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 […]
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 […]
Full of life: a morning in the sagebrush
July 12, 2022 As soon as I step out of the car, the smell of the sagebrush washes over me. It’s a heady smell, bitter […]
Building trust with prairie dogs
July 6, 2022 The burrowing owl watched me from the fencepost, then glanced away, eyes half-closed. Its mate was perching on the ground nearby, next […]
How to attract more bees: plant milkvetch
June 23, 2022 Last week I found a surprising diversity of pollinators feeding on leafy spurge, a flower that everyone hates. But I also noticed […]
This horrible weed feeds pollinators
June 16, 2022 I think I may be the only person in Helena with a fondness for leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula). Yes, I’m talking about […]
Life at plant speed: a close look at one hilltop
June 8, 2022 From a distance, it’s easy to dismiss the grassland. A green wash on the hills: so what? Sitting in the middle of […]
Lunch on the fly: a bird’s-eye view of chokecherries
June 2, 2022 Birds see the world differently than we do. We see in red, green, and blue – but birds see a fourth “primary […]