Eye-Opening Optics
Birds & Blooms|April/May 2023
The power of backyard nature, magnified
MONICA CARDOZA
Eye-Opening Optics

If you find yourself looking for the butterflies, bees and dragonflies visiting your flowers and your water features, you're not alone. "You can see interest in pollinators growing exponentially," says Jaret Daniels, a professor specializing in Lepidoptera research and insect conservation at the University of Florida, Gainesville. "Once people start looking a little closer, a whole new world opens up."

To bring that world into sharper focus, consider the following close-focus optics.

In the Loupe 
Used by entomologists, horticulturalists and backyard naturalists alike, a hand lens, or loupe, is a smaller, more powerful version of a magnifying glass. "We have community science projects where people use them to collect data," Jaret says.

Bu hikaye Birds & Blooms dergisinin April/May 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

Bu hikaye Birds & Blooms dergisinin April/May 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

BIRDS & BLOOMS DERGISINDEN DAHA FAZLA HIKAYETümünü görüntüle
Basics of Hydroponics
Birds & Blooms

Basics of Hydroponics

Use these top tips and plant picks to have a successful soil-free garden

time-read
3 dak  |
December 2024/January 2025
Rooted in Resilience
Birds & Blooms

Rooted in Resilience

These hardy perennials will thrive in most zones

time-read
1 min  |
December 2024/January 2025
Social and Supportive
Birds & Blooms

Social and Supportive

Brown-headed nuthatches take a helpful approach to raising their young

time-read
2 dak  |
December 2024/January 2025
All About Owl Pellets
Birds & Blooms

All About Owl Pellets

And why you should give a hoot about them

time-read
2 dak  |
December 2024/January 2025
Ask the Experts
Birds & Blooms

Ask the Experts

Advice from our pros about houseplants, bird feeding and more

time-read
6 dak  |
December 2024/January 2025
BRING THE OUTDOORS IN
Birds & Blooms

BRING THE OUTDOORS IN

Making a terrarium is about as close as you can get to a Zen DIY project. Once you have gathered the proper materials and squared away your plant selections, it's as simple as layering it all together and watching your mini ecosystem thrive. Here, I'll walk you through my foolproof process and cover all the required elements for good filtration, healthy soil, strong root growth and resistance against fungus and disease.

time-read
2 dak  |
December 2024/January 2025
GROW THIS. NOT THAT
Birds & Blooms

GROW THIS. NOT THAT

Six easy-to-grow houseplants—and six that may not be the right choice for you

time-read
4 dak  |
December 2024/January 2025
Winter MAGIC
Birds & Blooms

Winter MAGIC

Forecasts may be frigid, but grab your binoculars because birding opportunities are still incredible

time-read
2 dak  |
December 2024/January 2025
Sense or Nonsense? - Why some birds can taste and smell - but others can't
Birds & Blooms

Sense or Nonsense? - Why some birds can taste and smell - but others can't

Does a porcelain berry taste like a blueberry to a gray catbird? Does a block of lard smell like frying bacon to a northern flicker? The short answer is no. While some avian species do have a well-adapted sense of taste or smell, they can't distinguish between flavors and odors the way humans can. They're not picking up every ingredient in the suet you put out, says José Ramírez-Garofalo, an ornithology researcher at Rutgers University in New Jersey and the director of Freshkills Biological Station in Staten Island, New York.

time-read
2 dak  |
October/November 2024
Maple Mania - Amazing facts about this fall foliage mainstay
Birds & Blooms

Maple Mania - Amazing facts about this fall foliage mainstay

Amazing facts about this fall foliage mainstay

time-read
1 min  |
October/November 2024