Category: Arb Talk

Those who were on campus last year might remember beavers swimming in the Lyman Lakes and building dams on Spring Creek – but where have they been this year? Last…

The Arboretum is a lovely place to enjoy a vast array of trees and greenery, though one particular species towers above the rest: the eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides). This prominent…

Although a brisk wintry stroll through the Arb might convince you that the Arb is devoid of wildlife, a whole ecosystem is just below your feet! In fact, many THREE POUND critters are dwelling below the soil, namely the plains pocket gophers (Geomys bursarius). If you’ve seen one, consider yourself lucky.

Within the last few decades, Minnesota has become home to a new visitor, the Virginia Opossum, more commonly known as the Opossum. Opossums are unique in that they are the…

As winter approaches and deciduous trees lose their leaves, the Arboretum clearly sports a new look. In mid-November, browns are the dominant color and pointed skeletal structures are revealed. Some…

Minnesota is divided into many ecological subsections, all within its three primary biomes of prairie, broadleaf forest, and coniferous forest. Honing in on the broadleaf forest region in Southeast Minnesota,…

They’re everywhere. They slap unassuming cyclists in the face as they race to get to class. They crawl on the computers of students sitting at picnic tables on the bald…

The leaves are changing and the wind is taking them off the trees. Some of the beautiful colors that frame walks in the arb these days are coming from Sugar…

If you happen to take a walk in the lower Arb this fall, you’ll notice a lot more snakes than usual. This can be intimidating to some people, given the…

The Arboretum is home to various organisms that lead a wealth of different lifestyles, but some of the most fascinating, specialized, and understated animals are the mussels. Mussels are bivalves,…