Wildlife

Wildlife
Spotting rare, native ladybugs

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Lady beetles (also called ladybugs) are one of the most common insects we encounter in summer. They may be the first insects toddlers can identify, easily recognizable because of their bright red color and contrasting black spots. But almost all of the ladybugs you're likely to see aren't native. What happened to our 50 native species?  >>

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The tail of the prairie skink: A story of loss and restoration

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The prairie skink can lose and regrow its tail. Through our restoration work, we're hoping to create a story of regrowth for its favorite habitat: prairies near streams.  >>

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Who ate the sardines? A wildlife camera mystery

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Ever wonder what goes on in the woods at night? One of our wildlife cameras recently gave us some clues. But we will need some more detective work to determine exactly who ate our sardine bait.  >>

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Winter insects and spiders

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Warm winter days are a great time to see tiny creatures wandering the top of the snowpack. >>

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KARE11 covers coyote research after attack

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FMR ecologist and frequent conservation blog contributor Alex Roth was recently featured by KARE11 in a piece on our metro fox and coyote populations.

Although triggered by a coyote attack on an Inver Grove Heights family's beloved dog, Moose, the story referenced the Twin Cities Fox and Coyote Research Project. FMR is a proud partner for the LCCMR-funded project — and we are so glad that Moose is expected to make a full recovery! Watch the video >>

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Rusty patched bumblebee buzzworthy in the Star Tribune

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This summer we found the Minnesota state bee at one of our restoration sites. Why is that newsworthy?  >>

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'Land conservation key to bringing back Minnesota bird population'

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We didn't pay MPR to write that headline, but it's exactly the message we want people to understand. >>

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Upcoming Events

Thursday, August 21, 2025 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Pine Bend Bluffs Natural Area at the Flint Hills Resources property, Inver Grove Heights
Wednesday, August 27, 2025 - 5:00pm to 7:00pm
Wabasha Taproom, St. Paul
This school year
In your classroom or outside