Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies’ Post

Have you seen this swan? 🦢 Black swans are actually non-native. Originally from Australia, they have made their way across the country by escaping from private collections. While non native, they certainly are photogenic! Black swans are more aggressive than our native mute swans. While their numbers are not a concern yet, if they keep breeding they could outcompete mute swans. If you see one, you can record it using this link - https://lnkd.in/eWs8AHJd This helps map their distribution and understand the impact they may have in the future. #ecology #ecologycoop #conservation

Delighted to see our Article in The Niche out this week - and we made the front cover! This important area of research has major implications in the way in which we conserve and restore ecosystems in the face of the accelerating effects climate change and land use transformation. This adds a potential approach to the ways in which we can reverse the decline in biodiversity and ecosystem function. Please take a look! https://lnkd.in/eCpHfyyJ #ecologicalrestoration #novelecosystems #climatechange

This is a Gray Hairstreak butterfly I spotted in my garden! Did you know that they have a "false head" on the back of their wings? This is to confuse jumping spiders, who may attack from the side and go for the wrong end of the butterfly, giving it a chance to escape. I learned this fascinating fact from Doug Tallamy's book "The Nature of Oaks." If you're interested in learning more about the rich ecology of our most essential native trees, I highly recommend checking out his book! #nature #butterflies #ecology #DougTallamy #TheNatureofOaks

Caddisflies are just the best, even the caseless ones without the jazzy houses. This is a net tube caseless caddisfly Lype sp. from the family Psychomyiidae. There are more than 20 species in this genus. As the name suggests, they construct fixed silken tubes that are often more than 4cm long with attached mud and sand grains which they attach to stones or other support. #aquaticecology #macroinvertebrate #ecology #taxonomy

I wanted to share something truly remarkable: a video capturing the diminutive yet resilient #Apis #Florea, 🐝or Red dwarf honeybee, engaged in the essential task of pollen collection. What stands out is the unique #pinkish hue of the pollen stored in their corbiculae, or pollen baskets, showcasing nature's palette in unexpected ways. 🌸This pinkish pollen raises intriguing questions about its source. Which plant species provides this colorful bounty? How does the color impact the bee's foraging behavior? The answer lies in the fascinating field of palynology (the study of pollen), where researchers decipher the secrets of pollen grains to uncover the interconnected stories of plants and pollinators. #ApisFlorea #Pollination #Biodiversity #Conservation #Nature #Palynology #Ecology #EcologicalResearch #GlobalBiodiversity #PlantAnimalInteractions #WildBees #PollinatorEcology #NatureConservation #ConservationBiology

This spotty guy is Mystacides azurea or commonly known as a black silverhorn. It is a long horned caddisfly belonging to the family Leptoceridae. This is the second largest family of caddisfly with more than 1500 species worldwide. The case is made from sand grains and lengths of plant material. #macroinvertebrate #aquaticecology #ecology #taxonomy

It can be hard to find signs of plant life during these cold winter months- evergreens are an exception! They keep their green needles year-round, hence the name. The pitch pine (𝘗𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘴 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘥𝘢) is a native evergreen tree that prefers to grow in shallow, sandy soil. If you see a pine tree growing on Cape Cod, there’s a good chance it is a pitch pine. #capecod #nativeplants #ecology #nativespecies #ecologicalrestoration

This is the cased caddisfly larvae, Hydroptila sp. from the family Hydroptilidae. They are a large group of caddisflies which are sometimes known as microcaddisflies or purse-case caddisflies due. They don't build their case until the final instar when they usually build a purse shaped case. They are teeny tiny rarely exceeding 5mm. #aquaticecology #ecology #macroinvertebrate #taxonomy #freshwaterecology