The East Coast is bracing for an invasion of a very large venomous spider native to East Asia, specifically China and Japan. The spider rarely bites humans. The venom is not deadly to humans. Presently the spiders are found in Southern states like Georgia, the Carolinas, and Tennessee. The spider likes living in the city, for it is often found on street lamps and telephone poles.

The ancient Greek plant, the iris, is named after the Greek goddess of the rainbow. The Egyptians were likely influenced by Greek mythology and used the iris to symbolize their connections to heaven. The Greeks planted irises on women’s graves to encourage the goddess Iris to guide their souls to heaven. In fact, it is the iris that inspired the fleur-de-lis, the National symbol for France.

A jet stream is a narrow band of strong high altitude winds that “steers” high and low pressure systems along, and sometimes into areas they normally are not strong in (NWS). This can create many weather phenomena across the US. The jet stream may dip dramatically south, almost to the equator, or north into the Arctic. Two major weather patterns—El Niño (little boy) and La Niña (little girl)—may be carried by the jet stream and cause severe unpredicted weather changes that may last for 9-12 months (NOAA).

A Lily-of-the-valley is a small, dainty, bellshaped, flowering, ground cover shrub with a charming, sweet aroma. They bloom in May and are a sign of the upcoming summer. Lilyofthe-Valley are also known as: Lady’s Tears, May Lily, and May bells. They are not actually a Lily but a member of the Asparagus family; whose flowers represent sweetness, purity, humility, and virtue. Legend believes that Apollo created the ground cover flower for nymphs to walk on.

Turkey Trivia

Turkeys came from the “new world” in the 1500’s and later by English colonists. Ben Franklin wanted the turkey to be the national bird instead of the bald eagle, but that idea never gathered support.

Yellow Jacket Aggression

In the fall the gentle bumblebee and honeybees are not a worry, but the nasty yellow jackets most certainly are.

Facts About Babies and the Human Body

The largest cell in the human body is the female egg and the smallest is the male sperm.

Seabather’s Eruption | Sea Lice

Sea lice, “…aren’t lice at all—they seem to be the larvae of jellyfish, most likely a small species called the thimble jellyfish.

Bald Eagles

Recently a Bald Eagle was found in a cemetery sick and in bad condition. It was captured and taken to the Cape Wildlife Center in Barnstable where the doctors and staff worked their hardest to save the bird.

Jellyfish | Scyphozoa | Sea Jellies

Jellyfish are any planktonic marine member of invertebrate species of the Scyphozoa class, with a bell or saucer shaped body and trailing tentacles.

Fascinating Facts About Owls

Owls are magical birds that fascinate everyone. There are some very interesting facts that are unique to this bird.

HUMAN HAIR

Hair is the only human body part that continually grows, degenerates and miraculously grows again throughout a lifetime.