This is an archive of articles written by Anita Westervelt between 2015 and 2021 for the Rio Grande Valley Chapter, Texas Master Naturalist. To focus on the most current information, these earlier articles were retired from the original site. We are pleased to provide a permanent home for them here. Please note that the articles are preserved mainly in their original form and may contain outdated information or links. For Anita’s current work, please visit the South Texas Border Chapter’s blog: stbctmn.org/blog.
-
Annual Texas Pollinator BioBlitz through October 17
Story and photos by Anita Westervelt, Texas Master Naturalist “An estimated 75 percent of flowering plants require a pollinator — one-third of those species provide humans with food,” according to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Interpreter and Texas Nature Trackers Biologist Craig Hensley. The 2021 Texas Pollinator BioBlitz began October 1 and will continue through…
-
Anita’s Blog– Pollinator Challenge Invitation
Craig Hensley was particularly animated during a recent Webinar presentation! A favorite Texas Parks and Wildlife presenter, Texas Nature Trackers Biologist, special friend of our two Valley Texas Master Naturalist chapters, and frequent Valley visitor, Craig’s excitement was infectious — all about pollinators and the plants they use. And he extended a personal invitation for…
-
Barnacles might be some of the ocean’s superpowers
Story and photos by Anita Westervelt, Texas Master Naturalist Barnacles are small sea creatures with a shell. They are found at the bottom of boats, dock posts and pilings, shoreline rocks, shells, and other submerged surfaces. For the beachcomber, they’re readily available on flotsam washed ashore. As a matter of fact, nothing’s safe if it’s…
-
Unlikely yard birds; not so unlikely mates
Story and photos by Anita Westervelt, Texas Master Naturalist Unlikely yard birds became frequent visitors after July rains caused the resaca to jump its banks and claim a good portion of the lower grounds, where just days before was part of our backyard. On the bright side, the unusual event created new shallows that attracted…
-
Beneficial or pest, beetles are unique and interesting
Story and photos by Anita Westervelt, Texas Master Naturalist Beetles have lived on earth for about 300 million years. They come in all sizes and shapes; many are black; others are colorful or with spots, stripes or mottled markings. Insects in the Coleoptera order, there are 400,000 species worldwide and some 30,000 different kinds in…
-
Unusual summer sightings during early morning walk
Story and photos by Anita Westervelt, Texas Master Naturalist On any mid-summer morning, I can guarantee seeing familiar sights, like big black fuzzy giant leopard moth caterpillars, tiny toads and mockingbirds. Aside from the usual, early morning plays witness to what’s happened during the night, before the natural sweepers clean up the battle field, so…
-
Stay up late during National Moth Week and see what flies in the dark of night
Story and photos by Anita Westervelt, Texas Master Naturalist Moths have fun, exotic and romantic names like four-patched bird-dropping, eggplant leafroller, marsh dagger, magician moth, beautiful wave, Southern emerald, black-bordered lemon and Victorian lamplighter. There are about 4,700 documented species of moths in Texas with more being added to the list as Texas Master Naturalists,…
-
Beautiful but toxic night blooming plant attracts moths
Story and photos by Anita Westervelt. Texas Master Naturalist The nightshade family of plants includes hundreds of species of showy and fragrant flowers; although dangerously poisonous, they are not without their flamboyant and extraordinary beauty. There are nearly 2,300 species of nightshade plants worldwide. They belong to the Solanacaea (nightshade) family of plants — most…
-
Anita’s Blog — Cicadas Sing; Dragons Fly
August slipped into September while I wasn’t paying attention. Regardless, my favorite bugs are still hanging around — the cicadas sing, and the dragons fly. Hundreds of dragonflies floating on the airwaves is nearly the only typical in this, a year of peculiarities. The spring saw less insect activity; plants struggled to renew after the…