Welcome back to HabiChat!
Summer is just heating up, and just like the perennials have come back into full bloom, so too has the eternal question – how hot is too hot??
In that vein, our regular authors have written a variety of articles sure to warm your heart, or ignite your brain! First up, an explainer on the NEW Maryland Native Plant Program, to help your gardening guidance stay fresh. Then, read up on the Natural Heritage Program’s Prescribed Burns and learn how DNR fights fire with fire!
For those of us who would rather read about heat from the safety of the cool indoors, we dive into the relatable native animals who use estivation to beat the heat. On the opposite side of the coin are the sweat bees that use the warm weather to their advantage.
Whether you’re a warm-weather wonder or awaiting the winter, remember to use sunscreen this summer and stay hydrated!
Tiny Thirsty by Sharon Sexton DNR Photo Contest 2019.
In This Issue:
The NEW Maryland Native Plant Program: Better Resourced for Growers and Gardeners
You’ve heard us say it a hundred times- plant native plants. But how do you go about that? Well, the newest on the Maryland Native Plant Program is designed to help you do just that!
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Estivation: A Midsummer’s Nap
Humans aren’t the only species to feel the heat in the summer -- many species have targeted adaptations for how to get through the hottest time of the year. Here’s how a nap helps native animals beat the heat.
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Native Animal Profile: Sweat Bees
It’s Sweat Bee Summer! We’ve covered sweat bees in
past issues, but with the temperature rising, the temptation to return to our favorite iridescent insect is undeniable (don’t tell the other bugs!)
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Natural Heritage Program Spotlight: Prescribed Burns
How can fire help restore ecosystems? Learn how DNR uses prescribed burns to support native plants and meet Natural Heritage Program’s Restoration Ecologist Jason Harrison, the “Burn Boss!”
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You can also
Download and Read the Entire Issue Offline
We want to hear from you!
Letters, e-mail, photos, drawings. Let us know how successful you are as you create wildlife habitat on your property.
Write to Me!
Sarah Witcher
Maryland Wildlife and Heritage Service
Maryland Department of Natural Resources
580 Taylor Ave., E-1
Annapolis MD 21401
Sarah.Witcher1@maryland.gov
410-260-8566
 | Habichat, the newsletter for Maryland's Stewards of Backyard Wildlife, is published by the Wildlife and Heritage Service, Maryland Department of Natural Resources. The facilities and services of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources are available to all without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, or physical or mental disability. This document is available in alternative format upon request. |
