Happening at the Crossroads
January 28, 2007
Crossroads at Big Creek will celebrate Groundhog’s Day this year. At 2:00 (on 2/2) we will offer a lecture on predicting weather. Don’t you just have to wonder why, of all the creatures in the world, that we have a holiday to honor a rodent on February 2?
The bit about the groundhog waking up today is simply media hype. In this region, groundhogs hibernate from October to March or even into April. Hibernation is a reliable solution to a squirrelly problem. Yes, groundhogs (also known as woodchucks) are squirrels. Anyway, other squirrels collect and cache nuts and seeds, which keep well in winter. Groundhogs eat leaves and leafy plants. Groundhogs store food all right, but in the form of body fat.
Before a groundhog goes into hibernation (a state in which body functions and temperature are significantly reduced), it seals itself into its chamber with dirt which probably just as well, because other animals use groundhog holes for their winter naps--animals like raccoons and snakes.
Groundhogs might sort of wake up on February 2nd--periodic arousals keeps hibernating animals from slipping from near-death into being truly and sincerely dead. [Some scientists believe that groundhogs come out of hibernation from time to time to catch up on sleep. Apparently, the body functions of a hibernating animal are so reduced that the brainwaves of sleep are impossible. And though we don’t completely understand why, we all know sleep is essential.] So a groundhog may ease out of hibernation to prevent death, but sun or no sun, it isn’t going to pop out of his hole in this region.
The holiday actually goes back to the religious observance of Candlemas, which was celebrated by 40 days after Christmas. And somehow, European Christians came to believe that if a hedgehog saw its shadow on February 2, weather would improve. Hedgehog? Groundhog? Something, but not the superstition, was lost in translation when immigrants arrived in America.
Superstition and misconceptions are persistent. The annals of science are crammed with tales of persistent, but erroneous beliefs. Curious about this topic? The Door Peninsula Astronomical Society invites the community to its Tuesday, February 6 meeting with the feature program,Mike Egan will present the lecture “Accidental Discoveries and New Understandings….and Openness to Possibilities." He will relate of why science “reflects only truths relative to agreed convention” and show how fresh evidence can change thinking completely.
The meeting and lecture will begin at 7:00PM at the Collins Learning Center, but come early if the skies are clear. Starting at 6:30, members of DPAS will be introduce you to the some of the truly stunning winter constellations from the porch of the learning center.
Crossroads at Big Creek is a donor-supported learning preserve dedicated to life-long learning in science, history and the environment. The entrance and parking area is located across from Whitetails Unlimited on Michigan (TT) Street in Sturgeon Bay. For more information, call 920-746-5895.
Animals on the snow - January 1 News
Watching the skies at Christmas - December 17 News
Christmas presents for wildlife - December 3 News
Find out what Christmas trees wildlife prefer - November 22 News
Learn about middens - November 20 News
