‘Tis the season for spooky stories, and just in time for Halloween, the spider that news headlines have described as “giant,” “flying,” and “venomous” has made its way to New England. While it may be a nightmare for anyone with arachnophobia, the invasive Joro spider (Trichonephila clavata) is quite docile and, if given a choice,…

Wandering through the woods this time of year, occasionally I’ve come across a small deciduous tree laden with cone-like structures that resemble the hops used to brew beer. This is the American – or Eastern – hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana). A member of the birch family, hophornbeam grows in the understory in a variety of northeastern…

When I worked at a barn one summer during college, I marveled at the swallows that nested in the structure’s eaves and corners. I watched the iridescent birds swoop, flutter, and dart with amazing dexterity between the small spaces above the stalls. These acrobatic birds are aerial insectivores, a group that also includes other swallows,…