Your house cat probably weighs more than a red fox, but the only way you might get close enough to see is if they den under a porch or shed with newborns.
Damage is significant in states with these stowaways from East Asia, where wasp predators we don’t have keep them in check. Here, the line of defense is us.
Fungi are classified in a kingdom of their own, though DNA analysis has shown that they are more closely related to animals than to plants – just the start of surprises offered by the wide, wide world of spores.
Sounds sneaky, but common yellowthroats are only trying to ensure their babies get born – and the species is one of the most frequent victims of fatal collisions with windows and communication towers or buildings.
Despite their name, spotted sandpipers – often referred to as “spotties” or “teeter-bobs” – are spotted for only about half the year, during breeding season.
The female locust borer feeds on goldenrod pollen in the morning and flies to lays eggs in black locust trees, which have a complicated history in Massachusetts.
They dive into the water feet first, head between the legs like a guided missile, then lift straight up out of the water clutching prey about 75 percent of the time.
The male Carolina wren builds several nests and lets the female choose the one she prefers – and they might be in mailboxes, flowerpots, buckets, old boots or even the pocket of an old coat hanging on a porch.
Without enough larvae to feed and be fed by, wasps scavenge for alternate food such as sugary drinks or fruits on picnic tables. Worker wasps at this time of year are near the end of their life cycle, and they are hungry and aggressive.
Red-tailed hawks are relatively common and well-known in the city. But you might see thousands of a different kind of hawk – a broad-winged hawk – in a single day if you look in the right place.