Brummet's Conscious Blog

How to Keep Deer From Damaging Your Trees * Written by Sarahbeth Kuzinski It is so exciting to spot deer in your yard, and even more so when it's a buck! However, many homeowners who live near wooded areas begin to question whether or not deer activity can harm their trees. Aside from grazing, many homeowners ask why bucks rub their antlers on newly-planted trees, and if this behaviour can injure young trees. These are very good questions, and important information to your overall tree care routine. Bucks rub their antlers against young trees because they are still flexible. There is a misconception about bucks who rub their antlers on trees. Many people in the past have assumed that it is due to the velvet that initially covers buck antlers. It was believed that this velvet was itchy, and bucks were simply relieving the irritation. But this can't be true because antlers do not have nerve endings! Research shows that bucks most likely exhibit this behaviour for a number of reas...

Common Myths About Wild Bats * Written By:  Sarahbeth Kluzinski Bats have had a bad reputation for a long time. Old tales, books, movies, television, and publicity have caused people to develop misconstrued notions about bats. The truth is, bats are incredibly important to our surrounding eco-system.  Do you like mosquitos? Bats do! And they eat all of them so that mosquitos aren't eating you at your backyard cookout party. Aside from insect control, bats play a major role in our environment. It is important to always respect bats, and understand that they are innocent mammals that only want to survive. For this reason, it is important that you never harm, trap, or kill wild bats. In fact, it is illegal in most states without the proper licenses and permits. If you are scared of bats, or have a misguided perception of them, continue reading to learn some common myths and perhaps change your mind about bats once and for all! COMMON BAT MYTHS: ...

What is a Bat’s favorite meal? * Written by   S arahbeth Kluzinski Bats are divided into two suborders of Chiroptera, Megachiroptera and Microchiroptera. Each suborder has their own set of attributes, qualities, and characteristics. Megabats dine on the delicious nectar, juices, flowers, and pollen of fruit, which is why they are colloquially known as fruit bats. Whereas Microbats tend to stick with a wide range of small to medium-sized insects. Since we can probably agree that fruit is sweet and filling, most people can understand what tastes good to a fruit bat. But what about microbats? Do insects all taste alike, or are there insects that taste better? Well luckily, researchers at both the United Kingdom's University of Bristol and the Biodiversity Institute of Ontario Canada really wanted to know what Microbats like to eat the most. So they decided to do a study to find out their favorite meals! Continue reading to learn what they discovered and how. Over ...