The Outside Story: Rethinking the lawn
This spring, we went the no-mow route on about a quarter-acre of our lawn, the last remaining groomed piece we hadn’t turned into vegetable garden or permanent meadow.
The Outside Story: The unexpected chemistry of lightning
To say that lightning “splits” the sky is no mere poetry. A single stroke contains about one billion joules of energy, roughly 280 kilowatt-hours of electricity, and could power a modern American household for more than nine days.
The Outside Story: Invasion of the spotted lanternfly
In September 2021, one boy’s blue ribbon-winning 4-H project at the Kansas State Fair made national news. The exhibit included a colorfully spotted, inchlong, moth-like insect that immediately attracted the attention of entomologists.
The Outside Story: Wails, yodels, tremolos, hoots - Loon calls are more than meets the ear
On the New Hampshire lake where I spend much of the summer, loon calls are so common that I sometimes take them for granted. The sounds of the common loon (Gavia immer) are iconic of wilderness and have been described as haunting, plaintive, maniacal, other-worldly, even wolf-like.
The Outside Story: Cobblestone tiger beetles face habitat challenges
Earlier this summer, I joined graduate school friend and beetle biologist, Kristian Omland, in search of the elusive cobblestone tiger beetle (Cicindela marginipennis).
The Outside Story: Many songs, sounds of the gray catbird
Several years ago, I was awakened nearly every day of late spring by a recurring – and very loud – bird sound.
The Outside Story: The many ways of cedar
Some things are so familiar, so common, that they are often overlooked. Such is the case with northern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis).
The Outside Story: Phantom midges are late-night feeders
The most common but least seen planktonic insect larvae in lakes and ponds are phantom midges, members of the genus Chaoborus that the “phantom” moniker from both their unique appearance and their unusual behaviors.
The Outside Story: Incredible, resilient water bears
When asked to name the most resilient animal, not many people likely think of tardigrades. In fact, most people probably don’t even know that tardigrades exist.
The Outside Story: The Slime on Slugs
Gardening at night has its rewards. For me, it offers a way to stay on top of planting and weeding while balancing work and family responsibilities.
The Outside Story: Nets, boots, ice-cube trays for sampling macroinvertebrates
Before masks and social distancing, my collaborators and I packed vans with students from Vermont, Massachusetts, and as far afield as Puerto Rico to monitor macroinvertebrates in Vermont streams.
The Outside Story: Little masked bandits
I know that common yellowthroats have returned to my neighborhood in spring when I hear that distinctive song. With luck, I’ll glimpse the striking male as he darts about the shrubbery.
The Outside Story: Tiny animals, big noise
From early spring through late summer, the air trills and croaks and buzzes and chirps with the sounds of nature’s little loudmouths.
The Outside Story: Those are sunbathing birds
One cold spring morning, a turkey vulture soared across the sky and landed high in a tree behind my house. I soon noticed another vulture, most likely its mate, in a nearby oak.
The Outside Story: Stream salamanders thrive in healthy forests
The life cycles of the three species of stream salamanders native to New England – northern two-lined, northern dusky, and spring – are closely tied to the small streams where they are found.
The Outside Story: Bloodroot is an early, brief bloomer
Every spring, after the last of winter’s snow has completely melted and as I start the wonderful, dirty work of turning the soil of my vegetable beds, I find myself gazing often to the just-greening-up ground beneath the old apple tree behind the garden.
The Outside Story: Lichen as bird-nest camouflage
Birds use a wonderful variety of materials and techniques to create their nests.
The Outside Story: Underwater, ‘every egg faces an iffy future’
Fish eggs are gelatinous packages of proteins and fats that carry a blueprint for life.
The Outside Story: Colorful wood ducks return
I’ve seen all kinds of birds on the wooded New Hampshire hilltop where I live, but never – until recently – a duck.
The Outside Story: Cache as cats can
On a cold November day in 2020, my daughter Lucy and I detected a strange floral scent in our woods. I challenged her to find its source, and promised a reward of chocolate cake. After some sniffing, she led the way several feet upslope, stopping at a rotting log which bridged the air between two boulders.