Posts Tagged ‘dark skies’
Eastern Cottontail Rabbits
Eastern cottontail rabbits are everywhere in Ohio. Their ancient ancestors appeared at least 33 million years ago during the late Eocene Epoch. Adaptable creatures, they evolved into the eastern cottontail rabbits we have today. They’re the most common rabbit species in North America – ranging throughout North America, Latin America and Northern South America. While…
Read MoreJanuary 2025 Full Wolf Moon
The first full Moon of 2025, January’s Wolf Moon, rises on January 13 at 5:27PM EST. There are differing opinions on the origins of this name. Some say it’s Native American in origin and others believe it has Celtic and Old English origins. When early European settlers came to America gray wolves were widespread throughout…
Read MoreFive-spotted Hawk Moth
Known for their rapid flight and ability to hover over a flower while feeding, the five-spotted hawk moth is another important nighttime pollinator. Although found throughout the U.S. it is more often found in northern states including Ohio. They’re found in various habitats, including gardens, meadows, woodlands, and even urban areas if they provide the…
Read MoreStar-Nosed Mole
The star-nosed mole is an amazing little creature. Its most noticeable feature is the 22 fleshy tentacle-like appendages, forming a little star, at the end of its nose. Your first thought might be that these tentacles help the mole to smell, but you’d be wrong. They function more like an eye than a nose. The…
Read MoreComet C/2023 A3
“Comets are like cats: they have tails, and they do precisely what they want.” Davis H. Levy, Comets: Creators and Destroyers A visitor from afar is in the neighborhood. Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-Atlas), A3 for short, will be visible by the end of September in the morning sky. Comet names tell us much about the…
Read MorePandorus Sphinx Moth
Some of the most beautiful, interesting and hard-working pollinators are rarely seen. Why? Because they work at night. One of the members of this night crew is the pandorus sphinx moth. Found throughout Ohio, this is a large moth with a wingspan of 3 to 4.5 inches. They have streamlined bodies and wings, their outline…
Read MoreBats & Dark Skies
Bats are amazing! They have lived on Earth for more than 50 million years. There are over 1,400 different species of bats, making them the second largest order of mammals. Bats are extremely adaptable and can be found in forests, wetlands, deserts, prairies, urban areas, and even cold places like Alaska and Siberia, and they…
Read MoreWhite-lined Sphinx Moth
The white-lined sphinx moth is a fascinating creature. It’s a member of the moth family Sphingidae which has over 1400 species worldwide and 115 in North America. The white-lined sphinx moth is widespread and abundant. It can be found throughout Central America, the United States, and into southern Canada. It’s a large moth having a…
Read MoreSnapping Turtle
The common snapping turtle is a nocturnal reptile found in southern Canada from Alberta to Nova Scotia and throughout the eastern two-thirds of America from the Atlantic coast to the edge of the Rocky Mountains and south to the Gulf Coast and into Central America. They are an ancient turtle that evolved in North America…
Read MoreRosy Maple Moths
Rosy maple moths can be found from May to August in Ohio. Although classified as a “great silk moth” this moth is the smallest of these great moths. Rosy maple moths depend on maple trees for survival – hence their name. Their preferred host trees include red, sugar, silver, and box elder maples. They aren’t…
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