Author Archives: Hillary T.

About Hillary T.

Where: Mass Audubon Headquarters, Lincoln Who: Massachusetts transplant by way of Florida and New York. Raising two young girls, who she hopes will be budding naturalists Favorite part of the job: Learning something new every day from some of the smartest and most enthusiastic groups of people

Ways to Volunteer This Summer

Posted on June 1, 2021 by Hillary T.

Looking for a way to get out and give back? Consider lending a hand at one of our wildlife sanctuaries.

A volunteer planting a plant in the garden at a wildlife sanctuary.

West

June 11: Water Chestnut Removal by Canoe with Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary in Easthampton

Water chestnut is an invasive plant that wreaks havoc on native plant and animal life, chokes out waterways, and interferes with recreation. Enjoy a beautiful day on the water pulling water chestnut and helping to preserve the habitat of this vulnerable waterway. This project was made possible through our cooperation with the Connecticut River Conservancy. Registration is required. This event was rescheduled from June 4 to June 11.

Metro South

June 19: Volunteer Work Day at Museum of American Bird Art in Canton

Work alongside staff with seasonal tidying all around this beautiful 120-acre wildlife sanctuary, just 15 miles south of Boston. Registration is required.

North Shore

June 26 and July 12: Pepperweed Pull in the Newburyport Area

Help keep this invasive plant from taking over the edge of the Great Marsh and learn about our additional efforts to steward this important area. Registration is required.

Metro West

Garden Volunteering at Habitat Education Center in Belmont

Give staff a hand with chores in our beautiful formal gardens and our Community Garden. Projects include planting, pruning, weeding, watering, fence clearing, mowing, and compost management. 

Habitat Restoration at Drumlin Farm in Lincoln

Help improve habitat quality for native species; learn about plant ID and restoration techniques; and spend time outside.

South East

Trail Stewards at Tidmarsh in Plymouth

Walk the trails at Tidmarsh on a regular basis, taking notes about seasonal changes, reporting changes to the property including potentially hazardous or unpleasant trail conditions (storm damage, trash, tracks), and more.

Trail Blazers at Allens Pond in South Dartmouth

Blaze new trails and construct trail features along 9 miles of trails, helping to preserve the ecological integrity of areas in and around the sanctuary. Examples of projects include trail maintenance, boardwalk construction, removing invasive plants, burning brush piles, or planting native plants.

Trail Stewards at Oak Knoll and Attleboro Springs in Attleboro

Walk trails or boundaries weekly on Oak Knoll or Attleboro Springs Wildlife Sanctuaries and identify management problems (such as trash deposits, tracks of motorized vehicles, damage to natural assets); identify animal and plant species; observe and document seasonal changes (make field notes, and if possible photographs or drawings); and assist in routine maintenance of trails.

Central

Weekly Volunteering at Broad Meadow Brook in Worcester

Every Wednesday morning and the 1st Saturday of every month help care for the sanctuary and enjoy a few hours of fresh air, fun and fulfillment. Help put up signs and markers, look for wildlife tracks, pick up branches, fill the bird feeders, and more.

Islands

Weekly Volunteer Work Days and Butterfly Garden Clean Ups at Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary in Edgartown

Every Thursday morning you can help with projects, gardening, hiking trails, or other needed work around the Sanctuary. And Thursday afternoons, work alongside knowledgeable garden volunteers and learn about which plants provide food for Island butterflies and birds.

Will We See Cicada Brood X in Massachusetts?

Posted on May 20, 2021 by Hillary T.

People are buzzing with excitement (and maybe a little fear) about the possibility of billions of cicadas emerging after almost two decades of living underground. If you fall into the excitement category and hoping to witness this phenomenon here in Massachusetts, alas, you’ll have to hold on for a few years. 

When they emerge after 17 years underground, swarms of Cicada Brood X could be spotted in parts of the Southeast, Midwest, and North Atlantic. While we may not experience the 2021 version this event, we do have our fair share of annual cicadas that contribute our summer soundtrack. 

Cicada on a stem near a leaf. Copyright Jacob Mosser
Cicada © Jacob Mosser

Cicadas in Massachusetts 

Of the more than 2,000 species of cicadas that exist worldwide, nine species have been documented in Massachusetts including one periodical cicada species and eight annual cicada species. The most common cicada here in Massachusetts is the “Dog Day” Cicada.

The annual, dog day cicada emerges every one or two years. It’s approximately 2.25 inches long, medium brown, with a green venation (the vein structure in its wing). Though we hear them each summer, these cicadas are solitary insects; we seldom see them. 

Hearing Cicadas 

Cicadas are sometimes referred to as harvester flies because their “song” is characteristic of late summer days. This astonishingly loud sound comes from a pair of organs called tympana located at the base of the males’ abdomen. 

The tympana are complex mechanisms that consist of a series of three membranes inside a resonating chamber. A powerful muscle flexes one of these membranes (the tymbal), somewhat in the way we pull and release a metal, can top to create a loud click. Done in rapid succession and amplified by the resonating chamber, the familiar whine is produced.  

Mark Your Calendar 

We may not witness Brood X this year, but those in Southeastern Mass or on the Cape and Islands can anticipate being treated to Brood XIV, emerging summer 2025.