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White Spring Moth
Welcome back to Ask a Naturalist, your own personal Google for information on all things natural on PEI! I was thrilled to get this photo...
katemacquarrie22
Jun 252 min read
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Chokeberry
PEI has so many beautiful wild plants. One of my favourites is Black Chokeberry ( Aronia melanocarpa ), a shrub that has it all: lush...
katemacquarrie22
Jun 182 min read
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Wine-caps
On PEI, wild food is everywhere. While walking to a meeting in downtown Charlottetown recently, I spotted some delicious, edible...
katemacquarrie22
Jun 152 min read
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Veiled Polypore
This spring, I’ve been introducing you to some of PEI’s early-season fungi. Today’s example hits the trifecta: it’s common, easy to...
katemacquarrie22
Jun 82 min read
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Wild Chervil
On PEI, it’s common to mistake any tall, white, roadside flower for Queen Anne’s Lace (aka Wild Carrot). But there are at least eight...
katemacquarrie22
Jun 43 min read
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White-lipped Snail
Let’s start the day with a quiz: which PEI animals can be found in saltwater, freshwater, and on land? If you guessed snails, give...
katemacquarrie22
May 283 min read
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Snakes
Finding snakes is one of my favourite springtime activities. Cooler weather means they spend more time sunning themselves in the open,...
katemacquarrie22
May 253 min read
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Bloodroot
There are several plants not yet known to grow wild on PEI that I suspect are here somewhere. Although those in the photo have been...
katemacquarrie22
May 213 min read
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Amber Jelly Roll
This spring, I’m exploring some of PEI’s early-fruiting fungi, and today’s example sounds more like a pastry than a mushroom. Meet Amber...
katemacquarrie22
May 183 min read
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Magnolias
PEI’s Magnolia trees ( Magnolia  spp.) are putting on an amazing show right now (Photo 1). You’re likely familiar with the beautiful...
katemacquarrie22
May 143 min read
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Magnolia Flower Recipes
Magnolia flowers ( Magnolia spp.) aren’t just beautiful, they’re delicious! With a flavour that’s a combination of ginger, cloves, and...
katemacquarrie22
May 142 min read
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Scarlet Elf Cups
The word ‘mushroom’ often conjures up an image of a white or brown cap-and-stem fungus, but mushrooms come in a variety of shapes, sizes,...
katemacquarrie22
May 113 min read
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Sedum
On PEI, spring foraging offers up lots of leafy greens and tasty roots, but there are crunchy succulents on the menu, too. Today’s...
katemacquarrie22
May 73 min read
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Ticks
Here on PEI, we’re in that brief but magical part of spring when the days are long, it’s pleasantly warm, and the onslaught of blackflies...
katemacquarrie22
May 43 min read
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Trout Lily
Some of PEI’s rarest and most interesting plants are a bit like your favourite seasonal foods: you can only find them for a short time...
katemacquarrie22
Apr 304 min read
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Seasonal Wild Foods - April
If you’re counting the days until you can enjoy vegetables fresh from your garden, I have good news: many of PEI’s wild greens and root...
katemacquarrie22
Apr 274 min read
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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 233 min read
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Morel vs. "False Morel"
When I think ‘spring mushrooms’, Morels and False Morels are the first that come to mind. We have both here on PEI and – despite the...
katemacquarrie22
Apr 203 min read
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Coltsfoot
Some of the Island’s earliest spring wildflowers appear on their plants before the leaves. From the subtle blooms of Red Maple and Beaked...
katemacquarrie22
Apr 133 min read
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Red Tree Brain Fungus
Fall may be peak mushroom season on PEI, but fungi can be found at all times of year. One that I’m seeing a lot right now is the...
katemacquarrie22
Apr 62 min read
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