Wildlife

The right side of a wood thrush perched upright on a rock.

The Forest Flautist: the Wood Thrush

Have you ever heard the flutey call of the wood thrush? These interior forest specialists are commonly found in our eastern forests, but they are vulnerable to habitat changes, like fragmentation, invasive plant infiltration, and herbivory in the forest understory.

Read More

The Buffer Buck

Hunters, in general, are often some of our greatest conservationists. Their passion for spending time in the outdoors puts them in close proximity to the remarkable beauty of our Chesapeake forest ecosystems, helping to create a conservation ethic.

Read More

Underwater view of the top of a fairy shrimp swiming in a creek.

What’s Swimmin’? Phenological Fun! Fairy Shrimp

What’s swimming right now? Fairy shrimp! These small crustaceans live in vernal pools and lakes and are an important food source for both fish and birds.

Read More

Front view of a wood frog

Surviving Winter: The Amphibian Way

How do amphibians survive winter? These cold-blooded critters have unique methods for staying alive during the frigid winter months.

Read More

Our Hidden Urban Neighbors: Macroinvertebrates

Beneath a creek’s waters lives an entirely different ecosystem of critters that would not look out of place from the movie franchise, Alien, clinging to rocks and crawling on the submerged substrate. Despite their less than loveable features, a stream’s aquatic benthic macroinvertebrates are great indicators of stream health.

Read More

What’s Poppin’? Phenological Fun: Eastern Cicada Killer Wasp

Is this the fabled “murder hornet” we keep hearing about? No! This is the eastern cicada killer wasp!

Read More

What’s Poppin’? Phenological Fun: Hummingbird Clearwing Moth

It’s a bird! It’s a bee! It’s a… moth?! More specifically, it’s a hummingburd clearwing moth.

Read More

Voles: The Tree Planter’s Worst (and Cutest) Enemy

Voles might look small, adorable, and innocent, but they can wreak immense havoc on newly planted forests.

Read More

A closeup of a mosquito on a person's skin

Mosquitoes, Chiggers and Ticks; Oh My!

As we begin to welcome the warmer weather and longer days, you may have noticed an upTICK in pesky biters. They don’t have to put a damper on your outdoor plans, though! Check out some tips, tricks, and fun facts on how to identify and prevent them.

Read More

What’s Flyin’? Phenological Fun!

It’s not a giant mosquito! In fact, there aren’t giant mosquitoes! In North America, mosquitoes max out at less than a dime in size, legs included. Keep the change! This is a crane fly!

Read More