Spotted Salamanders have started their migration to vernal pools throughout Indiana County. If you are traveling our roads at night keep an eye out for them to give them a chance to reach their mating areas. After mating they will make a return journey to their underground burrows, repeating the road crossing they made a few days before. Posted April 4, 2015.
The Latin name of the porcupine translates to 'pig with spines or quills'. We see more and more porcupines throughout our parks. This one was found dead in a small ravine area, what caused its demise we do not know. Maybe the harsh winter, which was tough on many wildlife, did it in. Porcupines are members of the rodent family - the only larger rodent in our area is the beaver. They are, of course, well-known for the quills which are known for two things: penetrating skin and staying in place. The porcupine is eaten by some people of Asian culture but mainly they are fed on by the Fisher, a woodland animal known to seek them out for food. As the porcupine spreads its range the Fisher usually follows.
The Prairie State Incubator Works, once located in Homer City, PA was the largest incubator works in the world. The incubators, designed by James Nix, were regarded as the finest egg incubators on the market. The plant was located along what is now the Hoodlebug Trail at the site of the former FMC Plant. An interpretive display about the Prairie State Incubator Works can be viewed along the Hoodlebug Trail. The company located in Homer City in 1887 and continued operations until 1925. Incubators made here were shipped world-wide. The photo shows the interior of the well-lighted plant which featured many modern conveniences of its day including a fire supression system in an all concrete building. Two earlier incubator factories in Homer City, located near the present site of Floodway Park, were destroyed by fire.
