Roads End Naturalist

Exploring the natural world as we wander at the end of the road


Author: Mike Dunn

  • Moth Week Plus

    I’ve always preferred moths to butterflies. They aren’t flashy or cocky; they mind their own business and just try to blend in with their surroundings and live their lives. ~Kayla Krantz National Moth Week ended yesterday and I managed to miss most of it for a variety of lame reasons. But, even though I failed… Read more…

  • Feeling Antsy

    Ants are everywhere, but only occasionally noticed. They run much of the terrestrial world as the premier soil turners, channelers of energy, dominatrices of the insect fauna… ~Bert Holldobler The more I learn about them, the more I appreciate plants. Working at the NC Botanical Garden allows me to see the passage of time through… Read more…

  • Camp Critters

    If a child is to keep his inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement, and mystery of the world we live in. ~Rachel Carson It is summer camp time at work and it has been busy these past few… Read more…

  • Bearly Awake

    Each day holds a surprise. ~Henry Nouwen Melissa and I have been with Mom this week helping take care of the many things that require attention when a family member passes. It has been a busy few days, though I managed to take Mom to Damascus last night for a little relaxation at their annual… Read more…

  • Seek, and Ye Shall Find

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    The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their proper name. ~Confuscius This past month, I have tried to find 5 or 10 minutes each day at work to walk around the building breezeways to photograph any moths that were attracted to the lights the previous night. I hope to create a library of… Read more…

  • Anniversary Escape

    Pursue some path, however narrow and crooked, in which you can walk with love and reverence. ~Henry David Thoreau Last month we escaped for a few days for our anniversary. Escaped may seem like a strange word for people that are lucky enough live in the woods, but, as Melissa has pointed out, when we… Read more…

  • Savanna Sights

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    To think that plants ate insects would go against the order of nature… ~Carl Linnaeus After a crazy busy spring field trip season at work, I am finally getting around to catching up on a couple of posts. Like last year, toward the end of April I collaborated with Melissa and the NC Museum of… Read more…

  • Getting Back To It

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    It’s always good to get back to the places you love… Life has been way too busy these past many weeks and my blog entries have suffered, but I finally have a break this morning while I wait on some overdue car maintenance. With the busyness has been less time exploring outside, but this weekend… Read more…

  • Swamp Break

    Each mile on a river will take you further from home than a hundred miles on a road. ~Bob Marshall It has been a hectic spring at work so we decided to take a break last week and do something we both love to do – paddle in a swamp. We both blocked off 3… Read more…

  • Grubosaurus

    The Eastern Hercules has a wing span up to half a foot, the armor of a knight, and the spots of a leopard. ~Orin McMonigle I guess I should be honored that the front desk volunteer thought of me first. One day a little over a week ago, I got a call saying a woman… Read more…