My favorite blooms in early July decorate an unusual tree, once commonly found throughout Illinois and other nearby states. It’s a catalpa tree that was growing in the backyard when I moved in, and ...

Meghan Holmes is a writer and documentarian specializing in scientific topics such as the environment, invasive species, sustainability, and food issues. She holds a master's in Southern Studies from ...

Although I wrote about this phenomenon a few years ago, I’m revisiting the subject now because they have returned. The ‘they’ consists of masses of catalpa hornworms currently consuming the leaves of ...