With the beginning of June are some major changes in the scene. The woods is now all green. Wild flowers that were abundant in early May in this same woods have been shaded out. The wild flowers now that prevail are those growing in the meadows, fields and wetlands. Only a few of the shade-tolerant ones persist in the forest.

 The spring migration has moved on and it is now the breeding birds with their loud and daily songs that grab our attention. Each early morning, we awake to the songs of many avian residents. But June is also the month of insects.

 To many northlanders, the insects of June (more likely called the bugs of June) are the Black Flies and Mosquitoes that seem to find us the moment that we step outdoors. Such critters are here with us for the month, but so are many others, including some well-loved ones. June is when fireflies light up the night. Harmless and mysterious (about the only bioluminescent terrestrial animal in the world), they bring out the kid in all of us. Huge moths like Luna and Cecropia make their appearance on these same nights while dragonflies, damselflies and butterflies take over the daylight hours.

Read the rest of the Larry's column in our June issue...