Friends of the Watuppa Woods

06/02/2023

This

03/26/2023

Especially around our woods

This spring, be mindful of amphibians as they emerge from their winter retreats and travel to breeding sites. Use caution while driving on rainy spring nights.

12/11/2022

Unreal

A $200 reward is being offered for the first person with information connected to the individual responsible for the dumping of these mattresses at Wilson Road. With information, leave a message at the Mayor’s Office at 508-324-2600, your call will be returned. Update it happened between 3 Saturday afternoon and 7 Sunday morning.

12/05/2022

Get in the woods. No excuses....

ACTIVITY ALERT - A Walk in the forest as winter approaches

In winter, the stark and drab deciduous forest, before snow and with the birds and insects of summer gone to warmer climates or hibernating, doesn't look very appealing, but looks can be deceiving. Once night falls our local winter woods come alive with both hunters and the hunted as our permanent resident coyotes, foxes, otters, weasels, fishers, deer, rabbits, muskrats, squirrels, voles, mice and a bunch of other hardy critters take winter in stride as they live their daily lives.

December 10, Saturday, 9 a.m. Meet at the parking area at the intersection of Indiantown Road and Yellow Hill Road, Fall River.

Length of walk approximately 4 miles. Wear appropriate clothing and footwear for a walk in the woods. Snack and water a good idea.

Rain cancels walk.

12/05/2022

Wiggly winter ways

See how snakes' lives change during fall and winter.

11/29/2022

Know more nature, be more alive

Be on the lookout if you purchased a fresh tree.
This walnut sized mass contains over a 100 praying mantis eggs!
Never fear....clip the branch and place it in your garden and you'll have lots of little buddies next spring. :)

EDIT: While I am not an entomologist, this image depicts an apparently invasive species of mantis. Please do your research should you happen to find any insect activity in your tree.

11/25/2022

Be aware. We have had bears in the woods since about 2014 and each year we get more in the region. No need to be afraid. Be aware.

Did you know that some bears make nests up in trees instead of in a den during the winter months?

Check out some more interesting facts about bears from our friends at BearWise:

With the Thanksgiving holiday here, thoughts turn to good food and time with friends and family - and also keeping warm and cozy. By this time of year, bears are all about conserving energy and keeping as many of those pounds they’ve been putting on as possible. Bears are also mostly denned up for the winter months.
Despite folklore, most bears don’t den in big caves; bear dens need to be small enough to keep the bear nice and cozy all winter long. Cubs born this year will den with their moms, so she needs a den with room for the family.

The types of dens bears choose vary widely and are based both on availability and the needs of the individual bear. Some bears make their dens in hollow trees or logs, in a “nest” high up in a tree or under the root mass, or even in a nice brush pile or ground nest. Sometimes bears industriously excavate their own dens; often they simply take advantage of whatever natural or man-made spaces are available and fit their needs. Bear dens are often lined with grasses, leaves or needles and usually have small, camouflaged openings.

It's important to make sure your home and property don't provide human-built spaces for bears to den up. Learn more about preventing bears from denning up in your outbuildings, crawl spaces, sheds, and garages: http://bearwise.org/will-bears-find-a-good-winter-den-at...

About this photo: Bear biologist Rich Beausoleil preparing to do a den check on a bear that’s part of a long-term research study. (State of Washington Fish and Wildlife Dept )

11/24/2022

Watch out.

11/15/2022

We need you to go out and hunt these egg pods and destroy them. We are the only creature that can save our trees, fruit bearers and fauna from this invasive species and the time to act is now.

Eggs are laid starting in September and can continue through late November or early December. Here's how to spot eggs from this invasive species.

11/07/2022

Sweet things do sweet things over and over again.

New study shows bumblebees rolling wooden balls just because it makes them feel good.