DNR: Anglers, Please Clean Your Gear.

This week's Natural Connections article by Emily Stone.

Predaceous diving beetles regularly fly between bodies of water, and these 1.5 inch-long insects have been observed around homes recently.

“Let’s start with the evergreens,” I told the small group who’d showed up for my tree identification program.

This week's featured outdoors column from Emily Stone.

"'Who’s eating my trees?' asked a participant on a hike last week. I’d been wondering the same thing!"

A frozen waterfall on the Kadunce River in Northern Minnesota stands out against the backdrop of ancient bedrock.

Pine siskins put on more fat than many other little birds. They also fluff out their feathers and tuck up their toes to stay warm on frigid days.

Short-tailed weasels need snowy winters to match the camouflage of their white fur, and to provide safe, warm hunting grounds.

By burning in winter, staff take advantage of wet conditions, which reduces the heat and intensity of cattail marsh and barren burns.

'As with snow crystals, no two snowflake stories will ever be just alike, and their beauty is a reflection of the community who created them.'

'After seven days in Hawaii my appreciation for the state sprouted like a weed and is ready for another trip!'

"With small, pointed, waxy leaves and bright berries, many of the plants reminded me of species I’d find in bogs in the Northwoods."

The DNR and MADD want to share these safety tips to make snowmobiling a great experience with all recreation explorers.

"Theirs is a common plight on Hawaii, a hotbed of extinctions."

"The volcanoes of Hawaii were fun to visit, but I have to admit, I prefer my basalt super old with the possibility of agates."

"Arriving to Hawaii on relatively large wings feels impressive, but not impossible."

"From afar, Hawaii seems really different from the Northwoods. Upon closer examination, I found all sorts of natural connections."

"As different as this tropical paradise is from the Northwoods, I still found plenty of natural connections."

"My friend and I breathed deeply, grateful for the oxygen, the beautiful rocks, and the scientists whose research uncovers the Earth’s stories."

'From laughter, to curiosity, to other forms of internal medicine, birch polypore is a common fungus with a lot to offer.'

Lake trout are managed in Lake Superior using a quota system with different allocations for different user groups.

This world provides us with much to be thankful for.

A juvenile loon lingers on Lake Namakagon, gaining strength for their long flight to the ocean.