Pest? Think Again!

(Arras Wiedorn, Manager of Public Programs)

There are plenty of animals out there you might not like having around, but every species is an important part of our ecosystem – some of them might even be important to the animals you do like to see, like beautiful winter birds.

Animals will spend much of their time looking for food, but this is especially true in wintertime when food becomes scarce. Many of the usual food sources for wildlife aren’t available as plants go dormant to wait for spring, and important prey species, including many insects, die off or start hibernating. Many animals will change their diets and habits in the wintertime to find food and keep warm.

This is where a lot of species you might regard as pests become important! Many insects die off or hibernate during the winter, often leaving eggs or larvae behind that will hatch in spring. Other insects become less active, but thanks to their colony and food storage, are able to survive through the winter. As other food sources become less available, these become important to birds like wrens and woodpeckers, which don’t migrate.

For instance, although you might not want to see any on your house, Mud Dauber Wasps create fascinating pipe-like nests on the sides of tall vertical structures, often including man-made ones like buildings. But if you have Mud Daubers, keep an eye out for some avian friends who might help you take care of them. Many birds, including Carolina Wrens, will happily excavate these nests to look for a wintertime meal.

Speaking of insects you might not like to have in your house, keep an eye out for Pileated Woodpeckers going after rotting logs, especially in the wintertime. Rotting wood is a favorite home of Carpenter Ants, and in turn becomes a year-round buffet for enterprising birds. In the winter, Pileated Woodpeckers will eat mostly Carpenter Ants, as the fruits, nuts, and other insects they typically supplement their diets with become unavailable.

The Pileated’s smaller cousin, the Downy Woodpecker, similarly turns to insects for winter snacks, but they prefer the larvae of Goldenrod Gall Flies. These parasitic flies lay their eggs in the stems of goldenrod plants, which in turn grow woody galls around the intruders. These galls protect the larvae through the winter, but also become a way for Downy Woodpeckers to identify a potential meal on a cold day. Come spring and summer, look for empty galls with holes in them to see where a woodpecker went for a treat.

Next time you are faced with pests like wasps and flies, just remember – like every living thing, they’re an important part of our natural annual cycles. And when winter comes around, maybe our feathered neighbors will help take care of them for you!

House Wren illustration by Chris Rowlands, 2022

Upcoming Events Calendar

• ONGOING: The Troll That Hatched an Egg: An Exhibition by Thomas Dambo (Farm & Center)
• NOVEMBER 27: Aullwood Closed at 3 PM for the Thanksgiving Holiday (Farm & Center)
• NOVEMBER 28 & 29: Aullwood Closed for the Thanksgiving Holiday (Farm & Center)
• DECEMBER 3, 10 & 17: Birding the Farm Walk, 2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. (Registration required, Farm)
• DECEMBER 7 & 15: Candle Dipping, 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. (Farm)
• DECEMBER 8: Super Sunday in the Nature Store, 12:00 Noon - 5:00 p.m. (Center)
• DECEMBER 5, 12 & 19: Member Adult Discovery Walk, 8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. (Center)
• DECEMBER 5, 6, 19 & 20: Project FeederWatch at Aullwood, 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. (Center)
• DECEMBER 24: Aullwood Closed at 3 PM for the Winter Holidays (Farm & Center)
• DECEMBER 25 - JANUARY 1: Aullwood Closed for the Winter Holidays (Farm & Center)

Aullwood Closed for the Thanksgiving Holiday

A reminder, Aullwood's Nature Center, Farm Discovery Center, facilities, trails and property will be closed beginning at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, November 27, and continuing through Friday, November 29, for the Thanksgiving Day holiday. Aullwood Audubon will reopen at 9 a.m. on Saturday, November 30. 

No public access to any portion of the site will be permitted during the closure; Aullwood's trails are closed during these times and are closed to the public at all times outside of Aullwood's regular business hours. Enjoy your holiday!

Aullwood Farm October 2022 Photo: Aullwood Audubon / Ken Fasimpaur

Super Sunday in the Nature Store

The Aullwood Nature Store welcomes you on Sunday, December 8, from 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m. for a special day! Our holiday ornaments and décor, books, bird feeders, games, puzzles, puppets, jewelry, kitchen ware, greeting cards and accessories have been carefully chosen to offer shoppers a beautiful and unique selection. We are pleased to present Aurora, Barefoot Books, Birds Choice, Carruth, Cavallini & Co., The DM Collection, eeBoo, Folkmanis, Gingiber, Lucuma, Michele Design, Motowi Tile Works, Pomegranate, Stonewall Kitchen, Trimdin, Woodlink and more.

We will have free door prizes for the first 20 customers, a fun raffle and some very special discounts, so don’t miss Super Sunday! Admission is free, and complimentary coffee and cookies will be available. By shopping at the Aullwood Nature Store and Gift Shop, you help to sustain the conservation and education mission of Aullwood Audubon, in addition to finding distinctive and unique gifts for all those on your list. Thank you for your patronage!

Aullwood Nature Store November 2022 Photos: Aullwood Audubon / Ken Fasimpaur

Friends of Aullwood Gift Memberships Available!

A Friends of Aullwood gift membership is perfect for any occasion and at any time of the year! Along with your purchase, you can select a gift box and card to announce your gift. You may choose the level (Family, Individual, Senior Couple, Student, Grandparent and more) and be assured of a great fit! Many benefits await, including reciprocal admissions, discounts at over 180 nature centers around the country as well as 10% off purchases in the Aullwood Nature Store & Gift Shop. With a Friends of Aullwood membership, you can enjoy the beauty and joy of Aullwood all year-round, Spring, Summer, Winter and Fall. Call (937) 890-7360 for more information!

Aullwood Prairie August 2024 Photo: Aullwood Audubon / Ken Fasimpaur

December Candle Dipping

Fun, hands-on candle dipping is back at Aullwood for the holiday season! Candle dipping sessions happens at Aullwood Farm this December 7 and 15 at 1:30 p.m. each day. Make special memories hand dipping beeswax candles as a wonderful gift for anyone on your holiday list! Preregistration for these exclusive sessions is required and the number of participants is very limited, so visit https://aullwood.audubon.org/CandleDipping to reserve your selected dipping date today.

Candle Dipping November 2023 Photo: Aullwood Audubon / Ken Fasimpaur

Bon Voyage!

If you’ve visited Aullwood’s Nature Center recently, you may have noticed that our snapping turtle is no longer in residence. Rest assured, she is safe, healthy, and beginning a new chapter in her life! At Aullwood, we continually evaluate our ambassador animals’ needs to ensure their well-being and best interests. After thoughtful consideration, we decided that relocating our snapping turtle to a specialized home would be the most supportive choice for her ongoing care.

Since she was raised by humans and has never lived in the wild, our snapping turtle is considered non-releasable. This means she isn’t equipped to live independently in her natural habitat, so her future must be in the care of experienced human caregivers. To find her the ideal new environment, we partnered with the Herps Alive Foundation, a dedicated reptile rescue and education organization near Cleveland, Ohio. Fortunately, Herps Alive had space to welcome her as a foster animal and is actively working through their trusted network to find her a wonderful long-term home.

We’re confident that the compassionate team at Herps Alive, with their expertise in reptile care, will secure the perfect new setting for her where she can continue to thrive. Bon voyage, dear friend – we wish you all the best in your new adventure!

Snapping Turtle April 2020 Photo: Aullwood Audubon / Caitlin McGill

Share Your Thoughts on Our Weekend Programming

Aullwood Audubon is constantly striving to improve our programs and activities and provide fun and informative happenings for our visitors. We are currently focused on evaluating and enhancing our weekend programming. If you can, please take a short online survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WVJ9VTP to help us plan for the coming year. This survey will be open until January 3, 2025. Thank you for your vital input on our weekend offerings!

Birding at Aullwood Audubon June 2019 Photo: Aullwood Audubon / Dave Anderson

Aullwood Winter Holiday Schedule

Aullwood's Nature Center, Farm Discovery Center, facilities, trails and property will be closed for the winter holidays beginning at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, December 24, and continuing through Wednesday, January 1, 2025. Aullwood Audubon will reopen at 9 a.m. on Thursday, January 2, 2025. No public access to trails or property is available during the holiday closure; Aullwood is closed to the public at all times outside of Aullwood's regular business hours. Happy New Year!

Aullwood Farm Febraury 2022 Photo: Aullwood Audubon / Ken Fasimpaur

Aullwood Audubon | AskUs@aullwood.org | 937-890-7360 | www.aullwood.org