Use of Controversial Pesticides Banned in National Wildlife Refuges After facing a series of legal challenges from environmental groups around the country, the United States Forestry Service has issued a memorandum to the effect that by January 2016, it will have phased out use of neonicotinoid pesticides and “genetically engineered crop seeds” on National Wildlife […] Continue reading "The Grapevine (Sept 2014)"
Pre-poisoned Plants This is a reiteration of the importance of Mariette Nowak’s article titled “Are ‘Safe’ Pesticides Killing Pollinators”. A few things that have come up since she wrote it. It was recently revealed (Pesticide Research Institute, Pesticide Action Network of North America, Beyond Pesticides) that many “bee friendly” home garden plants sold at Home […] Continue reading "The Grapevine (Nov 2013)"
Most people know that as caterpillars, Monarchs feed exclusively on milkweed leaves. Pretty finicky you might say, but that’s only because a lot less attention is paid to the food choices of other insects. Continue reading "A Mystery Explored: Specialized Insects All Around Us"
A natural area restoration can not be truly natural unless it uses plants with a genetic makeup (genotype) similar to those that were in that area originally. Continue reading "A Mystery Explored: Why is Local Genotype Important in Restoration Efforts?"
Have you ever wondered why it is, that to reproduce Monarch butterflies need milkweed; and why there actually are plants deer dislike; and why northeastern squirrels prefer white oak acorns to those of red oaks? Why, field guides of plants, insects and butterflies, use the term ‘host plant’? What is the connection between the evolutionary […] Continue reading "A Mystery Explored: Secondary Metabolites"
Researchers have documented, in many recent studies, that the Eurasian honeysuckle (Lonicera sp.) hereafter referred to as “honeysuckle” shrubs are much more harmful than previously believed. While it has long been known that these shrubs are invasive, and obliterate native understory vegetation, including native shrubs and herbaceous plants, it has now been shown that honeysuckles […] Continue reading "Eurasian Honeysuckle: Bad for birds, bad for trees, and bad for you"
It’s often said that the Jack-in-the-pulpit changes its sex as it ages. Is that really true? Continue reading "A Mystery Explored: The Sex Life of Jack-in-the-Pulpit"
We all love holly for the holidays, and so do birds. We value native hollies for decorations and for landscaping, while birds appreciate their berries, abundant during the lean times of winter. The American holly, (Ilex opaca), is the only native holly with evergreen spiny leaves and red berries – the classic characteristics of holly. Continue reading "Beyond the Bird Feeder: Holly"
Bring both berries and birds to your garden with a native mulberry tree. There are two species native to North America – the red mulberry (Morus rubra) and the Texas mulberry (Morus microphylla). Continue reading "Beyond the Bird Feeder: Mulberry Tree"
The beautiful red Canada columbine (Aqiulegia canadensis) is the only native columbine found throughout the eastern half of the U.S. and Canada. Continue reading "Beyond the Bird Feeder: Wild Columbine"