New York Almanack

History, Natural History & the Arts

Summer

The 1952 Vacation Boom in Sullivan County

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Youngs Gap Hotel in Parksville, Sullivan CountyIn 1952 the bungalow industry in Sullivan County, NY, believed to be the largest in New York State, reported that rentals for the summer were at 100 per cent, “the greatest season in its history.”

Likewise, during the peak summer season the county’s hotels “had not a single room to spare.” The Liberty Register newspaper reported in its September 11 edition that year that “the county’s 534 resort hotels — the largest concentration of such hotels in the world — with 34,000 rooms, operated at 100 per cent capacity.” [Read more…] about The 1952 Vacation Boom in Sullivan County

Goldenrod and The Golden Rule

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Goldenrod and visiting Cerceris wasp (courtesy wikimedia use Hardyplants)Unless you have bees up your nose on a regular basis, don’t blame late-season allergies on goldenrod. However, if you do find bees in your schnozz, seek medical (and perhaps entomological) help immediately. While most plants respond to the shrinking hours of daylight in the late summer by starting to wind down their business for the season, goldenrod is a “short-day” plant, the type that is stimulated to bloom by dwindling light. [Read more…] about Goldenrod and The Golden Rule

Eclipse Plumage: Male Mallards Hiding in Plain Sight

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Male Mallard Eclipse Plumage during molting (color) (courtesy wikimedia user Amos Oliver Doyle)For most of the year, it’s hard to find a pond without at least a few mallards swimming around. These ducks, with their green-headed drakes and streaky brown hens, are among the most common water birds throughout the Northeast.

In spring and fall, mallard flocks are ubiquitous, gobbling up grasses and aquatic plants. In winter, as ice spreads across most ponds, many of these flocks fly south, while the few that remain retreat to open water wherever they can find it. And in summer, if you’re lucky, you might see a female swimming with a trail of downy ducklings behind her. [Read more…] about Eclipse Plumage: Male Mallards Hiding in Plain Sight

Check Your Pool Filter for Asian Longhorned Beetle

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Asian longhorned beetleAsian longhorned beetle (ALB) is active from now through Labor Day. Pool owners should check filters for the invasive insect regularly and submit a report if any are found.

ALB attacks and kills maples, birches, willows, and other hardwoods. They emerge from infested trees in the late summer to find a new host. The beetles are 1.5 inches long, have long black-and-white antennae, and have black-and-white spots on their body. [Read more…] about Check Your Pool Filter for Asian Longhorned Beetle

Swimmers & Anglers: Give Trout A Break In This Summer’s Heat

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rock dam in stream (DEC)You know who isn’t a huge fan of summer? Trout. Summer heat waves impose serious stress and can even cause death. Trout and salmon that are already heat-stressed may not recover after being caught and released.

You can help these fish survive the summer by following a few simple tips: [Read more…] about Swimmers & Anglers: Give Trout A Break In This Summer’s Heat

What Kind of Snake is That?

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Photos of two non-venomous snakes - a garter snake by Kelly Colgan-Azar on right and a Northern water snake by Robert McCloud on leftDuring the spring and summer months, many species of snakes move from overwintering sites in search of open areas where they can do essential activities, like eating and digesting food, shedding, basking, and reproducing. Many sites happen to be on land that people inhabit. Often, snakes are found in un-mowed lawns, gardens, rock walls, landscape features, woodpiles, construction debris or scrap piles, old buildings, and docks, as well as in more natural areas like rock ledges, fallen trees, and various wetland types. [Read more…] about What Kind of Snake is That?

Blanding’s Turtle

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Blanding’s turtle by M.T. JonesThe Blanding’s turtle inhabits a variety of wetlands including marshes, swamps, and flood plains. However, individual turtles will travel over land considerable distances to reach sandy or gravelly areas to lay eggs, and vernal pools where they will feast on amphibian egg masses, larval amphibians, crustaceans, plants, and other organisms throughout the spring. [Read more…] about Blanding’s Turtle