Throughout those years, Christopher Hecksher, a professor of environmental science at Delaware State University, immersed himself in surveying the park’s wildlife, expanding the understanding of its biodiversity. He would collect nighttime recordings and then work to differentiate the diverse chirps and sounds to aid in species identification.

“I did a survey over the last couple of years primarily to try to determine the presence or absence of the black rail, which is a very rare and secretive marsh-inhabiting bird,” he said. “At the same time, I was attempting to document other secretive birds that aren’t easily observed on the preserve.”

In addition to the black rail, Hecksher was successful in finding some of those other shy species that like to hang out in high salt marshes, known as brackish marshes.

“On the recordings, we did hear pied-billed grebe, American bittern, common gallinule. We did hear sora, which is another closely related rail.”

They also identified clapper rail, king rail and Virginia rail in the marsh.

Hecksher noted a test like this had never been done before. He said it’s crucial work due to the potential threat to species like the black rail. The find could result in increased protection measures for such endangered species.

“[The black rails] were not listed as federally endangered but they were listed as federally threatened, which is the highest level in terms of protection,” he said. “The Eastern population of black rail did warrant some federal oversight in the sense of, it could in the future — if we don’t manage our wetlands properly or if climate change accelerates that sort of thing — it could be in danger of becoming extinct.”

Davis Truang

On June 5, Milford Police Department responded to a report of a man bleeding from the head in the 500 block of DuPont Highway. The investigation led them to an address in Brookstone Trace where they discovered the bodies of a 31-year old woman and 3-year old girl.

Davis Truang, 31, was arrested later that evening, charged with two counts of first degree murder and two counts of a deadly weapon during the commission of a felony. He is being held with a $2.2 million cash bond. He will appear in court on June 13 for a preliminary hearing.

A neighbor’s doorbell footage showed Truong coming to their door, covered in blood, around 4:30 AM but he was gone by the time the neighbor got to the door.

The victims were Mercedes Ortiz, 31, who was Truang’s significant other and Aloni Truong, 3, his daughter. A motive for the crime has not yet been released.

“The Milford Police Department would like to thank the Delaware Department of Justice, Delaware Victim’s Services and Delaware Division of Family Services for their assistance with this investigation,” Sgt. Timothy Maloney, Public Information Officer, said. “The Milford Police Department is also grateful for several area non-profit organizations who have stepped up and helped the victim’s family during this difficult time.”

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The life of a beekeeper can be rewarding, yet challenging.

Early mornings often start with a visit to the apiary, where the hum of busy bees signals the start of another demanding day. Daily tasks include inspecting hives, checking the queen’s health, managing pests and harvesting sweet, gooey golden honey — all while enduring various weather conditions and avoiding stings. The true reward lies in the satisfaction of successfully nurturing a thriving colony.

It’s work George Datto is very familiar with. After 15 years of beekeeping, Datto has spent the last four years helping improve beekeeping efforts at Delaware’s Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library. Overseeing 10 hives at the museum’s apiary, he also educates visitors and sells locally sourced honey.

“Beekeeping is heavy, hot work. A gallon of honey weighs 12 pounds and a gallon of water weighs 8 pounds,” he described. “So just the typical challenges faced by all beekeepers, swarm prevention, [keeping] healthy hives and keeping hives alive.”

All that hard work could play a role in limiting the number of people willing to take on the tough task of beekeeping. But Datto’s been working on that problem. He’s developed a new hive designed to ease many of these challenges called the Keeper’s Hive.

The new hive design originated in 2016 when Datto and his team merged their expertise to develop the hive. They’ve been working over the past eight years to test and refine the hive to its optimal design.

Most hives in the U.S. are the Langstroth hive model, featuring stacked rectangular boxes with frames that can be removed one by one.

“It’s been the hive that most people use around the world, and it’s [a] very effective hive with the exception of requiring a lot of lifting to do management of the hive,” Datto said. “Therefore, oftentimes when used by the beekeeper, the management doesn’t get done because it requires a lot of lifting.”

Originating in the 1870s, the Langstroth hive was created by Philadelphian Lorenzo Lorraine Langstroth and has since become a standard worldwide. Beekeepers must lift and remove three to four heavy boxes per hive, each weighing between 30 to 80 pounds, to manage it properly.

Within a hive, there are two main sections: the brood chamber, where the queen and bees reside, and the honey box. Typically, the brood chamber is below and the honey box is above. Hence, beekeepers often have to move boxes to reach the brood chamber, essential for preventing swarms and diseases that could endanger the colony.