Winter wonder—martens, monkeys, and ladybugs
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Pine Marten peeking through brush atop a snow bank. © GIVEN PHOTOGRAPHY 2021
It’s winter here in the northern hemisphere. Plants are dormant. Landscapes are starkly beautiful. Some animals are hibernating. And we humans are cocooning indoors for more reasons than the cold weather.
Amazingly, there is still a world of activity outside in the animal kingdom, which includes insects. It is especially wondrous how they adapt to survive the cold. I know much of it is instinct. But I always wonder if it’s something more. These four animals seem to have it all figured out—steal a meal, soak in a hot spring, and huddle up.
Martens
There is a local story about an encounter with a Marten near the Jasper townsite in Alberta, Canada. Some guests were staying in a hostel near town when a marten decided to visit. If you aren’t familiar with these animals, they are in the weasel family, spend much of their lives in forests, usually sleep in trees, and are rarely seen. This particular marten got inside the hostel by climbing down its chimney. At the bottom it made all kinds of racket while rummaging through the woodbox, alerting the guests. They arrived just in time to see it steal a meal of chicken from the table. He was snarling and growling, chicken clamped in his sharp teeth as he hightailed it out the door, which the guests had happily opened for his escape. Once outside other martens arrived, surrounding the one with the chicken. According to Ben Gadd, author of Handbook of the Canadian Rockies, “In the ensuing noisy fight (martens yowl and hiss at one another) the chicken changed hands. I mean mouths, several times until it was in so many pieces that everyone must have got some.”
Although not as exciting as the hostel story, we spotted the pine marten pictured above one December outside of the Jasper townsite. Face-freezing 18 degree below temperatures and piles of snow did not slow him down. He jumped and hopped around, taking a couple of curious seconds to stop and check us out. (We aren’t that tough. We were snug in our warm car, camera lens mounted on the car window.) Unperturbed, he continued his quest for food. These tenacious critters seem to thrive in the winter.
Monkeys
Recently, I read a small blurb, titled “Monkey Business.” It stated that Japanese macaques pass cold winter days in “geothermally heated pools.” I knew bison did the same thing in the winter, gathering around warm geysers in Yellowstone National Park, but not monkeys. Curious, I did a little research. Macaques are also known as snow monkeys and they seem to have it all figured out. Troupes of these primates hang out in heated natural pools found in Jigokudani Monkey park in Japan. The story goes that these monkeys first observed people soaking in the hot springs then copied the human behavior. The park has no borders making it easy for these wild monkeys to come and go as they please on a daily basis. If you happen to be enjoying a little soak in the guest house pool, you just might find yourself in the company of a furry companion. If I ever get to visit, I definitely want a spa day with these guys!
Ladybugs and Bees
Ever wonder where ladybugs go in the winter? Probably not, but it’s kinda’ cool. They gather in large groups for warmth, emitting a chemical pheromone that can be detected by other ladies up to a mile away. Bees do something similar. They cluster in their hives throughout the winter, vibrating to keep the temperature warm with queen bees snug in the middle. Bees rotate duties so they all get to consume the stored honey for energy.
Despite my penchant for indoors with cozy throws and slippers when it’s cold, I do love a good winter outing. I think birds are always a wonder and winter birding is my favorite. About 30 miles north of us in Skagit Flats, we get thousands of migrating snow geese for the winter. Huge flocks congregate in farmer’s fields to feed. On a good day you can also see swans, eagles, and snowy owls.
Speaking of snowy owls, Seattleites got a wonderful bonus this winter. A snowy owl has been camped out for weeks on a rooftop in the Queen Anne neighborhood. It has been a birder hotspot this winter!
You also might enjoy reading these winter articles.
Do you love nature or the idea of spending more time in nature? Do you want to tap into the empowering energy of nature? Then grab a copy of my ebook on Amazon! How to Make Every Day a Walk in the Park: 101 Empowering Ways to Connect With Nature (and Yourself) from Amazon here.
For more winter activities read Seven Things to do Outside this Winter.
