by Roland D. Hallee Last week I received an email from a reader, who resides in Palermo. She sent a photo and asked what kind of bumble bee it was? She had photographed it feeding on her lilacs. At first glance, I thought it was a sphinx moth – better known as a hummingbird moth. […]
by Roland D. Hallee This week, let’s return to the “never seen that before” department. This past winter, for the first time, I deployed the “better mouse trap” in camp. It consists of a five-gallon bucket, a soda can, a piece of wire, some anti-freeze and a piece of strapping. You place the wire through […]
by Roland D. Hallee We haven’t visited the world of ornithology in quite some time, so it was only fitting this past weekend when someone at the weekly campfire asked a question about a bird that sings at night. After some research, it was determined the song heard was that of the hermit thrush. According […]
by Roland D. Hallee In a published report by Matthew R. Bailey, president of the Foundation for Biomedical Research, up to 41.3 million Americans contracted the flu this season, according to the latest estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than 500,000 people have been hospitalized because of the virus. Thousands of […]
by Roland D. Hallee It’s the time of year when you start to hear horror stories about deer ticks. I have already heard more than I really want to this early. People have told me about letting their dogs out, only to come back covered in ticks. My granddaughter’s husband told me he went to […]
by Roland D. Hallee While on my way to work this week, I saw no less than five dead porcupines on the side of the road. The thought then came into my mind: Porcupines, nuisance or ecological necessity? It all depends with whom you talk. I know some people who are overrun by the animals […]
by Roland D. Hallee Did you know flying squirrels exist in Maine? Well, be it known that Maine is home to the northern flying squirrel. The northern flying squirrel, Glaucomys sabrinus, is one of two species of the animal, the only flying squirrels found in North America. The northern flying squirrel is found in coniferous […]
by Roland D. Hallee Groundhog day was a little over two months ago. However, this is the time of year when they usually start to make their appearance, emerging from their dens following a long winter of hibernation. Until last Monday – when winter reared its ugly head, once more – it looked as if […]
by Roland D. Hallee On March 28, while attending the Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce Business to Business Showcase, held at Colby College, in Waterville, I met a gentlemen named Raymond Fecteau. He began telling me about this game that he has organized locally, and for which he helped secure funding in Augusta, to build courts. […]
by Roland D. Hallee An era has ended in New England. Heck, it has ended throughout the United States. Rob Gronkowski, the happy-go-lucky, larger-than-life, bruising tight end for the New England Patriots has announced his retirement following nine seasons in the National Football League. Patriots fans lament his decision, while the rest of the league […]