Black Swallowtails: The Parsley Caterpillar That Spends Winter as a Chrysalis
Found a striped caterpillar on your parsley or dill? Meet the black swallowtail, a native butterfly that spends winter as a hidden…
The journal
Kalum
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Downy Woodpeckers: The Little Drummers at Your Winter Suet Feeder
Downy woodpeckers are North America’s smallest woodpeckers and suet-feeder regulars. Learn how to identify, feed and help them this winter.
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Fall-Sown Wildflower Seed: Let Winter Do the Hard Part
Many native wildflower seeds need a cold, wet spell to sprout. Learn when and how to sow them in fall or winter,…
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New England Aster: The Tall Late Bloomer That Feeds Fall Monarchs
New England aster blooms purple when most gardens are fading, feeding bees and migrating monarchs. Here’s how to grow this tall native.
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Northern Cardinals: Why They Look Their Reddest in the Middle of Winter
Male cardinals really do get redder as winter goes on. Here’s why, plus what they eat and how to bring them to…
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Winter Birdbaths: How to Keep Water Open Without Harming Birds
How to offer birds open water in freezing weather: simple daily bowls, safe heaters, and the additives you should never put in…
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Little Bluestem: The Native Grass That Turns Copper for Winter
Little bluestem is a tough native grass with copper winter color, seeds for sparrows and juncos, and a liking for dry, sunny…
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Clearwing Moths: The Tiny Hoverers Often Mistaken for Hummingbirds
That tiny hummingbird at your flowers may be a clearwing moth. Learn how these day-flying moths hover, what they eat and how…
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Hover Flies: The Harmless Bee Look-Alikes Working in Your Garden
Hover flies look like tiny bees but can’t sting. Learn how to identify them and why their larvae are such useful aphid…
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Eastern Tiger Swallowtails: Big Yellow Butterflies With a Few Surprises
Meet the eastern tiger swallowtail, from its dark-form females and eyespot caterpillars to the trees and flowers it uses in your yard.
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Bumble Bees: The Fuzzy Pollinators That Shake Flowers Open
Bumble bees can shake pollen loose from flowers honey bees can’t work. Learn how their colonies live, how to spot them, and…
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American Toads: The Bumpy Night Shift in Your Garden
American toads hunt insects at night and won’t give you warts. Here’s how to identify them, help them, and keep curious dogs…