Field Guide to May 2026
May is filled with winged delights. Bobolinks will begin to grace Vermont’s larger hayfields, busy ground-nesting bees can be found in the bare sunny spots of our yards, and early spring butterflies are getting first dibs on the earliest spring flowers. It’s a great time to get outside and explore.
Does No Mow May Invite Invasives and Ticks to Your Yard?
The term “No Mow May” seems to imply that helping our pollinators is as simple as that: not mowing. But there are drawbacks.
New Mission for Bumble Bee Watchers in the Northeast!
Although they are noted to be in steep decline, many volunteers have observed that these vulnerable bee species often visit plants in backyards and gardens. You can help scientists find and study them!
This Earth Day, Celebrate Everything Vermont Is Doing Right
The first Earth Day was as much a call to action as it was a celebration. The 1962 book Silent Spring by Rachel Carson had drawn attention to the pesticides…
Not Just Bees: How to Support All Types of Pollinators in Your Garden
When you think of pollinators, what is the first thing you think of? What would you say if I told you that flies and beetles were also pollinators? How about wasps? Here’s how to help conserve even the least appreciated ones in your backyard.
Mysterious No More: What’s Pollinating the White Bog Orchid
North America is home to over 200 species of wild orchid, but for such a beloved group of plants, it’s remarkable how little we know about their insect relationships. Half of our orchids have no known pollinator. That’s where studies like mine—plus help from volunteers like you—can help fill the gap.
Field Guide to April 2026
After the long winter, flowers, colors, and insects are finally emerging in the Northeast. Our April Field Guide will give you a crash course on the blooms, bees, butterflies, (and ticks!) of early spring.
Don’t Buy Those Baby Bees
A few bees from the internet aren’t likely to help your garden. In fact, there is a chance that box of bees could harm the wild, native bees that already inhabit your neighborhood.
The Federal Government Is Funding Conservation Work…for Now
When it comes to nail-biting spectacles, federal budgeting rarely makes most folks’ top 10 list. However, the 2026 budgeting process caused a fair bit of drama and anxiety, especially for…
Field Guide to March 2026
Hibernation spans a broad physiological spectrum, from being completely conked out for 10 months underground to rousing occasionally to hunt or even breed in the deep snow of February. Here’s what, where, and how to find signs of life in this month’s most extreme conditions.
How to Find and Confirm Vernal Pools in Your Neighborhood
A proposed rule change puts unconfirmed vernal pools in Vermont in peril. Reporting vernal pools to the Vermont Vernal Pool Atlas ensures that they’re afforded regulatory protection. And you probably have one right in your neighborhood!
How Your Winter Drinks Affect Our Wintering Songbirds
The vast majority of our New England songbird species spend most of their year in the tropics, overwintering in places where coffee and cocoa are grown.
