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Reflections in Nature: A closer look at the Osage orange tree and its fruit

By December, most plants have shed their leaves and disperse their seeds. There are many fascinating ways in which the plants ensure the dispersal of their seeds to allow successful germination. Seeds are dispersed by the wind; floating on water; hitchhiking on animal fur and being shot away from the parent plant by pressure put on the seeds. These traveling seeds have specific features and structures that are an aid when taking advantage of the free rides. The plants usually produce an abundant supply of seeds, which are eaten by a host of wildlife. Nature provides each plant ...

Outdoor community calendar for Week of Nov. 18

AUDUBON EVENT: CHAPTER MEETING WHERE: Taber Museum (858 West Fourth Street in Williamsport) WHEN: Wednesday, Nov. 19 at 6:30 p.m. NOTES: Join Lycoming Audubon Society as finch expert Matthew Young introduces us to the 43 finches of the United States and Canada, from feeder-favorite goldfinches to red crossbill tribes, to least known mountain-top black rosyfinches to endangered Hawaiian honeycreepers. This program is based on the information-backet book “Stokes Guide to Finches of the United States and Canada” by Lillian Stokes, best-selling author of 35 Stokes guides and ...

Why are crossbows breaking? A closer look

A friend recently messaged me to say his season was over followed by a picture of his crossbow with the left limb hanging by the string. I immediately thought about a similar experience I had a few seasons ago and the growing number of reports I have seen involving busted limbs on even the most expensive crossbows, which appear to be disproportionate when compared to compound bows. But why? Crossbow limbs can fail for several reasons: limb fatigue, damage, dry firing and even faulty manufacturing. Thankfully when crossbow limbs fail it is catastrophic, but not as dangerous as when a ...

Reflections in Nature: Two species of flying squirrels live in Pennsylvania

I recently received an email from a friend saying that she had flying squirrels on her property. She went on to write that she and a friend had made a nesting box and were planning to make a few more. They hope to identify whether their flying squirrels are southern or northern. Sometimes ...

Trout and trees: Final Floating Classroom wrapped up last month on Hiawatha

Nearly 50 people participated in the final Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association Floating Classroom of the 2025 season on Oct. 14 aboard the Hiawatha Paddleboat. The program — Trees and Trout — featured a presentation by arborist and Rider Park manager Sara Street on trees that can ...

Reflections in Nature: Rhythm of the tides is important to many creatures

This past Sunday at 2 a.m., our clocks were changed back to standard time. This hour change sometimes throws me for a loop and takes me a while to become accustomed to. Have you ever wondered if the change of time affects wildlife? The answer is no since most animals live on the same rhythm as humans. The two rhythms that humans and most animals follow are the seasons and day and night. However, there is a third rhythm that some animals follow. According to the book “Animal Timekeepers” by Navin Sullivan, the rhythms of day and night are caused by the rotating Earth. Of course, ...