Maryland Department of Natural Resources- Wildlife & Heritage Service

06/23/2026

What’s all the buzz about?

This year National Pollinator Week is celebrated from June 22-28. Ever wondered why when observed up close bees are so hairy? In honor of our awesome pollinators we’re gonna hit you with some knowledge!

Over 400 species of bees have been documented in Maryland, and unlike some other pollinators, bees actually seek flowers with pollen, rather than just seeking nectar. If you ever saw a bee covered in pollen, it is because the electromagnetic properties of bee hair enables pollen to stick to it. The hairs on bees have a positive charge and pollen has a negative charge. Think of it as static cling, but beneficial! In popular culture, the honey bee is the most popular and widely known species. Honey bees are from Europe. We still love them, but they are not native. Some of our native bees are the mining bee and the squash bee. Look at the links below for more information. There are many other pollinators out there, including hummingbirds, butterflies, flies, and beetles! As we celebrate all of our pollinators, we should give a special shout out to bees, our hardest workers.

Common bees of Maryland
https://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/Documents/CommonBees.pdf

The Maryland Pollinator Protection Plan
https://mda.maryland.gov/plants-pests/Documents/MarylandPollinatorProtectionPlan.pdf

What’s the Buzz: All About Pollinators
https://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/Pages/habitat/wawhatsthebuzz.aspx

Varroa destructor
https://www.ars.usda.gov/northeast-area/beltsville-md-barc/beltsville-agricultural-research-center/bee-research-laboratory/docs/varroa-destructor/

Pollinators and Pesticides
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/pollinators-and-pesticides

Photo credit: Stefan Kabenn - submitted to DNR Photo Contest.

05/23/2026

Has waterfowl hunting interested you? Maybe it's on your to-do list, but you just don't know where or how to get started? Join us for an Introduction to Waterfowl Hunting class, where experienced hunters and instructors will guide you through rules and regulations, the history of the sport in Maryland and much more!

The class is open to all individuals 18 and older who have successfully completed Hunter Education. The best part...it's FREE!

When: June 13, 10am-2pm
Where: Associated Gun Clubs of Baltimore, Marriottsville

For more information and to register visit https://forms.gle/s8xhDymmgSe39dua7

05/18/2026

They may look like they make wonderful pets, but Wild turtles do NOT make good pets! Not only is it in some cases illegal, but keeping turtles like these as a pet can kill them. These native wild animals are best observed in nature and left alone.

As their name implies, wood turtles have shells that look like wood. These once abundant turtles are vulnerable due to the loss of aquatic and terrestrial habitat. In addition to habit loss, wood turtles face threats from many other factors ranging from invasive plants, poor water quality, being hit by vehicles, diseases, and poaching for the illegal pet trade. These turtles, much like all other wild animal species, are not meant to be pets, so if you see one in the wild please feel free to take photos, but do not take them home with you.

For more information on these amazing turtles please visit:

https://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/Pages/plants_wildlife/herps/Testudines.aspx?TurtlesName=Wood%20Turtle%20%20%28Glyptemys%20insculpta%E2%80%8B%29

https://www.fws.gov/species/wood-turtle-glyptemys-insculpta

Photos by Brian Durkin - Wood turtle (left); Piece of wood (right)

05/14/2026

Maryland’s Hunter Education Program is pleased to honor Chief Hunter Education Instructor, Joseph E. Craig, Jr. for his 50 years of volunteer service! Craig became a certified hunter safety instructor in 1976 and was formally inducted into the Hunter Education Hall of Fame in 1995.

Craig’s team of instructors teach at several venues in Washington County each year and have served thousands of students under Craig’s leadership. Thanks to dedicated instructors like Craig and his team of instructors, the hunter education program in Maryland is stronger than ever!

Pictured: Western Region Hunter Education Coordinator, Dan Neuland (left) and retired Western Region Hunter Education Coordinator, Donnie Simmons (right) present a plague to Joe Craig (center) for his 50-years of volunteer service.

05/11/2026

Looking for some Memorial Day Weekend plans? It's a perfect time to register for the upcoming Bowhunter Education Course at Sanners Lake Sportsmen's Club in Lexington Park, MD. The Bowhunter Education Course is not required to archery hunt in Maryland, however it provides a solid foundation for anyone seeking archery-specific skills and knowledge beyond what the traditional Hunter Education Course covers.

Students will learn about specialized equipment, considerations, techniques, as well as responsible and ethical bowhunter behavior. This class will help individuals recognize their limitations with bowhunting equipment and identify ways to improve their bow-shooting skills.

This course will take place from 9am-5pm on Saturday, May 23 and Sunday, May 24. Having your own equipment is recommended but optional. You can find more information here: https://www.register-ed.com/events/view/238942

This event is free, but registration is required.

05/10/2026

Turkey hunters, today marks the first day of the extended hunting hours for wild turkey season. Beginning today, May 10, through the remainder of the season, which ends May 23, hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset, except on Sundays in certain counties.

For more information on wild turkey season, visit https://www.eregulations.com/maryland/hunting/turkey-seasons-limits

Phot by Lori R. Bramble submitted to the DNR Photo Contest

05/09/2026

A weekend of a BILLION birds! As the days warm back up and the foliage continues to emerge in Maryland, you may notice that many birds are returning from their southern wintering grounds. Some are staying, others are passing through as they continue north. More than 300 species of birds ranging from raptors to warblers make the journey. At around 2AM on Friday May 8 we had an estimate of 732 million birds passing through the continental U.S. and on days like Sunday the 10th with temperatures reaching 80 degrees, the warmer air will aid the birds in their migrations through Maryland!

That said, everyone needs adequate shelter and stopover habitat, even migratory birds. Your actions at home can make a difference in helping birds as they travel through Maryland! Birds navigate using the moon and stars as they make their annual journeys to more suitable climates. Brightly lit areas at night can confuse and disorient them, causing fatal collisions with homes and buildings. One effective way to help is by turning off outside lights between the hours of 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. and encouraging others to do the same. Another way is by keeping your cats inside if you have an indoor-outdoor cat, especially during migration. Last, but not least, we have provided information in the links below that give helpful tips such as keeping bird feeders clean and full. This will help many birds who have finished their migration or are part of the way through and need the extra calories!

Live Bird Migration Map:
https://birdcast.info/migration-tools/live-migration-maps/

Bird Migration Explorer
https://explorer.audubon.org/home?legend=collapse&layersPanel=expand

How to help migratory birds:
https://www.nwf.org/Magazines/National-Wildlife/2010/Help-Migratory-Birds

More ways to learn how birds migrate:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/when-will-spring-bird-migration-hit-its-peak-birdcast-has-answers/

Also, check out these strategies for making your windows bird-safe:
https://news.maryland.gov/dnr/2018/05/01/habichat-bird-safe-windows/.

Perhaps most importantly, if you find an injured bird from a window strike, always call your local wildlife rehabilitator. Quick action can make all the difference to save a bird’s life! Regional listings are available here: https://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/Pages/plants_wildlife/rehabilitators.aspx.

Learn more about “Lights Out” programs nationwide and in our region at: https://www.audubon.org/news/lights-out-turn-birds

http://www.lightsoutbaltimore.org/

05/08/2026

If you live in a part of the state with an active bear population, you know that bears and dogs don't mix. Understanding why encounters can go terribly bad, how to avoid them and other precautions you can take may be the difference between you and your dog being safe and potential injury.

You can read more about dog/bear interactions and ways to stay safe here

Making right choices can keep dogs and people safe and bears wild. Making wrong choices can have serious consequences for all. Get BearWise.

05/05/2026

Just a reminder, as the weather warms up many animals are more active. They may not know to stay away from or see some potential hazards in your yard that you may not even think about.

If you’re able, please put away or dismantle sports nets and other things that may snag unsuspecting animals. This red fox kit tangled itself in a backyard soccer net. WHS staff responded and were able to release it to a nearby waiting parent.

05/04/2026

Calling on all interested parties for an opportunity to take part in some Community Science! Maryland DNR is looking for volunteers to assist with diamond-backed terrapin headcount surveys around the state.

If spotting and observing our State Reptile sounds like fun then this might be for you! Surveys only require a pair of binoculars and a little bit of patience. If you are interested in learning more about this program, please fill out the form in the link!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdCFW2fua3NEqOk8ubeVXsl8UoawJkrwJU5WxC9rcKBmrKawg/viewform?usp=dialog

Don’t have time for surveys but still want to contribute? We have another opportunity to report diamond-backed terrapin sightings! The Northeast Terrapin Watch App is a quick and easy way to submit your terrapin observations anywhere in the Northeast.

Photo credit: Kevin Stohlgren