Natives

DeKay’s Brown Snake is a Friendly Garden Companion

It is a truth universally acknowledged that few people truly delight in finding a snake in their garden. Jason Gibson, however, is one who generally does. An associate professor of biology at Averett University in Danville, he is also a longtime (nearly three-decade) member of the Virginia Herpetological Society: if anyone could be called pro-snake, […]

by caroline kettlewell

Carpenter Bees: Virginia’s Valuable Pollinators

My introduction to carpenter bees came via a mysterious drift of sawdust on our deck. Stooping down to examine the underside of the railing, I found a perfectly round, finger-sized hole drilled neatly into the wood. When another tiny mound of sawdust appeared, then a third, I did as one does when faced with a […]

by caroline kettlewell

Shining a Spotlight on Local Flora

The 2-acre educational garden at Roanoke’s Virginia Western Community College welcomes its newest addition: the Sunny Meadow Native Garden. The carefully curated space, transformed from a former conifer patch, showcases Southwest Virginia’s native plant species. After extensive research and planning, students, staff, and volunteers brought the vision to life in spring 2024, creating a vibrant […]

by Madeline Mayhood

Chickadees are Easy to Recognize, Hard to Tell Apart

When it comes to birdwatching, to call myself a rank amateur would be an insult to rank amateurs. Give me something incontrovertibly identifiable—your cardinals, your blue jays, your crows and Canada geese—and I’m all swagger and self-confidence. But throw a white-breasted nuthatch or a dark-eyed junco at me, or ask me to make the call […]

by caroline kettlewell

A Quest to Map Virginia’s Lesser-Known Gray Fox

When you think “fox,” you might imagine your classic, straight-out-of-central-casting idea of fox: white chest and chin, russet body, white-tipped tail. Several fit the bill that I regularly encounter on early mornings in my wooded city neighborhood, nonchalantly angling their way across yards or trotting down the street. But Virginia has another fox you are […]

by caroline kettlewell

Discover Virginia’s Most Dangerous Plants with The Socrates Project

Picture the pale pink blooms of mountain laurel. Or perhaps the vibrant yellow-orange of the native flame azalea. Maybe the delicate white bells of American lily of the valley. Or the ephemeral springtime jack-in-the-pulpit and mayapple. These native plants are praised and prized. You would welcome them into your garden. And yet, as the leading […]

by caroline kettlewell

Barking Tree Frog

One of Virginia’s less common tree frogs has a distinctive call.

by caroline kettlewell

Behold the Pine Pollen Apocalypse

It’s everywhere all at once, but don’t blame it when you sneeze.

by caroline kettlewell

The Out-of-Towners

Loggerhead sea turtles are seasonal visitors to Virginia’s waters.

by caroline kettlewell

This Darter is a Dandy

The candy darter is one of Virginia’s seldom-seen gems.

by caroline kettlewell

All About Acorns

Acorns are, of course, the fruit of oak trees. And they fall—of course—because tiny acorns/mighty oaks … you know the drill. Acorns are how oak trees make more oak trees.

by caroline kettlewell

Where the Bears Are

As more prowl Virginia’s neighborhoods, it pays to be bear wise. When you put up a bird feeder in a suburban neighborhood, it’s a sure bet that the squirrels, or even a pesky raccoon, will have a go at it. What you may not expect, however, is to look out the window […]

by caroline kettlewell

The Furry Flyer

In a wingsuit of fur, the Southern flying squirrel takes to the air. When evening falls, and we retreat to our lighted shelters, wild things stalk the night. Owls hunt on silent wings. Deer mow down the ornamentals. Coyotes trot heedlessly through backyards. And squirrels fly overhead? Why yes indeed, they do. […]

by caroline kettlewell

Single-Minded Stinger

The cicada killer wasp is a one-bug specialist. (Illustration by John Holder) When the whirring, whining drone of dog-day cicadas vibrates through the haze of Virginia’s late-summer heat, it also marks the season when another species arises. A determined hunter, the cicada killer wasp prowls the air with a single prey in […]

by caroline kettlewell

Showy Showoff

The red-winged blackbird is no retiring songbird. (Illustration by Michael White) Whether you’re a beginning birder, or no birder at all, the male red-winged blackbird is pleasingly easy to spot. Glossy black in body, the male sports bright red “epaulets” edged with yellow on its wings. They’re a common bird with […]

by caroline kettlewell

The Buck Stops Here

Once extinct, Virginia’s Eastern elk are back. elk elk 2005 acrylic on reclaimed ply 10″ x 10.6” spring 2022 phil’s paintings are inspired by the overlooked erverydayness that surounds us. his artworks suggest the passage of time through a marked surface and evidences of wear. phil is represented by i2i art inc. at www.i2iart.com/phil […]

by caroline kettlewell

Early Bloomers

The thrill of spotting spring’s first fleeting flowers. virginia_final2 (Illustration by Andrea Cobb) Long Bloomers are easy to love: that blowsy hydrangea, the patch of black-eyed Susans, the marathon of dahlias that stretch into fall. But the gift of early-blooming spring ephemerals is evanescence, not endurance. “‘Ephemeral’ means ‘fleeting,’” says Elaine […]

by caroline kettlewell

Touch Not the Cat

The venomous puss caterpillar is no cuddly kitten. (Illustration by Miriam Martincic) As we sat stuck at home last fall, a flurry of local news stories seized on the apocalyptic spirit of the season: “Weird-looking poisonous caterpillars are on the loose in Virginia,” one headline announced. “Alien hairball sends woman to emergency […]

by caroline kettlewell

Opossum Particulars

No rodent, this pascal packs a paunch. Although it doesn’t have the cachet of the kangaroo or the cuddliness of the koala, the Virginia opossum is the only native North American member of that strange order of non-placental mammals, Marsupialia. Like other marsupials, the opossum has a pouch in which it nurtures […]

by Henry L. Waller

Pages: 123456

Events

July 18, 2025

Finding Opportunities and Networking for Artists

Crossroads Art Center

July 18, 2025

Specialty Tours: Those Who Signed The Fairfax Resolves?

Carlyle House Historic Park

July 18, 2025

June – July @ Art Works!

Art Works

New Innovative Virginia Tea Rooms to Try

Around the world, as both a beverage and a pastime, tea is steeped in history and ritual. From the casual to the ceremonial, tea is a throughline for many cultures, and now, it’s enjoying a renewed interest from beverage pros who are drawn to tea’s unique flavor characteristics, health benefits, and cultural connections. Recently, two […]

by Stephanie Ganz

Virginia’s Top 10 Summer Festivals and Events 2025

STAUNTON – Festival of Concerts June 26–Aug. 2: The stunning strums and resounding chords of classical music echo through Staunton’s mountain landscape as Heifetz International Music Institute students from around the world take the stage, with new concerts every day. HeifetzInstitute.org GLOUCESTER – Food Truck Frenzy July 13: Virginia’s most mouthwatering food trucks descend on […]

by Hope Cartwright

Top Summer Mountain Events in Virginia

Making the most of summer’s fleeting sweetness reaches new heights in a mountaintop setting. From the Blue Ridge to the Alleghenies, sun-soaked adventures unfold among soaring trees and peaks. Discover what Virginia’s ridges offer at mountain venues this summer. Chairlift Sunset Sessions, Roseland July 12 & Aug. 16 Take in sunset views of misty blue […]

by Hope Cartwright

Natives

DeKay’s Brown Snake is a Friendly Garden Companion

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Finding Opportunities and Networking for Artists

Specialty Tours: Those Who Signed The Fairfax Resolves?

June – July @ Art Works!

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New Innovative Virginia Tea Rooms to Try

Virginia’s Top 10 Summer Festivals and Events 2025

Top Summer Mountain Events in Virginia

Natives

DeKay’s Brown Snake is a Friendly Garden Companion

Current Issue

Events

Finding Opportunities and Networking for Artists

Specialty Tours: Those Who Signed The Fairfax Resolves?

June – July @ Art Works!

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Most Popular

New Innovative Virginia Tea Rooms to Try

Virginia’s Top 10 Summer Festivals and Events 2025

Top Summer Mountain Events in Virginia

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weekly newsletter: VL Today

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