Winter brings change for several species in the Walla Walla Valley

November 2023 is gone with all the cool air and fog that came into the south quarter of the county.

Humans were racing around enjoying the Thanksgiving break traveling by car, airplane and yes, we even saw a couple on a motorcycle headed down Highway 12 out of town.

With the arrival of December and the last few hectic weeks of 2023, life becomes a race to meet all the commitments, promises and gatherings to attend.

In the natural world, the first few cold air nights have arrived with the very short daylight hours to do the last preparations before winter slams the door shut. 

The arrival of cold weather systems changes the activity levels and foraging patterns of most mammals here in this region.

The natural world does not recognize political boundaries save for loss or protection of habitat through environmental protection laws where needed.

One native mammal that does wander into the northern Blue Mountains from time to time has the Latin name is Gulo gulo, but is better known as the wolverine.

This is the largest member of the mustelid or weasel family. This big weasel is a serious predator/scavenger that just made the endangered species list as its numbers keep dropping. The snow and cold in which they thrive melts away earlier and earlier each spring.

They can reach up to 75 pounds and fear few other predators. Like all weasels from skunks to badgers and otters, they too have a scent gland with which they mark their dens, territories and kills.

There are several records of wolverines just east of Walla Walla up in the Umatilla National Forest. I personally have never had the privilege of seeing one of these truly wild beings even after 40-plus years of wandering around the Blue Mountains. If you have seen one, count yourself very fortunate.

This November brought a close to most activity by insects with many of the adults dying off after laying eggs.

There are, however, several families of insects that overwinter as adults. These groups are the Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths), the true bugs or shield bugs and an astounding group of flies, gnats and midges that fly on calm cold winter days as their blood is a kind of antifreeze which allows them to easily survive the cold.

As for the other insects, beetles, butterflies and moths, they hibernate in old buildings, large forest snags and under leaf litter.

There are also a group of unique insects known as Ice Worms and Ice Crawlers. Several species of spiders hunt across the snow and ice right up here in the Blue Mountains. Dan Biggs and I filmed them one winter.

As time passes, we learn more and more about our fellow travelers on this road of life. Nothing is written in stone as animals are constantly changing and adapting to rapidly altered circumstances.

We as humans appear to be pushing many species to the edge of their adaptive abilities as we alter the land, water, air and weather patterns. So, on this first day of the last month of 2023 let’s reconsider our personal impacts on other animals, habitats and the region in which we live.

I am greatly saddened to see yet another native wild species placed on the Endangered Species list like the wolverine. There are several other native species lined up to soon join it on this list of loss.

They are the Western Burrowing Owl and the Short-eared Owl for now. Earlier this year the Ferruginous Hawk, a once-expected native of Walla Walla County went on the Washington State Endangered Species list.

Please remember that careful and good stewardship of this region we know as the Lower Columbia Basin and the Northern Blue Mountains needs each of us to think of the future and what we are doing now.

I am convinced that we will not choose to cut down the last tree on this island of life we call home.

Remember, life is good!