Last spring, my husband and I cleaned up a stretch of road near our house. We spent about 45 minutes picking up trash, but mostly recycling. The road side was clear for about 6 weeks. Then a bottle appeared. Then another. Then a takeout container. A half-full plastic bottle of Dr. Pepper. Now it looks like we'd never done anything there at all.
Am I the only one depressed by this?
I've been trying to stay positive. And for the most part, I've been excitedly learning about a new type of education that has great results for students and connects schools and the community with the environment. It's called place-based/community-based education, and it centers around breaking down walls in the community by having students apply what they're learning in school to real-world problems, such as a physics class using their knowledge to help re-build stairs on a local town trail. The idea of getting students out there and connecting people in the community to them is so exciting. It's changed the way I think about how I teach, and given me some interesting ideas I'd like to try out- once I get a classroom of my own.
Why is it that people litter? Or keep old junked cars in their yard? Or just leave crap laying around in piles, rusting and molding until kingdom come? Why don't people recycle? Is it really so hard to toss your empty bottles in one bin and paper in another and take those to the same place you haul your trash?
Why don't people care?
Monday, February 6, 2012
Friday, January 6, 2012
Nature Photojournal #3
Today's photojournal is about insects. Yes, they are creepy. But they do serve unique and important purposes in the world, even if we don't like them. They provide food for all manner of creatures and help decompose dead carcasses, trees, and other 'waste' that is generated by nature. I am all right with insects being outside, but if they are in my house- they are toast. I usually leave the arachnids alone because they help keep out the other unwanted insects.
Anyhow. Here are two interesting insects that you may not have seen before. Both of these were photographed in Georgia, at my house.
Florida Predatory Stink Bug: Euthyrhynchus floridanus
As you may have guessed, this little insect smells. When disturbed, they release a foul-smelling substance from pores in their thorax to deter predators from eating them. As their name also implies, they are themselves predatory, eating plant pests such as beetles and caterpillars.
Their range extends from Florida all the way up to Pennsylvania, and they have been reported as far west as Texas. Pretty neat little bug. This one is also called the Halloween Bug, for its black-and-orange/red appearance.
Wheel Bug: Arilus cristatus
Ok, watch out! This next one is kind of freaky looking. My husband found it and brought it home so we could identify it (he's a biologist). Check out the gear-shaped body part!
This is one insect you DON'T want to handle! Much like the giant water bug and the water scorpion, this insect has a tubelike piercing mouth part. When it catches its prey, it injects them with enzymes which paralyze and dissolve the soft tissues so that the innards can be sucked out. Mmm. Bug milkshake.
Of course, these insects are camouflaged (as well a good predator should be) and their buzzing flight is often mistaken for grasshoppers flying away. So don't be too alarmed. I don't think they are going to invade your house any time soon.
Here is a more in-depth description of the Wheel Bug, as well as why it is considered a true bug instead of a beetle: http://www.hiltonpond.org/thisweek030901.html.
Well, I hope you enjoyed today's jaunt and it didn't give too many of you the creeps. Just remember: these insects have a job to do, and they are important!
Anyhow. Here are two interesting insects that you may not have seen before. Both of these were photographed in Georgia, at my house.
Florida Predatory Stink Bug: Euthyrhynchus floridanus
As you may have guessed, this little insect smells. When disturbed, they release a foul-smelling substance from pores in their thorax to deter predators from eating them. As their name also implies, they are themselves predatory, eating plant pests such as beetles and caterpillars.
Their range extends from Florida all the way up to Pennsylvania, and they have been reported as far west as Texas. Pretty neat little bug. This one is also called the Halloween Bug, for its black-and-orange/red appearance.
Wheel Bug: Arilus cristatus
Ok, watch out! This next one is kind of freaky looking. My husband found it and brought it home so we could identify it (he's a biologist). Check out the gear-shaped body part!
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| Found this great photo on: http://live-with-laughter.blogspot.com/2011/09/three-day-weekends.html |
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| This is the photo we took of it- not quite as menacing! |
Of course, these insects are camouflaged (as well a good predator should be) and their buzzing flight is often mistaken for grasshoppers flying away. So don't be too alarmed. I don't think they are going to invade your house any time soon.
Here is a more in-depth description of the Wheel Bug, as well as why it is considered a true bug instead of a beetle: http://www.hiltonpond.org/thisweek030901.html.
Well, I hope you enjoyed today's jaunt and it didn't give too many of you the creeps. Just remember: these insects have a job to do, and they are important!
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Nature Photojournal #2
Today's post is about birds. I do classify myself as a bird watcher, although I tend more toward casual bird watching than the all-consuming passion that some others have. I don't spend oodles of cash on equipment. I was gifted a nice pair of binoculars last year (thank you, husband!) and my Sibley's field guide was also a gift. That's pretty much all you need if you want to bird watch. A scope is optional, but useful for looking at things that are too far to see in your binoculars.
I started my birdwatching when I was pretty young. My mom used to take us to the park to feed cracked corn to the Canada Geese. We spent a lot of time outside in the summer, and I would use my mom's old binoculars to check out the birds in the back yard. Cardinal, chickadee, blue jay...these are all pretty common. Later on in life, I met my husband, who is a passionate bird watcher. I learned about keeping lists. A lot of birdwatchers keep a 'life list'- essentially a list of all the different birds you've seen in your life, where, when, etc. This makes it a challenge to see as many new birds as possible. You can also keep a 'year list', which is a list of all the birds you've seen in 1 year. That makes each new year exciting (especially January 1!). There are also yard lists, where you catalog what birds you see in or from your yard.
These lists can also be cataloged online, which provides valuable information as to the health of different bird species. Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a good resource for beginning birders. The Audubon Society also has different events through the year, such as the Christmas Bird Count and the Bird-a-Thon, which help raise awareness of birds and their needs.
Anyhow, onto two birds I managed to get photos of. Birds are not easy to photograph, and I am envious of those photographers who can get great shots.
Brown Creeper
This small, camouflaged brown bird is not often seen because it is secretive and blends in well with the bark of the trees that it forages on. It is similar to a nuthatch in feeding habits, gleaning insects from tree bark. This bird species is widespread, occurring in most of North America. It can be more easily spotted in the winter when the trees are bare. Listen for its call, a high-pitched 'see-ee'.
Eastern Screech Owl
This one was a great find! My husband and I had hiked down to a quarry and were standing on a rock, checking out the scenery. We were just about to leave when a duck box caught my eye. Usually, these boxes are for nesting wood ducks (yes, some ducks nest in trees!). Something looked different about this one, so I checked it out using my binoculars and got a surprise when I saw a red-phase Eastern Screech Owl snoozing in it! We were so excited to see it in the wild. It was a good distance across the lake of the quarry, but I still managed to get a decent photo of it:
They are so cute! I was trained how to hold one on glove when I worked for an Audubon nature center- they weigh so little, you can hold them on one finger. In the wild, they hunt at night for small mammals like mice, and voles and also eat songbirds (and starlings). One of their calls is a descending whinny. This is a territory defense call. I can imitate it quite well- sometimes when we go out owling, we try to call in owls this way. I haven't had any luck so far.
Hope you enjoyed the post. Have a great start to 2012, and get outside!
I started my birdwatching when I was pretty young. My mom used to take us to the park to feed cracked corn to the Canada Geese. We spent a lot of time outside in the summer, and I would use my mom's old binoculars to check out the birds in the back yard. Cardinal, chickadee, blue jay...these are all pretty common. Later on in life, I met my husband, who is a passionate bird watcher. I learned about keeping lists. A lot of birdwatchers keep a 'life list'- essentially a list of all the different birds you've seen in your life, where, when, etc. This makes it a challenge to see as many new birds as possible. You can also keep a 'year list', which is a list of all the birds you've seen in 1 year. That makes each new year exciting (especially January 1!). There are also yard lists, where you catalog what birds you see in or from your yard.
These lists can also be cataloged online, which provides valuable information as to the health of different bird species. Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a good resource for beginning birders. The Audubon Society also has different events through the year, such as the Christmas Bird Count and the Bird-a-Thon, which help raise awareness of birds and their needs.
Anyhow, onto two birds I managed to get photos of. Birds are not easy to photograph, and I am envious of those photographers who can get great shots.
Brown Creeper
This small, camouflaged brown bird is not often seen because it is secretive and blends in well with the bark of the trees that it forages on. It is similar to a nuthatch in feeding habits, gleaning insects from tree bark. This bird species is widespread, occurring in most of North America. It can be more easily spotted in the winter when the trees are bare. Listen for its call, a high-pitched 'see-ee'.
 | |
| Photo credit: Jennifer DesRochers |
This one was a great find! My husband and I had hiked down to a quarry and were standing on a rock, checking out the scenery. We were just about to leave when a duck box caught my eye. Usually, these boxes are for nesting wood ducks (yes, some ducks nest in trees!). Something looked different about this one, so I checked it out using my binoculars and got a surprise when I saw a red-phase Eastern Screech Owl snoozing in it! We were so excited to see it in the wild. It was a good distance across the lake of the quarry, but I still managed to get a decent photo of it:
 | ||
| Photo credit: Jennifer DesRochers |
Hope you enjoyed the post. Have a great start to 2012, and get outside!
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