February 26 – March 1, 2024 is National Invasive Species Awareness Week. You’ll likely see many invasive species as you explore nature. Invasive plants are non-native plants that have a negative effect on native plants and animals. The NC Invasive Plant Council and the North Carolina Native Plant Society have published a comprehensive list of… Continue reading National Invasive Species Awareness Week
Author: Jaclyn
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National Trails Day
June first is National Trails Day. Get outside and enjoy the trails!
Nice Catch!
I always enjoy watching the Great Blue Herons in the retention ponds. They are such beautiful birds! Yesterday, I stopped to watch a heron standing along the edge of one of the ponds. It was still for quite a while, and then it jumped! I thought it was about to fly away, but it stuck… Continue reading Nice Catch!
North American Wheel Bug
Have you ever seen a North American Wheel Bug (Arilus cristatus)? This is a full-sized adult. It was about 1.5 inches long. I’ve had several nymphs on the plants in my yard over the years. This is the first time I’ve seen an adult. It was crossing the Shiloh Greenway this week.
North Carolina Science Festival
Have you heard about the North Carolina Science Festival? It is a statewide celebration of science for the entire month of April. This year, there are over 500 events happening in all corners of North Carolina. The theme is Science Everyday, Everywhere, Everyone. You can attend a star party, go on a scavenger hunt in… Continue reading North Carolina Science Festival
Passion Flower
Have you ever seen a passion flower (Passiflora incarnata)? I’ve seen them planted in gardens over the years, but for the first time this week, I saw one growing in the wild! Take a walk down the Crabtree Creek Greenway if you’d like to check them out.
Picture of the Day- November 19, 2024
A busy squirrel on the Hatcher Creek Greenway.
Pine Pollen Season
The pine pollen really started to be noticeable last week. Everything seems to be covered in sticky yellow dust. How long will it last? I read a very interesting article from the NC State Extension Forestry division explaining how to calculate the beginning and peak of the pine pollen season. Essentially, starting on February 1,… Continue reading Pine Pollen Season
Question of the Day- November 4, 2025
Open common partridge pea seed pods, or left- and right-handed DNA helices?
Quiet Nature- April 17, 2024
Enjoy a dose of quiet nature today. Eastern tailed-blue butterflies are 0.75-1 inch wide. They are low-flying butterflies commonly seen in fields and lawns. Their caterpillars feed on plants in the pea family (clover and vetch species). They have very thin, antenna-like tails on their wings. Underneath, the wings are light blue to gray. There… Continue reading Quiet Nature- April 17, 2024