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Feb 1, 2025 | 
biorxiv.org | Shannon Lynch |Brian Lovett |Angie Martin |Hannah M Petronek
AbstractThe family Nectriaceae includes numerous phytopathogenic fungal genera that cause canker diseases on both angiosperm and conifer hosts worldwide. Among these, Neonectria species are globally important canker pathogens of numerous hosts, but their roles in contributing to forest decline and mortality outside their role in beech bark disease and apple canker are largely understudied.
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Jan 1, 2025 | 
realtree.com | Brian Lovett
Pay close attention to how the first birds of the day react to your setup and calling. If they don’t commit, you might need to tweak your approach. Photo by Eduardo Estellez. Whether you hunt green timber, pit blinds, or dry fields, finishing ducks in your decoys marks the pinnacle of success. And finishing doesn’t just mean that birds swing within shotgun range.
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Oct 19, 2024 | 
yahoo.com | Brian Lovett
Artist's rendering of the Chicxulub asteroid entering Earth's atmosphere 66 million years ago, triggering events that caused a mass extermination. Roger Harris/Science Photo library via Getty ImagesCurious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to [email protected]. How did cockroaches survive the asteroid that led to the extinction of dinosaurs?
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Oct 19, 2024 | 
malaysia.news.yahoo.com | Brian Lovett
Brian Lovett, West Virginia University19 October 2024 at 9:06 am·3-min readCurious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to [email protected]. How did cockroaches survive the asteroid that led to the extinction of dinosaurs? – Kinjal, age 11, Delhi, IndiaWhen the rock now known as the Chicxulub impactor plummeted from outer space and slammed into the Earth 66 million years ago, cockroaches were there.
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Sep 23, 2024 | 
fieldandstream.com | Brian Lovett
Other than green timber, dry-field hunts might evoke the most iconic waterfowling images, complete with whirling clouds of mallards set against broad vistas of the American heartland. And, actually, enjoying good field shoots isn’t that tough—so long as you’ve located ducks, acquired permission, set up decoys and spinners, and concealed yourself. But as with most outdoor pursuits, the devil is in the details, especially when dealing with wary, pressured greenheads.
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Aug 22, 2024 | 
realtree.com | Brian Lovett
Overall mallard numbers jumped by 8%, but all the gains occurred in the survey’s northern and western regions. Photo by Albert Beukhof. Breeding duck numbers increased slightly this past spring, and wetland habitat conditions improved across many areas, sparking optimism for the upcoming duck season. The 2024 Waterfowl Population Status report, released this week by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, estimated the breeding population of ducks at 33.99 million, a 5% increase from 2023.
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Jul 18, 2024 | 
realtree.com | Brian Lovett
Many waterfowlers target pintails, which are one of North America’s most beautiful, graceful ducks. Now, future seasons might allow a slightly higher bag limit. Photo by Thomas TorgetThanks to improved science and a new federal strategy, duck hunters could have the chance to shoot three pintails per day beginning next year. In May, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Regulations Committee adopted an interim northern pintail harvest strategy to help set regulations for the 2025-26 waterfowl season.
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Jun 7, 2024 | 
realtree.com | Brian Lovett
If you followed Realtree.com’s 2023-24 Rack Reports, you saw some awfully big bucks — more than 50, actually. Reading about the hunts for these deer offers entertaining eye candy and a glimpse into the world of remarkable whitetails. But it also provides lessons that every deer hunter can use. So because everybody loves big deer and wants to create Rack Report-worthy moments of their own, here’s a look at 10 of the most notable bucks from this past campaign, plus some takeaways for future seasons.
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Jun 6, 2024 | 
realtree.com | Brian Lovett
Hunters might not consider mallards fast fliers, but one greenhead recently hit flight speeds almost comparable to that of a small plane. Photo by Jeffrey WeymierWhen conditions allow, ducks don’t waste time migrating north to their breeding grounds. This spring, one drake mallard took that to the extreme, setting a flying speed record of 103 mph.
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May 23, 2024 | 
realtree.com | Brian Lovett
Young birds comprise most of the fall harvest, so spring breeding habitat conditions are critical to the upcoming season. Photo courtesy of Delta WaterfowlJust ahead of the nesting and brood rearing periods, waterfowl breeding habitat conditions look spotty at critical production areas, although some pockets appear promising. Delta Waterfowl’s April 30 breeding habitat report, written by Mike Buxton, said much of the Canadian prairies and parklands are drier than average.
