History, Natural History & the Arts
In New York, Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) begin their annual fall migration in mid-August. These butterflies are the great-great-grandchildren of the monarchs that migrated to Mexico last fall.
Here are some ways you can help monarchs: [Read more…] about Help Monarchs on their Long Migration South
A common reaction when you see a bug in the garden is to reach for the insect spray. Not so fast! Are you sure that is a pest? Maybe it’s actually one of the good guys that helps keep those bad bugs under control. Most insects found in the home landscape aren’t harmful to our plants.
There are many “beneficial” insects that pollinate our plants or provide us with bug control services. Still others are the clean-up crew and take care of dead or decomposing things. It is important to learn to recognize beneficial insects, so they can be appreciated and conserved. [Read more…] about Beneficial Insects in the Garden: A Primer
Rather than a reprieve, “it was a shot in the gut,” said Lake George Waterkeeper Chris Navitsky. On June 28, State Supreme Court Justice Robert J. Muller lifted a temporary restraining order preventing the Lake George Park Commission from treating Eurasian milfoil with the herbicide ProcellaCOR on two bays on northern Lake George.
Less than 24 hours later, on Saturday, June 29, roughly nine gallons of the herbicide were poured into the two bays, the first time a chemical has been used to treat invasive plants or animals in Lake George. [Read more…] about Lake Gorge Park Commission Dumps Herbicide into “Queen of American Lakes”
Adirondack Park advocates are celebrating passage of three bills that would protect birds and bees from pesticides, protect native aquatic plants from invasive species, and deal with a violation of the New York State Constitution’s “forever wild” clause. [Read more…] about Adirondack Bills Advance in Legislative Session
As of January 1st, 2023, DEC reclassified certain neonicotinoid (neonic) pesticide products as “restricted use.” Products containing imidacloprid, acetamiprid, and thiamethoxam that are labeled for foliar, widespread outdoor use, and/or seed treatment are no longer permitted to be applied by homeowners. [Read more…] about Green Your Spring Lawn and Garden Care
Last autumn, around the same time I was laying the winter quilt on our bed, my cat became very interested in the space beneath the kitchen sink. Unsurprisingly, a mouse was huddled down there, seeking shelter in the warmth. Though I was sympathetic, and all wildlife is welcome in our yard, I’d prefer they remain outside the house. What to do? [Read more…] about The Trouble with Rodenticides
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