By Eric Duran When I take kids out in the park, or out on large areas of land nearby the Nature Center, I like to tell stories about what the land was like long before we we were here. Before European settlement of the Houston area, prairie dominated the landscape here. It’s not hard to imagine what kinds of "big prairie" animals may have been prowling the landscape in … [Read more...] about Imagining when big cats, elephant-like creatures roamed the Bellaire-West U prairie
Wired to Nature
Wow! Not Ow! Wasps are wonderful
By ‘Ranger’ I love wasps! Too often, people assume that all wasps are bad because they can sting people — but would the world be worse off without them? Yes, for so many reasons! Many wasps pollinate plants, meaning they carry pollen from one flower to another. Paper wasps do this while they’re busy carrying out other business, while other wasps are the sole pollinators … [Read more...] about Wow! Not Ow! Wasps are wonderful
The beauty and diversity of beetles
By Eric Duran Most of us go through our day never thinking about beetles. Fair enough. If you're a hiker or a gardener though, you do run across them here and there. While most beetles are fairly inconspicuous, some can be quite large, and others can be rather beautiful. Most beetles are easily recognizable by their hard, shiny wing covers, though some may look softer … [Read more...] about The beauty and diversity of beetles
Snake Appreciation 101
By Eric Duran So, I understand that this article may not be for everyone. Snakes are not the most popular animals in the world. Some snakes are dangerous. There's something kind of alien about their long limbless bodies and unblinking eyes. That is actually why I like them. These very different looking creatures lead interesting lives. They are also massively important to … [Read more...] about Snake Appreciation 101
Bugging out in your backyard
By Eric Duran Warm summer weather brings out the insects. Sometimes, this can be pretty annoying, as with the onset of mosquito season. Sometimes it’s beautiful and wondrous, such as the sight of butterflies fluttering around our flower beds. Mosquitoes and butterflies aren't the only insects that appear this time of year, however. A multitude of other six-legged … [Read more...] about Bugging out in your backyard