The government is in full shutdown and the Republicans are refusing to call the House back into session. Want to know why? Because we have secured the final vote on releasing the Epstein Files and they don’t want it out. Call GOP and tell them to swear in @adelitaforcongress.bsky.social.

Black and Gold Bumblebees on Field Thistle. About gave myself heatstroke spending way too much time watching the bees today. #pollinators #bees #nativeplants

Well, this is flattering. I may add "Deranged BUM" to my profile www.thedailybeast.com/donald-trump...

And they said we can’t agree on anything these days!

"They Poisoned the World": The Corporate Cover-Up & Fightback Against PFAS, "Forever Chemicals"

The Global Plastic Threat: Research Finds Plastics Can Lead to Disease, Disability & Premature Death

Lithospermum parviflorum Marbleseed volunteer in the garden in Pittsburgh PA. These uncommon calciphiles feed threatened Long-Tongued Bumblebees like Bombus fervidus and B pensylvanicus. Extinct Megafauna (and bison) may have moved the seeds. Known from Bridgeville PA. Grow some!

“Over 250 million acres of public lands are eligible for sale in the bill, including local recreation areas, wilderness study areas and inventoried roadless areas.” www.wilderness.org/articles/med...

I tell everyone I know this

lol

A full-five-course dinner is sponsored by ExxonMobile and course materials will be provided by Tesla. More details and registration: forms.fnps.org/civicrm/even...

The Trump administration cut a clause from federal contracting rules that had been on the books since the 1960s: Companies are no longer explicitly prohibited from having segregated facilities.

Elon Musk's plan to cut the Social Security Administration's staff by 50% would cause 37,000 more Americans to die each year waiting to receive their disability benefits while the average wait time to collect these benefits would jump to 412 days. That is beyond unacceptable.

For International Women's Day, let's pay homage to the great plant anatomist Katherine Esau. In her long career, she transformed our understanding of plant structure through her research and her very important books. She is my academic grandmother, advisor of my advisor.

Butterflies of all kinds of species, in all parts of the country, have declined by one to two percent since 2000.

Be brave. Maintain Function

See that big pine? You own that tree, and billions of other trees on public lands. The trump kleptocracy will overharvest, mismanage, and steal our forests. Our land needs care from highly trained people, but they are being fired. We have to stop them. We need to force congress to act on our behalf.

This was certainly a transformative moment experience for both me and for our backyard :)

Their goal is to have an emergency need for expanded leadership caused by systemic government dysfunction and a popular crisis of governability. Maintain function.

Tree buds are beginning to open: vegetative buds with leaves and stems; flower buds with floral parts; mixed buds with leaves, stems, and floral parts. In many trees, all of this year's leaves were laid down last year, meaning that this year's growth was largely determined by last year's weather.

Roundleaf Groundsel & Crested Iris brighten the spring garden with #nativeplants , with colors of the #ukraine flag, Western Allegheny Plateau, PA, USA. Packera feeds specialist bees and Northern Metalmark Butterflies. Iris feeds generalist bees, including queen bumblebees. #SlavaUkraini

Please read—this is becoming serious!

What a Friday. And the Abomination that was Krasnov’s treatment of Zelenskyy was probably one of many screens for the administrations even more despicable acts

Today, a reporter from the Russian state news agency TASS gained unauthorized access to the Oval Office. How does one gain unauthorized access to the Oval Office? Meanwhile, AP and Reuters were blocked.

Wayback Machine Saves Thousands of Federal Webpages Amid Purge of Government Data Under Trump

This is Snow Trillium—Trillium nivale. Flowers in earliest March. Bees & Beetles pollinate. Very small, braves the cold, & not only survives but thrives on landscapes prone to slipping and landslide. Partially buries fruits and keeps offspring close. Together, they cling to cliffs and persevere.

Plants stop growing in fall because they accumulate growth inhibitors, not because it is cold. Now, dormancy requirements have been met and plants are ready to grow. As it warms, buds start to pop. A daily walk among plants will provide you with a constantly changing bounty of growth.

The fossil fuel oligarchy is desparate to hold back progress in renewable energy and biodiversity. The trump rampage is their tool to do so. They are using racism and sexism to distract us. We need to force back bigotry to make progress toward a safe climate and a renewal of nature.

There are plenty of Milkweed Nativars but maybe this one will make the cut to be the next. Here is Asclepias tuberosa “Krasnov”. It’s a little red, but mostly orange, blooms for a very short time yet is a hotbed of ambush bugs. Unlike its namesake it is a real asset. #nativar #nativeplants

To satisfy ongoing demand for Nativars, this Triosteum aurantiacum — Orange Fruited Horse Gentian — is called “Krasnov” because it took very many years to germinate and is orange. Unlike the real Krasnov, this plant will not try to take over or ruin the garden. #nativeplants #nativars

Who says Asclepias tuberosa doesn’t form large clumps/drifts? Depends where you look I guess. Sure does in SW PA/N WV!

Here is a treebeard lichen. Lichen is not a parasite. It does not hurt trees. It may even help them. Mostly signifies clean air. Enjoy them, don’t destroy them

The 'wooly devil' is the first new genus and species of plant discovered in a U.S. national park for nearly 50 years. Read about it on the @pensoft.net blog: blog.pensoft.net/2025/02/19/t... @calacademy.bsky.social @ca-naturalist.bsky.social

Pedicularis canadensis - wood betony - nectar source for long tongued bees like Bombus fervidus and Bombus pensylvanicus; helps keep the grasses and asters short

It's not too late to start native plants from seed! Many native plants require cold stratification--a period of cold, moist conditions--to germinate. Seed packets should give information about the length of time needed for each species. .. #nativeplants #wintersowing #pollinatorgardens

Phacelia purshii Miami Mist, a regional specialty stretching from PA to MO & AL, hosts >3 species specialist bees. An easy growing annual for medium to moist rich soils in part sun. Cool soil germinator readily starts from dried seed spread autumn -late winter. If you live in its ecoregion, grow it!

BREAKING: Indigenous activist Leonard Peltier released from prison after nearly 50 years

Hydrophyllum virginicum, of moist rich forests of E/C USA, has lovely flowers that provide resources for many indigenous invertebrates including the specialist bee Andrena geranii. Grow for the specialists! #softlandings #NAnativeplant

Smallanthus uvedalia Bearspaw US indigenous plant related to Yacon that likes base rich moist soil. Big beautiful plant

Packera obovata feeds Northern Metalmarks and Andrena gardineri. If you’re in its ecoregions and have base rich ground, grow more!

Cirsium pumilum a small thistle with a huge impact! Long tongued bumblebees. Regal Fritillaries. If you’re in its ecoregions, grow this plant!

Arabidopsis lyrata crescendo

Taenidia integerrima profuse powerhouse population

Spring hopes eternal. Claytonia virginica and her Andrena bee

Hydrastis canadensis

Soft landings are helpful

Jeffersonia diphylla. Spring Hopes Eternal.

Viola fimbriatula. Grow more!