Despite increases in predators and hunting success
It would seem inevitable that an increase in predators would lead to a decline in the prey they eat – and the chances of success for hunters. But a new study shows that hasn’t happened with elk in Alberta over the past 26 years, despite an increase in the number of wolves, grizzly bears and…
Here are a few of my favourite words from nature
I love to read about nature, but every now and then, words jump out at me that make me stop in my tracks as sometimes I don’t know what they mean! Here are a few of my favourites that I’ve found over the years. Thigmotaxis: Many animals rely on their neighbours to keep them warm…
No, but they have a unique body feature that permits them to appear to fly
I have always marvelled at flying squirrels and their unusual abilities and biology. Two possible species can be found in Canada. The Southern Flying Squirrel is restricted to patchy appearances throughout our area but thrives best along the north shore of Lake Erie and into the U.S.; the Northern Flying Squirrel can commonly be found…
Chipmunks are adorable, but ...
Although over 200 kinds of squirrels can be found across the globe, 25 of those are chipmunks and all but one of these species of chipmunk lives in North America. The outlier is the Siberian Chipmunk which can only be found in Asia. In Canada, we have several kinds of squirrels – Eastern Gray, Red,…
Meadow Vole poop is an essential source of nutrients for grasses and other plants where they forage
It’s easy to admire big animals, but without tiny critters nothing can survive. From the soil insects, micro-organisms and small mammals that become food for predators up through the food chain, everything relies on something smaller to survive. One of the most overlooked mammals is the Meadow Vole. It’s a small mouse-like animal that lives…
One simple tip to get some natural protection is to wear light-coloured clothing
It’s nearly impossible to head outdoors during the summer without coming across mosquitoes – and experiencing the itch-inducing bites they bestow. But as irritating as those bites may be, mosquitoes are a necessary part of the ecosystem. “Both the larvae and the adults are food sources for other insects such as dragonflies, amphibians, birds and…
It isn't so much to escape the cold but to find enough food to survive
I get both excited and saddened at this time of year. In the spring, I await the return of the birds and then all summer long I enjoy their song, but in the fall I know they will soon be migrating south. The young have fledged and the adult birds have put on enough weight…
Helping insects survive is more valuable than practically anything else we do to help nature
I recently wrote about haying and the delicate balance between harvesting a crop and protecting nesting birds. Today, I would like to offer some advice to help us protect the beauty and functionality of our properties while simultaneously protecting wildlife. Why should we care? Wildlife is more than just an attractive feature of the landscape;…
We are fortunate to live in a part of the world where our four seasons are distinct
Autumn is a time of reflection. I love the fall as it is both a time of awe-inspiring colours and a foreboding of winter soon to come … but the former somehow overshadows the latter for me. We are fortunate to live in a part of the world where our four seasons are distinct and…
Spot-treating soil with lime could give farmers another option to stem the costly disease and improve soil health
Lime is showing promise as an additional way to help manage clubroot, a deadly disease in canola crops, University of Alberta research shows. Spot-treating soil with the mineral reduced the overall occurrence and severity of the disease by 35 to 91 per cent, growth experiments showed. The finding, published in the Canadian Journal of Plant Pathology,…