KNC
Ants, Caterpillars, and Lupines
This photo shows ants on a silky lupine flower. See the whitish grub-looking thing? That’s a caterpillar! It might grow up to be a beautiful butterfly one day. In particular, it’s a caterpillar in the family Lycaenidae. Watch how jazzed these ants are about this lycaenid caterpillar: Why are these ants hanging around with caterpillars? Well, the caterpillar honeydew is full of sugar and amino acids. The prevailing idea has been that ants benefit from eating the honeydew, and in turn offer protection to the butterfly larvae. … Continue reading →
Sage Whispers – May 2019
Sage Whispers – March 2019
Help Us Find Our Lost Bugs, Grubs, and Green Things!
Enjoy this guest article by Mae Frank, undergrad student in Biology at Thompson Rivers University and maker of fun art projects! Have you ever wandered the streets, meadows, or forests and spotted a woodland caribou? I bet you would remember if you did. You could brag to your friends and colleagues about how time stood still as you watched this creature of elegance and grace pass through your line of sight. Everyone would ‘oooh’ and ‘awe’ as you retold your tale. But what about if you saw a Blue-grey Taildropper … Continue reading →
Mary Oliver
I did not know poet Mary Oliver until her death, last week, at the age of 83. Mary Oliver was an American poet-naturalist. I intend to read all of her work. Her writing is full of reminders, like this, which is taken from the poem Sometimes: Instructions for living a life: Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.
Continue reading →