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 June, Minnesota was deluged with record...

Ahhh, scavenging from garbage dumps, sunbathing in trees, no opposable thumbs and partially hibernating in the winter. If this were a human I was describing, you might be concerned. But fear not! This...

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 only marsupial native to North...

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...

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 leaves,...

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 spot, almost whispering, “Psssst....

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 maples (Acer saccharum) and Red Oak (Quercus...

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 prevalence of ophidiophobia at Carleton. This is...

The Cowling 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,...

You might not know it if you didn’t look for the signs down by the river, but early last summer Northfield experienced record-setting flooding. Just after most students left for the summer, Minnesota...

As of the 2017 Arb species list, Cowling Arboretum is home to four distinct species of dogwoods, all in the genus Cornus. However, two species of dogwood are more common in the Arb than the others, the...