Red and Black Currants are present on the property and the moose seem to be picky about what berry they like to consume.

Is the abundance of insects unusual? Updates from around the state with picking and weather impacts.

Foam or saliva-looking substance on seen on flowering plants like fireweed and yarrow.

Alaska is one of the only places in the world where peony flowers grow in the summer months. But the unusually cold, wet weather this year is delaying the blooms by weeks.

"I don’t recall seeing anything like this before."

For property owners, the beetles present a vexing scenario, as some scramble to keep their trees alive while others mourn the loss and embark on the oftentimes costly removal process.

Interesting cysts covering a young choke cherry tree.

This season the birch pollen has been particularly bad. Some people with asthma have had to leave the state. The peak was May 18 when pollen counts were 974 grains per cubic meter.

"The first snowfall of this year happened so early that the leaves on the trees had not fallen yet. The weight of the snow on top of the trees that had not shed their leaves caused the trees to incur damage."

Red currant leaf consumption by something was observed by my supervisor while walking along a salmon stream.

Buds are appearing right as we move into a 2-day cold spell of below zero nights. An adjacent willow budded a few weeks ago during a similar cycle of warmth followed by cold, and it appears to be putting some buds out, although on different branches.

The unthinkable (ripe Alaska walnuts) a few decades ago is potentially our new reality as our climate continues to shift (warmer summers and longer falls). As our climatic parameters shift, so does our opportunity to diversify our edible plantings!

Late-blooming lily may benefit from warm temperatures in late September/early October.

A wild rose (Rosa acicularis) blooms late during a warm fall.

Pear shaped cranberries (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) are likely the result of a genetic mutation.

Residents note significant changes in the Christiansen Lake ecosystem since 2019. This includes fewer nesting birds, fish, and mammals around the lake, while the leech population has increased along with the occurrence of algal blooms.

I have never seen fireweed like this. It is not growing with the normal straight stalk. Is it fireweed? My yard is full of them.

This is the first time I recall seeing Fireweed that has a form like this.

I have not seen this before at Cheney Lake.

Elevated pollen levels in Anchorage and across Alaska raise questions about changes in respiratory health and the importance of having good air quality during the coronavirus pandemic.