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oaks

Acorn Woodpeckers: Adorable Acorn Adorners

January 29, 2022 by Paul Hetzler 3 Comments

Acorn Woodpecker with Hoard by wikimedia user JohnathWhile my musings about nature generally focus on southeastern Canada and the northeastern United States, there are times when a subject is far too juicy to ignore even if it’s out of this world, like Japanese satellites made from trees. Back home on our little planet, we have a blind, rainbow-hued marine worm which slices fish in half for the joy of it.

This “Bobbitt” worm grows to ten feet long and can paralyze a human with its venom. Also cool but way less terrifying, a rainforest tree on the island of New Caledonia oozes more nickel than the richest mines are able to yield. [Read more…] about Acorn Woodpeckers: Adorable Acorn Adorners

Filed Under: Nature Tagged With: birding, birds, oaks, Science, Wildlife, woodpeckers

Making Ink From Oak Galls: Some History & Science

November 13, 2021 by Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

Developing Oak Marble gall caused by the insect Andricus kollari on Quercus robur Chapeltoun, North Ayrshire, Scotland by Wikimedia user Rosser1954What do the following items have in common: the Declaration of Independence, Da Vinci’s notebooks, Bach’s musical scores, Rembrandt’s drawings, Shakespeare’s plays, and the Magna Carta?

Give up?

These examples, along with countless other documents ranging from the historically important to the more mundane, were all recorded using iron gall ink, which is made – in part – from the protrusions created after oak gall wasps lay their eggs within oak trees. [Read more…] about Making Ink From Oak Galls: Some History & Science

Filed Under: Arts, History, Nature Tagged With: bees, insects, Material Culture, oaks, Printing, Science History, trees, wasps

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