Why Did They...?

A few days ago, in the middle of the road, a pancaked turkey lay sprawled out, feathers fanned out which covered up what must have been a gory scene beneath. The next day, a tiny snapping turtle lay at the side of the road, flattened.

Why did they cross that road? What made them do it? Obviously, the grass was not greener on the other side of the road--for either of them, at least!

Later, while walking with my neighbor that same afternoon, I spied two little wooly bears as they took off in a mad crawl across the hot, black pavement. Since these were not yet road kill..., I scooped them up and brought them home. Since then, these two have been eating my yard out of dandelion leaves--there just aren't that many left to pick due to the lack of rain in our area. Everything, including weeds, are drying up!

Maybe it was a lack or food, curiousity, or the search for a winter home that caused these critters to trek over treacherous turf. Who'll ever know? They aren't telling! --LKR

Please, Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Okay, so has this picture of my back yard made you very glad I'm not your neighbor? Well, I'll have you know that my yard is incredibly popular with the insect population! Various bees, butterflies, and ants are flocking on over for a feast. Yup, so that means these dandelions will be pollinated and their seeds viable. ...Um, a note to my neighbors: I will make every effort to get these flowers picked before they go to seed!!! --LKR

They're Back in Town!

My friend Wynde and I were finishing up on a leisurely lunch when we spotted a beautiful male ruby- throated hummingbird at our feeder. I had set out nectar shortly before we had that last fling of wintry weather that dumped upon us a significant amount of snow.

Then, while out on a walk, we saw around 10 cabbage white butterflies. Checkered whites and mustard whites also fly in our northern climate. White family butterflies over-winter in the pupae stage and are one of the first to emerge, come spring.

Several spring azures, tiny blue butterflies, flitted along the country roadsides around our feet. The first generation of this early emerging butterfly are darker blue in appearance than successive generations.

Why the picture of dandelions, you ask? They are among the few early flowering perennials that are essential for bees and butterflies which bloom before lilacs and mock orange bush, both magnets for these and other hungry insects. --LKR