It begins as a moment of hesitation. You notice a hard, brown, foam-like mass attached to a fence post in your backyard. Rough-textured. Oblong. Slightly ridged. It looks unnatural — perhaps invasive, perhaps even threatening. Your first instinct may be to scrape it away. But pause. That small structure is likely an ootheca — the egg case of a praying mantis — and … [Read more...] about The Strange Foam-Like Structure on Your Fence: A Hidden Nursery of Nature’s Silent Hunter
Sustainable gardening practices
Be Careful Of What you Whisper in the Forest, for Trees have Ears
Auricularia auricula-judae, commonly known as the Jelly Ear Fungus, is a fascinating species typically found during the winter and spring. It predominantly thrives on deceased elder trees, although it can occasionally be spotted on other hardwoods. While grouped under the term "Jelly Fungi," these mushrooms don't belong to a specific taxonomic category but are characterized by … [Read more...] about Be Careful Of What you Whisper in the Forest, for Trees have Ears