Wednesday, May 27, 2020
By: Melissa Reckner, Penguin Court Program Manager
The textures of nature provide ample supplies for creating unique paint brushes. Turn your next backyard adventure or trail hike into a gathering mission for natural materials that can be used in this fun art project. The end...
Read MoreWednesday, May 20, 2020
By: Melissa Reckner, Penguin Court Program Manager
Most people eagerly acknowledge the first robin of spring, and nearly everyone recognizes the bold blue robin egg, but how much do you know about these birds? The American robin is a classic sign of spring, pulling on earthworms that are surfacing in warming soils; however, did you...
Continue ReadingWednesday, May 13, 2020
By: Melissa Reckner, Penguin Court Program Manager
Some modified blooms attract fewer pollinators and yield less nectar. Plants that need the help of insects, birds and other animals to pollinate and help create their progeny often supply a sugary reward for the foraging pollinator in the form of nectar—the divine drink of the...
Continue ReadingTuesday, May 12, 2020
By: Jillian Pyle, Easement Steward
The praying mantis is a master of deception with a seemingly benign appearance. Despite its tranquil praying pose, this elusive creature is actually quite the predator of the insect world. Most people are able to identify a praying mantis, but many are unaware there are both native and invasive species of mantises in our area. Gardeners often recognize the praying mantis as a guardian against pests. The benefit of their efficiency, however, is questionable since they do not discriminate on what will be their next meal.
Continue ReadingTuesday, May 5, 2020
By: Susan Charkes, Easement Steward
Pollinators and their partners come in all colors, shapes and sizes. Innumerable assortments of butterflies, bees, moths, flies, beetles, birds and bats are drawn to visit myriad varieties of fragrant, colorful flowers where they sip nectar and collect pollen. Pollination both feeds the pollinators and enables plants to reproduce. But there is one very important pollinator that is colorless, has no sense of smell and doesn’t drink sweet nectar: Wind.
Continue ReadingMonday, May 4, 2020
By: Melissa Reckner, Penguin Court Program Manager
Spring is here! Although birds continue to migrate north, many call Pennsylvania home and are looking for nesting places to raise their young. The nesting material birds use varies among species and habitats, but can include mosses, grasses, twigs, pine needles, leaves, animal fur, feathers, mud, spider webs and more! Help birds find what they need by creating your own one-stop shop of nesting materials to hang in your backyard.
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