Deer Bot Fly

Deer Bot Fly

Flies - the order Diptera - are an incredibly diverse group, and they've evolved an astonishing array of bizarre life histories. I recently encountered an example of one of the stranger things the world of Diptera has to offer: the bot fly Cephenemyia phobifer. A...

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A Sandplain Specialty

A Sandplain Specialty

The range of Bird's Foot violet, Viola pedata, extends across most of the eastern United States. But wherever it occurs, this distinctive spring-flowering perennial lives on sandy soil. So it's no surprise that it flourishes on the lean, gritty soils of the Martha's...

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Bee Season!

Bee Season!

While spring is still just getting started, the first of the Vineyard's native bees are already on the wing. Queen bumblebees, having overwintered under the leaf litter, are starting to rouse themselves to found new colonies. And solitary bees, many of them...

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Getting Ready for Bird Nesting Season

Getting Ready for Bird Nesting Season

Promoting natural habitat is the best way to provide nesting opportunities for birds.  Dead trees are an excellent source for nesting cavities.  These snags also offer insects shelter where they complete their life cycle; many species are integral to decomposition and...

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BWorks Marks International Bat Week

BWorks Marks International Bat Week

Bat Week is an annual, international celebration of the role of bats in nature. October is also a month where we see lots of bats around - but mostly the decorative kind associated with Halloween. Why don’t we see a lot of bats flying through the sky this time of...

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