{"id":48841,"date":"2026-10-19T14:09:54","date_gmt":"2026-10-19T18:09:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/?p=48841"},"modified":"2026-10-23T13:13:15","modified_gmt":"2026-10-23T17:13:15","slug":"moon-mythology-and-maryland-wildlife-autumn-moons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/2026\/10\/19\/moon-mythology-and-maryland-wildlife-autumn-moons\/","title":{"rendered":"Moon Mythology and Maryland Wildlife: Autumn Moons"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Katy Gorsuch<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Setting<\/a>

Setting Full Moon by Susan Hale, submitted to the 2016 Maryland DNR Photo Contest<\/p><\/div>\n

Earth continues its yearly orbit, and we in the Northern Hemisphere begin our progression to the darkest portions of the year. It\u2019s time to conclude our exploration of the full moons and the diverse and wonderful ecology of Maryland they represent.<\/span><\/p>\n

As a reminder, while some of the full moons have names that go back to Indigenous traditions, other folk names for the full moons have developed in the last hundred years.<\/span><\/p>\n

Recorded in English as far back as <\/span>1722<\/span><\/a>, Indigenous peoples of the Americas have named the full moons, often in alignment with animals responding to the changing seasons, or locally important events.<\/span><\/p>\n

Full moon names varied widely depending on geographic location and language family amongst Native Americans, as wildlife responds differently depending on the length of the day, i.e., there is less sunlight in Massachusetts in October than in Maryland on the same day. For example, in some locations one full moon might be named \u201cGoose Moon,\u201d while in another location the same time period could be the \u201cCold Moon.\u201d The practice of naming moons hasn\u2019t been historically universal, and in the centuries since it was first recorded by colonists, misinformation has proliferated. For our purposes, using supposed Algonquian full moon names as a starting point provides a wonderful opportunity for us to explore Maryland\u2019s unique wildlife and how the seasons change!<\/span><\/p>\n

Autumn Moons:<\/b><\/p>\n

October_________________________________________________________<\/b><\/p>\n

Hunter\u2019s Moon, Travelling Moon<\/b><\/p>\n

This moon is often called the <\/span>Hunter\u2019s Moon<\/b>, but is cited in explorer <\/span>John Carver\u2019s 1779 work<\/span><\/a> as the \u201c<\/span>Travelling Moon<\/b>,\u201d due to it being a time wherein nomadic peoples may move to winter home sites. In fact, the term \u201cHunter\u2019s Moon\u201d may be from European tradition, having shown up unattached to Native American tradition in <\/span>text as far back as 1673<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Birds<\/a>

Birds Into the Sun by Brian Reidy, DNR Photo Contest 2024<\/p><\/div>\n

Migration has long been a part of the yearly travels of both peoples around the world as well as animal populations. In Maryland, many native animals take advantage of the shoulder seasons of spring and autumn to move to sites where resources may be more available. The familiar term \u201csnow bird,\u201d used to apply to humans who travel south when it turns cold, comes from the habit of many birds to migrate to warmer southerly regions in the fall. This said, <\/span>many bird species\u2019 seasonal instincts<\/span><\/a> come not from physical experience of colder temperatures, but from the change in light as the year progresses, called a photoperiod. This is <\/span>not the only factor<\/span><\/a> influencing this behavior, but it\u2019s been shown to be very persuasive, and can even help signal to birds <\/span>when to <\/span>stop<\/span><\/i> migrating<\/span><\/a>, along with geomagnetic cues.<\/span><\/p>\n

Many animals will begin eating more in late summer, a behavior called hyperphagia, as the total hours of daylight begin to wane. This ensures that in the event of an unusually long growing season, these species are not caught by a sudden start of cold temperatures. Other animals, like the American black bear, are <\/span>influenced both by temperature and photoperiod<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Monarch<\/a>

Monarch on Goldenrod by Victoria Schwinabart, DNR Photo Contest 2021<\/p><\/div>\n

Suggested Travelling Moon Activities: <\/b>Select some of the birds you see regularly and <\/span>research their migratory patterns<\/b>. Do they stay through the winter?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Plan your garden<\/b> to grow more native plants, including plants that support adult <\/span>monarch butterflies<\/span><\/a>, as well as milkweed for monarch caterpillars. Monarchs migrate south during this portion of the year, and rely on late-blooming flowers and plants to make it to their next destination. You can check out <\/span>recommendations for the Mid-Atlantic region here<\/span><\/a>, and if you\u2019ve been planting milkweed without getting caterpillars, consider planting flowers for the adults nearby to encourage them to visit.<\/span><\/p>\n

Suggested Hunter\u2019s Moon Activities: Take a <\/b>hunter education class<\/b><\/a>, <\/b>or refresh your knowledge if you haven\u2019t taken one in a while! Hunting deer is an important element in deer management, as Maryland has not been home to apex predators like wolves in more than 200 years. If you\u2019re interested in hunting, but not sure where to start, <\/span>join a mentored hunt<\/b><\/a> for practical help!<\/span><\/p>\n

November_______________________________________________________<\/b><\/p>\n

Beaver Moon<\/b><\/p>\n

November is cited as the <\/span>Beaver Moon<\/b>, as this is when \u201cthe beavers begin to take shelter in their houses, having laid up a sufficient store of provisions for the winter season.\u201d Happily, this gives us an opportunity to discuss the winter habits of this <\/span>intriguing aquatic mammal<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Beaver<\/a>

Beaver by William Pully, DNR Photo Contest 2023<\/p><\/div>\n

Beavers (<\/span>Castor canadensis<\/span><\/i><\/a>) are the largest rodent in Maryland and the entire United States. While we may think of them as roughly the size of a small dog (about 44 pounds is average), they can reach <\/span>weights of 77 pounds<\/span><\/a>! The largest beaver on record weighed<\/span>110 pounds,<\/span><\/a> caught in 1921 in Wisconsin. Based on fossil records, ancient giant beavers like <\/span>Castoroides ohioensis<\/span><\/i> may have been <\/span>as large as 200-275 pounds<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

During winter, adult beavers decrease in size (<\/span>including their tails<\/span><\/a>), using the fat stores on their bodies to get through times with thin resources. Unlike some other mammals, beavers do not hibernate during the winter, although they do <\/span>decrease their activity<\/span><\/a>. Dam repair waits for warmer weather, although lodge maintenance is accomplished, along with <\/span>grooming, feeding, and most importantly, sleeping and relaxing<\/span><\/a>. Depending on outside conditions, beavers may leave their dens <\/span>only a few times a night<\/span><\/a> to bring food inside from their cache. Contrary to popular opinion, beavers don\u2019t eat fish, and their winter food caches are made up of woody plants.<\/span><\/p>\n

Beavers spend a <\/span>significant portion of the fall<\/span><\/a> working on their dams and collecting the branches that will form their food for the winter. The goal of their dam construction during this season is to ensure the water around their lodge is deep enough to provide for an underwater entrance that will not freeze during the coldest parts of the winter (in case another entrance freezes over). In warmer areas, beavers won\u2019t stock their pantry in the same way, devoting their fall to lodge and dam work exclusively.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>

A happy family of beavers by Mohammed Mubashir, submitted to the 2018 Maryland DNR Photo Contest. Beavers typically live in family groups during the winter.<\/p><\/div>\n

Suggested Beaver Moon Activities: <\/b>Intriguingly, giant beavers feature in several legends of Algonquian-speaking peoples, and there is no better time to <\/span>get cozy and read<\/b> than the rapidly cooling late fall! The <\/span>Library of Congress has assembled a \u201cminibibliography\u201d<\/span><\/a> of books of lore and oral storytelling, helpfully also including books appropriate for kids, broken down by age group.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"December<\/a>

December 2025 Cold Supermoon, Talbot County, by Anthony Burrows<\/p><\/div>\n

December________________________________________________________<\/b><\/p>\n

Cold Moon, Hunting Moon<\/b><\/p>\n

December has been referred to as either the <\/span>Cold Moon<\/b> or <\/span>Hunting Moon<\/b>, depending on the source. Regardless of what\u2019s going on in the human world, December ushers in the official beginning of winter with the Winter Solstice (December 21 or 22).<\/span><\/p>\n

Winter Solstice is the \u201cshortest day of the year,\u201d in that it is the smallest amount of daylight that we\u2019ll receive in the Northern Hemisphere. Interestingly, the cold weather we experience is entirely related to the tilt of the planet \u2013 January 3 is actually the day the Earth is closest to the Sun in its yearly orbit (perihelion), while <\/span>late June or early July<\/span><\/a> is when the Earth is farthest (aphelion).<\/span><\/p>\n

The change in light, as we\u2019ve mentioned above, is often the most important cue that encourages animals to prepare for winter, both behaviorally and physically. Shortening photoperiods prompt the growth of longer and or denser hair for many mammals, including the famous Assateague horses. In fact, it\u2019s been shown that exposure to artificial light can <\/span>encourage changes in horse and pony coats<\/span><\/a>, often also in relation to the summer and winter solstices.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Assateague<\/a>

Assateague Winter 2025 – January 6th Snow Storm – DNR Staff<\/p><\/div>\n

Suggested Cold Moon Activities:<\/b> A lot of Marylanders contact us in DNR about worries for the native animals of the state during the coldest months of the year. The best thing you can do to help our native species is to ensure they have the resources they need to make it through the winter.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bees<\/b>: Most <\/span>North American bees<\/span><\/a> are solitary, and overwinter individually. Their preferred locations may be either in the ground, under autumn leaves, or in hollow reeds and stems from the year\u2019s plants. Wildflowers are particularly good for this! In order to help them weather the winter, <\/span>leave garden cleanup for late spring<\/b>, allowing them to use those dead stems.<\/span><\/p>\n

Butterflies, moths, fireflies, frogs and toads<\/b>: All these Marylanders, like some bees, overwinter under layers of fallen foliage. Another important reason to <\/span>leave the leaves<\/b><\/a> in your yard! If you are compelled to remove them, for HOA or aesthetic reasons, use a rake to move those leaves to mulch beds, so they can continue to provide nutrients and habitat to our native insects and other small animals!<\/span><\/p>\n

Bats<\/b>: Maryland\u2019s bats are all insectivores, and November through the end of cold weather is a time of dormancy because of the lack of food. During winter, bats may choose human houses, especially attics, to use as shelter. If you find bats in your attic this winter, <\/span>use our guide<\/b><\/a> to safely navigate the situation- it\u2019s typically recommended to avoid kicking them out until spring, when the bats can find new roosts without facing harsh conditions.<\/span><\/p>\n

Birds<\/b>: Birds unsuited to cold weather migrate South in the winter, so there is generally no need to be concerned about those birds who do stay in Maryland. If you are concerned for the <\/span>birds in your yard<\/span><\/a>, you can ensure there is cover where they can roost in poor weather.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mammals<\/b>: Most of Maryland\u2019s mammals who don\u2019t hibernate put on significant weight, as well as a new winter coat, when cold weather approaches! Likewise, those who are awake in the winter are often generalist species, able to eat a vast range of foods that may be available to them. The best way you can help them is to <\/span>provide habitat<\/b> for them, so they can help themselves to shelter and to native plants as food sources.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you\u2019d like to turn your space into much-needed habitat, check out our <\/span>Wild Acres resources<\/span><\/a>!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Snow<\/a>

Snow on the Roof Bird House by Gwen Neff, DNR Photo Contest 2020<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"HabiChat:<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Katy Gorsuch Earth continues its yearly orbit, and we in the Northern Hemisphere begin our progression to the darkest portions of the year. It\u2019s time to conclude our exploration of the full moons and the diverse and wonderful ecology of Maryland they represent. As a reminder, while some of the full moons have names  Read the Rest…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":245,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[3614],"class_list":["post-48841","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-wildlife","tag-habichat"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48841","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/245"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=48841"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48841\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":48873,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48841\/revisions\/48873"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=48841"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=48841"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=48841"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}