backyard

A Non-native Katydid

August 21, 2012
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Katydids are insects in the family Tetigoniidae of the order Orthoptera (the latter group includes grasshoppers, crickets, and their kin). Many katydids mimic the plants they feed on by resembling leaves. This helps them being seen and eaten by…

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Stink Bugs

April 4, 2012
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Stink bugs are common insects that look sort of like beetles. However, stink bugs are only distantly related to beetles and belong to a separate group: the Pentatomidae family in the order Hemiptera (which also includes Boxelder Bugs). There are thousands of…

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Indian Plum

March 11, 2012
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I would be remiss in my duties as a nature blogger if I did not post a photo of Indian Plum (Oemleria cerasiformis) in bloom. As I mentioned last year, this plant is an early bloomer and signifies the coming of spring. When Indian Plum buds burst into bright green leaves…

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Anna’s Hummingbird in Winter

March 3, 2012
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Back in October, I wrote a post about the Anna’s Hummingbird that was hanging around in my backyard. It was king of the hummingbird feeder back then but I wondered if it would stick around through the cold winter months. As these recent photos show, the little hummer is still with us. It perches on the same branches every day and chases off any other hummingbirds that come to drink from the feeder. This bird…

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Squirrel Appreciation Day

January 21, 2012
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Today, January 21st, is Squirrel Appreciation Day! Above is a photo of a Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus lateralis) from eastern Oregon. This is one of about 25 native species of squirrels (members of the family Sciuridae, including chipmunks and marmots) that live in Washington and Oregon. We also have a couple non-native species that are familiar denizens…

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Boxelder Bugs

November 27, 2011
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As the weather cooled down this Autumn, some little bugs showed up at my house. Dozens of them have been creeping around on the exterior walls for the last two months. Small groups of them huddle in the corners of the windowpanes. You have probably seen these insects before– they are Boxelder Bugs (Boisea rubrolineata). They are especially conspicuous in autumn

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Anna’s Hummingbird in Autumn

October 28, 2011
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This last summer was the first time I ever put out a hummingbird feeder. The feeder is just to my left, outside my office window. It has been really awesome to have hummingbirds buzzing around my backyard and to observe them at close range. Anna’s Hummingbird was the only…

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