by Roland D. Hallee One of the things I enjoy doing at camp on a Saturday morning is grabbing a cup of coffee and sitting on my deck, focusing on the bird feeders. There is much activity around there, not just the birds, but the squirrels and chipmunks, and the occasional cat that comes around […]
by Roland D. Hallee Last week, I received an email from a colleague, and follower of this column, asking the question, “Why don’t deer and moose get their antlers caught in trees?” Well, it isn’t uncommon to find deer with their antlers caught in trees. But it usually occurs following adverse conditions, especially from flooding […]
by Roland D. Hallee Well, it’s the middle of June and I have yet to see a June bug this year. Generally, June bugs, Phyllophaga, do make their appearance in mid- to late-May. So why are they called June bugs? It all depends on what you want to call them. They are also known as […]
by Roland D. Hallee On my way back to camp after having run some errands in town, I was driving the Bog Road, in Vassalboro, coming in from Rte. 201. Upon cresting a hill, I notice something in the road: it was a snapping turtle. I have seen many over the last couple of weeks […]
by Roland D. Hallee While sitting on the deck at camp one lazy afternoon recently, one of our friends asked, “Why don’t we hear Whip-poor-wills anymore?” Interesting question. Besides the fact that whip-poor-wills are strictly nocturnal – that meaning they are active at night when I’m sleeping (something that seems to be happening earlier all […]
by Roland D. Hallee Last week, a reader dropped by my office to tell me a nature story that is, to say the least, unusual. Betsy, a China resident, told me about an oak tree on her property that is a considerable distance from their home. In the branches of this particular tree were multiple […]
by Roland D. Hallee There is nothing like beating a subject to death. But, in this case, it’s worth every word. You have to be living in a cave not to know that deer ticks are at an all time high. They are everywhere. Friends and family have told me stories about their encounters with […]
by Roland D. Hallee Have you ever heard of clover mites? Neither had I. Until, that is, a couple of weeks ago when a friend told me of her encounter with some. So, let’s take a closer look at them. First of all, clover mites flourish in early spring. This dark reddish-brown pest, which is […]
by Roland D. Hallee Like an idiot, I decided to stop into the office on my way to camp on Sunday. However, every chore has its rewards. On our way to camp afterwards, I noticed a small vernal pool in its customary spot on the Cross Hill Road, in Vassalboro. It’s always there, but it’s […]
by Roland D. Hallee I have seen this bug around my house recently – like two in the last couple of weeks – and I was wondering what it was. I’ve seen it many times before, and merely dealt with it. But this time, my curiosity was peaked, and it was time to find out […]