Shows
Nature SnippetsCellar Spiders: Leggy Pest Control in Your Home or MinePossibly the most common non-human resident in the average home is the long-bodied cellar spider. These innocuous beasties provide non-toxic, round-the-clock pest control for just the price of a small place to live. And although there are those who'd be less than thrilled by these little guests, they keep actual pest populations in check. This episode discusses how you can document the guests in your home and share them for posterity and science.The episode art is modified from a photo uploaded to Wikimedia Commons by Ryan Hodnett.
2025-05-2310 min
Stateside Gooners: An Arsenal FC ShowChampions League Roundup: Arsenal Women Torch Lyon & Arsenal Men Prep to Toast PSGHold onto your scarves, Gooners! This week’s episode is a full buffet of joy and chaos. Matt is still hoarse (and the boys are possibly emotionally broken) after Arsenal Women absolutely demolished Lyon 4-1 to book a Champions League Final date with Barcelona at noon on May 24th. We break down everything from McCabe’s beautiful dark shithousery, the goals from Mariona in the "Declan Corner" and Foord in the "Saka Corner." Daphne Van Domselaar's miraculous comeback from "out for the season" to "saving our souls," and why Ford just Does What She Wants.Bu...
2025-04-281h 11
Nature SnippetsWater Pennies: Flat as a PancakeI recorded this back in January and am finally getting around to launching it today. This episode features a fascinating little beetle larva that clings to rocks in rivers and in wave-washed lake shores. Water penny beetle larvae were first mis-described as isopods and later the error was fixed. You can find them on river rocks where they graze on periphyton. The episode art is from photos taken by then UVM student Erin Hayes Pontius when she worked in the lab at St. Michael's College. It shows a water penny (genus Psephenus) on the left and a false water...
2025-04-1616 minStateside Gooners: An Arsenal FC ShowI Only Got One REM Cycle, We Lost to Madrid but Arsenal Women Gave Me Life, Rice is a ‘Horse’ and We Have QuestionsArsenal Women came out flying against Liverpool, pressing like their lives depended on it and proving that their FA Cup loss was just an anomaly. Kim Little and Frida Maanum bossed the midfield, Caitlin Foord was everywhere, and the Emirates played host to what could have easily been a 5-0 first half. The press suffocated Liverpool, the goals were a mix of hustle, pure artistry, and a couple oopsies. Meanwhile, Katie McCabe had her obligatory yellow moment served with a side dish of shithousery for Smith, but the ref wisely ignored the shenanigans.Meanwhile, Real Madrid just...
2025-03-2441 min
Vermont EditionSo you think you've seen a catamount?The only definitive proof of a catamount living in present-day Vermont is Rally Cat, the UVM mascot dancing on the sidelines of sports games. The actual animal has not been officially documented in the state since 1881. Still, many Vermonters swear they've seen catamounts — also known as pumas, cougars, or mountain lions.On the latest installment of the Vermont Edition series Animal Hour, Mikaela Lefrak was joined by Declan McCabe, a biologist from St. Michael's University in Colchester, and renowned wildlife tracker and naturalist Sue Morse of Jericho. They discussed how to identify big cat species, be it a mountain lion, ly...
2025-03-1349 min
Nature SnippetsSnowflake Declan?The winter season ha provided some wonderful snowflakes. IN this episode I discuss a Vermonter know as "Snowflake Bentley". Wilson Bentley attached a bellows camera to a microscope and made some of the first snowflake photographs ..... thousands of them. And while he made scientific studies of snowflakes, I'm just having fun, and you can too.Episode art is a photo I took using a Nikon Dipahot inverted microscope from the 1980s.Upcoming bug talks:March 7 & 9 in the Flower Show in Essex Vermont: https://vnlavt.org/vermont-flower-show/workshops/ March 19 in Newport Vermont...
2025-03-0510 min
BIRD HUGGERProtecting The Integrity Of Water With Declan McCabeToday's guest, aquatic biologist Declan McCabe, is urging us to protect water bodies like ponds and streams and the creatures that live in them. His new book, Turning Stones: Discovering The Life Of Water, is a collection of 54 nature essays that provide a look at the astounding diversity of life that depends on water. He examines a range of life forms and looks at ways to preserve clean water for the next generation and beyond. Check out Declan's podcast, Nature Snippets, wherever you download your podcasts. Join Catherine Greenleaf, a certified wildlife rehabilitator with 20 years of experience rescuing and rehabilitating...
2024-12-0528 min
Nature SnippetsThe Amazing Bug Road SHowOf late, I'm more frequently called upon to talk about bugs than
ever. But to reduce the chances of rendering my audience comatose, I use
live insects and hands-on demos to keep things moving. You can also!!
This episode describes how to get aquatic insects at almost any time of
year using inexpensive improvised gear found in a dollar store, or more
durable equipment if you intend to make a habit of this sort of thing.
To see a recent talk go here: tinyurl.com/3htf29tv
And to read about it, you can find...
2024-10-3036 min
Nature SnippetsLIfe, death, black flies, and independent bookstoresFreshwater ecologists often group invertebrates based on how they eat. Black fly larvae filter particles out of the water and in one case, they managed to help put a murder behind bars. This time around I'll be chatting about these incredible little organisms that improve water quality and are food chain links between incredibly small morsels and the fish we love to catch.
I'll also be sending some love out to those incredible curators and lovers of books that run independent book stores. On both sides of the Atlantic I have been graciously hosted by independent book...
2024-09-1313 min
Nature SnippetsNets, boots, macroinvertebrates, action: and an invition to a field trip 6/29/24 9:00AM in Danville VermontMacroinvertebrates, or the invertebrates we can see, are sentinels of clean water monitored by professional biologists. They can also be a gateway drug for budding scientists young and young at heart. This episode describes inexpensive equipment for catch-and-release studies of macroinvertebrates in ponds and streams.
This video takes you through the same approaches.
Episode art is clipped from an image uploaded to Wikimedia commons by John Rostron.
Driving directions from Danville if you'd like to join us on Saturday 6/29/24 9:00AM:
At the Route 2 light in...
2024-06-2514 min
Nature SnippetsBrainwashed by Worms and 2 Event AnnouncementsImagine a worm that enters the body of a different species, and then takes over its brain, altering its behavior to the benefit of the work and to the detriment of the host. Such is the story of the horsehair worm.
Following this episode I'll announce 2 events. The first is on Wednesday June 19 at 7:00 PM in Beardsley Zoo but also live on Zoom: registration is required: https://connecticutsbeardsleyzoo-bloom.kindful.com/e/june-evening-lecture-2024. I'll be co presenting with Aimee Turcotte (St. Michael's College class of 23). The second event will be a book talk & signing co-hosted by Northern Woodlands...
2024-06-1511 min
Nature SnippetsCloudy With a Chance of Flies. And first book event announcement.In warmer weather, have you ever encountered a cloud of flies buzzing up and down near a water body? Chances are that you have encountered a swarm of midges. This episode gets into the biology of these amazingly diverse little insects. I am also pleased to announce my first book event at Phoenix Books in Burlington Vermont at 7:00PM on Thursday June 6th 2024. Finally, I reveal some secrets of the podcast recording process in my back yard shed.
The episode art is a photograph of a male adult midge with its characteristic feathery antennae...
2024-05-2813 min
Eat Sleep Sing RepeatSara Ryan (SAL) touring & recording artist, yoga teacher & creativity coach.SAL is an Irish singer-songwriter with a difference. Her music explores the many colours in the spectrum of folk music music, always showcasing her own versatility as an artist, whilst maintaining her pop sensibilities. Originally hailing from County Kildare, Ireland, SAL has spent her recent years in Cork, Ireland, creating and performing all the time. After signing a management deal with London based Charlie B Management, SAL was unveiled at Liverpool Irish Festival 2021, where she showcased a set of brand new material with her band. SAL has underwent international touring since 2019 all across Europe, from the UK to Germany...
2024-05-0752 min
Nature SnippetsCarpet beetles, skin beetles, and hide beetles, oh my!It is entirely likely that you share your dwelling with some generally innocuous beetles that subsist in corners on dried crumbs, cat hair, or other dried organic materials. But, it can sometimes happen that these beetles reach numbers that can threaten wool carpets or fur coats....or worse still, these insects may consume your insect collection. This episode discusses these fellow travelers.
The episode art pictures a varied carpet beetle, one of many species in the family Dermestidae that we discuss today. The photograph was uploaded to Wikimedia Commons by user Didier Descouens.
2024-04-2710 min
EUVCErtan Can, Founding GP of Multiple Capital on Multiple III & How emerging managers can demonstrate performance from Fund I - III| E298Today, we are meeting with Ertan Can, the Founding General Partner of Multiple Capital, a venture capital fund based in Luxembourg.Ertan has just closed his third fund with a target of $50M after investing already in companies like NP-Hard, Angular, Airstreet (1), Lunar, Fly, Inflection, Foreword by Declan, and Remote First Capital by Andi Klinger, Nomad by Marc McCabe.Go to eu.vc for our core learnings and the full video interview 👀Chapters:00:54 Deep Dive into Ertan Can's Third Fund and Investment Strategy04:07 Ertan's Journey from Family Office to Micro VC
2024-04-161h 17
The European VCOn Multiple III & How emerging managers can demonstrate performance from Fund I - III with Ertan Can, Founding GP of Multiple CapitalToday, we are meeting with Ertan Can, the Founding General Partner of Multiple Capital, a venture capital fund based in Luxembourg.Ertan has just closed his third fund with a target of $50M after investing already in companies like NP-Hard, Angular, Airstreet (1), Lunar, Fly, Inflection, Foreword by Declan, and Remote First Capital by Andi Klinger, Nomad by Marc McCabe. Watch it here or add it to your episodes on Apple or Spotify 🎧Table of Contents | Scroll ⏬ for all guest show notes ✍️* Episode chapters.* Ertan’s journey into venture.* Deep di...
2024-04-161h 17
Nature SnippetsSpotted LanternfliesWhat sucks the juice out of many plants, leaves a sticky mess that promotes mold growth, and will lay its eggs ANYWHERE. The answer is the spotted lanternfly, a beautiful insect that hails from East Asia and is spreading from an introduction site near Allentown Pennsylvania. Although it is pretty, it can be destructive in its home away from home.
The episode art this week was uploaded by Wikimedia user WanderingMogwai and can be found here: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Spotted_lanternfly_displaying_underwing.jpg
2024-04-1510 min
Nature SnippetsUpside-Down AquaticsScuba divers pump compressed air into or out of jackets to hang neutrally buoyant in the water column. Few insects can manage the same feat and must hang onto to plants or expend energy swimming. But one insect can shunt oxygen in and out of an air bubble to "float" anywhere between the water surface and the pond floor. This same insect turns camouflage on it's head to adapt to its unusual back-stroke approach to swimming. Backswimmers do all of this and are also well equipped with a beak that can get your attention if you mishandle them.
2024-03-2109 min
Nature SnippetsTurning stones: how one guy wrote a bookA friend and radio broadcaster in my home town asked me to record something about the process of writing and publishing a book. I suspect that each book develops on a unique trajectory, and mine seems certainly to be unique. It's my first book and so I claim limited expertise on the topic. There were pitfalls, and one major one, but it was nothing I could have avoided. So this podcast is certainly not a how-to, but more of a how-I-did. And when you write your book, I'm sure it will be in a very different way than I...
2024-03-0820 min
Nature SnippetsIce out and climate changeWe have dramatically changed our climate. It's easy to consider that the change is slight. After all, who can remember what our climate was like back in the 70s? Back when it was "normal"? But consider this, roughly 60% of the US population had not even been born until the 1980s. So, our childhood recollections of "normal" weather occurred when climate change was already well underway. Scientists call this phenomenon the "shifting baseline" - what we each consider baseline conditions is very different from what a pre-industrial baseline might look like. This episode examines long-term data sets to explore how...
2024-02-2308 min
Nature SnippetsLadybird? Ladybug? Fly Away HomeLadybugs, Ladybirds, or Lady beetles are familiar to all in art and in reality. These little munchers of aphids and other garden insects are common in many habitats. If the supply of soft-bodied insects on your cabbages dwindles, the adults will fly off to other plants in your garden and elsewhere. Because lady beetles have been collected and sold for as biological control agents, species have been moved from place to place and even between continents. This episode covers such topics and also addresses efforts to document rare native species and even farm them for reintroduction into their former...
2024-02-0910 min
Nature SnippetsSprings in winterIn colder winters than we are currently experiencing in Vermont, small streams wear thick layers of ice. In the winter of 1997 I attempted to sample some streams year round. I was thwarted by ice so thick that a felling axe made little impression. But spring-fed streams with an endless supply of water at a constant temperature shrug off any ice that may form. These unique flowing-water habitats lack the minute bits of organic material that feed insects in other streams. And so many species simply cant live in springs, freeing up those habitats for spring water specialists found nowhere...
2024-01-2607 min
Nature SnippetsGreen Long-Jawed SpidersWith snow on the ground, you might not expect to find many invertebrates about, but there are some exceptions. Long-jawed spiders are among the most common invertebrates found clamoring about for food on Vermont's snow crusts. They come in two common colors and my bias is that the green ones are spectacular. So, grab your phone and perhaps a clip-on macro lens to get up close and personal with these amazing creatures making a living by eating snow fleas.
The episode art this week is from Wikimedia Commons. Full details can be found here: https://commons.wikimedia...
2024-01-1208 min
Nature SnippetsCalligrapha beetles support the matriarchy. And a new logoCalligraphy beetles have beautiful patterns that appear to be inked onto their elytra with a fine-tipped black pen. Their larvae specialize on particular plant species before dropping into the soil to pupate. I find them fascinating, and so when my daughters pointed out that my podcast lacked a proper logo, I suggested the willow calligrapha for inspiration. Lauren, my youngest is an artist and in short order she produced a new logo for the podcast. To see more of Lauren's art please visit her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauren.mcc.photography/ And to hear why some beetles...
2023-12-2711 min
Nature SnippetsIsopods, woodlice, sowbugs, or rollie polies? Isopods! And a book announcement."A rose by any other name would smell as sweet" - Shakespeare said it best. The subject of this week's episode has many names just in English, but whatever you choose to call them, they are important in processing leaves and decaying wood in the environment. Isopods are ubiquitous crustaceans that you doubtlessly have seen at home, in the woods, in a pond, or in weeds washed up on a beach somewhere. I dig a little into their biology here discuss a few of their very many names.
I also am excited to announce...
2023-12-0513 min
Nature SnippetsTree rings: time travel in the forestIf you have seen a freshly felled tree, you may well have noticed the rings in the cross section that mark the passage of the years. But felling trees just as an historical exercise seems extreme and so my students and I cored some trees on campus and nearby to explore succession, competition, and the deep history of organisms far older than ourselves. The pine trees we cored stood in what we now call "Colchester Vermont" when Thomas Edison's first viable light bulbs shed light on the world for about 14 hours before burning out. This podcast describes the process...
2023-11-1514 min
Nature SnippetsLet's go FishingWhy do we fish and should we fish at all? When I fish, it is usually for recreation or education. I encourage others to fish because I believe that familiarity with the fascinating organisms in the natural world fosters appreciation for the environment. When a person catches a fish in a nondescript pond, dots are connected. A previously boring water body becomes a habitat. Certainly it was habitat before anyone caught a fish, but an appreciation for the pond as habitat is built. And when we appreciate organisms and habitats, we are more likely to value and protect that...
2023-10-0714 min
Nature SnippetsCoastal Biology of Ireland: an Overseas Adventure with St. Mike's StudentsI can't think of a better way to learn about the coastal biology of a country than to visit. And so we did! Thirteen Saint Michael's College students joined three professors and we crisscrossed the Dingle Peninsula for two weeks. We learned a lot of biology and also hiked to spectacular locations and even visited a pub or two. This episode gets into some of the cultural as well as biological details of our adventure.
2023-09-1820 min
Nature SnippetsThe Case of the Confused KingfisherKingfishers are incredible fliers, divers, and of course fishers. A lamp mussel at first blush seem to present all of the complex behaviors .... of a rock. But there is far more fascinating biology happening than meets the eye. This episode documents the interactions between at least one individual each of these two species. Life is interesting, strange, and there is unimaginable complexity if we care to investigate even just a little bit. This essay and now podcast was inspired by a photograph posted on social media. Here's a link to Adelaide Tyrol Murphy's incredible art to go with the...
2023-08-2610 min
Nature SnippetsThoughts from a floodplain following Vermont's July floodIn addition to flood impacts on humans there are human impacts on floods. And of course there are flood impacts on other organisms. Among other things, this impromptu episode will get into being safe around flood waters and the risks associated with flooded sewage plants.
An earlier version of this had some audio issues that have been improved.
Episode art is the Winooski River hydrograph downloaded from the USGS site
2023-07-1424 min
Nature SnippetsThoughts from a floodplain following Vermont's July floodOn July 11 2023 Vermont experience historic flooding. As was the case in August 2011, there was significant damage to infrastructure. This podcast examines some of the consequences of this flooding and flooding in general. How do natural wetlands reduce the impact on downstream algal blooms? How might animals be impacted by rising waters? How does our sewage-treatment infrastructure weather the storm? These are some of the questions I discuss as I walk about in the Winooski River floodplain. This a recording out in the natural world and the audio quality is sometimes affected by wind .... and and airplanes.
2023-07-1324 min
Nature SnippetsHitch hiking beetlesImagine for a moment that a grey squirrel grabbed hold of your arm or even your tongue and refused to let go until you transported it to your home. That's roughly the experience that many bumble bees endure when accosted by certain beetle species. This episode describes the strange relationships between beetles and their involuntary Uber drivers. This will be the last episode of the current season...although I may record one or two from about 3,000 miles east of Vermont for summer release. In the mean time....have a great summer.
Episode art is from my cell...
2023-05-1908 min
Nature SnippetsDeath, decay, and spectacular beetles.Perhaps you are a teacher, a student in an entomology class, or just plain interested in cool things biological. Regardless of your particular motivations, some large, black and orange beetles may be of interest to you and this episode explains how to attract them. I also get into nature's recyclers large and small. Joni Mitchell hit the nail on the head when she wrote "we are billion-year-old carbon".....everything recycles!
Episode art added 12/30/2023 is from here.
2023-05-0411 min
Nature SnippetsPreserving Biodiversity and April Campus Events: come help us celebrate Earth WeekBiodiversity loss is not just a crisis in Borneo or some other tropical spot, it is happening in all localities. And because it is happening in our own towns and back yards, we have the power and responsibility to do something about it. We can plant native trees and vegetation to feed the base of our local food webs. You can learn more about this process by attending a set of St. Michael's college events happening about a week from the release data of this podcast. Other events will be live-streamed and recorded so there are multiple ways to...
2023-04-0718 minNature SnippetsBeavers Engineer the LandscapeOur largest native North American rodent dramatically improves habitats by eliminating the simple structure of streams and replacing that structure with a series of new habitats. Felled trees open canopy gaps allowing light to reach the forest floor. New beaver dams create ponds that favor standing water invertebrates, fish, and birds. Older ponds infill with silt and result in beaver meadows. And of course flowing water streams exist between these structures so the overall impact of beavers at the ecosystem scale is to diversify habitats. This episode focuses on the North American species but I briefly get into their...
2023-03-2410 minNature SnippetsGoldenrod galls house insects in winterLittle wooden spheres attached to dry stalks in meadows are homes to the larvae of a certain fly. You can see them in patches of meadow where ever goldenrod grows. As the plant grows, a fly lays an egg into the growing tip. The hatchling larva releases chemicals that compel the plant to produce a golf-ball size growth called a "gall". If you lived in a house lined entirely with edible plant material, you'd have an approximation of a gall. This episode describes the biology of goldenrod galls and suggests ways to use them for educational purposes.
2023-03-1109 minNature SnippetsEmerald Ash BorerWhen a new invasive species sweeps across a region, it can leave destruction in its wake. Sometimes it's a matter of an occasional defoliation as is the case with the spongy moth. In other cases the new species can take out an entire species such as the American elm or the American chestnut. Unfortunately, the emerald ash borer is in the latter category, except that there are three species at risk. This saddens me for many reasons. Ash trees are beautiful and serve important biological roles at the base of forest food webs. They underpin important cultural traditions both f...
2023-02-2412 minNature SnippetsRebugging the planet with author Vickie HirdGood afternoon. An earlier video version failed to launch. Those interested in the video can view it here.
We are currently immersed in a biodiversity crisis. Extinction is happening at an alarming rate. While none of us expects to return to a time where passenger pigeons nested in trees over saber-toothed tiger dens, we can slow extinction rates and even improve biological diversity where we live and work. To bring back birds for example, we need to start at the base of the food web by planting the plants and trees that support diverse invertebrate communities. The “bugs” in t...
2023-02-101h 05Nature SnippetsRebugging the Planet with Author Vickie HirdWe are currently immersed in a biodiversity crisis. Extinction is happening at an alarming rate. While none of us expects to return to a time where passenger pigeons nested in trees over saber-toothed tiger dens, we can slow extinction rates and even improve biological diversity where we live and work. To bring back birds for example, we need to start at the base of the food web by planting the plants and trees that support diverse invertebrate communities. The "bugs" in turn support birds and other insectivores. Vickie Hird's book "Rebugging the Planet" advocates this approach, and Saint Michael's C...
2023-02-101h 05
Experience Your Day With A Heart-Pounding Full Audiobook.Taking Control by Nina CroftPlease visithttps://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/640414to listen full audiobooks.
Title: Taking Control
Series: #3 of Babysitting a Billionaire
Author: Nina Croft
Narrator: Fleur Strange
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 6 hours 17 minutes
Release date: January 31, 2023
Genres: Erotica
Publisher's Summary:
Why play nice when you can be naughty? Jessica Bauer is aces when it comes to security, but the PR side? Not so much. Now she has a chance to take over Knight Securities-if she plays nice with the next client. Unfortunately, that client happens to be Declan McCabe. And it's too bad someone wants him dead, because after he broke her heart t...
2023-01-316h 17Grab the Essential Full Audiobooks in Romance, EroticaTaking Control by Nina CroftPlease visithttps://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/640414to listen full audiobooks.
Title: Taking Control
Series: #3 of Babysitting a Billionaire
Author: Nina Croft
Narrator: Fleur Strange
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 6 hours 17 minutes
Release date: January 31, 2023
Genres: Erotica
Publisher's Summary:
Why play nice when you can be naughty? Jessica Bauer is aces when it comes to security, but the PR side? Not so much. Now she has a chance to take over Knight Securities-if she plays nice with the next client. Unfortunately, that client happens to be Declan McCabe. And it's too bad someone wants him dead, because after he broke her heart t...
2023-01-316h 17Nature SnippetsFlight of the Flunker MothWinter flying moths show up in November and sometimes later. This essay describes their unusual lack of flight abilities and the alternative ways that they disperse. I also explore insect collections and the scientific value of collecting specimens and how entomologists are trained. For good measure, I explain how these particular moths earned the moniker "flunker moths".
2023-01-2808 minNature SnippetsWinter CaddisfliesThere are many caddisfly species feeding under the ice in our ponds, streams, and wetlands. Most aquatic insect growth happens in winter when the stream bed food supply is at its peak. The base of the stream food web is not provided by plants growing in the stream but instead drops in in the form of falling leaves. You might expect the peak to therefore happen in fall, but the leaves must first soak and steep. This process leaches out the chemicals that protected the leaves from herbivores during their productive lives. Next, fungi and bacteria colonize the leaves...
2023-01-1409 minNature SnippetsSeedbugs in your holiday decor?Western conifer seed bugs are among the many insect visitors that may make your home theirs for the winter. They seek hibernation spots in fall and even the best kept homes provides all sorts of prime real estate for six-legged critters. We tend to see them coming or going in fall and spring, but moving decoration boxes from attic or basement tends to wake sleeping guests at this time of year. So you may see a stray box elder bug, lady beetle, or even a Western conifer seed bug scrambling along your window sill in mid winter. None of...
2022-12-1608 min
Lansdowne ROAR!OBIG #48: Ogbene, Robinson, McCabe find net | MON Rice/Grealish commentsNick and Martin bring all the latest Irish updates and react to Martin O’Neills comments on Jack Grealish and Declan Rice.
2022-12-1236 minNature SnippetsThe Great Duckweed MigrationDuckweed can entirely coat summer ponds, but have you ever wondered what happens to them in winter when the ponds ice over? This episode gets into exactly where duckweeds go when the snow flies, and how they make it back from their wintering grounds.
2022-12-0208 min
Nature SnippetsKeeping it Clean DownstreamWhat can each of us do to reduce eutrophication and harmful algal blooms? Reducing runoff from our properties, neighborhoods, and campuses is an excellent first step. And picking up after your pet does no harm either. Reducing water flow from properties can reduce soil erosion and movement of phosphorus to our favorite water bodies. Simply redirecting your downspouts to the lawn instead of the driveway can be a good first step that also has the advantage of reducing ice buildup in winter. Episode image is cropped from a photo uploaded to Wikimedia Commons by Dave Huth from Allegany County...
2022-11-1808 min
Nature SnippetsLace Bugs: Baroque Little BeastiesPerhaps in your childhood, you may have made paper doilies? Folded paper with delicately cut holes that when unfolded revealed a symmetrical pattern? Imagine for moment that your skill level at this particular pass time was so great, that you could produce a spectacular piece of art in miniature - perhaps as small as a quarter inch long. If you have such fine motor skills, then you are well on your way to making your own fake lace bug. Real lace bugs are fantastically ornate true bugs (Hemiptera) in the family Tingidae. In retrospect, and on hearing my own...
2022-11-0408 min
Nature SnippetsGetting the most from your trail cameraFor several years, Saint Michael's college students have used trail cameras to answer interesting research questions and to get amazing photographs of mammals right on campus in the process. So I thought I'd share some of my experiences in setting these up to get the best results. Click here for a sample of the photographs we get on cameras on campus. Episode art was photographed by student researchers at St. Michael's College.
2022-10-2112 minNature SnippetsThe Gall(s) of HackberryMany of our garden plants have "perfect" unblemished leaves lacking any evidence of nibbles taken by hungry herbivores, or dwelling places of leaf miners and other native insects. This artificial state of perfection is because many of our garden plants are from other continents and our native insects have zero chance of eking out a living from their foliage. But native plants have co-evolved with a diverse community of insects that live in and on them and in turn form essential links in the food web that feeds native birds and mammals. Hackberry nipple galls are formed by tiny...
2022-10-0709 minNature SnippetsDaddy Long Legs: all fun and games until somebody loses a leg - or threeWho doesn't love a daddy long legs? But which one do you really love? The cellar spiders that some people call "daddy long legs", or the larger cranefly that may well crash into your porch lights, or what I call "daddy long legs": the spider-like harvestmen common in shaded woods, gardens, or sometimes in your house. These amazing arachnids are the subjects of an urban legend regarding venom toxicity. In reality these familiar organisms are beneficial in your garden and should be granted the space and respect that fellow travelers deserve.
2022-09-2308 minNature SnippetsDrain FliesAs the name suggests, drain flies may well emerge from floor drains. They are not a sign of poor house keeping....rather they are a sign that you have drains. The larvae inhabit your plumbing in places like shower drains and floor drains. You may well see them at any time of year and so September is a perfect time to release this episode and kick off a new season.
2022-09-0908 min
Nature SnippetsFour Eyes on YouWhirligig beetles are wonderful little creatures of the summer that zoom about on water surfaces. This episode get into some of their amazing adaptations to life on water surfaces.
2022-06-0308 minNature SnippetsOpossums moving north, eating ticks, and playing possumOpossums are moving north in response to human-caused climate change, but the current journey builds upon a far longer and more ancient journey from South America. One advantage of having them about is their talent for eating ticks, many of which have also moved north. Finally we will get into their most famous behavior: playing possum.
2022-05-2010 minNature SnippetsWetlands filter water and reduce floodingNatural wetlands accumulate nutrient-rich sediment carried in by rising floods. The sediments feed the wetland foodweb and are not carried downstream where they can cause algal blooms in lakes. By providing places for flood water to go, wetlands reduce the potentially damaging impacts of floods.
2022-05-0608 minNature SnippetsFlat Stanley and the Centipede: opening a new creative chapterHave you ever had the urge to send a potentially dangerous centipede through the mail? Suppress that urge! But at least one person has sent a fast-moving myriapod through the US Mail, and here is that story.
2022-04-2213 minNature SnippetsRed-necked False Blister BeetlesSpring flowers bloom before tree canopies fill out taking advantage of both accessible light, and early-year pollinators. This little beetle is one of the earliest and is well protected by a toxic payload.
2022-04-0807 minNature SnippetsUnderwater Leaf SeasonThe leaves that provide breath-taking views in New England Falls are far from ecologically finished when they drop from trees. Many leaves end up fueling food webs in freshwater habitats. This episode covers some of the complex processes that occur under water before a leaf ever feeds a trout.
2022-03-2513 minNature SnippetsPlankton Under Ice with Dr. Ariana Chiapella and Dr. Jason StockwellPlankton are generally small plant-like and animal-like organisms that live in the water column of our oceans, lakes, and ponds. Ecologists have known that they plankton grow actively in lakes all summer and often produce blooms in warm weather. Until recently, ecologists considered that plankton died back in winter and were not an important source of food under ice. But recent research has made it clear that plankton grows under ice and is important in the winter food web. Dr. Jason Stockwell and Dr. Ariana Chiapella, the first guests on Nature Snippets, will explain their research on plankton under the ice of...
2022-03-1229 minNature SnippetsPlankton on Ice with Dr. Ariana Chiapella and Dr. Jason StockwellPlankton are generally small plant-like and animal-like organisms that live in the water column of our oceans, lakes, and ponds. Ecologists have known that they plankton grow actively in lakes all summer and often produce blooms in warm weather. Until recently, ecologists considered that plankton died back in winter and were not an important source of food under ice. But recent research has made it clear that plankton grows under ice and is important in the winter food web. Dr. Jason Stockwell and Dr. Ariana Chiapella, the first guests on Nature Snippets, will explain their research on...
2022-03-1134 minNature SnippetsWinter caddisfliesIn winter, a small black caddisfly emerges from streams to complete its life cycle. The females don't bother with wings, unless, that is, they happen to emerge in summer. These beautiful little caddisflies spend their larval lives filtering minute particles of organic matter from the water and cleaning the water in the process.
2022-02-2507 minNature SnippetsIce CapadesA phenomenon called "the density anomaly of water" makes it possible for folks to drive trucks out on to Lake Champlain most years. This episode explains why ice is less dense than water and why this allowed life as we know it to evolve.
2022-02-1110 minNature SnippetsDoug Tallamy author of Nature's Best HopeThis special episode was recorded in a Saint Michael's College Senior Seminar. Seminar participants had read Nature's Best Hope and we were honored to have Dr. Douglas Tallamy join us on zoom. The episode consists of Doug's answers to students' questions regarding creating a Home Grown National Park. With the lion's share of land in the United States being in private hands, if each of us lives up to our responsibilities as stewards of the planet, we can go a long way toward enhancing biological diversity one yard or garden at a time. Please enjoy this episode and then go...
2022-02-0851 min
Nature SnippetsLooking at small things: lenses and microscopesBecause this podcast frequently discusses very small organisms, I thought an episode on magnification would be of interest. And because I know that some parents listen to this podcast, I decided to focus a little also on sharing the nature of small things with children. So tips and tricks about getting close views of tiny things are featured. The cover art for this episode is a Wild M5 Stereoscopic microscope. The image was clipped from a Wikimedia Commons image uploaded by Michael K. Oliver: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:P_Humphry_Greenwood.jpg
Follow this link to...
2022-01-2813 min
Nature SnippetsSnow ScorpionfliesSnow Scorpionflies are not true flies and don't look especially like scorpions. But the "snow" part of their name is certainly accurate. You may find these curious insects walking, hopping, but never flying from the snowy surfaces in your particular winter wonderland. And if you do, why not post about them on iNaturalist. This episode includes a useful tip about cell phone photography of very small things. The cover art for this episode is cropped from an image of a female snow scorpionfly; note the total lack of wings. The image is from Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wik...
2022-01-1409 minNature SnippetsLife at 39 degreesFrozen lakes may appear incompatible with life. But "life" begs to differ. Any ice fisher will be happy to list the fish they have caught and the fish are exquisitely adapted to life beneath an icy ceiling. Learn how a quirk of water's physical chemistry makes life possible at 39 degrees. In summer, lakes are stratified into warm layers on top with colder layers below. Frozen winter lakes and ponds are coldest on top and warmer below; this is called inverse stratification.
2022-01-0806 minNature SnippetsSummer SkatersWater striders or pond skaters use pond surfaces as spider webs. They prey upon aquatic organisms surfacing to breath, or on terrestrial organisms that end up stuck in the water surface. This episode explains the photograph I use as the Nature Snippets' logo. Water striders are insects in the order Hemiptera, family Gerridae. The community of organisms living on, and supported by, the surface tension of water bodies, including those organisms hanging beneath the surface tension is called the neuston.
2022-01-0807 minNature SnippetsHow Insects Spend the WInterMigration, hibernation, or actively going about their lives, insects are well adapted to dealing with winter weather. This episode gets into some of my favorite examples of the exquisite adaptations that insects use to get through the coldest months.
2022-01-0707 min
In The NewsThe agency forcing Irish criminals to flee abroadJust over 25 years ago, the Criminal Assets Bureau was established in the wake of the killings of Detective Jerry McCabe and journalist Veronica Guerin. The murders shocked the nation and served as a wakeup call to the authorities that they were losing the fight against gangland figures and paramilitary groups. Over the years, the Criminal Assets Bureau has seized almost €200million in the proceeds of crime, forcing many to move abroad to keep hold of their cash. Today, Conor Pope speaks to Crime editor Conor Lally about the impact of Cab on the Irish criminal landscape.Pr...
2021-11-0122 min
The Declan McCarthy ShowS1E47: Lewis McCabeToday, we chat to fantastic puppeteer of Furchester Hotel & Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance - Lewis McCabe!IG: @declanmccarthyshowTw: @declanshowBe kind. Be loud. Be proud.
2021-06-201h 18
STEM at St. Mike'sMeet Professor McCabe!Join us this week as we talk about all things ecology with Professor McCabe! Professor McCabe grew up in Athlone, Ireland where he started his college education in Athlone Institute of Technology. Following a summer in in the United States, he worked as a lab technician in Ireland but returned to the US for the summer of 1987…..he fell madly in love and has been here ever since. He completed his Masters in Ecology and Evolution in the University of Pittsburgh, and PHD in Ecology at UVM. He and his wife Dr. Margaret Vizzard have three children and live clo...
2021-04-0118 min
Talk A Good GameSFC Final Review And A Look Back At All The Action From Last WeekOn this week's Talk A Good Game Fergal Lynch is joined by Meath GAA PRO Ciaran Flynn and the PRO for Leinster GAA Martin O'Halloran to look back at Ratoath's outstanding victory in the Meath SFC final. There are also interviews with Ratoath manager Davy Byrne and Summerhill boss Declan McCabe. Also in the show they reflect on the IFC, JFC and MFC finals as well as looking ahead to Kildalkey and Clann na nGael's bid for provincial glory. All that and much more on this week's Talk a Good Game. #TAGG
2019-11-0156 min
Inside Politics with Hugh LinehanNo Hand, Act or PartThis week there proved to be at least one more political sting left in the tail of the McCabe controversy. This latest entanglement involves a dubious legal strategy, a curiously incurious former Minister for Justice, a poorly written email and a frustrated Taoiseach. It's confusing, but we hope this conversation between Sarah Bardon, Harry McGee and Hugh Linehan will leave listeners with as clear an understanding of the affair as possible. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2017-11-2230 minInside Politics with Hugh LinehanMcCabe Crisis: Kenny Departure Hastened, Our Institutions Exposed, How To Run A TribunalIt's been a busy week in politics and there's a lot to get through on today's podcast. First political reporter Sarah Bardon looks back at a shambolic few days on the Government front bench. Dáil watchers concur it has been a shocker from Fine Gael, and especially from Taoiseach Enda Kenny, whose tenure as party leader is measured now in days and weeks, not months and years, says Sarah. Then Alan Kelly of Labour and John McGuinness of Fianna Fáil join us to talk about the treatment of Garda whistleblowers Maurice McCabe and Keith Harrison, and what they wa...
2017-02-1552 minInside Politics with Hugh LinehanMcCabe Controversy Entangles Ministers, Senior GardaíPat Leahy and Sarah Bardon tell Hugh Linehan what is now known about the false rape accusations made against whistleblower Sergeant Maurice McCabe, and how a statement by Minister for Children Katherine Zappone raises more questions than it answers about who in Cabinet knew what, and when. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2017-02-1020 min