Nature This Month: October

This is the most spectacular month of the year! In many regions, fall leaf color is at its best this month. October has colorful landscapes and mostly clear weather. It is a great time to be outside. Listen for the sounds of activity around you.

• Birds are calling
• Squirrels and Chipmunks are chattering
• Crickets and Bees are still chirping and buzzing

The first hard frost, and in some places snow, will end the summer garden and the small animals will begin snuggling in their winter homes. Most of the flowers are gone, but their seeds that will produce next year’s growth are lying on the ground or in drying seed pods.

Ducks, geese and hawks are heading south and most of the songbirds that migrate have already left. The October full moon is called the Hunter’s Moon. Unfortunately, this is the time that grouse, ducks, geese, deer, bear moose and rabbits are hunted.

Some October things to look for:

• Raccoons, squirrels, and mice sharing a hollow tree for their winter home.
• leaves that have fallen will provide nesting material for small animals in their winter homes. The leaves will also rot and make fresh new soil.
• Chipmunks are gathering last minute food before going into their winter homes.
• Ground hogs are ready to go into their winter dens.
• This year’s caterpillar, who was produced by last summer’s eggs that was laid by a cecropia moth, has spun a cocoon around a plant leaf and inside, it will transform into a pupa for the winter.
• Male deer, bucks, now have antlers and are fighting other bucks to win over a doe, a female deer.

• Small reptiles have found winter shelters under piles of leaves.
• Leaves falling from the trees are exposing vacant birds’ nests.