The Art of Ecology
Building visual connections between people and nature.
Tag: Animals
Butterfly Wings & Their Function
I always love seeing the beauty of butterflies this time of year as they flit around from flower to flower! I love the vibrant orange of the Monarchs and Viceroys, the yellow of the Tiger Swallowtails, and the blue-ish spots of the Red-Spotted Purple. Colorful butterfly wings also have fascinating anatomy that helps them fly …
Sounds of Summer: Cicadas
Starting in July or August, you might hear some loud screeching or buzzing from the treetops. Don’t be scared! The cicadas, endemic to North America, have emerged and the adults are trying to attract mates through their “beautiful” screaming. What IS a Cicada?! Cicadas are true bugs, meaning that they have three body parts, three …
Herps – What are they?
Starting in late March-early April, you may notice a lot of nature centers or wildlife organizations start talking about “Herps”…. What?! Herps are the collective term for Reptiles + Amphibians. While they each have their own distinguishing characteristics, they are similar enough so that many scientists lump them together while studying or talking about them. …
Feathruary 2023 Art Challenge
This past month I’ve been creating art as part of the #Feathruary2023 by @MischievousRedFox on Instagram. Illustrating birds is not only fun, and a great way for me to learn more about bird identifying characteristics, and sharing the finished piece is a good way to increase appreciation and respect for the bird world. Each piece …
Public Perception & Attitudes Towards Bird Feeding
As part of my spring 2023 “Wildlife Education” course (Masters of Environmental Science through Slippery Rock University), I conducted a survey/questionnaire that was designed to examine the public’s perceptions and attitudes towards a bird feeding; a sometimes-controversial wildlife topic. Many feel strongly about why they should or should not feed wild birds. Below are the …
Benefits of Birding
There are many great benefits of birding (the act of bird watching)! By collecting bird count data and adding those observations to databases, you can contribute to scientific research; helping ornithologists and wildlife biologists monitor populations and design conservation strategies! Birding also allows you to observe the natural world around you and make connections with …
Scientific Illustration Step-by-Step
Scientific illustration may seem daunting at first, however there are some great reasons to try your hand at it! First, as you draw, you are forming new pathways and connections in the brain. Secondly, each time you draw a piece, you are making some in-depth observations about it and may learn something new about the …
Marine Ecosystems & Their Connection to Land
We land-dwellers don’t usually consider the importance of marine ecosystems in our day-to-day lives, understandably. The times we usually think about the ocean are when we are on our summer vacations to the shore. In reality, the ways we are connected to marine life are closer than we may think. What Does the Ocean do …
Stream Health & Bioindicators Research Project by Intern Lucy
Research by Lucy McGinty and Marissa Jacobs 02/28/22 – 05/10/22 Abstract Local Pennsylvania streams are becoming more polluted due to chemical runoff, littering, and sewage dumping. Because of this, diversity in streams is beginning to decline. Popular ways researchers determine the quality of the stream is by species counts and various chemical testing. Macroinvertebrates are …
A World Without Pollinators
Could you imagine a world with no berries or melons? No pumpkins during the fall or chocolate to indulge in? Or what about a world with no coffee in the morning and no flowers to water? Unfortunately, this is most likely the path we are headed on due to the declining population of pollinators. According …
