A Z
A Amphibians The Pine Bush is home to many different amphibians. This is the eastern spadefoot toad. Spadefoot toads have back feet shaped liked shovels used for digging backward into soft sand. If you want to see an eastern spadefoot toad, your best chance is on a rainy spring night.
B Buckmoth Look quickly or you ll miss the buckmoth! These bold black and white moths fly quickly and for only a few weeks in the fall.
C Coyote tracks Many mammals live in the Pine Bush, including eastern coyotes. You may not see coyotes on a visit to the Pine Bush, but we know that they re here by the tracks they leave behind.
http://www.turtletrack.org/co_coloring/co_coloringbook_9.htm D Dragonfly Dragonflies are strong and fast fliers. They eat insects including mosquitoes and can catch and eat their food while they are flying!
E Elfin butterflies There are a few different types of elfin butterflies in the Pine Bush. Frosted elfins can be seen flying in the spring. They are endangered in New York State. Males are gray-brown and females are reddish-brown.
F Fire The Pine Bush is an environment that needs fire. Plants of the Pine Bush can survive fires and some even need fire to grow.
G Great blue heron The Great blue heron can stand at almost 3 feet tall! This bird patiently hunts in ponds and other wet areas for its food. Herons eats mostly fish and amphibians.
Environment Canada H Hognose snake The hognose snake is a great actor. When scared, it flares out its neck and hisses like a cobra. The snake can also roll over and play dead! Hognose snakes are harmless to people and feed mainly on toads, frogs and other amphibians.
I Insects There are many different kinds of insects in the Pine Bush. Can you find a butterfly? Dragonfly? What about the ladybug or the praying mantis?
J Just take pictures Remember when visiting the Pine Bush leave the plants and animals and take only pictures! The Pine Bush is home to many different living things. We can help them to survive simply by looking and not taking.
K Karner blue butterfly The Karner blue is a very special butterfly. It is an endangered species, which means there are not many of them left. Males have blue wings with white and black on the edges. Females are blue-brown with orange spots along the bottoms of the wings.
L Wild blue lupine The wild blue lupine has beautiful flowers that bloom in the spring. This plant grows best in open, sunny areas. Lupine is the only food that Karner blue caterpillars eat, so it is a very important plant.
M Mushrooms The fall season is a good time to explore mushrooms in the Pine Bush. You might see this mushroom, called a barometer earthstar. Earthstars are common in dry pine barrens.
. N Native plants Native plants have been growing here for a long time. It is important that we keep them in the Pine Bush because many animals depend on them for food and shelter.
O Oaks Many different kinds of oaks are a part of the Pine Bush. Tree oaks and scrub oaks both grow in the Preserve. Their leaves turn beautiful colors in the fall. What colors will your leaves be?
P Prairie warbler The prairie warbler is one of many birds that make the Pine Bush their summer home. In the fall they migrate south to Central America and the West Indies where they spend the winter. In the spring, they ll make the long journey back north to their summer homes.
Q Quiet Shhhhh did you see that? By walking quietly through the Pine Bush, you may catch a glimpse of wildlife!
R Reptiles Snakes and turtles are reptiles that live in the Pine Bush. This reptile is the eastern box turtle. It can completely close up its shell for protection from other animals.
S Sand dune All of the trees and plants in the Pine Bush are growing on sand. So, if you are walking up or down a hill in the Pine Bush, remember that it is actually a sand dune.
T Ticks Ticks live in the Albany Pine Bush. If you see a tick on you or a friend, just brush it away. Always check yourself to make sure no ticks come home with you! And do a good check when you get home too.
U Underwater Under the water there is a whole new world of plants and animals! What else can you draw that lives under the water?
California Department of Fish and Game, Bobbie Winn V Vernal pools Vernal pools are very important places for many different animals including frogs, toads, salamanders, snakes, turtles, and insects. These pools are full of life in the spring, but usually dry up by the end of summer.
W White-tailed deer White-tailed deer can be found throughout the Pine Bush and may even be in your backyard! The white underside of their tail serves as a warning flag to other deer that danger is close.
X X marks the spot! Use your Albany Pine Bush Preserve trail map to plan your next hike. Always bring a trail map with you to help you stay on the right path. The dotted lines are the hiking trails.
Y You! This page is just for YOU! Are you on our next volunteer? Or do you want to help us collect seeds and native plants? What can you do to help us conserve the Albany Pine Bush?
http://www.snomnh.ou.edu/collections-research/crsub/mammalogy/mammalkey/eptesicus_fuscus.html Z Zzz zzz zzz Daytime sleepers Bats are nocturnal animals. They are active at night and sleep during the day. Bats sleep while hanging upside down! This is the Big brown bat.
Enjoy your visit to the Albany Pine Bush Preserve. Keep a look out for all that you ve learned, from A-Z! To learn more please visit www.albanypinebush.org