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Even as caterpillars, the Luna moth is very prominent. This caterpillar is large—about three inches for this individual—and the orange-brown body contrasts with its green head. The caterpillar of this species appears in August and overwinters, undergoing metamorphosis and emerging as a moth in late spring of the following year.

Late August and early September elicit a variety of insect life, aside from the usual pesky biting types. During this time of year, seasonal insects are likely to be mature, as it is late in their … more

By SCOTT RANDO | 9/12/19

What's going on outdoors?

Seed saving workshop and more more

9/12/19

Jaws: a bout with Hannibal the Cannibal

Fly fishing is mostly a quiet and contemplative sport, but sometimes an event occurs that far exceeds a normal day of casting flies to rising trout. This is a story about one of those events: an … more

By TONY BONAVIST | 9/11/19

Mark your calendars for the interesting discussion and meditative experience, “Seeing the Forest Through the Trees,” featuring local authors, John Harvey and Doug Bill, on September 22, from 1 to 3 p.m. at Grey Towers National Historic Site in Milford, PA.

Attentive appreciation

Devoted readers of “River Talk”—please consider this your cordial invitation to join me and two wonderful local authors, Doug Bill and John Harvey, for an event that is sure to … more

By SANDY LONG | 9/4/19

These docile deer have grown used to humans feeding them fruits, veggies and, sometimes, Doritos.

Doritos and deer

If you live out here, you are one of two kinds of people: You either feed the deer or you don’t. Motivations for either may be based on a number of things, but it is a duality that exists in … more

By HUNTER HILL | 9/4/19

Three female timber rattlesnakes nestle at a gestation basking site. There are two black-phase snakes and, on the right, a yellow phase. The milky appearance of the eyes on two of the snakes indicate they are ready to shed. Basking is a thermoregulatory strategy snakes use to control their body temperature. If they get too warm during a hot day, they will retreat under a ledge or other shady spot.

The ‘buzz’ about rattlesnakes

A few weeks ago, there was news of a couple rattlesnake sightings at various locations in Pike County, PA. It spurred one of the local news channels to present a short informational segment on … more

By SCOTT RANDO | 8/28/19

Little black ant, left, Trico and Olive mayfly spinners.

The late summer doldrums

Looking back, one has to wonder where the 2109 trout season went? April and May were cool and wet, rendering stream flows too high and cold for fishing, with fly hatches repressed or lost. The … more

By TONY BONAVIST | 8/28/19

This adult female mallard duck was rescued after being hit by a vehicle and suffered a broken wing. I took her to the Pocono Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center (PWERC) in Stroudsburg, PA, a non-profit providing care to injured and orphaned wildlife since 1983. PWREC takes in more than 2,400 animals annually, such as bears, fawns, raccoons, raptors, songbirds, foxes and more. Please consider supporting their important work. Visit www.poconowildlife.com/wp to learn more.

Empathy and action

Imagine, for a few moments, that you are a female mallard duck. You have been struck by a vehicle and are wobbling around Route 6 in Hawley, PA in front of Wallenpaupack Brewing Company. A tractor … more

By SANDY LONG | 8/21/19

A fledgling killdeer running along the ground, ready to take off should I get too close.

C’mere little Killdeer

There are a handful of birds that most folks out here would consider to be typical specimens for our area. Sure, we have eagles, black vultures and a smattering of ducks, but what I’m talking … more

By HUNTER HILL | 8/21/19

The red milkweed beetle is host-specific to milkweed. With their bright-red color interspersed with black spots, they are pretty obvious. The adults feed on leaf foliage while the larvae feed on roots. This species has a scientific name of Tetraopes tetrophthalmus; both the genus and species name translate to “four eyes.” The antenna socket bisects each compound eye, causing this beetle to have four compound eyes.

Milkweed visitors

So far this summer, I’ve seen a fair number of monarch butterflies as well as some caterpillars of the same species. These numbers are certainly an improvement from a few summers ago when only … more

By SCOTT RANDO | 8/14/19

Are the Sulphur Mayflies back?

Though they’re extremely late, they are back, at least for this season. The hatches normally begin the second week of June. Sulphur mayfly hatches have been absent or limited in numbers from … more

By TONY BONAVIST | 8/14/19

Walking stick insects are known as phasmatodeans or ghost insects due to their highly effective natural camouflage that makes it difficult for predators to detect them. Resembling small twigs, this animal is herbivorous and blends easily into its leafy food sources.

Interesting insects

I happened to catch part of an interview on NPR recently with author Anne Sverdrup-Thygeson, whose newly-released book, “Buzz, Sting, Bite: Why We Need Insects,” is stirring up a swarm of … more

By SANDY LONG | 8/7/19

4-H families practice showing beef cattle in the arena following the other livestock shows over the weekend.

A fair future

The Wayne County Fair is happening this week, and with the food and festivities comes a week of work for 4-H kids and farm families. My wife works for Penn State Extension and oversees the livestock … more

By HUNTER HILL | 8/7/19

Harmful algal blooms and more

What's going on in your backyard August 1-7 more

7/31/19

A clump of dry didymo beside the Mararoa River in the Southland Region of New Zealand. Luckily, New York’s river water isn’t a great candidate for promoting major blooms of this algae.

The didymo dilemma

Didymo (Didymosphenia geminata), or rock snot as it is commonly known, has been found in several New York waters: both branches and the Main Stem of the Delaware River, Esopus Creek, Battenkill … more

By TONY BONAVIST | 7/31/19

The northern red salamander, a member of the Pseudotiton ruber, is a striking red color with small black spots covering a large part of the body. This species can be found in cool streams and shaded areas surrounding these habitats. This species is present in the region, but not seen as often as the other salamanders mentioned in this column.

Salamanders keeping their cool

The middle of July saw a warm spell, with temperatures getting into the 90s accompanied by high humidity that made it feel even hotter. The wildlife felt it too and hunkered down; deer spent a lot of … more

By SCOTT RANDO | 7/31/19

The spotted lanternfly feeds on more than 70 species of plants, and could devastate grape crops throughout the eastern U.S.

Invasive species mapping workshop and more

What's going on in your backyard July 25-31 more

7/24/19

Nothing like shredding a little water to beat the heat.

Whatever floats your boat

I hope this column reaches your eyes, but it might burn up in transit to your mailbox from this lovely 90-degree weather we’ve been having. I jest of course but, honestly, what a hot weekend. … more

By HUNTER HILL | 7/24/19

This female Promethea silkmoth displays her bright reddish wings with tan borders and well-delineated cell spots. Males have blackish wings with tan borders and pink shading near eyespots on the forewing tips.

Striking silk moths

The past two weeks have produced encounters with two beautiful female silk moths, both members of the family Saturniidae, which contains approximately 1,300 species. That beauty will be brief, as … more

By SANDY LONG | 7/24/19

TRR columnist Tony Bonavist perfecting his casting in his yard “with a pretty good loop!”

How’s my casting?

Fly casting is that part of fly fishing many of us take for granted, yet nothing is more important than for anglers to be able deliver their flies accurately under a variety of conditions. A long … more

By TONY BONAVIST | 7/17/19

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Currently viewing stories posted within the past year.
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