*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ NATURE NOTEBOOK ----Issue 21 The Newsletter written for parents with kids in mind. May 11, 2000 Linda M. Watson, lmwatson@naturely.com *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
Welcome to Nature Notebook. This newsletter is by subscription only. If this edition was forwarded to you by a friend, see the bottom of the newsletter to receive your own, personal subscription or visit our website at http://www.naturely.com
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Index: 1. Sponsorship 2. Feature Activity 3. Nature in the news 4. The Spotlight 5. Q & A 6. Guest Column 7. Classified Ads 8. How to be featured as our guest columnist 9. Subscribe/unsubscribe information
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ 1. Sponsorship Notice *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ for Kids Naturely and Nature Notebook is owned and sponsored by T. L. Creations http://www.tlcreations.com
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ 2. Feature Activity *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
Hug a Tree
How much life does one tree support?
Even the thinnest tree can be home to birds, insects, and animals.
This activity helps children realize how important one tree tree can be.
For a full description of Hug a Tree click on http://www.naturely.com/hug.htm?id=nn
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ 3. Nature in the News *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
Spring Means Babies
Spring is a wonderful time for nature's renewal. Spring also brings its share of storms that wreak havoc on the delicate nests.
This week I thought I would give you some pointers about what you could or should not do with nature's young.
Bird nests: If you find eggs and see the nest that they came from, you may put the eggs back into the nest. The mother bird may or may not reject the eggs after you handle them.
If you find a young, feathered bird on the ground, do not try to "save" it. It may be out for flying lessons and mother is near by.
If you find a nest that was blown down, you may put the nest back in the tree.
If you find young birds that you are sure are homeless, call your local animal rescue, Humane Society, or Animal Shelter for the name of a trained rehabilitation specialist.
Young birds, like babies, need a special diet and must be fed on a regular schedule. This schedule is often every one or two hours. Rehabilitation specialists have been trained and know the diets and feeding habits of the local birds.
Sometimes, the best way help is to let others do it.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ 4. The Spotlight *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
Massasauga Rattlesnake
The Massasauga Rattlesnake, although one of the smallest rattlesnake, it is one of the three most poisonous snakes in Ohio and the only poisonous snake in Michigan. The Massasauga can be found in the Midwest and as far south as Texas.
The name "massasauga" comes from the Chippewa tribe and most probably derived from the name "Missisauga". The Missisauga River was a likely habitat for this snake.
Although it is poisonous, it is not a threat to people. These rattlers do not seek out people to bite. They only strike or bite when disturbed and become defensive. In fact, more people die of bee stings and lightning strikes than from snake bites.
The massasauge does have rattles on the tip of its tale. A non-poisonous rattler would not have any rattles. Although a new rattle is added every time the snake sheds its skin, the number of rattles do not indicate the snake's age. Rattles often break and fall off.
Massasaugas prefer wetlands. Their diet consists of small animals, like mice, shrews and meadow voles, as well as small snakes, frogs and toads.
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5. Questions and Answers *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
If you have a nature question, mailto: question@naturely.com We will answer the questions in the next issue of Nature Notebook.
Q. I would like to keep the mosquito population down with using pesticides. Is there a natural way to do this?
A. I frequently joke with my groups that the mosquito is at the top of the food chain. Depending on your location they can be very annoying.
One way to keep the number of mosquitoes down is by keeping your yard cut and dry. Mosquitoes like tall grass/weed and breed on the water.
You can also introduce natural predators. Put up a bat house. Put up birdhouses for swallow and purple martin. It may take two or three years before the birds take up residence though.
Certain flowers, like Marigolds, are suppose to keep mosquitoes away. I'm not so certain about the Marigolds, since I have gotten bit in my flower garden.
**^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ 6. Guest Column *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
If you have information to share that would be of interest to our subscribers, consider writing an article for our Guest Column.
See 8. How to be featured as our guest columnist
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*** We reserve the right to limit sponsors to five per issue on a first come, first serve basis upon approval of the editorial staff.
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*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ 8. How to be featured as our guest columnist *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
Nature Notebook is always looking for articles pertaining to nature, activities that adults and children can participate in together and ways that we can work together to sustain the balance of nature.
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