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Learn how to protect yourself from the sun's harmful radiation.

The outdoor life has blossomed in our region, inviting us to embrace nature’s splendor. Usually, I grab whatever sunscreen is left over from previous years and run outside. I know I need to … more

By HEDY SCHNELLER | 7/3/24

At first glance, these two beetles appeared to be Japanese beetles. However, these lookalikes are actually dogbane beetles. They are so named because they feed exclusively on dogbane plants. Like milkweed, the dogbane plant contains cardiac glycosides. The beetles, like monarch butterfly larvae, accumulate glycosides in their bodies, making them an unsavory meal for any would-be predator.

Small things can tell big stories

During mid-June, I embarked on one of many field trips to a site in central PA to find and track some reptile species. On this particular day though, I found a lot of interesting small things. With … more

By SCOTT RANDO | 6/26/24

A typical large Delaware River rainbow, landed at dusk.

Dusk on the Delaware

I began fishing the main stem Delaware River while still in high school. That was in the late 1950s. I learned about the rainbow trout fishery the river had to offer when my friend Ted Boeglin called … more

By TONY BONAVIST | 6/26/24

Ever wonder what happens to the scat deposited by the abundant wildlife living in the Upper Delaware River region? Some of it gets expertly rolled into balls by dung beetles and carted off as a food source. The dung ball behind the beetle in this photo will be rolled backwards to its ultimate destination.

Watch your step!

As children, my sisters and I were often advised to pay attention to where we placed our feet. Kids can be clumsy and a misplaced step causes irreversible harm if you happen to be a toadlet or a … more

By SANDY LONG | 6/19/24

Our greenhouse looks like a dream at night.

Coming home to critters

I’ve been saying for a while that once we get into our new house a lot of things will get easier. Among them, I would have to put my commute to work at the top of the list, given the drastic … more

By HUNTER HILL | 6/19/24

Painted turtles are the most common turtle seen in the region. An aquatic species, they favor ponds, lakes and wetlands. The yellow-and-red markings on the head and edge of the carapace give this turtle its name. They can be up to eight long. Females are most likely to cross roads as they travel to nesting sites, and both sexes may travel later in the summer looking for new water sources.

Why did the turtle cross the road?

Spring is a busy time for many animals, and you might see more animals on the move because many of them are going to or from their breeding grounds. One of the most visible locations where these … more

6/12/24

A large brown trout, caught and released during a recent pale evening dun hatch.

Fishing the pale evening dun hatch

I didn’t learn about these pale little mayflies until one late afternoon at our camp on the upper river. I had not intended to fish until later, after the sun left the water, but instead set … more

By TONY BONAVIST | 6/12/24

Formerly a hellgrammite, this male dobsonfly has emerged as a winged adult.

What the heck is a hellgrammite?

You never know who—or what—you might meet while adventuring around the Upper Delaware River region. While walking on the Roebling Bridge Towpath along the banks of the Delaware River … more

By SANDY LONG | 6/5/24

The first of many trailers to be unloaded at our new house.

Pick, pack, paint, PANIC

Priorities might be another apt “P” word this week. I’ve been making them and readjusting them by the hour. All I can say is that it is now nothing short of full-blown spring and … more

By HUNTER HILL | 6/5/24

The northern water snake is commonly seen around lakes and ponds as it basks in the sun and hunts for frogs, toads and smaller fish. This species has a brighter pattern when young, and the pattern gets darker as the snake gets older. This individual was close to a yard long.

Snakes alive!

Warmer days came with the month of May, and you might have noticed a few more small snakes while walking on trails in the woods, or even in the garden or in the backyard. Many snake species started … more

5/29/24

A Catskill mayfly dun, thought to be in decline worldwide due to a variety of environmental factors.

Aquatic insect decline: An update

In this year’s Fish magazine (River Reporter, April 4), my article regarding the decline of aquatic insect communities in the western United States was reprinted from the Big Sky Journal. In … more

By TONY BONAVIST | 5/29/24 | 1 comment

While wandering “lonely as a cloud” one day, the poet William Wordsworth was heartened to come upon a crowd of daffodils, which lifted his spirits and inspired a poem. ..“A poet could not but be gay,..In such a jocund company. . . ..And then my heart with pleasure fills,..And dances with the daffodils...(Excerpted from “I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud.”).

Perfume abloom

The Upper Delaware River region is vibrant with blooming beauty lately, as spring begins to reach its peak. Showy displays of wild blossoming continue to brighten local landscapes, bringing sweet … more

5/22/24

Monitoring volunteers help the Delaware Highlands Conservancy (DHC) by assisting conservancy staff in conducting annual visits to protected properties throughout the Upper Delaware River region. Prospective volunteers should attend one of two training sessions at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, May 29 and Friday, June 7 at the Van Scott Nature Reserve...The DHC will also hold a pond monitoring workshop at 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 25 at the nature reserve.

Monitoring volunteer training and more at the DHC

BEACH LAKE, PA — The Delaware Highlands Conservancy (DHC) will hold a training session for monitoring volunteers from 1 p.m to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, May 29 and Friday, June 7 at the Van Scott … more

5/22/24

Country roads

[Editor’s note: Hunter’s taking a column week off, so here’s one of my favorites, from 2022. It’s been slightly edited for, you know, the two-year time difference.] … more

By HUNTER HILL | 5/22/24 | 3 comments

Enjoy the great outdoors here. But if you go in the river, just wear your life jacket, all right?

Go outside

On the New York side: Delaware and Hudson Canal sullivanny.us/Departments/ParksRecreation/DelawareHudson 16 Bova Rd., Summitville About: Part of the historic Delaware and Hudson Canal is included in … more

5/20/24

Do adult cicadas actually feed on anything?

Every so often, cicadas emerge above ground and blanket the earth with their exoskeletons while emitting a high-pitched chirp from sunrise to sunset. The periodical cicadas in the genus … more

By THE USDA'S AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE | 5/19/24

The park shuttle will be ready to roll on Memorial Day weekend at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.

Park shuttle ready to roll at Delaware Water Gap

BUSHKILL, PA — Looking for a fun day paddling on the river but don’t have a second car to leave downstream? Want to do a long one-way bike trip on the McDade Trail? Well, at Delaware … more

5/19/24

These are three out of four gray fox kits, about three months old, lounging at this den site after what was probably a fair amount of playing. Play-fighting and other forms of playing help the fox kits to develop skills that they will need to survive once they disband as a family and go on their own during the fall.

What does the fox say?

With spring comes the emergence of many young animals. Whether it be fawns, bear cubs or young eagles or owls, this is the season of new life. A few days back, I was walking past a house … more

By SCOTT RANDO | 5/15/24

The green drake (10), rusty (14-16) and pale evening spinners (16)—three flies that will work for most spinner falls.

Fishing spinner falls

By the time this piece appears in the River Reporter , the season’s first mayfly hatches, including Hendricksons, should be well underway. That means that mayflies in the spinner or imago … more

By TONY BONAVIST | 5/15/24

Adult beavers average 40 to 60 pounds and typically grow up to 40 inches in length. Their stubby bodies, glossy brown coats and paddle-shaped tails make this mammal easy to identify. In the wild, they typically live between 10 and 12 years...

Whodunnit?

A pond appeared where no pond had been behind the home of a friend this spring. How did this come to be? You might ask the beavers—nature’s excellent engineers—for the answer. … more

By SANDY LONG | 5/8/24

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