Nature & Science

 

 

 

A honeybee visits between 50 and 100 flowers during one collection flight from the hive. On its flight from blossom to blossom, honeybees transfer pollen from plant to plant, fertilizing the plants and enabling them to bear fruit.

But what if the fruits and vegetables we don’t even think twice about buying were no longer available? Due to a phenomenon called colony collapse disorder, disappearing bees means disappearing fruit is an increasing possibility.

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The ever-expanding pantheon of documented life on earth has welcomed a new creature to its ranks: the Dinochelus Ausubeli, or Ausubel’s mighty claw. The bizarre lobster is rather unexceptional save for one feature: a comically oversized right claw. Although you have to squint to see the resemblance, Ausubel himself — Jesse Ausubel of Vineyard Haven, to be exact — is flattered to be represented by the intimidating creature.

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Tonight’s full moon dominates the sky with its brilliance. Called the snow moon this month, it rises in the east as the sun sets in the west. Tonight’s moon is in the zodiacal constellation Leo right next to the bright star Regulus.
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Temperature: Precip.

Day Max. Min. Inches.

Fº Fº

Feb. 11 30 11 .00

Feb. 12 39 21 .00

Feb. 13 44 23 .00

Feb. 14 42 33 .00

Feb. 15 51 26 .00

Feb. 16 39 17 .00

Feb. 17 46 23 .00

Water temperature in Edgartown harbor: 41º F.

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Don’t hedge your bets on either of these two. í

Apart from the landscape designers who are talented enough to make terrific topiaries, I can’t imagine why boxwood shrubs and yew trees have become so popular. í

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The Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival has been going on for 14 years. It is based in Titusville, Fla., which is next door to Cape Kennedy/Canaveral, but more to the point is near several great birding areas including the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Flip Harrington and I have attended almost every one of the 14 festivals. It is a great chance to get together with other bird-watchers, participate in field trips to great birding areas in Florida and learn from workshops and classroom presentations. Flip also uses the festivals to check out all the new optics that the exhibitors are displaying. We enjoy dinners with other birders and the various field trips. This year’s keynote talks were by Chuck Hagner of Birder’s World and Lillian and Donald Stokes, authors of the Stokes Field Guides.
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