Warm summers and cool winters are good for fireflies, but lots of pavement and light pollution are not good for them. And there are lots of other environmental factors that determine where and when fireflies thrive. This article explains what researchers at Penn State learned, with the help of 24,000 observations from community scientists: https://bit.ly/3WxnIHt
The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
Environmental Services
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 4,544 followers
Enhancing the region’s quality of life by protecting and restoring exceptional places.
About us
The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy enhances the region’s quality of life by protecting and restoring exceptional places. A private nonprofit conservation organization founded in 1932, WPC has helped to establish 11 state parks, conserved more than 260,000 acres of natural lands and protected or restored more than 3,000 miles of rivers and streams. We provide our region with clean water, healthy forests and wildlife and thousands of acres of natural areas free for all to explore. The Conservancy owns and operates Fallingwater, a symbol of people living in harmony with nature. In addition, WPC enriches our region’s cities and towns by planting and maintaining 130 community gardens and greenspaces with the help of thousands of volunteers each year. We have planted more than 105,000 trees. The work of the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy is accomplished through the support of more than 11,000 members. For more information, visit WaterLandLife.org.
- Website
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http://www.WaterLandLife.org
External link for The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
- Industry
- Environmental Services
- Company size
- 201-500 employees
- Headquarters
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Type
- Nonprofit
- Founded
- 1932
Locations
Employees at The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
Updates
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ICYMI, Swainson's warbler has been recorded breeding at our Bear Run Nature Reserve for a second year! Thanks to our PNHP avian ecologist David Yeany and Nick Liadis of BirdLab for their work on this front https://bit.ly/4cTZ5dV
Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program (PNHP)
facebook.com
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Moths act crazy around lights...but why? This NPR article explains how artificial light messes with insects' ability to tell up from down. https://n.pr/4cEYT1O #moths #NationalMothWeek
'Like moths to a flame'? Here's what's going on with insects and porch lights
npr.org
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We're all aflutter...it's National Moth Week! Check out some moths our staff has photographed while in our gardens, on our preserves or through their own kitchen door! Did you know: 😮 Scientists estimate that moth species number from 150,000 to 500,000+. 🖐🏽 Moth's sizes range from as small as a pinhead to as big as a human hand! ☀️ Most moths are nocturnal but some fly like butterflies during the day.
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What do you do in your spare time? Our Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program Avian Ecologist David Yeany sometimes raises these beautiful Cecropia moths (Hyalophora cecropia). In addition to enjoying a fun and cool pastime, “I do it for science education for my son and myself…and to maybe give a boost to the local moth population,” David explains. “It’s a good way to have an intimate connection to one of nature's most remarkable processes as a tiny caterpillar changes into one of our largest moths.” According to the National Wildlife Federation (https://www.nwf.org/): 👐 The Cecropia moth’s wingspan of five to seven inches makes it the largest moth found in North America. 💡 These nocturnal moths are found in hardwood forests east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada. They are attracted to street and porch lights. 🍃 The caterpillars feed on leaves throughout the summer. The adult moths don’t eat at all! Thanks, David, for these beautiful photos and for supporting the moth population! Addendum: In case you are interested in trying this unique hobby, David provided this link, which lays out the whole process in detail: https://lnkd.in/g7Mfbs4q #MothWeek #Moths #CecropiaMoths
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We throw a lot of shade! Since 2008, our community greening team, with partners and volunteers, have planted 40,000 trees in 57 municipalities in Allegheny County and 73 City of Pittsburgh neighborhoods! Trees help control stormwater runoff and flooding, give us shade and provide food habitat for insects, birds and small wildlife. Help your community get trees planted on urban streets next spring through TreeVitalize Pittsburgh Learn more here: bit.ly/2GoTu2b. Contact Alicia at 412-586-2386 or awehrle@paconserve.org by October 1 to start the application process. #trees #PlantATree #UrbanForestry #UrbanTreeCanopy
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Love these before and after photos from Seneca Resources Company, LLC on one of our stream improvement projects in Elk County. Our watershed team does continual water quality assessments to track improvements.
Take a look at this before-and-after photo of a conservation project recently completed in the Clarion River Watershed. The project involved removing a road and a pipe that crossed the Middle Fork East Branch Clarion River in Elk County. The project's main goal was to improve fish access to the upper watershed, thereby enhancing aquatic wildlife and natural sediment flow. Multiple groups collaborated on this project, including local chapters of Trout Unlimited, The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, and government organizations.
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Through our school grounds greening program, we're providing spaces for children to develop physical skills, creativity, imagination and skills such as problem-solving, discovery, observation, experimentation and social interaction. The space at Pittsburgh Public Schools' Chartiers Early Childhood Center has 19 trees, 14 shrubs, 60 perennials – and many other features – to encourage motor skill development, nurture creativity and stimulate curiosity. In addition to the pollinator-friendly perennials and native trees, the outdoor space includes ADA-accessible pathways, picnic tables, benches and 122 stepping stones. Other sensory elements include two birdhouses, flower-shaped chalkboards and a nature table, maze, play hill, shed, and fruit-stand play store. Learn more about our SGG program and how you can get involved! Register for a free webinar, "School Grounds Greening: Helping Children Learn in and From Nature” on July 31, at noon, ET ➡️https://bit.ly/4cGCnFo Can't attend live? Register and you'll receive a link after the webinar to watch it at your convenience. #NatureBasedLearning #SchoolGroundsGreening #educators
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The PA iMapInvasives program needs your help to track invasive species, including bamboo, swallow wort, hammerhead worms, English ivy (shown here) and black jetbead. Register for a July 30 webinar at 11 a.m. to prepare for the annual Invasive Species Scavenger Hunt in August: https://bit.ly/45cfmrk. Can't attend live? Register, and after the webinar you will receive a link to watch the webinar at your convenience.
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