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winter

How Animals Stay Warm In Winter

March 18, 2023 by Guest Contributor 1 Comment

red fox in its winter coat courtesy Wikimedia user Lvaughn7To survive the cold of winter, some animals take advantage of protected habitats, such as wooded areas or under a blanket of insulating snow. Ruffed grouse, for example, fly into piles of loose snow and create roosting cavities to rest in when not foraging. Mice and other small mammals remain active in tunnels under the snow. [Read more…] about How Animals Stay Warm In Winter

Filed Under: Nature Tagged With: birds, coyotes, dogs, fox, Science, small mammals, snow, waterfowl, weather, whitetail deer, Wildlife, winter, wolves

Icicles, Snow Doughnuts, and Hair Ice

February 24, 2023 by Guest Contributor 1 Comment

bulbous icicles hang from a branch over a river courtesy Wikimedia user Matthew.kowal A few winters ago, I snowshoed along a trail that led below a series of cliffs with rows of huge, hanging icicles. These icicles were up to 40 feet long, with colors ranging from blue-green to yellowish-brown. In some spots, the icicles extended from clifftop to base, forming thick columns of ice. This spectacular display was created by water from melting snow and underground seeps dripping off the cliffs, refreezing, and building up over time. Minerals leached out of rock and soil can contribute to the colors of icicles. [Read more…] about Icicles, Snow Doughnuts, and Hair Ice

Filed Under: Nature Tagged With: ice, snow, weather, winter

How Do New York’s Pests & Diseases Survive Winter?

February 18, 2023 by Guest Contributor 1 Comment

Hemlock woolly adelgidI can’t help but think about the forest pests and diseases that I work with, and how they fare in winter weather.

We know that monarch butterflies migrate to avoid our cold winters, but what about the insects that stay put? Many of our forests pests and diseases have adaptations and strategies to survive the cold. [Read more…] about How Do New York’s Pests & Diseases Survive Winter?

Filed Under: Nature Tagged With: Invasive Species, Wildlife, winter

There’s More To Animal Fur Than Meets The Eye

February 11, 2023 by Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

red fox in its winter coat courtesy Wikimedia user Lvaughn7 A flash of orange streaks across the meadow – a red fox, like a starburst in the snow. Its fur shimmers in the early morning light, and I, bundled in my winter layers and still shivering cold, envy the fox’s luxurious coat. [Read more…] about There’s More To Animal Fur Than Meets The Eye

Filed Under: Nature Tagged With: cats, dogs, fox, nature, pets, Science, small mammals, whitetail deer, Wildlife, winter

Water Boatmen During Winter

February 11, 2023 by Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

Water boatman active under the ice courtesy Wikimedia user Oceanflynn If you get a chance this winter, take a peek through the icy window of a pond surface. You may see water boatmen (order Hemiptera: Family Corixidae) clinging to the pond floor.

Long oar-like hind legs propel these insects, inspiring their common name. Shorter, scoop-like front legs are used for feeding and singing. [Read more…] about Water Boatmen During Winter

Filed Under: Nature Tagged With: ice, insects, wetlands, Wildlife, winter

Hibernation: How It Works

February 4, 2023 by Guest Contributor 1 Comment

Black bear mother and cubs denning courtesy National Park Service Mammals and birds are endotherms, which means they generate their own body heat through relatively high metabolic rates. That high metabolism requires energy, which these animals garner from food. We typically think of endotherms as warm-blooded; however, some of them are not warm all of the time.

Most active birds and mammals maintain relatively high and stable body temperatures – often around 100 degrees. But they also lose heat to the surrounding environment, especially during the cold winter months. [Read more…] about Hibernation: How It Works

Filed Under: Nature Tagged With: black bears, nature, Science, small mammals, Wildlife, winter

Hair Ice and Frost Flowers

February 4, 2023 by Guest Contributor 1 Comment

TOS_FrostFlowersIf you are out walking on a winter morning, you might be lucky enough to see some of nature’s most beautiful and ephemeral sights: hair ice and frost flowers, both snow-white and delicate against the dull forest floor. [Read more…] about Hair Ice and Frost Flowers

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, Capital-Saratoga, Hudson Valley - Catskills, Mohawk Valley, Nature, New York City, Western NY Tagged With: fungi, ice, Native Plants, nature, Wildlife, winter

Museums, Historical Societies: Be Prepared for Winter

February 2, 2023 by Erika Sanger Leave a Comment

trees in winter courtesy MANYI admit to being one of those people who perhaps overly prepares for winter in Upstate New York. We have a generator for our 200-year-old home because we live in a place where the power goes out. I have a “winter bag” with blankets, flashlight, water, and granola bars as well as a very large brush and ice scraper in my car.

In the Museum Association of New York office in Troy, we keep extra jackets on hand and cover the windows with plastic to hold back wind blowing off the Hudson River. [Read more…] about Museums, Historical Societies: Be Prepared for Winter

Filed Under: Arts, History, Nature Tagged With: Disaster Management, Municipal Historians, Museum Association of New York, Museums, Public History, winter

Psychrophiles: Cold Lovers of Frigid Temperatures

January 21, 2023 by Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

psychrophilesWe humans tend to cringe at winter temperatures. We put on extra layers, crank up the thermostat, and wait impatiently for the tell-tale drip of spring thaw. However, there are plenty of tiny organisms all around us that aren’t just biding their time; they’re thriving in the bitter cold. If you could listen to as well as watch them under a microscope, you wouldn’t hear a single complaint about the temperature.

Psychrophiles, literally “cold lovers,” are organisms adapted to live at extremely cold temperatures. These are single-celled life forms, most often bacteria, but also blue green algae, yeasts, and fungi that can grow at temperatures as low as -13 degrees. [Read more…] about Psychrophiles: Cold Lovers of Frigid Temperatures

Filed Under: Nature Tagged With: Wildlife, winter

The Time to Prune Trees is Now

January 21, 2023 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

tree pruning (photo courtesy DEC_Care and maintenance of trees ensures their health life and minimizes liability. Trees can be damaged by high winds, snow, ice, and other severe weather events. Some damage requires immediate attention, while other damage may be dealt with later. [Read more…] about The Time to Prune Trees is Now

Filed Under: Nature Tagged With: Forestry, gardening, Landscape Architecture, nature, trees, winter

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