![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() The other two major summer berries are the red mulberry and blueberry. The foursome also flourishes in full sunlight and are colonizing flora, often springing up after some sort of disturbance occurs such as fires or clear cuts. Martin says they are most likely to be found in edge habitat such as the borders of fields, woodlots, and roadways. The Rubus quartet thrives throughout the Old Dominion. “The berry vines are great places for turkeys and songbirds to nest and find escape cover, and I’ve even witnessed a bear denning in a raspberry thicket.” “The Rubus members provide summertime food to really everything from game animals like deer, turkeys, grouse, and bears as well as many species of mammals and songbirds,” she says. The Rubus family (which includes raspberries, wineberries, blackberries, and dewberries) is particularly important for wildlife, believes Katie Martin, the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources’ (DWR) deer, turkey, and bear biologist. Virginia hosts an incredible number of wild edibles, and this is especially true in the summer months when six species of wild berries provide nourishment for wildlife and tasty treats for gatherers. ![]()
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