Category: Arb Talk

If you just happen to run into this article in the Carletonian (as opposed to reading it on the Arb’s website), chances are you are one of the students who…

Seeing deer in the Arboretum is a common occurrence, especially in the fall in which their mating season takes place. And with these tips, you can be your own investigator into the lives of the Arboretum’s deer!

Imagine crossing continents using only your physical strength, then doing it again, and again whenever the seasons change. This process defines the wonder that is migration. Now, imagine migrating huge distances and not getting enough press or attention for your troubles!

Did you know that Minnesota has a state bee? Well, it does, and it’s the Rusty Patched bumble bee, which has been listed as an endangered species in the US since 2017.

Ever taken a walk (or a nap) in the Lower Arb when the sun is down and the moon glares bright? The woods, steeped in milky mist spiked with moonlight, slumber in the absence of the scorching sun that has been bothering us for the past week. Nevertheless, plenty of activities are going on in the liquor-esque night.

A few weeks ago, I was in the arb after sunset, and heard a strange dog yowl… and then I heard many others join in, high-pitched and even a bit spooky, and I realized that I was hearing a pack of coyotes!

I can unequivocally say the Arboretum provided the defining experiences of my time at Carleton.

Rising out of the landscape like tiny islands in a vast sea of corn and soybeans, the hills of McKnight Prairie provide a refuge for rare native prairie plants.

As the weather in southern Minnesota warms and insects begin to emerge, the Arb will soon become host to a stunning group of migratory visitors. These are the wood-warblers, a diverse family of exceptionally colorful, tiny songbirds.

It’s spring, and that means that some parts of the Arboretum will be burned! Arb staff conduct prescribed fires every spring when the weather is dry but plants are not yet green, and the pieces of prairie that can be burned see fire about every 4 years.