The Field Guides

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 28 - Spring Ephemerals: The Spotted Salamander May 07, 2018

Show notes

The great salamander migration has begun! ...and ended... Every spring there is a small window of time when adult spotted salamanders emerge from their subterranean homes and mate in nearby seasonal wetlands. Bill, Steve, Rich, and Donna venture out to find these elusive critters.

Ep. 27 - Spring Ephemerals: Skunk Cabbage Apr 06, 2018

Show notes

It's not a skunk... and it's not a cabbage... This month, Steve and Bill discuss Skunk Cabbage. The guys go over the spathe, spadix, contractile roots, and thermogenesis, among other things. We also pose maybe too many questions to our audience:

1. Is Skunk Cabbage a clonal species?
2. Can Skunk Cabbage have multiple inflorescences?
3. Do warblers nest in Skunk Cabbage spathes?
4. Does Skunk Cabbage heat up to to promote cross pollination?

Enjoy (and help us answer these questions)!

Bonus 06 - Spring Ephemerals: Coltsfoot Mar 17, 2018

Show notes

Today we begin the first of many future episodes about spring ephemeral wildflowers. During this episode, Steve and Bill talk about Coltsfoot's adaptations, life cycle, use as a cooking spice, and toxicity. Unfortunately, the guys never figure out what the species name, farfara, means... if you know, share the love. Enjoy!

Ep. 26 - Don't Hassle Me, I'm Local: Ecological Restoration and Local Ecotypes Mar 13, 2018

Show notes

Can one specimen of a native plant be more "native" than another? Plant populations that have adapted to local environmental conditions are called "local ecotypes". They can be genetically different from populations of the same plant growing under different conditions, and for those ecologists who are working to restore damaged ecosystems, whether or not they should use local ecotypes is an important question to consider.

Ep. 25 - The Eastern Screech-owl Feb 02, 2018

Show notes

Steve and Bill start off 2018 with an episode about Eastern Screech-owls. The guys talk about the Eastern Screech-owl's dichromatism, adaptations for hunting at night, and even call one in during the podcast. Make sure to wear headphones for this one- the birds calling in the distance aren't always easy to hear. Steve also gets really nervous about being killed by a bobcat for some reason... Enjoy!

Ep. 24 - The Flying* Squirrel Jan 01, 2018

Show notes

*it doesn't actually fly.

Steve and Bill wrap up 2017 with an episode about Flying Squirrels. They talk about their adaptations for gliding, evolutionary history, and baculum morphology. They also talk about the new species that was discovered earlier this year. Enjoy!

Bonus 05 - The Urban Cooper's Hawk Podcast Dec 16, 2017

Show notes

We hope you're ready to learn all about Cooper's Hawks in cities. Steve leads the discussion on cooper's hawk biology, hunting strategies, and nest predation habits. Also, keep your cats indoors.

We teamed up with The Urban Wildlife Podcast for this episode's topic, so make sure that you go check them out. We also announce an artsy relationship with Always Wondering Art, as well as a tasty relationship with Boxerbar Energy Bars. You should go show them all some support. We hope you enjoy the episode!

Ep. 23 - The HWA (Hemlock Woolly Adelgid) Dec 01, 2017

Show notes

This episode is all about the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (HWA)! Steve and Bill explain this insect's history, biology, and it's negative effects on Eastern and Carolina Hemlock. The guys dive into what damage has already been done, what damage is still projected to happen, and what we're currently doing to stop the spread of this destructive asian hemipteran! We hope you enjoy!

Bonus 04 - The Eastern Hemlock Nov 15, 2017

Show notes

Eastern Hemlocks are a staple of northeastern US forests. During this bonus episode, Steve and Bill make some tea and dive into what makes this tree so special. Historically, Hemlock has experienced 3 major declines, with the most recent happening right now. The culprit is an introduced hemipteran from Asia. Later this month, the guys will release a regular episode on that insect. But for now, enjoy this primer for episode 23!

Ep. 22 - Acorns and Corvids are MFEO (Made For Each Other) Nov 06, 2017

Show notes

This episode is nuts! Like peanut butter and jelly, Blue Jays and oak trees go together - they have a fascinating relationship that plays out in our forests every fall. Jays (and many of their corvid relatives) collect boatloads of acorns and engage in a caching behavior called scatter hoarding. The extent to which oaks have evolved to rely on this behavior is startling, and in this episode, Bill and Steve (he's back!) pull back the curtain on the fascinating world of acorns and corvids, revealing why these two groups are MFEO (Made For Each Other).

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