Pioneer families often brought plants and animals from their home countries for various reasons whether food sources or memories not realizing they were going to cause future problems with the native wildlife already here.
You may know many of the 126 plants currently listed as "officially invasive" in Indiana, but do you know the history of...
You may know many of the 126 plants currently listed as "officially invasive" in Indiana, but do you know the history of their arrival?
In this program, Amanda Smith and Steve Sass of Indiana Nature LLC will take a historical journey from European settlement to the current day tracing how these species found their way to the United States. The program will reflect upon the historical factors that contributed to their arrival and examine the lessons learned and unlearned.
You may know many of the 126 plants currently listed as “officially invasive” in Indiana, but do you know the history of their arrival? In this program, Steve Sass and Amanda Smith take a historical journey from European settlement to the current day, tracing how these species found their way to the United States, reflecting upon the historical factors that contributed to their arrival, and examining the lessons learned and unlearned.
INPS: Our Community November 11, 2023 Indiana Native Plant Society on YouTube
We bring together interesting people from all walks of life, experts and novices, to collaborate on programs and activities advancing our mission. Many a lasting friendship has been formed while engaging with the Indiana Native Plant Society. We invite you to join in the fun.
Beavers
Happy International Beaver Day! Beavers were once rare in Indiana due to overharvesting for their fur but are now...
Beavers were once rare in Indiana due to overharvesting for their fur but are now abundant.
In 1935, the Indiana Department of Conservation obtained a few breeding pairs from Wisconsin and released them in strategic relocations to certain parts of the state to help with expansion.
The population expanded and now beavers are found in almost every county.
Spring and Summer in 22 seconds! In this animation, eight common species of frogs (including a toad!) give their calls through the season. Wood frog, boreal chorus frog, spring peeper, northern leopard frog, American toad, Gray treefrog, green frog, and bullfrog. See if you can identify each species as it joins the chorus. Full First Grade-level lesson (including individual calls of the frogs) is now available at: https://www.cablemuseum.org/school-field-trips/museum-mobile/museummobile-spring-programs/first-grade-spring-a-northwoods-frog-chorus/
Spring and Summer in 22 seconds! In this animation, eight common species of frogs (including a toad!) give their calls through the season. Wood frog, boreal chorus frog, spring peeper, northern leopard frog, American toad, Gray treefrog, green frog, and bullfrog. See if you can identify each species as it joins the chorus.
Full First Grade-level lesson (including individual calls of the frogs) is now available at: A Northwoods Frog Chorus[ Cable, Wisconsin ]
Insects
Bees
Don't forget to look for native bees in early spring on woody plants. Willows and maples are some of the first forage...
Don't forget to look for native bees in early spring on woody plants. Willows and maples are some of the first forage plants in spring for native bees. Photo: male cellophane bee visiting red maple flowers. Thanks to Bee and Pollinator Books by Heather Holm for this photo and reminder! #bees#nativeplants
Monarch Butterfly
At the start of the spring breeding season, eastern populations of monarchs leave their winter habitat in the oyamel fir...
At the start of the spring breeding season, eastern populations of monarchs leave their winter habitat in the oyamel fir forests of Mexico to begin a northward journey. They move northward as milkweeds start growing on their migratory route.
These monarchs live for a few weeks with the females laying eggs along the way. Planting milkweed and other flowers native to your area is the perfect way to help monarchs as the next generation continues another stage of the northbound expedition.
Photo by J. Jurado / NPS
Honeybees
Honey bees some claim they were called white man's flies by the Native American Indians. One story is that the honey bees often preceded European settlements by a 100 miles or so as the settlers spread across North America.
Did you know that honey bees were not a part of the indigenous environment at Jamestown? Though bees did exist, honey bees were imported by the Virginia Company in the 1620s. Today, you can buy honey from local beekeepers at Magnolia at the Dale House Cafe or seeds for native plants when you're visiting Jamestown!
Yarrow plants at the Memorial Gate, donated to Preservation Virginia by The Colonial Dames of America in 1907 and restored in 2019. Photo by Chuck Durfor.
“white man’s flies” - another Bee myth to stop using
From the Revolutionary War journal Project:
"Since Native Americans had never seen a honey bee, they had no word for the insect, wax, or honey. As such, they called them “white man’s flies” since they weren’t around until the Europeans showed up.
Not quite true as ‘white man’s flies’ is really a ‘white man’s myth.’
Native Americans had seen bees before, hard to miss 4,000 species of bees spread throughout the continent, but not honey bees until the early 16th century.
They also had never seen nor tasted honey, for native bees do not produce the sweet byproduct (unless one had traveled south to the tropics where the local Milapon bee makes honey).
They had no word to describe the honey bee.
That didn’t stop a Puritan pastor named John Eliot (1605 – 1690) who is credited for coming up with one. A missionary, he arrived in New England in 1631. He immediately rolled up his sleeves and did what missionaries do best, converted the local ‘savages’ to Christianity.
He decided he could be better at his job if he learned the native tongue, but do one better, he would translate the bible into their language.
By 1661, after fourteen years of hard labor, Eliot did just that. During his efforts, he also produced a dictionary of sorts of the Algonquin language of Massachusetts, at the same time producing the first published works at the first printing press in America., at Harvard College.
He discovered there was no word for honey bee so, being a creative and persistent fellow, he came up with one. It literally meant ‘white man’s flies’ and he assured anyone who asked, that indeed he had heard his Native American translators use the term.
Four hundred years later, trivial pursuit games and the internet are full of references to Native Americans referring to the honey bee as ‘white man’s flies’, except that is not the case.
Since Eliot’s inventive mind came up with the ‘Indian term’ for honey bees, there are few if any examples of Native Americans actually calling honey bees ‘white man’s flies’, outside a few romantic novels whose covers are graced with shirtless Native America ‘hunks’ and some historical texts written by ‘experts’.
Sorry to all those witty folks who have impressed their friends with this quaint ‘white man’s flies’ trivial gem.
Title page from John Elliot’s Algonqian Indian Bible 1663.
A trail camera photo of a black bear from November 23 in Clark County, Indiana was recently confirmed by DNR staff. The bear can be seen walking along the edge of a standing soybean field. This is likely the same bear that was reported in the New Albany area on Nov 18 after being struck by a vehicle. These reports are 10 miles apart indicating that the bear was still active and moving after the accident. A black bear is not cause for concern, but citizens are encouraged to be BearWise to minimize potential conflicts and not leave out food for the bear or attempt to approach it. Visit bearwise.org for tips on living with black bears and read our factsheet below for bear information. Learn more about black bears, report sightings, and download the pdf of the factsheet at our black bear webpage: Black Bear
Bison
What happened to the millions of bison?
How the opening of the Transcontinental Railroad changed the shape of the American West.
How the opening of the Transcontinental Railroad changed the shape of the American West.
Where the Buffalo No Longer Roamed The Transcontinental Railroad connected East and West—and accelerated the destruction of what had been in the center of North America
Bison herds in the western United States were so massive, they shook the ground and sounded like thunder in the distance. The American bison roamed most of North America and in the early 19th century, population estimates were between 30 million to 60 million. Their story is inextricably tied to the history of America’s first transcontinental railroad.
Hundreds of thousands of bison were slaughtered by hunters, travelers and U.S. troops. Trains shipped bison carcasses back east for machine belts, tongues as a delicacy, and bones as fertilizer. When the Transcontinental Railroad was completed in 1869, it accelerated the decimation of the species and by 1900, naturalists estimated less than 1,000 bison remained.
By the late 1880s, the endless herds of bison were wiped out and just a few hundred individuals remained. Near extinction of the majestic animal deprived the Plains Indians of thier livelihood and resulted in tremondous suffering. The last remaining Bison were protected in Yellowstone National Park and other sanctuaries in North America. Today, bison populations are slowly recovering. The sculpture “Distant Thunder” is a tribute to the vast herds that once roamed the American West.
Long before Indiana was settled, large herds of Bison migrated across the southern part of the state creating a pathway that was also utilized by indigenous native populations for centuries. This well worn trail ultimately became the pathway for the first European settlement of the region. It has been aptly named the Buffalo Trace.
The Bison migration from Kentucky crossed at the shallows of the Falls of the Ohio near present day Clarksville and traversed the woodland hills of southern Indiana to the Wabash River crossing near Vincennes before entering the grassland prairies of southern Illinois and beyond. Population and modern growth have obliterated segments the trail; however, significant remnants of the Buffalo Trace can still be found undisturbed and protected within the Hoosier National Forest (HNF).
The historical significance of the Buffalo Trace probably cannot he overstated. What remains of what was essentially used as an interstate highway during this lengthy period of our history yet remains in the HNF. However, it is currently threatened by the Buffalo Springs project, a proposed government development and logging initiative. Destroying any remaining features of this historic Indiana pathway is unconscionable.
The Buffalo Trace is dotted with evidence of migration and settlement spanning the prehistoric period through the earliest pioneer settlement of the region. It is a part of our shared Indiana heritage that should be preserved and interpreted for future generations.
One comment referenced the book: Early Indiana trails and surveys by Wilson, George R., 1863-1941. publication date 1919 which does mention Fort Wayne in regards to Indian Treaties in the early 1800s.
Did you know that massive herds of bison used to migrate through southern Indiana? They cut trails and wallows into the land that can still be seen today. The paths were used by Native American and early settlers. Eventually, parts of the path became modern highways.
With snow starting to fall throughout the region, paws and enjoy the landscape and see if you can tell which paws pass through, telling tails you won't want to miss!
Have you seen any wildlife tracks in the snow? Can you guess the tracks below? Click on each photo for a hint.
Deer
The last reported wild deer was killed in Knox County in 1893 shown on our 1893 Timeline.
Geriann Albers, a Furbearer Biologist for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, told WANE 15 that bobcats started to move into southern Indiana in the late 1900s. Now, they’re migrating into northeast Indiana. “They’re doing this because they like to follow our river corridors,” Albers explained. “So, they moved to the southern part of the state and they’re following our rivers, basically, up into northern Indiana and over. Now they’re moving down into our northeastern and eastern part of our state.” While bobcats are more nocturnal, secretive animals, Albers said more and more sightings are happening thanks to trail and security cameras.More bobcat sightings are occurring in northeast Indiana; why are they coming here? Rex Smith June 20, 2023 on CBS WANE-TV NewsChannel 15
Punxsutawney Phil says spring is right around the corner!
Or is it?
Although Groundhog Day is a great tradition enjoyed by millions of Americans, groundhogs might not be the best weather forecasters…but they are still very impressive animals. Click the link to see what Purdue Extension Wildlife Specialists have to say on the subject: Groundhogs can’t predict the weather but they do poop underground
Happy Groundhog Day! It’s that time of year again where we wonder: To winter or not to winter? Since we can’t control spring like Persephone, we’ll tune in to a furry little “forecaster” named Punxsutawney Phil. While his accuracy rate has fallen to 30% over the past decade, you can always count on him to look cute and grumpy at the same time.
This year, he didn’t see his shadow, which means an early spring! Whether you’re rejoicing that your cardigan can get more outings or celebrating that those pale noodles called your legs might finally see some sun—we’re just happy to hop back into bed. Learn more about Phil’s past predictions here: http://bit.ly/GroundhogsAndClimate#PunxsutawneyPhil
The answer to Talk to Me Tuesday is... the Raccoon!!
Here are some Fun Facts for you:
• The popular nickname for Raccoons is Trash Panda because they am intelligent and adaptable so have learned to source food around humans.
• Raccoons “see" with their hands
Raccoons are often seen “washing” their food in water before they eat it. This behavior is because raccoons have very dexterous front paws, which they use to feel around and explore their surroundings. Their paws are way more sensitive than human hands and can pick up on things that we would never notice.
• When raccoons do their “washing” routine, they actually feel the texture and temperature of objects and things in their environment and try to determine if those are safe to eat or not. Raccoons also have 5 fingers on each paw, which gives them a very human-like grip. This gives them the ability to open jars, doors, and even latches.
• Raccoons prefer to be out at night. (nocturnal)
• They do not truly hibernate but put on extra fat in the fall so when they need to sleep during an extra cold they will still be okay.
• They are great climbers with hind feet that rotate 180 degrees, allowing them to descend head first.
• Once people feed raccoons, they will become a nuisance because they will eat almost anything.
• In the wild, raccoons eat clams, crayfish, frogs, fish, snails, insects, dead animals, bird eggs, fruits, and vegetables.
• Raccoons live in abandoned burrows, under rock piles, hollow logs, and holes in trees. Or, you might find me in attics, crawl spaces, chimneys, and abandoned vehicles.
A wild turkey was spotted strolling through downtown Fort Wayne on Wednesday. Former Fort Wayne City Councilman and mayoral candidate Mitch Harper posted several photos on his social media pages of a large turkey in the parking lot of Trinity English Lutheran Church in downtown Fort Wayne on Wednesday. In one photo, the turkey was perched atop a small SUV parked in the lot. It’s not clear how the bird made its way into the city center. Harper said he called a bird rescue team to rescue the turkey.
The mainstay of the Thanksgiving meal in the U.S. was first domesticated nearly 3,000 years ago by Native Americans in what is now central Mexico around 800 B.C. They were not used for meat but for ritual and religious purposes. This domesticated subspecies was brought to Europe in the 1500s, bred into many varieties, and then brought back to North America with the first colonists.
In Ohio, turkey became popular for Christmas dinner by 1787. But the recommendation of turkey as the Thanksgiving meal’s centerpiece can be almost entirely attributed to a decades-long marketing campaign by popular magazine editor (and composer of “Mary Had A Little Lamb”) Sarah Josepha Hale.
Once driven nearly to extinction by habitat loss and overhunting, the Wild Turkey can now be found in most Ohio counties. Read a brief history of the turkey on our history blog: A Brief History of the Turkey.
Ben Franklin had a few satirical thoughts about our national bird: “For my own part I wish the Bald Eagle had not been chosen as the Representative of our Country. He is a Bird of bad moral Character. He does not get his Living honestly. You may have seen him perch’d on some dead Tree near the River, where, too lazy to fish for himself, he watches the Labour of the Fishing Hawk; and when that diligent Bird has at length taken a Fish, and is bearing it to his Nest for the Support of his Mate and young Ones, the Bald Eagle pursues him and takes it from him. With all this Injustice, he is never in good Case but like those among Men who live by Sharping and Robbing he is generally poor and often very lousy. Besides he is a rank Coward: The little King Bird not bigger than a Sparrow attacks him boldly and drives him out of the District. He is therefore by no means a proper Emblem for the brave and honest Cincinnati of America who have driven all the King birds from our Country, tho’ exactly fit for that Order of Knights which the French call Chevaliers d’Industrie. I am on this account not displeas’d that the Figure is not known as a Bald Eagle, but looks more like a Turkey. For in Truth the Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bird, and withal a true original Native of America. Eagles have been found in all Countries, but the Turkey was peculiar to ours, the first of the Species seen in Europe being brought to France by the Jesuits from Canada, and serv’d up at the Wedding Table of Charles the ninth. He is besides, tho’ a little vain and silly, a Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his Farm Yard with a red Coat on. “
Their November 27, 2019 Facebook post add this line to the last line above that the article was: an excerpt from an [unpublished] letter to his daughter Sarah Franklin Bache, Jany. 26th. 1784. To access the digital edition of the Franklin Papers, go to The Papers of Benjamin Franklin.
[ Bald eagles became extirpated in Indiana by the 1890s and were re-introduced in the 1980s ]
Wild turkey's in Indiana were extirpated for many decades before reintroduction in the mid-20th century allowed wild populations to re-establish themselves.
Did you know that the wild turkey is native to Ohio? Many thanksgiving dinners include turkey, either harvested locally or purchased from the store, but there was a time, not so long ago, that wild turkeys disappeared from Ohio’s landscape.
Records from the early 1800s showed a plentiful population but as Ohio grew, its turkey population shrank due to overharvesting. By the new century, turkeys were considered extirpated from Ohio. About 50 years later, ODNR’s Division of Wildlife (video courtesy of ODOW) reintroduced wild turkeys into Ohio’s forests which resulted in a dramatic conservation success story.
Today, the turkey population has rebounded to upwards of 150,000 across the state! These birds rely on natural areas, including state nature preserves and scenic river interior lands for food and habitat, which means land conservation continues to be a critical component of native species management.
On behalf of Ohio’s native species and protected habitats, we thank the Ohioans who continue to respect and support the natural world around them.
The Eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina) is a species of turtle that lives on forested land in Indiana. Box turtles are long-lived, slow to mature and have few offspring per year. This, coupled with the high mortality rate of box turtles being hit on roads, has resulted in Eastern box turtles being a species of special concern in Indiana.
Yarrow plants at the Memorial Gate, donated to Preservation Virginia by The Colonial Dames of America in 1907 and restored in 2019. Photo by Chuck Durfor.
Happy Groundhog Day! It’s that time of year again where we wonder: To winter or not to winter? Since we can’t control spring like Persephone, we’ll tune in to a furry little “forecaster” named Punxsutawney Phil. While his accuracy rate has fallen to 30% over the past decade, you can always count on him to look cute and grumpy at the same time.