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. elizabethhilborn.comhttps://bsky.app/profile/elizabee.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/elizabee.bsky.social/post/3mtalikth2c2eThis year has gifted us abundant jujubes at the farm! #backyardfruits17 Aug 2026 01:48 +0000at://did:plc:2ewtocol7efy7e5xvgoh72cm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtalikth2c2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/elizabee.bsky.social/post/3mt3ylk3gdc2vWild senna (Senna spp.) with ants. Wild senna and ants have a mutualistic relationship where each species benefits. The ants receive sugar from extrafloral nectaries clustered near the top of the plant. The plant receives protection from herbivores. #NativePlants 🌱 #Invertebrates15 Aug 2026 05:59 +0000at://did:plc:2ewtocol7efy7e5xvgoh72cm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mt3ylk3gdc2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/elizabee.bsky.social/post/3msvviwzt2c2sSurvey results caught my attention: "More than nine in ten insured Americans have delayed care due to cost ... In fact, 95% of those surveyed said a medical emergency would likely put them into serious debt even with insurance." INSURED Americans 😐 https://www.jgwentworth.com/resources/medical-emergency12 Aug 2026 19:48 +0000at://did:plc:2ewtocol7efy7e5xvgoh72cm/app.bsky.feed.post/3msvviwzt2c2shttps://bsky.app/profile/elizabee.bsky.social/post/3msjq5ycsu22xA recent morning harvest of our early crop of figs. Top to bottom, varieties are: Brown turkey, Italian honey fig, and Celeste. #summerfruits #backyardfruit07 Aug 2026 23:40 +0000at://did:plc:2ewtocol7efy7e5xvgoh72cm/app.bsky.feed.post/3msjq5ycsu22xhttps://bsky.app/profile/elizabee.bsky.social/post/3mshmkb2wl222Early paw paws are ripening. These fruits are from seedling trees of unknown genetics--they were not selected for fruit quality. But they are the earliest ripening pawpaw trees at the farm. This trait may be valuable in a breeding program with early ripening as a goal. #summerfruits #nativefruit 🌱07 Aug 2026 03:30 +0000at://did:plc:2ewtocol7efy7e5xvgoh72cm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mshmkb2wl222https://bsky.app/profile/elizabee.bsky.social/post/3ms4nqa77ik25Sculpture at North Carolina's College of Veterinary Medicine02 Aug 2026 18:52 +0000at://did:plc:2ewtocol7efy7e5xvgoh72cm/app.bsky.feed.post/3ms4nqa77ik25https://bsky.app/profile/elizabee.bsky.social/post/3mrgua4jj4s2hHow can we better support Monarch butterflies? We can offer fresh, blooming milkweeds to late season travelers by mowing/cutting a portion of land once midseason (June to July in upper south/mid-Atlantic US). Example reports in comments. #pollinators #manageforwildlife 🧪🌍🌱🦋25 Jul 2026 02:50 +0000at://did:plc:2ewtocol7efy7e5xvgoh72cm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrgua4jj4s2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/elizabee.bsky.social/post/3mr56newu3s2cUnidentified Bombus on sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum) flowers. Haywood County, NC. People truck honey bee colonies up to the NC mountains each July to produce specialty sourwood honey. #nativebees #Blueridge21 Jul 2026 06:29 +0000at://did:plc:2ewtocol7efy7e5xvgoh72cm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mr56newu3s2chttps://bsky.app/profile/elizabee.bsky.social/post/3mql4hqzh2k2eSummer king apples galore this year! 🌱 🐝 #heirloomapples #summerfruit14 Jul 2026 02:03 +0000at://did:plc:2ewtocol7efy7e5xvgoh72cm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mql4hqzh2k2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/elizabee.bsky.social/post/3mq6rizmwjs23Despite food being the largest source of American's PFAS exposure, FDA declines to set limits on food contamination. PFAS is common in foods, and some exposures, such as eating contaminated freshwater fish, dwarf drinking water exposures. 🧪 🌍🌱 #PFAS #FDA https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/08/us-food-and-drug-administration-rejects-petition-to-set-pfas-limits-in-food09 Jul 2026 04:14 +0000at://did:plc:2ewtocol7efy7e5xvgoh72cm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mq6rizmwjs23https://bsky.app/profile/elizabee.bsky.social/post/3mprby6te7c2eAs antimicrobial use among animals is a driver of antimicrobial resistant bacterial infections in people, agricultural fungicide use is a driver of resistant fungal infections. And resistant fungal infections are increasing among people: tinyurl.com/dwp7s3jm 🧪🌍🌱 https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/antimicrobial-stewardship/who-aims-help-nations-confront-growing-threat-fungal-disease-antifungal03 Jul 2026 19:32 +0000at://did:plc:2ewtocol7efy7e5xvgoh72cm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mprby6te7c2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/elizabee.bsky.social/post/3moea77hd2k2vScrewworms are invasive flies in the southern US (so far) whose larvae eat flesh. Dogs and cats can be infested as well as many other wild and domestic animals and humans. CIDRAP has advice for how to recognize infestations and protect your animals. 🧪🌍 https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/new-world-screwworm/how-protect-outdoor-pets-new-world-screwworm15 Jun 2026 21:30 +0000at://did:plc:2ewtocol7efy7e5xvgoh72cm/app.bsky.feed.post/3moea77hd2k2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/elizabee.bsky.social/post/3mobfr4bans2zAtlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) collapse will have global effects. "For too long, understanding and monitoring the AMOC was viewed as an academic pursuit. Instead, it should now be treated as what it truly is: an urgent, global priority." 🧪 🌍 https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jun/14/amoc-collapse-europe-climate14 Jun 2026 18:32 +0000at://did:plc:2ewtocol7efy7e5xvgoh72cm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mobfr4bans2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/elizabee.bsky.social/post/3mnungz5rks2lAnother example of how our regulatory system is failing consumers and protection of the public health. [contains quote post or other embedded content]09 Jun 2026 16:45 +0000at://did:plc:2ewtocol7efy7e5xvgoh72cm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mnungz5rks2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/elizabee.bsky.social/post/3mnpwibzwdc2mThe persistent drought is affecting wildlife, too. If you have deer neighbors--consider setting out water for the does to drink. They need extra water to make sufficient milk at this critical time with new fawns to feed. Here in central NC, I'm refilling wildlife water buckets daily. #wildlife07 Jun 2026 19:43 +0000at://did:plc:2ewtocol7efy7e5xvgoh72cm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mnpwibzwdc2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/elizabee.bsky.social/post/3mnealsvays2vA proposed OMB Rule affects Medicaid, Science, Transportation, Food assistance, and more Federal grants represent about 36 cents of every dollar a state spends. This rule puts the grant process under political control effective October 1, 2026 Submit comments before 7/13/2026 tinyurl.com/mr2tu3h7 https://elizabethginexi.substack.com/p/this-new-omb-rule-is-bigger-than03 Jun 2026 04:12 +0000at://did:plc:2ewtocol7efy7e5xvgoh72cm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mnealsvays2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/elizabee.bsky.social/post/3mnbpkd2ehs2mDreaming of cherries fresh from your backyard? In the mid-Atlantic area of the US, low care 'pie' cherries are commonly grown. We have two varieties: North Star, a small tree, and Juliet, a bush cherry . Juliet fruit (center in pic) flanked by two North Star fruits. 🌱 #backyardfruit #cherries02 Jun 2026 04:02 +0000at://did:plc:2ewtocol7efy7e5xvgoh72cm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mnbpkd2ehs2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/elizabee.bsky.social/post/3mn4z4dkye22lIndependent science is threatened by political control if these proposed changes are enacted. Elizabeth shows how to submit impactful comments (July 13 deadline). [contains quote post or other embedded content]31 May 2026 07:10 +0000at://did:plc:2ewtocol7efy7e5xvgoh72cm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mn4z4dkye22lhttps://bsky.app/profile/elizabee.bsky.social/post/3mmkh5phpxs2nFor those in Eastern US receiving some much-needed rain, watch for turtles on the roads. Due to drought, the soil had been too dry to dig nests. Now, turtles will be active over the next days to weeks. If safe to do so, remove them from the travel lanes, car strikes are reducing populations. 🌍23 May 2026 22:00 +0000at://did:plc:2ewtocol7efy7e5xvgoh72cm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mmkh5phpxs2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/elizabee.bsky.social/post/3mm4ay47lgc2yBottom trawling removes both animals and habitat. [contains quote post or other embedded content]18 May 2026 06:33 +0000at://did:plc:2ewtocol7efy7e5xvgoh72cm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mm4ay47lgc2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/elizabee.bsky.social/post/3mm4ahspqok2yTreskova et al. reported changes in vector borne disease in Lancet Planetary Health (2025) In our recent systematic review of drought and West Nile Virus, we find consistent associations between seasonal drought and West Nile Virus infections. https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/13/12/2851 🧪 🌍 #climate #disease18 May 2026 06:23 +0000at://did:plc:2ewtocol7efy7e5xvgoh72cm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mm4ahspqok2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/elizabee.bsky.social/post/3mkdz6qahtc24A clearwing moth on honey-scented Aronia melanocarpa blooms! Many moths are pollinators as are flies (see smaller insect to the left). Among insects as among other life forms, one cannot cleanly categorize into 'friend' or 'foe'. Assume 'friend' in the absence of other information. 🐝💚 #pollinators25 Apr 2026 21:44 +0000at://did:plc:2ewtocol7efy7e5xvgoh72cm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkdz6qahtc24https://bsky.app/profile/elizabee.bsky.social/post/3mjn7s47zl22uHickories decked out in their best spring attire: left, shagbark hickory (Carya ovata) and right, shellbark hickory (C. laciniosa). IME these species produce the best-flavored and easily accessible hickory nuts in central NC. 🌍 🌱 #foraging #foodforest #nuttree16 Apr 2026 20:11 +0000at://did:plc:2ewtocol7efy7e5xvgoh72cm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjn7s47zl22uhttps://bsky.app/profile/elizabee.bsky.social/post/3mjbhwrenz22hWell here's a little ray of sunshine. Does this mean that I can distill spirits in my home now? A fruit growers dream: fortified wines and apple brandy within reach! https://www.theguardian.com/law/2026/apr/11/appeals-court-ruling-home-distilling-ban-unconstitutional12 Apr 2026 04:05 +0000at://did:plc:2ewtocol7efy7e5xvgoh72cm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjbhwrenz22hhttps://bsky.app/profile/elizabee.bsky.social/post/3mihwrge3622sA serious setback for disease control: on 3/31 CDC eliminated laboratory testing for some pathogens and parasites. This leaves underfunded state health departments responsible for detecting rabies and monkeypox--diseases that require rapid interventions to limit spread. https://cdc.gov/infectious-diseases-labs/php/test-directory/index.html02 Apr 2026 00:21 +0000at://did:plc:2ewtocol7efy7e5xvgoh72cm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mihwrge3622s