Pollen wasp (Genus Pseudomasaris) This week marks the 10-year anniversary of Crawlies! Let’s celebrate with an ab fab standout wasp!Don’t panic! This week’s crawly is the vegan of the wasp world. Meet the pollen wasp (Genus Pseudomasaris). Because pollen wasps are solitary, shy, chill and rarely sting, they’ve evolved to[Read More…]
Science
Crawlies with Cri: Bristletail (Order Microcoryphia)
Don’t panic. This week’s crawly is not a silverfish. This week we revisit the bristletail (Order Microcoryphia) who we briefly met in 2016. It’s time to take a deeper look at these awesome, ancient critters.At about one inch in length, bristletails look like silverfish on steroids (silverfish are about one[Read More…]
Oregon’s research forest will be North America’s largest
David Steves & Cassandra Profita Oregon Public Broadcasting Oregon is on its way to creating North America’s largest research forest, following this week’s decision by top state officials to separate the Elliott State Forest in southwest Oregon from its obligation to fund schools and designate the land as a place[Read More…]
Key facts about respiratory syncytial virus
Understanding RSV and keeping it away from your holidaysRSV is a common respiratory virus that causes cold-like symptoms in children and adults.Severe RSV can be unpredictable and is the leading cause of hospitalization in infantsAdults 65 and over and adults with chronic conditions or weakened immune systems are at high[Read More…]
Senior Spotlight
Crawlies with Cri: Black-headed grosbeak
On Dec. 7 the Intermountain Bird Observatory at Boise State introduced a world record -breaking black-headed grosbeak (Pheucticus melanocephalus). So this week seems like the perfect time to learn more about these beautiful Southern Oregon birds.First, what record did IBO’s bird (pictured left) break? At 15 years old, he’s the[Read More…]
How do floating wind turbines work? 5 companies just won the first US leases for building them off California’s coast
Matthew LacknerUMass Amherst Northern California has some of the strongest offshore winds in the U.S., with immense potential to produce clean energy. But it also has a problem. Its continental shelf drops off quickly, making building traditional wind turbines directly on the seafloor costly if not impossible.Once water gets more[Read More…]
Crawlies with Cri: Pileated Woodpeckers
This week we’re going to meet a rare bird and learn what made her so unique. Warning: science content ahead!Both birds in our collage photo are juvenile pileated woodpeckers who were born in 2015 (they may or may not be siblings). The one on the right is a female; the[Read More…]
Crawlies with Cri: Speckled gall wasp
If you have white oak trees, and there’s a good chance you do, you’ve probably seen this week’s crawly. Meet the speckled gall wasp (Cynips mirabilis).Let’s get the “don’t panic” portion out of the way. While galls on plants and trees may look a little funky, it’s very rare for[Read More…]
Crawlies with Cri: Acorn Weevil (Curculio glandium)
My, what a big nose you have! Meet the acorn weevil (Curculio glandium).Let’s get a couple “need to know” facts out of the way – while acorn weevil larvae do kill the single acorn they feed on, management of these weevils is not practical, and most acorns will survive. Acorn[Read More…]
