Halloween lady beetles are seeking shelter in buildings. Each one has consumed about 300 aphids during its larval stage, but these newcomers might be outcompeting native lady beetles / Acidic sap is responsible for the red/orange color of sugar maple leaves. Alkaline sap contributes to the cool purple leaves of white ash
On warm days, late-flying bees and flies will be gathering nectar from witch hazel flowers / Ruffed grouse are growing their “snowshoes” – seasonal horny extensions to their toes that will allow them to walk on top of the snow / Bluebirds take advantage of frost numbed grasshoppers / Most killdeer leave during the last half of October
Looking for birds? Look for water – many waterfowl stick around, including mallards, black ducks, hooded mergansers, common loons, and red-necked grebes / Deer distribute scent by chewing on branches and scraping the ground. They have scent glands in their feet / Sometimes wild grapes turn into raisins and stay well into winter, providing food for wildlife / Oak and beech hold on to their browned leaves and so are easily recognizable at this time of year
Sparrow migration is well underway, with white-crowned, song, chipping, white-throated, savannah, swamp, and fox sparrows on the move / Crickets may move into buildings as they search for places to hibernate. Their incessant chirping can be aggravating at close range / Milkweed seeds are airborne / Wood turtles return to streams, rivers, and ponds to mate before hibernating in undercut banks and root masses / White pines drop half their needles every autumn
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The Mountain Log >> October
