RANGER STEVE’S NATURE NICHE Tree Huggers By Ranger Steve Mueller When I was a national park naturalist leading walks through a ponderosa pine forest at Bryce Canyon National Park, I worked to help people discover by exploration. One strategy was to lead them over a large fallen dead tree. They needed to sit on […] Continue reading "Ranger Steve’s Nature Niche: Tree Huggers"
Ranger Steve’s Nature Niche Hey Bud By Ranger Steve Mueller 2/21/21 Winter tree and shrub buds have distinctive character. They are recognizable by features like being fat, short, tall, scaly, fuzzy or with varied color. Twigs bear terminal and lateral buds. Often winter buds are larger or swollen indicating they are flower buds instead of […] Continue reading "Ranger Steve’s Nature Niche: Hey Bud"
Essential Oils and Plant Defenses People use essential oils in aroma therapy, for relaxation, muscle soreness, and possibly other things. ‘Essence’ is the key word and it is not essential in the sense that it has value like found in some chemicals for body functions like iron, iodine, and potassium. Website articles touch on essential […] Continue reading "Ranger Steve’s Nature Niche – Essential Oils and Plant Defenses"
Predictable Harvester By Ranger Steve Mueller, 11/220 Animals have mysterious routines we know little about to keep their bodies and minds fit. From early to late afternoon the Harvester visits selected roosting locations In warm seasons. It is a small butterfly with brown and tan undersides of wings that are visible when it stands on […] Continue reading "Ranger Steve’s Nature Niche: Predictable Harvester"
Strong winds whipped trees to the breaking point throughout the Cedar Springs area causing great damage. Power outage hit much of Cedar Springs where homes were without electricity for 24 hours or longer. Tiny insects like the Harvester butterfly survived. I saw one standing in its usual haunt on a following sunny day. My article […] Continue reading "Ranger Steve’s Nature Niche: Trees Down"
