American robins in winter
A robin eats from a sumac tree. (Photo by Mary Holland) Editor’s note: This column by longtime former Harvard Press contributor Mary Holland first…
It’s Only Natural: The Eastern milk snake
The common but secretive eastern milk snake is harmless to humans. The poisonous northern copperhead, for which it is often mistaken, is not found…
It’s Only Natural: Honeybees
Honeybee in flight. In its lifetime a honeybee collects enough nectar to make about one-half teaspoon of honey. (Photos by Mary Holland) You are…
It’s Only Natural: Is it an orphan?
This fledgling robin’s parents are probably hiding in a nearby shrub, responding to its calls, feeding it, and teaching it survival techniques. (Photo by…
It’s Only Natural: Bird songs
And where the shadows deepest fell, The wood thrush sang his silver bell. —Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Rose-breasted grosbeak (Photo by Mary Holland) One…
It’s Only Natural: Coltsfoot
A thousand years will come and go, And thousands more will rise, My buried bones to dust will grow And dust defile my eyes.…
It’s Only Natural: Snowfleas … winter pepper
Snowfleas are most noticeable on warm winter days when they leave the leaf litter and climb up to the surface of the snow where…
It’s Only Natural: Often heard, rarely seen
Barred owls make the winter night ring With its soulful brown eyes and gentle demeanor, the barred owl gives no hint of its wilder,…
It’s Only Natural: Antlers … their form and function
There exists a living material that grows one-half inch a day (it takes human hair roughly a month to achieve this much growth). This…
