Flora & Fauna

It is a season that is open here in eastern Nebraska. It is an unusual season, but one that just flat out reeks of adventure, challenge and tremendous entertainment value. It is a season tailor-made for kids. And, trust me, this is the season that will create memories and stories like no other! No, it is not a hunting season. “It” is Nebraska’s bullfrog season. “Bullfrog season,” you say, “really?” Yep. Look at the size of this adult North American …

An Annual Cicada Story and photos by Gerry Steinauer, Botanist During the dog days of late summer, the reverberating call of the scissors grinder cicada (Neotibicen pruinosus) begins late in the afternoon and continues into dusk. Emanating from high in the trees, individual calls initiate softly and build to a loud, shrill, “WHEE-oo WHEE-oo” crescendo lasting about 20 seconds. Sometimes, it’s a lone call; other times, it’s a cacophony, an apparent horde singing in a shrieking chorus. Some find the …

A classic case of misrepresentation keeps occurring. Folks, especially those new to the Cornhusker State, continue to express their disbelief to me that a crystal clear, cold, spring-fed trout fishing stream exists in northeast Nebraska. “No way,” they’ll say. “Impossible in farm country,” they’ll say. “You’re drinking, can’t be,” they’ll say.  “I’ve driven through there and never seen it,” they’ll say. These are just some of the phrases people have uttered to me about the East Branch of the Verdigre …

Monica Macoubrie, Wildlife Education Specialist From the Labrador retriever to the Chihuahua, from the coyote to the swift fox, it’s sometimes hard to see similarities between all these animals when they seem so vastly different. But the truth is, whether it’s a herding dog, lap dog or a wild “dog” you may see out in the prairie, all these canines, or canids, have a single common ancestor. Canids are mammals in the order Carnivora (carnivores) and the family Canidae, which …

By Olivia DaRugna Bats are usually in the spotlight only around Halloween and during Bat Appreciation Week. However, we are going to break the norm, because August is a great time to observe the world’s only true flying mammal.  So, before homework and school sports start back up, get outside in the early evening to look up at the sky for glimpses of these evening aerial acro-bats — pun intended — as they quickly dive and turn to catch their …

Why do some people get perplexed when they see someone release a massive, master angler-sized catfish? After all, catfish, even the larger ones, sure taste good, don’t they? Consider the belly meat on a flathead catfish. So why is it every time we see an angler report or a social media post mention or show a picture of a large catfish they have put back in the water, a spirited discussion most likely ensues over what should or should have …

July is a great time to view burrowing owls near prairie dog colonies. By Olivia DaRugna Burrowing owls, as their name suggests, nest in underground burrows that were excavated by semi-fossorial animals, such as ground squirrels, prairie dogs and badgers. Not surprisingly, burrowing owls often inhabit black-tailed prairie dog colonies during the breeding season in Nebraska. After laying eggs, the parents incubate the eggs for about a month, and young birds remain near the nesting burrow for at least another …

I always get rather impatient this time of year. Is it because of the weather being so hot, humid and hazy? No. Is it that the hunting seasons are just around the bend? No. Then, why? Well, I am a gatherer, a prairie wanderer, and I am anxiously waiting to harvest elderberries during these dog days of summer. However, it’s not quite time yet. Here I am checking out wild elderberries for ripeness on a Saunders County, NE farm in …

The intense heat and humidity of summer’s “dog days” are here. Tomatoes are ripening. Ears of sweet corn have begun to be harvested. Boating, swimming, tubing and fishing are being widely enjoyed now. But, wait a second. For those of us who are avidly involved in the hunting lifestyle and its year-round process, summer means a myriad of things to do if we are to have a safe and successful fall hunt. I don’t know about you, but in summer, …

By Olivia DaRugna, Watchable Wildlife Biologist Moths are not just the dull-brown insects that swarm around your porch lights at night. They are much more interesting and can be quite beautiful. Moths also play important ecological roles as prey for many predators, such as bats and pollinators of night-blooming flowers. Some moths are even indicator species of a healthy environment.  July in Nebraska is a great time for observing these incredible insects, and you don’t have to go far. Viewing …