September 6, 2022 They ripple over the water in a shimmery silver school, hundreds of them darting in elegant curves across the smooth surface. The […]
Uncommonly noisy hoppers: the Great Basin crackler (Circotettix undulatus)
August 30, 2022 I’m sitting in the shade of a ponderosa pine on this hot afternoon, looking out over the bunchgrasses and sagebrush of the […]
Migration and change in late August at western Montana’s Spokane Bay
August 30, 2022 The sun is hot on this midday at the end of summer, but the breeze carries a cool hint of fall. A […]
Getting to know western aster (Symphyotrichum ascendens)
August 29, 2022 It’s a patch of pale purple among late summer’s dry crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum) and the buzzing songs of the insects. A […]
Changes in the air: confronting burnout, starting a podcast
Last week, I hit a wall with the writing. I found myself up against a self-imposed deadline, stressed out, and despising my writing process. It […]
Five late-summer wildflowers and the complex world of their bees
August 18, 2022 Sometimes, a day in the field doesn’t go as planned. I had started out this morning thinking that it would be a […]
Sevenmile Creek: restoring a stream and tracking its birds
August 10, 2022 The clouds are glowing lavender and gold as the sun climbs over the Big Belt Mountains this morning. The spring chorus of […]
Fly killer, bee lover: the secret life of Mentzelia decapetala
July 31, 2022 I’m standing along Helena, Montana’s Centennial Trail on this hot summer evening, contemplating a mystery. The mystery is a plant: Mentzelia decapetala, […]
Bumblebees of Helena: getting to know our fuzzy neighbors
July 27, 2022 She’s fuzzy and yellow, the size of my thumb. The pollen basket on her hind leg holds an orange loaf as she […]
Creatures in the milkweed: searching for Montana’s monarchs
July 21, 2022 I first notice the scent from 40 yards away, subtle but powerful. The milkweed is fragrant, almost like carnations. I’m at the […]