Discoveries

American Red Squirrel Sighted in Edgartown

Known on the Vineyard only from historical records and the contents of Native American middens, American red squirrel was recently documented at a bird feeder in Edgartown.

DeKay’s Brownsnake on the Move?

First recorded on Martha’s Vineyard in 2020, DeKay’s brownsnake has now been found in Edgartown, as well.

Megachile inimica Added to Vineyard Bee List

Megachile inimica, a large species of leaf-cutter bee, was found in the community garden at Thimble Farm in late September 2023. It representes the 197th species of bee documented on Martha’s Vineyard.

A Vineyard Moss Releases Its Spores

Two Vineyard naturalist, engaged an ongoing study of the island’s vascular plants and mosses, capture one of our native mosses preparing to release its spores.

Cyrtopogon falto

Cyrtopogon falto is the latest robber fly species (Asilidae) to be documented on Martha’s Vineyard.

New Bee Species for Martha’s Vineyard

The Azalea Mining Bee, Anderna cornelli, has been found on Martha’s Vineyard, raising the total of bee species known on the island to 193. Sharon Britton found several individuals on rhododendron flowers in her yard in West Tisbury.

Townsend’s Solitaire Sighted

Vineyard birds enjoyed a blast of wintertime excitement with the discovery, in Correllus State Forest on February 21, 2023, of the island’s third-ever Townsend’s Solitaire (Myadestes townsendi). The bird was found and identified by “Sea” Williams and Bridget Dunnigan.

“The Swiss Army Knife of Mushrooms”

Rarely reported on Martha’s Vineyard, the birch polypore fungus is a powerhouse of useful traits and chemical components.

When Life Gives You Mussels, Take Photos

iNaturalist helps two alert observers identify a freshwater mussel from a West Tisbury pond. Almost nothing seems to be known about these shellfish on the Vineyard.

Cuckoo Bees

These fascinating bees are kleptoparasites of other bees, laying their eggs in the nests of their host species instead of provisioning there own nests. One cuckoo bee, Coelioxyx octodentatus, was recently added to the Vineyard’s Bee checklist.