As Iowans take to the road for the summer holidays, they might wonder about the light-blue flowers growing alongside back roads and rural highways. Chicory (Cichorium intybus) is not native to North America, but has become ubiquitous in Iowa, and many others, as well. According to Polk County Conservation, chicory was introduced to North America […]
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Category: The Great Outdoors
Frosty phenomenon in Iowa: the differenc...
If you’ve ventured outdoors in Iowa in recent days, or have seen the picturesque photos of white-coated trees posted on social media, you might wonder what is behind that frosty phenomenon. Terri Lang, a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada, notes that hoarfrost forms under cold, clear skies. Any moisture in the air goes […]
Shiver me timbers! Tiny “pirate” bugs pa
Iowans spending time outdoors on warm fall days may experience a piercing bite from a nearly invisible foe. Minute pirate bugs, whose scientific name, Orius insidiosus, gives rise to its other moniker, the insidious flower bug, can inflict painful bites relative to its size. Entomologist Donald Lewis, of Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, notes […]
Otter Creek Marsh near Chelsea, Iowa, ab...
This item about Otter Creek Marsh from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources hits close to home. Our family’s Heritage Farm is located nearby in rural Chelsea. Recently, we had some of the farm’s bottomland enrolled in the Wetlands Reserve Program, to add to the habitat available on this “migration superhighway.” There is nothing like […]
Nature watch: cicada emergence
Large-scale cicada emergence, with periodical broods crawling out of the ground every 13 or 17 years, capture widespread attention when tens of thousands can mob en masse onto a single tree. But even one cicada, emerging from its shell, is fascinating in itself. Related Cicadas: Sounds of summer The process can take an hour. Cicada […]
Cicadas: sounds of summer
The buzzing of cicadas provides the quintessential sounds of a midsummer’s night in Iowa. A bulk of periodical cicadas, which emerge en masse every 17 years, is scheduled to make an appearance in Iowa again in 2031, but annual cicadas can be heard every summer in many parts of the state. Entomologist Donald Lewis, of […]
Feeding fireflies: what do these benefic...
As bothersome as Iowa’s humidity can be, it allows “nature’s fireworks” to thrive. Lightning bugs, also known as fireflies, need a certain amount of humidity or they would dry up in the hot summer sun. Given the abundance of rain that has been inundating the state, Iowa is well on its way to a humid […]
Annual Christmas bird count opens in Iow...
An annual survey of birds with more than a century-old history opened on Dec. 14. Volunteers can take one day between now and Jan. 5, 2018, to count every bird in a particular area of the state, as part of the annual effort. The event began when American ornithologist Frank Chapman suggested that the tradition […]
Eleven-year-old boy injured in hunting a...
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources reported today that an 11-year-old boy was injured while pheasant hunting in Jackson County. Iowa is not alone in allowing children to hunt when accompanied by an adult, though requirements vary from state to state, with some requiring an approved hunter education course and others, such as Maine, barring […]
Thousands of fish killed in Cedar Rapids...
CEDAR RAPIDS – Iowa’s only urban trout stream suffered a setback this week, when more than 2,000 fish were killed after a break in a water main caused treated water to spill into McLoud Run in Cedar Rapids. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources reported the following on Tuesday, Aug. 1: A break in a […]