Elizabeth Hilborn
@elizabee.bsky.social
Bee veterinarian, orchardist, environmental health scientist, writer, and award-winning author of "Restoring Eden" (CRP 2023). One health, agriculture with a future, pollinators and plants. Photos are my own unless otherwise credited.
New York Times bestseller "The Light Eaters" — Virtual book talk with Zoë Schlanger, Atlantic journalist covering science, health, and the environment. Tues., Dec. 16, 7-8:30pm EST. go.unc.edu/lighteaters
Schlanger invites us into the world of plant behavior and intelligence research.🧪🌍🌱
Schlanger invites us into the world of plant behavior and intelligence research.🧪🌍🌱
November 24, 2025 at 8:46 PM
New York Times bestseller "The Light Eaters" — Virtual book talk with Zoë Schlanger, Atlantic journalist covering science, health, and the environment. Tues., Dec. 16, 7-8:30pm EST. go.unc.edu/lighteaters
Schlanger invites us into the world of plant behavior and intelligence research.🧪🌍🌱
Schlanger invites us into the world of plant behavior and intelligence research.🧪🌍🌱
Normal bee fluff/floof. (Potayto/potahto) 😄. That's one of the reasons why bees are such efficient pollinators. The floof passively collects pollen and they carry it among flowers.
September 21, 2025 at 9:03 PM
Normal bee fluff/floof. (Potayto/potahto) 😄. That's one of the reasons why bees are such efficient pollinators. The floof passively collects pollen and they carry it among flowers.
I'm pleased to present "Restoring Eden" for the Durham Garden Forum on Tuesday evening September 16. I'll be discussing how to support pollinators at home. 🐝🦋
Link to the event in first comment.
Link to the event in first comment.
September 12, 2025 at 8:58 PM
I'm pleased to present "Restoring Eden" for the Durham Garden Forum on Tuesday evening September 16. I'll be discussing how to support pollinators at home. 🐝🦋
Link to the event in first comment.
Link to the event in first comment.
It's a race every year to secure some beech nuts before the squirrels strip them from the trees.
I'm watching closely. The husks will open any day now.
Foodforest#
I'm watching closely. The husks will open any day now.
Foodforest#
September 3, 2025 at 1:22 AM
It's a race every year to secure some beech nuts before the squirrels strip them from the trees.
I'm watching closely. The husks will open any day now.
Foodforest#
I'm watching closely. The husks will open any day now.
Foodforest#
Chytrid fungal infections among frogs thrived in shady areas, but not among frogs living near boulders.
"The researchers hypothesized that the boulders acted as natural refuges that absorbed heat during the day and slowly released it at night."
1/N
"The researchers hypothesized that the boulders acted as natural refuges that absorbed heat during the day and slowly released it at night."
1/N
August 20, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Chytrid fungal infections among frogs thrived in shady areas, but not among frogs living near boulders.
"The researchers hypothesized that the boulders acted as natural refuges that absorbed heat during the day and slowly released it at night."
1/N
"The researchers hypothesized that the boulders acted as natural refuges that absorbed heat during the day and slowly released it at night."
1/N
A pickerel frog decided to use one of our livestock water buckets today.
I added supports for them to climb out and removed livestock near the bucket. Pickerel frogs (Rana palustris) can secrete toxins when they feel threatened.
#farmlife
I added supports for them to climb out and removed livestock near the bucket. Pickerel frogs (Rana palustris) can secrete toxins when they feel threatened.
#farmlife
August 19, 2025 at 6:27 PM
A pickerel frog decided to use one of our livestock water buckets today.
I added supports for them to climb out and removed livestock near the bucket. Pickerel frogs (Rana palustris) can secrete toxins when they feel threatened.
#farmlife
I added supports for them to climb out and removed livestock near the bucket. Pickerel frogs (Rana palustris) can secrete toxins when they feel threatened.
#farmlife
Sweet (and hot) summer. I give my Anaheim peppers time to color up for a sweeter flavor with a bit more heat.
🌱
🌱
August 16, 2025 at 11:38 PM
Sweet (and hot) summer. I give my Anaheim peppers time to color up for a sweeter flavor with a bit more heat.
🌱
🌱
Cranefly orchid flowers (Tipularia discolor) emerging after heavy rains these few past weeks. They rely upon moths for pollination.
Ephemeral mid-summer treat!
🌍🦋🌱
Ephemeral mid-summer treat!
🌍🦋🌱
July 27, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Cranefly orchid flowers (Tipularia discolor) emerging after heavy rains these few past weeks. They rely upon moths for pollination.
Ephemeral mid-summer treat!
🌍🦋🌱
Ephemeral mid-summer treat!
🌍🦋🌱
Chamber entrance aligned to winter solstice in central Vermont, US
July 20, 2025 at 9:03 PM
Chamber entrance aligned to winter solstice in central Vermont, US
Unusually early ripening of North Carolina antique variety Summer King this year in central NC.
Summer King has been a heavy annual bearer for me and is the earliest apple variety to ripen in my orchards.
🌱 🍎
Summer King has been a heavy annual bearer for me and is the earliest apple variety to ripen in my orchards.
🌱 🍎
July 13, 2025 at 3:44 AM
Unusually early ripening of North Carolina antique variety Summer King this year in central NC.
Summer King has been a heavy annual bearer for me and is the earliest apple variety to ripen in my orchards.
🌱 🍎
Summer King has been a heavy annual bearer for me and is the earliest apple variety to ripen in my orchards.
🌱 🍎
One of my favorite plants for pollinators here in NC. A member of the halictidae and two from apidae. Bee trifecta.
July 11, 2025 at 7:01 PM
One of my favorite plants for pollinators here in NC. A member of the halictidae and two from apidae. Bee trifecta.
Bumble bees choose to play! Young bees and male bees are more likely to choose to play.
European scientists conduct experiments that reveal that play is the preferred activity (compared to foraging) for young bees.
🧪🌍🌱🐝
Link in first comment.
European scientists conduct experiments that reveal that play is the preferred activity (compared to foraging) for young bees.
🧪🌍🌱🐝
Link in first comment.
July 3, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Bumble bees choose to play! Young bees and male bees are more likely to choose to play.
European scientists conduct experiments that reveal that play is the preferred activity (compared to foraging) for young bees.
🧪🌍🌱🐝
Link in first comment.
European scientists conduct experiments that reveal that play is the preferred activity (compared to foraging) for young bees.
🧪🌍🌱🐝
Link in first comment.
Eastern carpenter bees are some of our most reliable pollinators at the farm.
July 1, 2025 at 9:54 PM
Eastern carpenter bees are some of our most reliable pollinators at the farm.
This male Spot-winged glider stayed still long enough for me to capture him with my phone!
June 29, 2025 at 9:06 PM
This male Spot-winged glider stayed still long enough for me to capture him with my phone!
Southern magnolias (Magnolia grandiflora) evolved about 100 million years ago, before bees and moths emerged. The tumbling flower beetle in the Mordellidae family remains one of the magnolia's most important pollinators.
#nativeplants #pollinators 🧪🌍🌱
#nativeplants #pollinators 🧪🌍🌱
June 29, 2025 at 12:34 PM
Southern magnolias (Magnolia grandiflora) evolved about 100 million years ago, before bees and moths emerged. The tumbling flower beetle in the Mordellidae family remains one of the magnolia's most important pollinators.
#nativeplants #pollinators 🧪🌍🌱
#nativeplants #pollinators 🧪🌍🌱
Cope's gray treefrog (Hyla chrysoscelis)
June 29, 2025 at 12:28 PM
Cope's gray treefrog (Hyla chrysoscelis)
We've been separated from the reality of our own existence--how our lives are fully supported by natural systems. Predatory capitalism feels like a death cult.
Environment awareness is not new. Tom Wallace, President of the Izaak Walton League of America wrote 'How rich will we be?' July 1948
Environment awareness is not new. Tom Wallace, President of the Izaak Walton League of America wrote 'How rich will we be?' July 1948
June 26, 2025 at 12:22 PM
We've been separated from the reality of our own existence--how our lives are fully supported by natural systems. Predatory capitalism feels like a death cult.
Environment awareness is not new. Tom Wallace, President of the Izaak Walton League of America wrote 'How rich will we be?' July 1948
Environment awareness is not new. Tom Wallace, President of the Izaak Walton League of America wrote 'How rich will we be?' July 1948
I love it when the froglings emerge. These are still absorbing their tails and learning to breathe air.
June 22, 2025 at 11:49 PM
I love it when the froglings emerge. These are still absorbing their tails and learning to breathe air.
It feels like summer seeing this two-spotted bumble bee nectaring on purple coneflower 💕🐝💚🌍🌱
#nativebees #nativeplants
#nativebees #nativeplants
June 1, 2025 at 4:14 PM
It feels like summer seeing this two-spotted bumble bee nectaring on purple coneflower 💕🐝💚🌍🌱
#nativebees #nativeplants
#nativebees #nativeplants
Many thanks to these amazing animals who maintain our green planet and keep our families fed.
Happy World Bee Day! 🐝💚 #worldbeeday #bees #gratitude
Happy World Bee Day! 🐝💚 #worldbeeday #bees #gratitude
May 20, 2025 at 1:22 PM
Many thanks to these amazing animals who maintain our green planet and keep our families fed.
Happy World Bee Day! 🐝💚 #worldbeeday #bees #gratitude
Happy World Bee Day! 🐝💚 #worldbeeday #bees #gratitude
Tulip trees are in bloom! Tulip trees (Liriodendron tulipifera) are premier wildlife plants. They support pollinators, browsing mammals, and are larval host plants for swallowtail and viceroy butterflies.
🌍 🌱 🐝
🌍 🌱 🐝
May 9, 2025 at 11:18 PM
Tulip trees are in bloom! Tulip trees (Liriodendron tulipifera) are premier wildlife plants. They support pollinators, browsing mammals, and are larval host plants for swallowtail and viceroy butterflies.
🌍 🌱 🐝
🌍 🌱 🐝
Absolutely! Equal Exchange is my go-to. Has your research uncovered any issues with them?
April 27, 2025 at 10:06 PM
Absolutely! Equal Exchange is my go-to. Has your research uncovered any issues with them?
Zebra swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus) extending and drying their wings after emerging from their chrysalis. The North American native pawpaw tree (Asimina triloba) is their larval host plant.
🌍🌱
🌍🌱
April 19, 2025 at 11:09 PM
Zebra swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus) extending and drying their wings after emerging from their chrysalis. The North American native pawpaw tree (Asimina triloba) is their larval host plant.
🌍🌱
🌍🌱
In a virtual event at the GetLit! Literary festival, Michelle Nijhaus and I discuss wildlife conservation and our award winning books, Restoring Eden and Beloved Beasts.
View at: In Defense of Animals: Conservation as a Life’s Work
youtu.be/4Rlbqy5Ua8w
🌍 🐝 💙📚
View at: In Defense of Animals: Conservation as a Life’s Work
youtu.be/4Rlbqy5Ua8w
🌍 🐝 💙📚
April 19, 2025 at 6:44 PM
In a virtual event at the GetLit! Literary festival, Michelle Nijhaus and I discuss wildlife conservation and our award winning books, Restoring Eden and Beloved Beasts.
View at: In Defense of Animals: Conservation as a Life’s Work
youtu.be/4Rlbqy5Ua8w
🌍 🐝 💙📚
View at: In Defense of Animals: Conservation as a Life’s Work
youtu.be/4Rlbqy5Ua8w
🌍 🐝 💙📚