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Wind plays a major role in bird migration. In the fall, wind circulation patterns around highs and lows impact the movement of migratory birds. The ideal time for flying often occurs the day after a cold front passes – north winds, dropping temperatures, rising air pressure and clearing skies are good migration conditions. Soaring birds like [...]

If you’ve been to the beach, chances are good you’ve been on a barrier island. Barrier islands are among the United States’ most important coastal features. Running more than 3,500 miles along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, these islands are invaluable buffers, protecting vulnerable shores and inland areas from violent storms and waves. They also [...]

Have you found ladybugs in your home this fall? As temperatures drop, the Asian ladybug, Harmonia axyridis becomes an unwelcome houseguest in many homes. Asian ladybugs invade homes at this time of year searching for protected sites to overwinter. The Asian ladybug is relatively new to the United States – in their native home, Asian ladybugs [...]

World Water Monitoring Day (WWMD) – an international education and outreach program to involve the public in monitoring and protecting water resources – takes place on September 18 each year. WWMD volunteers use a simple test kit to measure key water quality indicators in local water bodies, including temperature, acidity (pH), clarity (turbidity) and dissolved [...]

Hurricanes and tropical storms can have devastating effects upon our coasts, our lives and our wildlife. But, did you know that wetlands are the single most important reducer of storm surges, wind speeds and flooding? For every three miles of coastal wetlands, which can include marshes, floodplains and a variety of other wet habitats, the [...]

The nights of the South are often hot, humid and still. Winds typically die down at night and allow for the nocturnal flights of an amazing variety of insect life. Moths are some of our most fascinating nocturnal creatures. They range in size, coloration and behavior. Like butterflies, moths go through stages – from egg [...]

As part of the National Lakes Assessment, the U.S. EPA selected and sampled 116 lakes in the Coastal Plains Region (covering the Mississippi Delta, north along the Ohio River, Florida, eastern Texas and the Atlantic Seaboard to New Jersey) to characterize the condition of more than 7,000 lakes throughout the area. What did researchers find? [...]

As part of the National Lakes Assessment, the U.S. EPA selected and sampled 116 lakes in the Southern Appalachians Region (covering ten states from northeastern Alabama to southern Pennsylvania and highland parts of Arkansas, Missouri and Oklahoma) to characterize the condition of more than 4,600 lakes throughout the area. What did researchers find? 42 percent [...]

Did you know that something as simple as a large rock, rotting log, yard junk or a sheet of plywood in your yard can host a huge network of interacting wildlife? Summers in the Southern U.S. can bake the ground to a crisp. Beneath a rock or log, however, temperatures remain cool and the soil [...]

Earth Gauge Video is available for this tip. Do you like a beautiful yard, but not the time, effort and money required to maintain it? In hot, dry climates, the water required to maintain a lush landscape can be costly. Just one lawn sprinkler operating three times per week can use more than 1,000 gallons [...]

Did you know that almost 60 percent of Americans live an area with unhealthy levels of air pollution? Just like a recipe, the atmosphere needs all the right ingredients to make ground-level ozone – a harmful air pollutant that is common during the summer months.  When the temperature rises and the sun is shining, heat [...]

Have you ever wanted to help keep your community by reporting severe weather?  SKYWARN is a volunteer network of nearly 290,000 trained severe weather spotters around the country.  SKYWARN spotters help keep their local communities safe by providing timely and accurate information to the National Weather Service about weather events like thunderstorms, winter weather and [...]

Do you rent your home or apartment? You’re not alone – about 33 percent of U.S. residents were renters between 2006 and 2008. Taking energy-saving steps can seem challenging when you don’t own your home and cannot make major changes to your living space. But, did you know that there are easy ways to save [...]

During the 2009 beach swimming season, more than 3,800 beaches were monitored for possible swimming risks – 43 percent of those beaches had at least one swimming advisory or closure. Beach advisories and closures often follow heavy rainfall, when sewer overflows may occur and rain water can wash trash and other pollutants into swimming areas. [...]

Because they are cold blooded and rely on warmth to become mobile, insects thrive in the long days and soaring temperatures of  summer. Summer is the best time to observe insect life in your garden or lawn. Some gardeners think of all insects as pests, but many insects are helpful and eat the insects that [...]

Mowing the lawn is a typical summer activity. Did you know that when you mow, you can actually “stress out” your grass? This can lead to a brown, weedy and patchy lawn. But, by increasing your mower height, you can reduce stress on turf species as well as the incidence of some common turf weeds. [...]

Mosquitoes have always been a nuisance in the hot and rainy South, and some mosquitoes carry diseases such as malaria and West Nile Virus. On windy days, mosquitoes—which can fly at only a sluggish 1.5 miles per hour—are rarely seen. When winds die down at dawn and dusk, however, mosquitoes take flight to feed. The [...]

May is National Bike Month and May 17-21, 2010 is Bike to Work Week.  The U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that there is one adult-sized bicycle per U.S. household, but few adults report taking a bike trip outdoors.  Taking your two-wheeler for a spin not only helps keep you healthy, it also saves money, reduces [...]

Earth Gauge Video is available for this tip. Are you going fishing this season? Many people head to local lakes and streams during nice weather.  A new, four-year, multi-agency study shows a nearly 50 percent chance that the fish you catch will contain mercury. Some levels are so high that pregnant women and children should [...]

Residential driveways can account for up to 15 percent of the total paved area in a city or state. These paved surfaces are “hot spots” for accumulation of pollutants like motor oil, antifreeze and yard care chemicals. During a storm, rain water picks up pollutants from paved areas and heads to the storm drain, which [...]