Browsing: Qu’est Que C’est

Finding the motionless, rigid body of an insect covered with odd spiky protrusions is certain to get anyone’s attention. My friend Shawn Harris had a typical reaction when he asked me about his recent observation – “What the Frankenstein is this!?! My response – “Why, that is just your typical Zombie Wasp. Cool!”

How about starting out the new year with a resolution that you may actually keep for longer than a week – and enjoy. Here goes – resolve to pause a minute each day to pay attention to nature around you. One minute, that is it! And if you think that is too short a time, try it and you will realize just how much you can see and hear in 60 seconds.

Recycling a good story is a good thing, right? Well, I think so, and this story from Christmas Past is worth repeating. The theme remains, with some new twists, if you are adventurous – why mess with perfection? This challenge begins on Christmas Day. Yes, the twelve days begin on Christmas Day (when Christ was born) and end on the Epiphany in the Christmas tradition (when the Magi visited the newborn Jesus). Try to keep up!

Feeding wildlife in your yard can be pleasing and, at times, entertaining. And if you are thinking about what to get your yard critters for Christmas, consider native plants that feed them throughout the year and add value to your landscape.

Some of the more colorful and active spiders in our world are Jumping Spiders – members of the family of spiders known as Salticids. The Tan Jumping Spider is an exception, at least at first sight, if you can spot it to begin with. But why is it so shy?

Do you have a child or grandchild that loves nature? Would you like to inspire a child to love nature? Well, Christmas is coming, so get them something that inspires them to explore the natural world around them. Here are a couple of suggestions.

Our first encounters with living things in our lives started with Mom or Dad telling us what it was called – its common name. And for me, those are the ones that I remember best. But, for other folks, those names may not be the same as mine. The shrub I call Mamou is Coral Bean to others. Same plant, with one scientific name, Erythrina herbacea

Five years have passed since the grass covered lot in Moss Point began its journey toward restoration to a mature natural wetland. To look at it now, it can appear to untrained eyes to be a mess – a tangled thicket of weeds and shrubs that, well, looks messy. Let me tell you why it is not and what it will look like as it continues its journey to a mature Bayhead Swamp that it is meant to be.

For many of us, an unhurried walk in nature is medicine for the mind and soul. Whether strolling through a local park or a nature trail, the sights and sounds can provide a respite for life’s stresses. There is always something new to discover, even on a trail or path that we have walked a hundred times.

Of all the yard critters that we encounter, box turtles are favorites. They often become pets of sorts when we offer them treats, and if done regularly, they can become demanding. Stories of turtles waiting at the back door or even looking into the house “asking” for attention are not uncommon. We humans are trainable that way. Cute names are often assigned.

Of our common backyard birds, Northern Cardinals stand out and are likely the very first bird we recognized as a child. According to the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, male cardinals are perhaps most responsible for getting folks to begin to want to learn more about birds. But what do we really know about this iconic bird?  

To watch a flock of Brown Pelicans fly in formation is mesmerizing. They line up behind one another, often in V-shaped formations behind a lead bird.

A ride beside the artificial beaches along Highway 90 in coastal Mississippi provides a great view of the Mississippi Sound, but is often framed with what has become an extensive system of sand dunes, dressed in the ultimate dune plant – Sea Oats. Everything about this plant is designed to live in what is a harsh environment of sand and wind.

OK, who loves cockroaches? No one! Well, Ensign Wasps do and when you see one, you know they are on the hunt. These small active wasps are not hard to distinguish from the many small insects that can be found flying about in your home. They are harmless and interesting to watch as they seek their victims.

Treetops have been a place I always wanted to visit. Being afraid of heights has kept me on the ground, but I remain enamored with what I can see and hear from the safety of terra firma. Taking the time to arch your neck and look up into the canopy is a worthy exercise if nothing more than to wonder and contemplate what lies above.  

Have you ever noticed nearly perfect round holes in leaves and wonder what made them? Well, wonder no more, for you have proof that leafcutting bees are nearby. These small industrious bees have evolved to cut and weave these excised pieces of leaves to make their nest.