Matt Pelikan

2 days ago | mvtimes.com | Matt Pelikan

The easiest and most rewarding group of flies for amateurs like me to study is the family Syrphidae — that is, hoverflies or flower flies. True to the latter common name, adult flies in this family almost universally visit flowers for pollen and nectar, making them relatively easy to find. And by and large, flies in this family are boldly and brightly colored, making them both pleasing to the eye and easy to identify (at least to the genus, if not always to the species level).

2 weeks ago | mvtimes.com | Matt Pelikan

This spring is the 26th I’ve spent on Martha’s Vineyard. From the very start of that run, Correllus State Forest established itself as my favorite place for spring naturalizing. And the third week of April likewise emerged as one of my favorite points in the season. These preferences emerged from my relatively narrow interests back in those early days.

1 month ago | mvtimes.com | Matt Pelikan

Today’s subject is a bit unseasonable, since the plant I’m discussing doesn’t bloom until the shortening days of early autumn. But like most of our native vegetation, it’s breaking dormancy as you read this. And as the gardeners among you contemplate your spring planting campaigns, this column may serve as a timely recommendation for a plant that is beautiful, easy to grow, and beloved by pollinators of all kinds. I’m talking about seaside goldenrod, Solidago sempervirens.

1 month ago | mvtimes.com | Matt Pelikan

In my last column, I confidently predicted both the species and the approximate timing of my first bee sighting of the season: I expected it would be a honey bee, turning up sometime in mid- or late March. This seemed like an ironclad bet, based on experience. Since I got serious about studying bees about six years ago, the season has always begun with a honey bee, and thinking back even farther, I can’t recall noticing any bees other than this species before the final days of March.

1 month ago | mvtimes.com | Matt Pelikan

Regular readers of this column will know that, in general, I struggle to muster much affection for non-native species, especially ones that may have negative effects on native flora and fauna. To a degree, this antipathy extends to the Western honey bee, Apis mellifera. And yet I’m inclined to cut this insect some slack. The remarkable talents of the honey bee demand admiration, and the genial nature of this insect (at least of the more docile strains) invites friendship.