented by the Japanese in the 1980s. It seems to conjure up the perfect image. Most of us are quite aware that a walk in the woods has the ability …
It’s just scratching the surface to know that poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) causes a blistery itch. The sap, or oil, that poison ivy produces is called urushiol which is a mixture of phenolic compounds. Upon …
A fisher (Martes pennanti) is no measly weasel. The largest member of this family is making a comeback in New York State. Once nearly eliminated in all of the U.S. because of habitat loss and …
