Life History and Habits of Polistes metricus Say

The summer of 1915 was not a favorable season in which to study life histories of such insects as the Gold Banded Paper-Maker. The weather was too cool and there was so much rain that results were anything but satisfactory. It is very probable that in a season of normal temperature the time required in the various stages of development would be somewhat shorter than was the case in 1915. However, since I have spent considerable time in observing these insects during the past summer, I am hopeful that these notes may be of interest. Two years before, a similar observation was begun, only to be interrupted shortly by the destruction of the nest

Nest Boxes for Woodpeckers

An editorial in one of the well-known magazines devoted to ornithology, several years ago, which suggested that it would probably be necessary to devise expensive machinery to bore out cavities in natural wood in imitation of those made by woodpeckers themselves, in order to attract these birds, first led me to attempt to supply their requirements. As far as I could learn woodpeckers had never been known to occupy such boxes in America up to that time. I did not learn of the successful boxes in Germany until after my own had been occupied and believed that I was working in an unexplored field

Food Habits of Red-Tailed Hawk, Cooper Hawk, and Sparrow Hawk

Much has been done, during the past few years, in determining the food habits of the various species of birds by means of stomach examinations. With a sufficient number of specimens, this method should give accurate information. Because of the time and patience required, and the difficulties to be overcome, little has been done by means of personal observation of the individuals in the field. During the past few years, it has been a matter of considerable interest to me, to follow up the reports of laboratory examinations of stomachs by personal observation, especially of the birds of prey

Food Habits of the Skunk

In observation of the food habits of the birds of prey one can take advantage of the fact that food must be brought to the young in the nest. With the skunk, which is a nocturnal animal, many difficulties present themselves in gathering sufficient information on which to base a conclusion, and it must be confessed in the beginning that the results are rather of a negative than a positive character. Animals in captivity adapt themselves to their environment quickly and form habits which perhaps might not be normal when living under natural conditions. In making the observations on this animal extending over more than five years, the writer has used every means within his reach to acquire accurate information as to the natural food habits

Water Users’ Perspectives: Summary of Withdrawal Survey Responses and Commentary

The state of South Carolina is currently in a multiyear process of updating the State Water Plan, and water demand projections are an important component of that work. Predictions of water demand are inherently uncertain, but perhaps they can benefit from input by a diverse and robust sample of water users. A brief survey regarding water use was distributed to 780 permitted and registered water users in the state, including all water suppliers, industries, and irrigators withdrawing more than 3 million gallons in a month or more than 100,000 gallons in a day. There are 316 responses to 10 quantitative survey items that are summarized, presented, and discussed. Results indicate that most respondents plan to maintain their current levels of water use, consider their withdrawal reports to be accurate within 10%, and believe their current water supplies to be critical to their enterprise. A qualitative review of comments noted on survey responses includes a variety of potential drivers of water demand. The results motivate a discussion of recommendations for future research

An Annotated Catalogue of the Recent Mammals of Iowa

In forming a collection of the fauna of Iowa for the museum of the Historical Department of Iowa, it was early seen that there was no published lists, and but very meager and scattered records of the mammals of the state. It is this condition of affairs which has prompted the compiling of such at this time

Yes, You Can Control Crabgrass!

A combination of cultural and chemical control practices works best in getting rid of this pest. Two new chemicals, in particular, show promise in preventing crabgrass seed germination and seedling establishment

Stakeholder Engagement: Methods of Inclusion in South Carolina State Water Plan Decision-Making

Stakeholder engagement in natural resource planning has become increasingly important at local and state levels. Including stakeholders in decision-making can increase buy-in and public support of final regional and state recommendations. It can also lead to policy change and improved implementation outcomes resulting from these planning processes. South Carolina is developing a stakeholder-driven water plan, although it is several years away from being finalized. The methods used in this process are a departure from past efforts. Stakeholder inclusion in decision-making in the water planning process is described and analyzed in this article. The focus is on the specific phases of the process and the methods of inclusion used or those anticipated to be used. In this cycle, stakeholder involvement in decisions range from informational/advisory to consultative to decision-making

Butterflies of Chance Occurrence in Cass County, Iowa

The distribution of butterflies is strangely local with many species. Not having sufficient data at hand to justify an attempt to catalogue the butterflies of this locality, I am led to offer a list of a few species that are so seldom seen here as to make it unlikely that they would be taken by one making a study of only a few weeks\u27 duration