The population of deer mouse, Peromyscus maniculatus, is on the rise. It grows to a high of 15 mice per acre in autumn. Beginning of milkweed blooming; its nectar is very popular with bumblebees, honeybees, and many other insects. There are many milkweed species—in Vermont we have Asclepias amplexicaulis, with delicious early season stems. 


Bullfrog tadpoles, Lithobates catesbeianus are transforming into adults. They spend two years as mostly vegetarians; then, as adults, they eat any kind of animal they can catch. Canada geese adults, Branta canadensis are molting and their young cannot fly yet, so the families hunker down in seclusion


Downy rattlesnake plantain, Goodyera pubescens is blooming; it is one of the most common orchids in North America. Some of the dragonflies now zipping around have been clocked at up to 60 mph. With 3,000 species worldwide, you might be seeing Pantala hymenaea, the globe skimmer, whose migrations of 11,000 miles are the longest of all insects; or perhaps the blue dasher, Pachydiplax longipennis. Damage by the larvae of alder flea beetle, Altica ambiens, is clearly visible on American beech trees, Fagus grandifolia. These black caterpillars usually occur in innocuous numbers, but occasionally there is a population explosion. Spotted salamanders, Ambystoma maculatum, are underground and rarely seen in summer. They don’t dig burrows from scratch but use cracks, crevices, or abandoned small mammal tunnels to keep out of sight.


The American crow, Corvus brachyrhynchos, may be getting help in raising their chicks from last year’s offspring. During hot spells, mourning doves, Zenaida macroura, allow their body temperature to rise to 113°F without harm. Great blue herons Ardea herodias feed by standing motionless and waiting for fish and other prey to come within range. Muskrats, Ondatra zibethicus help keep cattails, Typha latifolia in check by eating all parts of the plant.