The Real Dirt

Many of us are aware that the Monarch butterfly population has been precipitously declining over the last several decades. The Western Monarchs (those west of the Rocky Mountains that migrate to overwinter on the California coast) have seen a steep drop in numbers. According to the Xerces Society, the…

At this time of year, many of us struggle not only with the heat, but with a dispiriting lack of color in our gardens. And, while it’s not a good time to put in new plants that will surely also struggle in the heat, it IS a good time to note spaces in your garden where you’d like to insert those cheery…

Puncturevine (Tribulus terrestris) is an attractive green plant with small yellow flowers commonly seen growing prostrate along the side of the road. A native to Southern Europe, it’s also referred to as “goathead.” However, underneath its foliage lies danger: spiky seedpods with needle-point spikes. If…

A true treasure of the Americas, hummingbirds are a diverse family of more than 340 species, only 17 of which are found north of Mexico. They are also keystone mutualists, nectar feeders that have coevolved with the indigenous plants they pollinate. For example, in the woody grasslands of Patagonia at the…

Barn Owls seem to be the go-to owl when it comes to biological control of rodent pests, dominating the literature on owls and IPM. According to several studies, pocket gophers, mice, and voles constitute most of the Barn Owl diet.