by Roland D. Hallee A reader called the office last week to inquire about a bug that resembles a ladybug, but is green in color. She was wondering if it was a pumpkin bug. Well, it very well could be. The pumpkin bug, or squash bug, are also called stink bugs, but are not the […]
by Roland D. Hallee According to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, 73 percent of hunters harvested a moose during the last season. This was done despite warm spells in both September and October. There were 2,080 permits issued, and 1,518 hunters were successful. That would lead you to believe that moose are […]
by Roland D. Hallee The first issue of The Town Line was published on March 15, 1989. The brain child of China residents Gary and Trish Newcomb, the newspaper’s goal was to bring neighbors and their respective towns closer together through better communications. Area towns and their residents had gone through some turbulent times during […]
by Roland D. Hallee “What’s for suppah, Granny,” is the question that comes from members of the Clampett family on the 1960s TV series, The Beverly Hillbillies. “‘possum stew and crawdad pie,”replies Granny. Not exactly appetizing if you ask me. So, let’s get this question out of the way, right now. First crawdads, or crayfish. […]
by Roland D. Hallee We see them everywhere on our lakes. They are long, lean and stare at you from the shoreline or from tree tops. The Great Blue Heron. The great blue heron, Ardea herodias, is found throughout most of North America, as far north as Alaska and the southern Canadian provinces in the […]
by Roland D. Hallee Recently I read an article about the state of bumble bees and honey bees. It seems a common class of pesticide, neonicotinoids, is causing problems for honey bees and bumble bees, by attacking their central nervous systems, causing a reduction in weight and the number of queens in bumble bee hives. […]
by Roland D. Hallee While watching a documentary about turtles on British Broadcasting Company/America (BBCAm) over the weekend, they had several episodes about turtles on the show Blue Planet. It got me to thinking about turtles in our area, and the plight they encounter. I have written on turtles before, but I felt it was […]
by Roland D. Hallee A 40-year study conducted by the Audubon Society has found that more than half of 305 bird species in North America are spending the winter about 35 miles farther north than they did 40 years ago. Some of these birds include chickadees, robins and owls. Bird ranges can expand for many […]
by Roland D. Hallee One of the educational things I do for myself every day is read the comics in the daily newspaper. It kind of sets the tone for the rest of the day for me. I have my favorites: Peanuts, Hi and Lois, Beetle Bailey, Garfield, etc. I even like to read Mark Trail […]
by Roland D. Hallee It’s that time when I have a love-hate reaction to this day. The love: It’s February and I get to go visit my gopher friend, Woodrow Charles. The hate: I have to trudge through snow, cold and wind to his lair in the woods of Center Vassalboro. Woody is a weather […]