The black bear’s winter slumber will soon be over. In late March to early May, bears leave their dens and begin looking for food to replenish their bodies. As they rejoin us in search of nourishment, it’s important to remember that human behavior affects bear behavior.

“Just like humans waking from a long nap, bears first look for water, often drinking from rivers and ponds or eating snow. Their early spring menu consists of last year’s vegetation, salvaged carcasses and fresh green shoots as they emerge,” said Rachel Leightner, Michigan Department of Natural Resources wildlife outreach coordinator. “Though these food sources are readily available, it is difficult to resist the calorie-rich offerings of bird seed, garbage, beehives and pet foods.

You might consider watching bears forage near your home as an exciting chance to see wildlife up close. But what’s really happening could be very troublesome for both you and the bear.”

Bears that find reliable food sources near homes can become repeat visitors and may lose their fear of humans, she added. Additionally, if a female bear with cubs teaches her young to forage from these food sources, it can lead to problematic behavior later in life and negative outcomes such as property damage, loss of livestock and dangerous situations for both humans and bears.

Leightner said that, fortunately, avoiding these problems is easy if you take a proactive approach and suggested the following steps. Read more

If you’re a fan of heading off the beaten path, you’re probably familiar with Michigan’s thousands of miles of state forest roads. The DNR annually updates state forest road maps on April 1. Maps are available in an interactive web format and as printable PDFs.

Forest road maps are updated each year based on considerations including changing road conditions, data cleanup and input received from residents. Maps show which state forest roads are open or closed to off-road and conventional vehicle use. It’s important to stay on these roads to prevent erosion and damage to wildlife habitat.

After the annual road inventory and review, the following will be open to ORVs:

• • In the Upper Peninsula, more than 5,503 miles – about 98% of the total mileage.
  • In the northern Lower Peninsula, about 6,109 miles – about 84% of the total mileage.
  • In the southern Lower Peninsula, just over 10 miles – about 3% of the total mileage.

Read more

If hemlock trees on your property show signs of hemlock woolly adelgid infestation, now is a good time to plan for spring treatment of this invasive species. Hemlock woolly adelgid, native to Asia, is known to be present in areas of Allegan, Benzie, Mason, Muskegon, Oceana and Ottawa counties in Michigan. These small insects suck sap from hemlock needles and ultimately can cause tree death.

Insecticides are available to control the insect, and in many cases, landowners can apply them easily by carefully following label instructions and application rate guidance. In Michigan, the label is the law. Due to certain restrictions on the use of these insecticides, you may need the services of a licensed pesticide application business.

If one or more trees are infested, make plans to act this year. Without treatment, trees infested with hemlock woolly adelgid are likely to die within four to 10 years. Weakened trees on a home landscape could spell disaster during high winds or storms, and eventually they will have to be removed. Loss of hemlocks in forested areas can reduce shade, winter cover, food and habitat for birds, fish and mammals.

Products containing either imidacloprid or dinotefuran as the active ingredient and labeled for treatment of hemlock woolly adelgid are effective in combatting the insect.

• Imidacloprid moves slowly through trees, taking at least a year to reach the top of a large tree. However, one application will protect the tree for approximately four years.
• Dinotefuran moves through hemlock trees more quickly, making it ideal for heavily infested trees. Dinotefuran protects trees for one to two years.

No matter which treatment you select, be sure your treatment plan includes all hemlocks on your property over the next few years. If hemlock woolly adelgid is on your site, hemlocks without symptoms are very likely to be infested over time. This includes trees on your property as well as neighboring properties. It’s a good idea to discuss treatment plans with neighbors and coordinate efforts when possible.

Can I treat trees myself?

Application of imidacloprid or dinotefuran is simple enough for many landowners to do themselves. Products containing these chemicals are available at garden supply stores, packaged under various trade names in liquid or granular form. Check the label or ask for assistance in selecting the right product.

Imidacloprid and dinotefuran products available at garden supply stores generally are applied to the soil close to the tree trunk, where they are absorbed through the root system. Plan your application for a time between early April and late October when the ground has thawed and soil moisture is moderate – not too dry or saturated. The sooner you treat, the more successful your treatment will be. Follow all label directions, wear appropriate safety gear and determine the right application rate to ensure positive results. To protect the environment, do not allow pesticide to enter or run off into storm drains, drainage ditches, gutters or surface waters.

Some products have restrictions on the amount that can be applied to an area per year. Be sure to read the label carefully to determine if the amount you need falls within these limits. If not, you may need to adopt a multiyear plan or hire a professional.

More information on do-it-yourself treatment can be found in the MSU Extension bulletin Guidelines for homeowner treatments of hemlock trees infested with hemlock woolly adelgid, available at Michigan.gov/HWA.

When should I call a professional?

Licensed pesticide application businesses have a broader range of options for applying treatments than consumers, and their professional skills are recommended in certain situations. A county-by-county list of businesses holding pesticide application licenses can be found on the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s website,Michigan.gov/MDARD. For lawn or landscape trees, look for a professional licensed in the ornamental category (3B); for forest trees, choose the forestry category (2).

If your hemlock trees are within 75 feet of a body of water or in areas with a high-water table, or if flowering plants or shrubs are growing around the hemlocks you wish to protect, a trunk injection or bark treatment may be necessary to avoid affecting the environment, groundwater or other insects. Professional applicators can provide these types of treatments.

What should I expect after treatment?

Hemlock woolly adelgid’s cottony, white ovisacs will linger for a time following treatment. If trees are treated in the spring with dinotefuran, check new growth in late fall or winter for any fresh signs of infestation. With imidacloprid, wait until a year after treatment to gauge effectiveness.

After treatment, trees should be checked every year. If the insect has returned after dinotefuran was used, reapplication may be needed after one to two years. For imidacloprid, consider retreatment every four to seven years.

Do my trees have hemlock woolly adelgid?

If you have hemlock trees on your property, it is important to check them for signs of hemlock woolly adelgid, which infests only hemlock trees. If you are not sure whether your trees are hemlocks, use the Michigan Invasive Species Program’s eastern hemlock identification guide.

The adelgid’s round, white, cottony ovisacs are most visible in the winter and are located on the undersides of hemlock branches at the base of the needles. The publication Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Look-Alikes, available at Michigan.gov/HWA, provides images and information on identifying this and other pests commonly mistaken for it.

How do I report an infestation?

If you suspect trees on your property have hemlock woolly adelgid, report it using the Midwest Invasive Species Information Network at MISIN.MSU.edu. You can report from the field using the MISIN smartphone app, which will log the location and allow you to upload photos of the suspected signs of the insect.

You also can take pictures, note the tree’s location and email the information to MDARD at MDA-Info@Michigan.gov or report by calling 800-292-3939. Someone will respond to let you know if hemlock woolly adelgid is present or not.

Please do not clip infested branch samples and transport or mail them. This could accidentally spread the insect to new areas. A state interior quarantinemakes it illegal to move hemlock anywhere within or out of Allegan, Ottawa, Muskegon, Oceana or Mason counties. Waste hemlock material in the quarantined counties may be moved to approved disposal sites within the quarantine zone.

For more information on identifying and managing hemlock woolly adelgid, visit Michigan.gov/HWA.

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Michigan’s Invasive Species Program is cooperatively implemented by the Michigan departments of Agriculture and Rural Development; Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy; and Natural Resources.

Contact: Joanne Foreman, 517-284-5814 or Rob Miller, 517-614-0454

EDGEFIELD, S.C. — The NWTF is accepting applications for its Wild Turkey Research Request for Proposals, a program that facilitates and makes investments in support of priority wild turkey research projects across the country.

In June of 2022, the NWTF allocated $360,000 for seven critical wild turkey research projects through the RFP program. Now, the organization is accepting new project proposals to continue addressing population declines and further investigating how to best manage the resource into the future.

“We are at a junction where there are many new questions being raised about wild turkey ecology,” said Mark Hatfield, NWTF director of conservation services. “Disease, population dynamics, habitat use, nest success, hunter influence — there are many areas that need greater understanding to deliver optimal conservation and management; this is where research comes in.”

The NWTF invites proposals that investigate the dynamics and drivers of the “post-restoration era” as well as those that address one, or more, of the following research priorities:

• Development of regional and national population and abundance estimates.
• Evaluation and development of habitat management practices and habitat conditions that would increase wild turkey nest success and poult survival.
• Investigation of underlying wild turkey diseases and their impacts on wild turkey populations.
• Understanding the effects of harvest management strategies and season structure on wild turkey populations.
• Wild turkey (adult and poult) survival and correlated causes of mortality. Read more

Upcoming webinar provides a year in review

Rock snot, spotted lanternfly, balsam woolly adelgid … these are just a few of the invasive species that 10 years ago weren’t on the public radar as threats to Michigan’s woods and waters.

Today, however, thanks to the work of Michigan’s Invasive Species Program, university partners, nonprofits, volunteers and a robust network of cooperative invasive species management areas, there is greater awareness about the damages posed by these land and water invaders – but there’s still much work to do.

The recently released Michigan Invasive Species Program 2022 Annual Report highlights recent successes, outlines what’s needed to meet future challenges, and points to simple steps everyone can take in actively protecting the outdoor places and experiences we love.

Read the report ?

The 2022 report discusses several topics, including:

• • The many pathways to Michigan, and how effective prevention and early detection require knowledge of how a species might arrive in Michigan.
  • Prevention-focused laws that require boaters to clean and drain boats and that prohibit or restrict possession or sale of harmful species.
  • The power of rapid response when new detections arise.
  • Effective communications and outreach, including workshops, site visits, social media, news stories and other efforts that reached more Michiganders.

Read more

By Glen Wunderlich

Charter Member Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA)

The sights and sounds of spring are in the air.  Even though we’re still receiving weekly doses of snow, warmer weather is on the horizon.  My garlic plants are pointing toward the sky, turkey vultures are back from their winter vacations and the wild turkeys are making appearances in their nesting grounds.  Plus, everyone’s favorite harbingers of spring – robins – are back in the neighborhood.  However, if the robins never migrated, are they really back?

The American Robin is Michigan’s state bird and is tough enough to survive the chilling cold winds and snow Mother Nature dishes out, but many of them desert us when the going gets cruel.

I’ve seen them wintering in southern Arizona, where they congregate in the thousands – a sight to behold.  Similar to Canada geese, not all robins migrate, however, which begs the question:  How is it decided who goes South and who guts it out?  There’s always one bird out front but who chose the lead navigator?

Apart from the inner workings of bird brains, we know some birds remain in their breeding territory yearlong, because we have occasion to notice them.  In fact, this winter I’ve seen and heard robins sporadically and thinking to myself they’ve made the fatal error of remaining in Michigan.  Although the mortality rate of robins is estimated at some 80 percent, it’s not necessarily the cold that finishes them off; food is the underlying factor.

Winter robin abundance is most influenced by two factors: snow cover and food availability. In comparing robin abundance to snow cover, the Cornell’s Lab of Ornithology reports that areas with less than five inches of snow cover typically have lots of robins, while areas with more than five inches of snow cover have fewer robins. Heavier snow cover means colder temperatures and food that’s more difficult to find, so robins move south to more favorable conditions.

Furthermore, if food is abundant, robins can thrive in surprisingly cold temperatures if coupled with minimal snowfall. Fruit-bearing trees and shrubs such as cherries and grapes sustain robins during the winter months. Earthworms and other invertebrates are warm weather fare. Being dietary opportunists, robins remain where food is abundant until supplies are exhausted. Then they move on.

One reason robins linger farther north today compared to 50 years ago – especially during mild winters – is the popularity of ornamental fruit trees in urban and suburban areas. We may plant crab apples, hollies, and mountain ashes for their visual appeal, but robins value their fruits. Our horticultural habits have helped create a winter haven for robins.

Knowing this, I scattered some mixed fruit onto the bare ground including raisins, strawberries, and cherries, when I noticed a flock of robins in a dwarf Sir Lancelot crabapple tree after the pea-sized fruit.  See video here.  That fruit I bought for them is still on the ground!   It seems that if it’s not on the vine, they don’t want it.  Similarly, they won’t hit the suet cakes hanging from the limbs, either, but will gobble up these energy bits on the ground.  You won’t find robins at typical birdseed feeders, either, because they are not seed eaters.

Elizabeth Howard, Founder and Director of Journey North’s American Robin project is tracking robin movements across North America. She pointed out that robins, though they are considered migratory, don’t follow the typical north to south and back migration pattern we tend to associate with other migratory birds.

“Sometimes you see them and it’s so cold you think, ‘My goodness they’ll all die.’” Howard says. “It’s amazing, the way they survive winter is they fluff their feathers and get really big. Their internal temperature is 104° F and yet they can be in areas below freezing. That’s how well their feathers insulate them; there can even be a 100-degree difference just through those layers of feathers.”

If you want to observe robins in winter, try putting out water for them. They can survive on their own by eating snow, but birds always welcome a source of unfrozen water for drinking and bathing.

More than anything, the robin’s song remains a reliable indicator that the first wave of spring migration has reached you. This song is one of the first signs that robins are switching from winter behavior to courtship and nesting behavior associated with spring.  With that warm rain we experienced a few days ago in Mid-Michigan, the robin population began to sing its familiar refrain akin to light-hearted yodeling and pure joy.  Yes, spring is here!

By MICHELLE O’KELLY
Parks and Recreation Division
Michigan Department of Natural Resources

The Happy Little Trees program began in 2019, during Michigan’s state park centennial celebration, as an initiative to brand a partnership between the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Michigan Department of Corrections.

Each year, the DNR collects seeds from native tree species in state parks and takes them to correctional facilities to be planted. The seedlings that are produced are cared for by prison inmates.

When the trees grow to approximately 5 feet tall, they are transported back to state parks to be planted to replace diseased and damaged trees. Read more