{"id":4737,"date":"2015-02-11T09:50:08","date_gmt":"2015-02-11T14:50:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/?p=4737"},"modified":"2015-02-11T12:21:51","modified_gmt":"2015-02-11T17:21:51","slug":"wildlife-in-winter-where-are-they-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wildlife-in-winter-where-are-they-now\/","title":{"rendered":"Wildlife in Winter: Where Are They Now?"},"content":{"rendered":"

How do animals that lack thick fluffy fur, such as frogs or insects, survive the winter? No matter how high the snow piles up, these creatures still somehow manage to appear\u00a0in abundance in the\u00a0spring. Here\u2019s where they are right now.<\/p>\n

Frogs<\/h3>\n
\"Wood

Wood frog (Lithobates sylvaticus)<\/p><\/div>\n

Take a look at a frozen pond or forest floor. Believe it or not, frogs abound. Some, such as American bullfrogs, sit on the mud at the bottom of their ponds. Contrary to popular belief, they\u00a0don\u2019t bury themselves completely, since they need to absorb the water\u2019s oxygen with their skin.<\/p>\n

Others stay\u00a0on land, hiding in crevices or burrowing underground. Wood frogs have a potent natural antifreeze and can survive temperatures as low as -20\u00b0F. Learn more about frogs<\/a><\/p>\n

Bees<\/h3>\n
\"European

European honeybee (Apis mellifera) by Flickr user e_monk<\/p><\/div>\n

Those flower visitors are alive and well\u2014just hidden. They overwinter in sheltered places such as under logs, inside dried stems, or in underground burrows. For most social bees\u2014those that form colonies\u2014only the fertilized queens live\u00a0through\u00a0the winter.<\/p>\n

Come spring, they\u2019ll give birth to a whole new crowd of workers to build and care for the hive. European honeybees are the exception. The whole colony stays alive all winter, with individuals grouping together and vibrating their muscles to stay warm. They constantly move so that the warmest bees from the inside of the cluster switch places with the colder bees on the outside. Learn more about bees<\/a><\/p>\n

Butterflies and Moths<\/h3>\n
\"Mourning

Mourning cloak (Nymphalis antiopa)<\/p><\/div>\n

Monarch butterflies famously fly south in the fall, but most of our local moths and butterflies stay put. So where are they? The adults of many species are long gone, but their offspring are safely tucked away in nooks and crannies.<\/p>\n

They may overwinter as eggs, caterpillars, or pupae (in protective cocoons or chrysalises). Incredibly, some fully-fledged adults do persist. Mourning cloak butterflies, for example, find sheltered places, often\u00a0under tree bark. Like many insects, they produce natural antifreeze-like chemicals that help them avoid the damaging effects of ice. Learn more about butterflies<\/a><\/p>\n

Turtles<\/h3>\n
\"Eastern

Eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina)<\/p><\/div>\n

Surface-dwelling turtles such as eastern box turtles hibernate in shallow burrows. Aquatic turtles may burrow into mud. Why don\u2019t they suffocate? Their bodily processes slow down dramatically so\u00a0that they need less\u00a0oxygen.<\/p>\n

Also, they are able to \u201cbreathe at both ends,\u201d absorbing this important gas through their throats and anuses. As the weather warms, turtles slowly emerge, basking in the sunlight when it\u2019s warm enough. Visit a pond on the first bright days of spring and you\u2019ll see them soaking up the rays. Learn more about turtles<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

How do animals that lack thick fluffy fur, such as frogs or insects, survive the winter? No matter how high the snow piles up, these creatures still somehow manage to appear\u00a0in abundance in the\u00a0spring. Here\u2019s where they are right now. Frogs Take a look at a frozen pond or forest floor. Believe it or not, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":40,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4737","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nature-notes"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3t87A-1ep","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":13686,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-wonderful-wood-frogs\/","url_meta":{"origin":4737,"position":0},"title":"Take 5: Wonderful Wood Frogs","author":"Ryan D.","date":"March 16, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Warming spring days trigger amphibians like Wood Frogs and Spotted Salamanders to migrate to vernal pools to breed, often in great numbers, on the night of the first soaking rain above 45\u00b0F\u2014a phenomenon known as \u201cBig Night.\u201d Vernal pools\u00a0are temporary, isolated ponds that form when spring rain and meltwater from\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Take 5"","block_context":{"text":"Take 5","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/take-5\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Wood Frog \u00a9 Jane Parker","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/03\/1780Jane_Parker10325.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/03\/1780Jane_Parker10325.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/03\/1780Jane_Parker10325.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/03\/1780Jane_Parker10325.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5001,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/four-early-signs-of-spring\/","url_meta":{"origin":4737,"position":1},"title":"Four Early Signs of Spring","author":"Rosemary","date":"April 7, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Long before\u00a0the trees leaf out and baby songbirds hatch, you can look for\u00a0these early signs that a new season is finally arriving. Chickadees Singing their Spring Song Black-capped chickadee \u00a9 Kim Caruso In\u00a0late winter, male black-capped chickadees (and sometimes females) begin to make their short two-note song. To some, it\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Nature Notes"","block_context":{"text":"Nature Notes","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/nature-notes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2015\/03\/13806052253_d875f8c893_z.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2015\/03\/13806052253_d875f8c893_z.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2015\/03\/13806052253_d875f8c893_z.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1801,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/getting-ready-for-the-big-night\/","url_meta":{"origin":4737,"position":2},"title":"Getting ready for The Big Night","author":"Mass Audubon","date":"March 13, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Sun is shining and birds are singing! You know what that means: spring is upon us, and some very important ecosystems are becoming active once again.\u00a0Among the most critical and vulnerable of these ecosystems is the vernal pool. What's a Vernal Pool? The quintessential vernal pool is an isolated, semi-permanent\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Nature Notes"","block_context":{"text":"Nature Notes","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/nature-notes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2013\/03\/salamander.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":16693,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/celebrating-wildlife-in-massachusetts\/","url_meta":{"origin":4737,"position":3},"title":"Celebrating Wildlife in Massachusetts","author":"Kaylin D.","date":"March 1, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"World Wildlife Day is a time to appreciate and advocate for nature. As residents or visitors of Massachusetts, we are lucky to be able to enjoy a wide array of wildlife across our landscape \u2013 from animals as small as a Bog Copper Butterfly to giant\u00a0Humpback Whales. To help you\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Get Outdoors"","block_context":{"text":"Get Outdoors","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/get-outdoors\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/02\/Skunk-Cabbage.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/02\/Skunk-Cabbage.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/02\/Skunk-Cabbage.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/02\/Skunk-Cabbage.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":15269,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-hopping-into-march\/","url_meta":{"origin":4737,"position":4},"title":"Take 5: Hopping into March","author":"Kelly R.","date":"March 1, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"As we enter March, look to the frog for inspiration on how to make the most of this transitional season: get outdoors and make some noise, soak up the sun, and look for seasonal oases around you. While Massachusetts thaws, woodland hollows and low areas flood, creating temporary isolated pools.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Take 5"","block_context":{"text":"Take 5","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/take-5\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Green Frog","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/03\/4717martha_pfeiffer21535-720x480-94a2dac7-2021-47cc-8fa6-c848e94dae03.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/03\/4717martha_pfeiffer21535-720x480-94a2dac7-2021-47cc-8fa6-c848e94dae03.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/03\/4717martha_pfeiffer21535-720x480-94a2dac7-2021-47cc-8fa6-c848e94dae03.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/03\/4717martha_pfeiffer21535-720x480-94a2dac7-2021-47cc-8fa6-c848e94dae03.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7233,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-pretty-spring-peepers\/","url_meta":{"origin":4737,"position":5},"title":"Take 5: Pretty Spring Peepers","author":"Rosemary","date":"March 14, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Spring in Massachusetts brings a loud chorus of peeps. Tiny frogs called spring peepers are calling from wetlands. It's all about love\u2014male peepers are hoping to attract females. But there's more to these frogs than their sounds. They can tolerate cold weather and can freeze nearly solid in winter. They\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Take 5"","block_context":{"text":"Take 5","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/take-5\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2016\/03\/Suzanne-Niles-2010.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2016\/03\/Suzanne-Niles-2010.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2016\/03\/Suzanne-Niles-2010.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4737","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/40"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4737"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4737\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4817,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4737\/revisions\/4817"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4737"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4737"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4737"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}