I officially launched the Backyard Ecology blog in September 2020. Over the past 16 months, I’ve written over 50 Backyard Ecology blog articles, in addition to producing Backyard Ecology podcast episodes. The blog articles have covered a wide variety of topics, but generally can be grouped under 4 main categories: […]
Wasp
20 posts
It’s been a while since I shared some of my nature-related discoveries with you. So, I thought it was about time to do it again, especially since I found and was able to observe so many fun and cool nature-related discoveries in August and September. Below are just a few […]
Overview Velvet ants aren’t really ants at all, but instead are a type of wasp. There are thousands of species of velvet ants worldwide with over 400 species being found in the continental U.S. and Canada. According to the University of Florida, 50 species can be found in that state […]
One day, late last summer, I decided to see how the berries were developing on the devil’s walking stick (Aralia spinosa) at the back of our property. The devil’s walking stick patch grows along the edge of the woods next to one of our fields. It was sunny, hot, and […]
Like many people, I grew up with a healthy…. apprehension (ok, fear) of wasps. And, of course, I’ve seen all the memes on social media vilifying wasps and calling them names that I’m not going to repeat on this podcast. But, those fears and concerns are mostly unfounded and misplaced. […]
Butterfly boxes, also known as butterfly hibernation boxes or butterfly houses, are long, skinny boxes with thin slits usually on the front. The intent of the butterfly box is to give butterflies a dry place to go during inclement weather or a place to hibernate during the winter. (In the […]
Over the last few months, I’ve been researching and working on a new project. Today I’m super excited to announce that I am launching a Backyard Ecology podcast! For those who might be wondering, a podcast is kind of like an audio version of a blog. I started listening to […]
Many people believe that nature is only “out there” – in national parks, other large chunks of pristine land, or some far-off exotic place. For a long time, I did too. But the truth is that nature is everywhere and there are still plenty of discoveries to be made about […]
Carolina wrens, woodpeckers, and many of our familiar backyard birds are insect eaters. As you might imagine, insects and other bugs become much more difficult to find during the winter. In natural areas, some of the places that they may forage for bugs over the winter include under tree bark, […]
Over the past several weeks, I’ve been lucky enough to find some amazing critters and enjoy some beautiful wildflowers. In this week’s article, I just wanted to share some of the recent nature-related discoveries I made in my backyard and community. This weird looking wasp is an American pelecinid wasp […]
I grew up thinking that wasps were horrible, awful creatures who took great pleasure in stinging anyone who got near them. The proliferation of wasp-related memes on the Internet suggest that I wasn’t the only one who grew up with that belief and that many people still believe that. However, […]
Poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) is a common and much-hated native plant that can be found throughout the eastern half of the continent. It seems to grow pretty much anywhere and the allergic reactions it can cause are infamous. However, no matter how much we may hate it, poison ivy plays […]
Fall is a time when many people “put their gardens to bed” by cutting back their dead flowers and cleaning up their gardens before winter. However, if attracting pollinators to your garden is one of your goals, then you might want to rethink cutting old flower stems to the ground. […]
Goldenrods (Solidago spp.) are in the aster family – the same family as daisies, sunflowers, and asters. The USDA Plants Database lists 33 species of goldenrods that are native to Kentucky. Two of those species, the white-haired goldenrod (Solidago albopilosa) and Short’s goldenrod (Solidago shortii) are federally endangered. The giant […]
The late summer and early fall wildflowers around the farm are magnets for many different types of pollinators. Last week, I shared pictures of some of the butterflies that are visiting our flowers. This week, I’m sharing photos of some of the native bees and wasps that are also visiting […]
Cicada killers (Sphecius speciosus) are large, solitary wasps that are active from June until September. There are actually four different species of cicada killers in North America, and this species is more appropriately called the eastern cicada killer. However, since it is the only species found in most of the […]
Slender mountain mint (Pycnanthemum tenuifolium) is one of nine species of mountain mints native to Kentucky. Mountain mints are in the mint family, but despite their name are not restricted to mountainous regions. They can be found growing throughout the state and many of the surrounding states. Slender mountain mint, […]
This week was National Pollinator Week, so I thought I would share some of the pollinators that I have been seeing around the farm. I had hoped to include pictures of beautiful butterflies feeding on our milkweed and other native wildflowers this week. However, I haven’t seen many butterflies, especially […]
You don’t have to be a beekeeper to provide a home for bees on your property. Mason bees are a group of bees native to the U.S. They are important pollinators that nest in hollow grasses and other tubes. Mason bees get their name from the walls they build between […]
Devil’s walking stick (Aralia spinosa) is a small tree or tall shrub that is native to the eastern U.S. It is often found growing along the edges of forests or in open woodlands. Devil’s walking stick can be a very important plant for honey bees, native bees, and butterflies. From […]