Browsing: Qu’est Que C’est

For those of you that are open to eating wild plants, you might want to check out a few tasty greens in your yard before you crank up that mower. Unless you have one of those highly managed lawns, free of pesky weeds, many of our common yard plants are edible. And spring is a great time to try some out. I have written about a couple of my favorites before, but as I am seeing many pop up this spring, this is a good time to promote a few.

My friend Bob Brzuszek has done it! He has gotten the city of Starkville to not mow in March, to give pollinators a great start in early spring and highlight the diversity of native wildflowers that feed them. The city’s Go Wild initiative encourages homeowners to do the same and take the time to look for and learn about wildflowers and their pollinators (https://www.cityofstarkville.org/680/7316/Highlights).

Of the many types of wetlands in our landscape, Bayhead Swamps are nearest to us, often part of our backyards and neighborhoods. And yet, they are often recognized only as those “wet” and “muddy” domains where our children like to roam. And why not! Any child playing outdoors loves a mud puddle or ditch to explore. But let me share why these wet spots are a gift to us.

For many folks, owls are spooky and mysterious creatures. But the truth is that they are some of the most fascinating of the nocturnal creatures in our world. All owls are cool, but the coolest may be Great Horned Owls.

Many kinds of birds flock together in winter, for good reasons. Understanding why makes watching them fun and a chance to appreciate their roles in our world.

For many, wetlands are nice to look at but are otherwise mysterious places. Few people dare to tread through the water, mud, and muck that defines them. Staying on dry land is preferable, but without these wet elements of our landscape, our world would not benefit from the numerous functions and values that wetlands provide. Wetlands are a gift to most wildlife and certainly to humans, if only we paid attention.

Have you ever wondered why tides are lowest in winter along the northern Gulf of Mexico? Along our beaches, sand flats become exposed hundreds of feet from shore. In shallow bayous, the water can drain almost completely. Wonder no more, it is all about how our planet tilts and spins through the seasons, and the unique nature of the gulf we call home.

For those of us that pay attention to wildlife in our world, winter can be a time of worry. How do our favorite birds deal with the cold? Where did Ole Grumpy, my Box Turtle disappear to? And what about my favorite anole? Well, rest assured, the wildlife in our world know what to do. They do not really need us to intervene, although we can help in a couple of ways that mimics nature itself. Here is how they manage and how we can help.

Attracting hummingbirds to your home can be more than just hanging nectar feeders. Providing  nectar-producing plants to your landscape is frankly healthier for these energetic birds while also adding beauty to your surroundings. But serving up natural flower-based sugars is only one way to support these birds. They eat much more. Winter is the time to think about what you can add to your yard to help feed hummingbirds throughout the year.

So, the kids will soon be out of school, Mom and Dad. Yikes! What to do other than let them lose themselves in those tablets, smartphones, or video games. Here are a few suggestions that you can undertake to engage their brain cells around conservation actions that may lead them to new interests in nature and its wellbeing.

Of all the vines in natural landscapes across the south, greenbriers are the most memorable, but not typically for good reasons. Also known as catbriers, these tough vines sport some of the nastiest thorns of any plant. And yes, they hurt! I have scars, and many stories about how they have entrapped, tripped, made me bleed, and use words that my Mama

Many bird watchers can easily rattle off a list of the common birds that visit their backyards, especially feeders. Many also anticipate the arrival of overwintering birds, like American Goldfinches and winter hummingbirds that visit us from the western U.S. (https://ourmshome.com/winter-hummingbirds/ ). But many more winter birds do not come to feeders, but are common, nevertheless. This is my challenge to you to discover some of these birds during the holiday season, especially if you invite children to join in on the fun.

Live Oaks are iconic trees across the coastal plains of the northern Gulf of Mexico and southeastern Atlantic coast. As…

A Rosy Wolfsnail is hard to miss when one crosses your path. They are one of the larger air-breathing terrestrial snails in the southeastern U.S. Slugs also belong to this informal group of invertebrates, known as pulmonates, that use lungs to breathe. Besides their size, the light pink color of their elongated shell makes them stand out, reflected in their species name “rosea”.  

Scientists often get carried away with using what I call “fifty-cent” words and phrases when we talk about our favorite subjects. I try not to do that without defining the terms when I use them, but I occasionally forget. I recently described a common tree as part of the understory of a forest, assuming that everyone would know what I was talking about. Well, a kind friend called me out by asking a simple question – what is the understory? I offer this explanation as penance for my sin of omission.

If you happen to see what looks like a dust bunny moving across the leaf of your favorite plant, look again. Underneath what looks like a pile of trash is a vicious predator – the larvae of a Green Lacewing. Everything about this common group of insects is focused on eating other bugs, especially those we often view as pests on the plants we like to care for. The adults and the larvae of lacewings are commonly referred to as beneficial insects because of this diet.