Author: Lisa Mungovan

Parts of 13 states, will be filled with the sound of cicadas this spring. The Greater Eastern Brood was first spotted in the 1600’s, in Massachusetts. Billions of the big harmless insects will emerge, after spending 17 years underground as nymphs. They’ll crawl out, shed their skins, and sing loudly to find a mate.

Put down those dirty dishes! If you have a dishwasher, there’s no need to pre-wash them by hand. Pre-washing dishes could be wasting 6000 gallons of water per year in your household, as well as 10 days of time. Modern dishwashers will clean them. Really. Just scrape off the food scraps!

Where would we be without bees? We’d have no honey, flowers, fruits or vegetables. Farmers depend on honey bees to pollinate crops. There are over 20,000 different species of bees, from the tiny sweat bee, to the fuzzy bumble bee, to the huge carpenter bee, chewing holes in your fence. Happy World Bee Day!

Today is Rescue Dog Day. In the U.S. alone, over 3,000,000 dogs are waiting to be adopted in shelters. There have even been rescue dogs in the White House. President Biden’s dog Major, was adopted from the Delaware Humane Association. Visit a local animal shelter, and you might come home with a new best friend!

Today is Be A Millionaire Day. Will you make your million dollars, by inventing something amazing, or by being good about saving money? While you make a plan, gain a stone by eating a peck of strawberries. It’s Pick Strawberries Day, and also Weights And Measures Day! How many kilograms are in a ton?

The shortest dog in the world, a chihuahua named Pearl, might have competition. She stands 3.59 inches at the shoulder. A Yorkie named Lulu is only 3 inches tall, but since she’s just 4 months old, she could still grow taller than Pearl. Lulu needs to be a year old to claim the title.

A moose in Alaska gave birth to her baby, on the grass outside Providence Hospital. She stayed there with her calf for several hours, entertaining staff and visitors with the amazing event. Maybe it was the same moose who wandered into the hospital 2 years ago, to munch on the decorative plants.

The endangered sei whale, is the third-largest whale in the world, growing up to 64 feet long. They were hunted so much in the 1920’s and 30’s, that they left their ancestral waters around Argentina. After nearly a century, the giant whales are repopulating the South American coast. Their population is now around 50,000.

A movement called No Mow May, is spreading. All you have to do, is let your grass grow in the springtime, to give bees a chance to dine on lawn flowers like violets, dandelions, and clover. Post a sign in your yard, so neighbors know you’re feeding the bees, not neglecting your yardwork.

If your name is May or Ray, this day is extra-special for you. As for everyone else, get outside in the sunshine and catch some rays! It’s May Ray Day! It’s also Devil’s Food Cake Day. Do you know how the chocolate cake gets so moist? The recipe calls for hot or boiling water.