Nature Note: A Naturalist's Travels Through Nature

October is a strange month. Everything about it reeks of Hallowe'en or pumpkin flavoring or the last dregs of summer slowly fading into the bright fall colors and fresh breezes that we all wait for in the waning month of August. But there is something else just as noticeable as fall arrives and settles in and those are the abundant insects and other invertebrates that seem more visible than ever. While they are not a group that many are willing to actively look out for, they certainly are common enough to warrant a second look. This is the time of year when the crickets are in full song and the fuzziest caterpillars are migrating over the lawns and fields looking for a safe place to hole up for the winter months. It is also the time for the last butterflies flitting through the sunshine and for spiders to build their webs in wide open spaces to capture their abundant and unsuspecting prey. It has been over the past few weeks that several new and familiar invertebrates have caug...

With the weekend upon me once more and a lack of an update this past weekend (Alison was visiting me so I have a good excuse), I figured I would update with a fun report from the field. On Friday night at about 8:15pm, I decided to go owling (not to be confused with the practices of "planking" or smuggling sheep in the early 12th and 13th centuries). While my goal was to find a Northern Saw-whet Owl ( Aegolius acadicus ), I did end up getting an unexpected lifer Barn Owl ( Tyto alba ) near the Pennypack Farm fence instead. Upon leaving the house and heading up the gravel road that leads to the girls cabins and eventually the back field, I felt the usual feelings of dread, fear, and anticipation at what I might find on my night hike around the Outdoor School property. My adrenalin was pumping as I had elected to walk most of the journey without a headlamp. The looming half moon overhead gave out enough light for my limited human night vision to use to gauge my surroundings. Al...