Will the cold snap of January take out invasive insects?

That's the theme of this NY Times article. My reply: Perhaps, at least in the short term, but long-term invasions are still on. Thirty years ago it was nothing for me to go tromping through hay fields and meadows of perennials in search of native butterflies. It would be chancy to do so now, though, as Lyme disease-carrying ticks are expanding their range northward, thanks to climate change.

The rise of the tick

I am almost scared to go into the woods anymore, even here in northern Vermont. I remember coming home to Pennsylvania from a birding/botanizing trip to national wildlife refuges on Delmarva (mid 90s) and eventually finding two ticks embedded in my waist. That required a quick trip to the ER. Read about the threat.