Browsing: Qu’est Que C’est

I like all wildflowers, but there are a specific few that bring a big smile to my face when they…

As a naturalist from an early age, I have little trouble finding something in nature that piques my interest. Inspiration…

Dragonflies are cool insects. They are some of the most powerful flyers and acrobats in the insect world, and they can be mesmerizing to watch. Adults of all sizes and colors appear in early summer everywhere you look, flitting about, snatching insects in midair. The larvae or nymphs of this ancient group of insects are aquatic and are also fierce predators.

As striking as any of its relatives, Summer Azalea is often missed, and that’s because we’re not looking in the…

Mosquitoes are not as bad as we all think. There, I have said it! Let the groans and hissing commence. But, seriously, here is my attempt to enlighten you about how they do have a positive role in our world – and hopefully, keep me from further abuse.

Although it is not odd to see a Great Blue Heron perched in a tree, the sight of one tending…

Yes, Virginia, a rodent can be cute! Such is the case with our native muskrat, a semiaquatic mammal inhabiting coastal…

An old shoe of mine has lived a productive second life as a home for Carolina Wrens. We all have…

Scientists are proud of our technical terms. But we often fail to clearly define them when promoting an idea for…

It seems that conversations about the value of trees have become top of mind for many of my friends these…

We all appreciate how insects and plants depend upon each other to carry on with their lives. Bees and butterflies feed on nectar and pollen, and in the process, flowers are pollinated, and plants are able to reproduce. This is also the case for nectar-feeding birds like hummingbirds and tanagers that visit flowers on their spring and fall journeys between their winter and summer homes. The timing of blooming of these plants is not, however, a coincidence, but part of a long-established relationship between plant and pollinator.

It must be spring if the Honeysuckle Azaleas are blooming. But, that is just one of many spring plants showing…

Spring migration is upon us in south Mississippi. The Ides of March usually brings the first Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, with other…

Offering suet cakes or homemade suet to backyard birds is a great way to help them stay warm in winter.…

For my friend David Minkler, trees are his reason for being. As an ISA (International Society of Arboriculture) Certified Arborist, David looks at a tree with different eyes than most of us, interpreting the many clues that tell him how each plant is fairing. And there are so many things and circumstances that can be positive or negative for the trees that he studies and cares for.

The 24th Annual Great Backyard Bird Count begins this Friday, February 12th, and runs through Monday the 15th.