Burke Centre Conservancy Wildlife Committee

05/16/2026

Sharing this from AERO — and adding a few thoughts from under the BCC canopy.

Glue traps are sold as the easy fix. Nope, they're not. Glue traps don't read labels, so they catch whatever wanders by: the chipmunk on the deck, the wren who slipped into the garage, the little brown snake who was (yes, honestly) working on your mouse problem for free. And it's not just wildlife. Dogs sniff them. Toddlers pick them up. And the poor unfortunate creatures who come across them don't perish quickly. They die slowly, stuck, while we're at work.

There are better options that actually work.

Inside:
• Snap traps — fast, target-specific, cheap. (Peanut butter, not cheese. Sorry, cartoons.)
• Electronic traps — same idea, tidier, reusable.
• Seal the entry point. Mice come in because a gap exists. Steel wool and caulk where the pipes go through the foundation saves a lot of future trapping.

Outside:
Leave it to our wildlife friends who already do this for a living running 24-hour rodent control – black rat snakes, the red-shouldered hawks, the barred owls, the foxes. A glue trap in a shed or garage can take any of them out by accident.

Found wildlife already stuck? Don't try to peel it off — that hurts the animal worse than the trap did. Keep it contained, keep it calm, and call a licensed wildlife rehabber. Our AERO partners are in the original post; Wildlife Rescue League also runs a Northern Virginia helpline at 703-440-0800.

Creatures on a glue trap are rough to look at. But as AERO says, most of these animals can still be saved if someone (yes, 🫵) stops, cares, and picks up the phone. 💚

05/05/2026

🐝That big bee hovering by your porch rail like it pays HOA dues?

Probably a carpenter bee.

And yes — if it’s making neat little round holes in your wood, that’s something to pay attention to. Carpenter bees nest by tunneling into untreated or weathered wood, and if the same area is reused year after year, those tunnels can cause real damage.

So no, you do not have to lovingly surrender your deck to the bees.

But here’s the neighborly fine print: the bee acting tough near your face is usually the male, and he cannot sting. No stinger. No weapon. Just attitude.

The female can sting, but rarely does unless she’s handled or trapped. Mostly, she’s busy building a nest and provisioning it for the next generation.

And carpenter bees are not just porch drama. They are native pollinators, and they’re especially good at “buzz pollination” — the vibration-based pollination that helps plants like blueberries, native azaleas, and other flowering plants set seed and fruit.

So the goal is not “declare war on carpenter bees.”

The goal is: protect your structure, and keep the pollinators.

Paint or stain exposed wood. Repair damaged trim. Fill old holes in the fall after nesting season. And when possible, offer untreated nesting wood away from the house so they have a better place to be bees.

Carpenter bees can be a nuisance.

They are also be part of a healthy yard.

Both things are true — because nature apparently does not believe in simple categories.

Protect the porch. Respect the pollinator 🐝🌸

02/13/2026

🌿 Virginia Invasive Species Awareness Week is almost here and big thanks to Blue Ridge PRISM for elevating this issue statewide. Invasive plants aren’t just “fast growers.” They are habitat wreckers.

When invasives take over, wildlife loses:
• Native flowers that fuel pollinators
• Host plants that feed caterpillars (and the birds that depend on them)
• Dense understory cover for nesting and protection
• Tree canopy strength and long-term forest health

Virginia estimates invasive species may cost the Commonwealth up to $1 billion annually . But here at home, the cost shows up as weakened trees, simplified habitat, and declining biodiversity.

The good news? Our Conservancy is stepping back into this work in a serious way.

This year marks a renewed commitment to tackling invasive plants across our open spaces — with stronger partnerships, better volunteer coordination, and a focus on long-term habitat restoration (not just cosmetic cleanup). That means:

🌱 Targeted removal strategies
🌱 Replanting with native species that actually support wildlife
🌱 Exploring policy tools that prioritize ecological health over commercial convenience 
🌱 Expanding resident education and engagement

We were founded on the idea of “nature and community in harmony.” That doesn’t happen if we ignore what’s creeping up our trees and choking out our forest floor.

Invasive Species Awareness Week is the reminder.

The renewed local effort is the action.

If you’ve ever paused to watch a fox slip through the woods, heard owls calling at dusk, or spotted goldfinches in summer — this is the habitat work that makes those moments possible.

Let’s protect what makes this place wild.

🌿 Support Virginia Invasive Species Awareness Week (VISAW)!

Defending our health and habitats starts with awareness. From February 23-27, Blue Ridge PRISM will be joining the state and national effort to protect the landscapes we love from invasive species.

👉 Why it matters: Invasive species are non-natives that spread and reproduce rapidly, displace native species, and disturb ecosystems where they are present. They can cause irreversible harm to the environment and the economy, and often pose a threat to plant, animal, and human health. The good news? Solutions start at home.

📢 Stay tuned! We’ll be announcing a lineup of opportunities for education, training, and on-the-ground activities in your area that you won't want to miss. We'll post details and registration links soon.

Learn more here: https://blueridgeprism.org/

02/09/2026

Bush honeysuckle is definitely an ecological bully. It doesn’t just “take up space.” It breaks relationships—between plants, insects, birds, and the rest of the ecosystem. Removing it and replacing it with native species restores food, shelter, and balance.

Nature works as a team sport. Honeysuckle just plays dirty.

If your suburban yard was landscaped at any time in the last 200 years, it may have one of the most common invasives found in Fairfax City: bush honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii). Also known as amur honeysuckle, this shrub can grow up to 20 feet tall and has white or yellow tubular flowers. It is commonly used as a bordering plant next to buildings or fences. This time of year, it can be identified by its multi-stem structure, thornless and hollow twigs with opposite branching and buds, and vertically fissured bark.

Bush honeysuckle has taken over our city parks and is the top removed species by our Forest Rescues volunteers. It shades tree seedlings, releases chemicals into the soil that prevent native plants from growing 🚫, and its dense branching structure encourages birds to build nests that are vulnerable to predation 🦊🍴

Be aware: non-native honeysuckle shrubs and vines are still sold in many garden centers, despite their documented threat to local ecosystems.

Consider replacing invasive honeysuckle with our native northern honeysuckle shrub (Diervilla lonicera), which is extremely hardy and drought-tolerant, or climbing coral honeysuckle vine (Lonicera sempervirens), with its enticing red flowers that attract hummingbirds and other friendly pollinators . 🦋

02/06/2026

🦊 Wildlife Committee Meeting – All Are Welcome!
The Burke Centre Conservancy Wildlife Committee will meet on:

🗓 FRIDAY, February 13
⏰ 7:00 PM
📍 BCC Administration Annex
6060 Burke Centre Parkway
Burke, VA 22015-3702

We’ll be discussing current wildlife issues in our community, ongoing projects, and upcoming priorities. Residents are welcome to attend, listen in, and share questions or observations.

If you care about wildlife, habitat, and smart coexistence right here in Burke Centre — this one’s for you.
Hope to see you there. 🐾

02/02/2026

Do we have coyotes in Burke Centre? Yes, we do.

And despite the scary stories, the facts tell a much calmer tale. In the entire history of the U.S. and Canada, there have been only two confirmed human deaths from coyote attacks. In the U.S. today, there are about 10 non-fatal incidents per year. For perspective, domestic dogs cause millions of bites annually, and statistically you’re more likely to be struck by lightning than bitten by a coyote. Coyotes generally avoid people and move through our neighborhoods quietly, especially at night.

That doesn’t mean we ignore them — it means we use common sense. Give coyotes space, don’t interact with them, and never feed them (human feeding is the root cause of most coyote problems). Keep small pets supervised and cats indoors — coyotes are carnivores, not villains. They also play an important role in keeping local ecosystems balanced.

Coyote sightings in our neighborhoods should be cause for celebration, not fear — a sign that our local environment is still doing something right.

01/31/2026

Sudden, extreme cold and ice and snow cover drastically reduces food and water sources for wildlife.

You can help your wild neighbors survive this harsh weather safely and responsibly by following these tips:

• Keep bird feeders clean and full of diverse seeds; suet and mealworms are especially helpful. Whole, unsalted peanuts, pecans, and acorns are also high value supplements for birds and other wildlife.

• Provide fresh water and check often to prevent freezing.

• Place natural food scraps (fruits, veggies, unsalted nuts) far from homes ; berries and winter squashes are especially good for a wide range of birds and other wildlife.

• Leave brush piles, leaf piles, and non-horse hay for shelter.

• DO NOT attempt to trap or relocate wildlife during extreme cold—it's cruel and it can be fatal.

When helping wildlife, the goal is to support natural behaviors, not change them.

Choose high-value, natural foods, keep feeding temporary, place food away from roads and buildings, and never offer processed human food or pet food.

Thoughtful help allows wildlife to conserve energy, stay healthy, and remain wild, which is right where they belong.

Thank you for supporting the Burke Centre Conservancy’s wild neighbors during this harsh winter weather.

01/31/2026

Some community members have asked how to help wildlife in light of the recent water loss at Spring Pond.

At this time, please do not attempt to rescue, handle, or relocate pond wildlife. Current conditions—including thin ice, unstable shorelines, and cold water—make the area unsafe, and wildlife handling is regulated and should only be done by trained professionals.

If you observe injured or deceased pond wildlife, the most helpful action is to report it to Burke Centre Conservancy staff with:
• the location (as specific as possible), and
• a brief description of what you observed.

Please do not touch or attempt to move animals, and avoid entering the pond or shoreline areas.

Conservancy staff are actively monitoring the situation and will coordinate with appropriate county or state wildlife professionals if conditions warrant intervention. Thank you for helping keep both residents and wildlife safe while this issue is assessed.

01/12/2026

Native plants really know how to throw a party. 🌿🎉

Our friends at Secret Garden Birds and Bees shared this snapshot of winter wildlife drama starring a native dogwood tree loaded with bright red berries.

Birds of every size stop by for a snack — including a pileated woodpecker with a daily breakfast routine — while squirrels happily join in. The plot twist? A mockingbird that’s decided the tree (and all its berries) belong exclusively to them. Tiny bird, huge attitude.

It’s funny, but it makes the point: native plants feed wildlife when they need it most. When your yard becomes busy, noisy, and slightly chaotic, that’s not a problem — that’s a healthy ecosystem doing its thing.

01/10/2026

Even for neighbors who aren’t especially outdoorsy or avid gardeners, it’s hard not to notice how quickly our natural spaces have declined over the last few years.

Fallen trees after storms. The steady sound of chainsaws. Streambanks collapsing where they once held. Invasive plants surging into every opening, growing faster than we can keep up. What once felt gradual now feels accelerated—as if our natural spaces are unraveling in real time.

These aren’t isolated events. They’re connected symptoms of stressed systems: heavier rains, unmanaged stormwater, eroding soils, and weakened forests. Wildlife feels the impact first—but eventually the effects reach every corner of the neighborhood.

The Virginia Conservation Assistance Program (VCAP) helps communities respond to exactly this kind of pressure, supporting science-based work that stabilizes streams, improves water quality, and restores balance before the damage becomes irreversible.

VCAP’s continuation now depends on inclusion in the state budget.

Taking action takes about 30 seconds and sends a message directly to our legislators:

👉 Support VCAP:

Complete the form below to show your support for VCAP’s mission directly to your legislators: Find out more ways to support VASWCD's legislative efforts below To learn more about VASWCD legislative topics CLICK HERE

11/27/2025

Happy Thanksgiving from the BCC Wildlife Committee!
May our neighborhoods be peaceful, our wild places abundant, our gardens welcoming, and our woodland creatures happy 🦊🦆🐝🦇🦌🌳🌸