top of page


Spruce Bark Beetle
Welcome back to Ask a Naturalist, your own personal Google for information on all things natural on PEI! Today’s topic comes from my own...
katemacquarrie22
Apr 23, 20253 min read


Abuzz about Bees
Welcome back to Ask a Naturalist, your own personal Google for information on all things natural on PEI. Today’s topic is courtesy of...
katemacquarrie22
Mar 30, 20255 min read


It's not a skull, it's a synsacrum!
Reading wildlife tracks is one way to know who’s been around, but our neighbours of other species leave other signs as well. There’s...
katemacquarrie22
Mar 23, 20252 min read


Lichens and Rocks
At the end of the last Ice Age about 12,500 years ago, PEI would have looked more lunar than Earthly: no vegetation, just clay, silt,...
katemacquarrie22
Mar 19, 20252 min read


Ruffed Grouse Tracks
There are two types of tracks I am seeing everywhere on PEI this year: Snowshoe Hare (featured March 3), and the topic of today’s post:...
katemacquarrie22
Mar 16, 20253 min read


Meadow Vole (aka Field Mouse) Tracks
If it looks like a Mouse and squeaks like a Mouse it. . . might be a Vole! This week, we explore Vole tracks and sign, and look at Voles’...
katemacquarrie22
Mar 9, 20253 min read


Variations on Hare Tracks
No matter where I go on PEI this winter – town or country – the most common tracks I see are from Snowshoe Hare. It’s been like this for...
katemacquarrie22
Mar 2, 20253 min read


Beaver Tracks
It’s hard to find near-perfect examples of tracks from terrestrial mammals, let alone from semi-aquatic ones. That’s why I was thrilled...
katemacquarrie22
Feb 9, 20253 min read


Spotting Skunks in Snow
Reading wildlife tracks and sign has very practical uses. For example, even with the recent cold snaps this winter, the Striped Skunks on...
katemacquarrie22
Feb 2, 20253 min read


Winter Spiders
Welcome back to Ask a Naturalist, your own personal Google for information on all things natural on PEI! Today’s topic is courtesy of...
katemacquarrie22
Jan 22, 20253 min read


Blue Roundhead
Welcome back to Mushroom Monday, your weekly look at some of PEI’s fascinating fungi. We’ve reached the end of mushroom season – and this...
katemacquarrie22
Dec 8, 20243 min read


Deer Mice
Just like us, PEI’s wildlife has been busy getting ready for winter. And just like us, our neighbours of other species use various...
katemacquarrie22
Dec 4, 20243 min read


Spruce Sprite
Welcome back to Mushroom Monday, your weekly look at some of PEI’s easy-to-identify fungi. Today’s mushroom may be small, but that...
katemacquarrie22
Dec 1, 20242 min read


British Soldier Lichen
PEI’s autumn leaves are gone, but there are still bright splashes of colour in the landscape. One of my favourites is the tiny but...
katemacquarrie22
Nov 20, 20243 min read


Labrador Tea
Fall is a great time to collect some of PEI’s aromatic wild leaves, perfect for spicing up food and drink during the cold winter months....
katemacquarrie22
Nov 13, 20243 min read


Wintergreen
PEI’s gardens and farm fields may be winding down for the year, but there’s still lots of fresh wild food in the landscape. It’s the...
katemacquarrie22
Nov 6, 20243 min read


Old Man's Beard Lichens
In honour of Halloween, let’s look at something that can make PEI’s trees look decidedly eerie: Old Man’s Beard Lichens ( Usnea spp.)...
katemacquarrie22
Oct 30, 20243 min read


Willow Pinecone Galls
Welcome back to Ask a Naturalist, your own personal Google for information on all things natural on PEI. I’ve had a few questions about...
katemacquarrie22
Oct 23, 20242 min read


Milkcaps
Welcome back to Mushroom Monday, your weekly look at some of PEI’s easy-to-identify fungi. Last week we explored the Russula group (aka...
katemacquarrie22
Oct 6, 20243 min read


Russula
Welcome back to Mushroom Monday, your weekly look at some of PEI’s easy-to-identify fungi. Today it’s not one species, but a group: the...
katemacquarrie22
Sep 29, 20242 min read
bottom of page
