Activity for theforestecologist‭

Type	On...	Excerpt	Status	Date
Answer	—	A: How to trap and relocate raccoons? Lessons from literature : Drill a narrow hole in an old log, place a piece of shiny metal at the bottom, and insert a series of nails facing downward. The space between the nails should be just enough that the raccoon can put its arm through, but too small for its clenched first to fit as it tries t... (more)	—	almost 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: What are these small blue berries growing in clusters on a medium size bush in Southern Ontario, Canada? A bit more methodical approach to IDing this plant: Opposite leaves + a corymb of multiple dark-colored, round drupes is very indicative of the genus Viburnum. If we check BONAP and Ontario Trees & shrubs, we can see that only a handful of Viburnum species are found in Ontario. From Ontario ... (more)	—	almost 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Where can I find help identifying an owl by its call? All About Birds from Cornell Lab of Ornithology is one of the best on the internet for North American Birds. You can search by key word, taxonomic name, or browse by shape: And you can try "Merlin" out for a streamlined identification process! The result pages for the 650+ species include sp... (more)	—	almost 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: What is this dime sized black bug with white on the segments near Loveland Colorodao? This is a terrestrial isopod crustacean called a woodlouse (colloquially referred to as pill bugs, potato bugs, roly-pollies, sow bugs, etc.). There are over 5000 species in the world with at least 64 in Russia (see Kuznetsova & Gongalsky 2012). Habitat: Woodlice are typically found in da... (more)	—	almost 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is there an app to identify flora and fauna Not sure where you are, but Alan Weakley et al. have developed a downloadable flora app available through the Apple AppStore called FloraQuest, which covers most of the Eastern US at this point. Screenshot from floraquest.com From ResearchGate: FloraQuest connects you with everything you ne... (more)	—	almost 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: What is this black and yellow-striped caterpillar with four toothbrush-looking tufts of hair along the top? This is a tussock moth caterpillar in the Lymantriidae family. The image is not clear enough for a definitive ID, but it appears you have some species in the genus Orgyia. Likely, this is a white-marked tussock moth caterpillar (Orgyia leucostigma). From Auburn University: The full-grow... (more)	—	almost 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: What are these round, spiny, puffy, green things from the ocean in Northeast United States? As the other answer suggests, this is a sea urchin. Specifically, it appears to be a commonly caught species off Maine called Strongylocentrus droebachienisis, which is commonly called the green sea urchin (or Atlantic green urchin). Source: brownetrading.com The OP's image shows the urchin's m... (more)	—	almost 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: What kind of spider is this half dollar sized brown one with a darker brown body and a lighter brown strip down its back? Definitely a wolf spider (i.e., family Lycosidae). Possibly Hogna frondicola or some closely related species. Source: Spiderid.com The white ball is an egg sac. From Wikipedia: wolf spiders carry their egg sacs by attaching them to their spinnerets. You can see similar pictures to your of... (more)	—	almost 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: What is this round, shiny black bug, about 10mm long, found in Singapore? Based on the poor-quality of the photos (and my limited knowledge of Singapore insects) it would be very difficult to definitively ID this to species. However, based on the shape and size, you're very likely looking at a species of ladybird beetle (aka ladybug; family Coccinellidae). Specifically, ... (more)	—	almost 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: Plant identification methods The previous answers (1,2(now deleted)), unfortunately, exhibit why a simple google search doesn't always work. Two seemingly experienced SE users coming to two different conclusions. So is this an elderberry or is it pokeweed? This is where the extra work on the back end (and, honestly, front end... (more)	—	almost 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: What are the benefits of saving bats? Biggest reason for people: pest control One bat can eat between 600 to 1,000+ mosquitoes and other flying pests per hour! Loss of bats to WNS alone results in > 5 million lbs. of insects going uneaten! Bats provide upwards of $50 billion annually in pest control services! Bats are also a vital p... (more)	—	almost 6 years ago