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January Species Spotlight: North American Porcupine and Hydrilla
January 31, 2023
North American Porcupine, Erezithon dorsatum The North American porcupine is one of New York State’s oddest looking mammals and one of the largest rodents on the continent. These prickly creatures […]
December Species Spotlight: Wild Bergamot & Chinese Mitten Crab
December 31, 2022
by Beth Rigby Wild Bergamot, Monarda fistulosa Wild Bergamot, or Monarda fistulosa, is a common wildflower in North America: from the Rockies to the Adirondacks. The Monarda genus is a […]
November Species Spotlight: White Tailed Deer & Italian Arum
November 30, 2022
White Tailed Deer, Odocoileus virginianus White tailed deer are common across the entirety of the United States, except for Utah, California, and Nevada and have an estimated nationwide population of 30 […]
October Species Spotlight: Silver Haired Bat & White Nose Syndrome
October 31, 2022
Silver haired bat, Lasionycteris noctivagans The diminutive silver haired bat can be found in forests across mainland North America from northern Mexico to southern Canada and Alaska. They belong to the […]
September Species Spotlight: Common Buckthorn and Goldenrod
September 30, 2022
Goldenrods of New York (Solidago spp.) Goldenrods provide a bounty of color in New York state during the latter portion of the summer and the fall. There are 24 species […]
August Species Spotlight: Highbush Blueberry and Spotted Wing Drosophila
August 31, 2022
Highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) Highbush blueberries are native to the state of NY and much of eastern North America from Nova Scotia, south to Georgia, and west to Wisconsin. They […]
July Species Spotlight: Milkweed and Swallowwort
July 30, 2022
by Claire Hartl Milkweed Milkweed is a native plant that many people know as the host plant for the monarch butterfly. Monarchs lay their eggs on milkweeds, and the caterpillars […]
June Species Spotlight: Asian Jumping Worm and Red Backed Salamander
June 24, 2022
by Claire Hartl Jumping Worms This month’s featured invasive species is actually several species collected under an umbrella common name. Asian jumping worms. There are at least three species under […]
Species Spotlight: Garlic Mustard and Mayapple
May 23, 2022
Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata) Garlic mustard is a much discussed and hated perennial herb. The first known report of it growing in the USA is from 1868 on Long Island […]
May 23, 2022
By Merrie Witkin When I started writing this column, stinging nettles (urtica dioica) were not anywhere on my radar. But I am blessed with an eagle-eyed gardener who knows his […]