Glossary W

Warbles
Small, harmless, worm-like parasites (the larvae of the warble fly) often found beneath the skin of rabbits.

Water Cycle
The natural cycle in which the sun's energy evaporates water into the atmosphere, and the water vapor condenses, returning to the Earth as precipitation (rain, snow, sleet, etc.).

Waterfall
Place where running water makes a sheer drop.

Waterproof
The ability to completely repel water.

Water resistant
The ability to resist, but not completely repel, water.

Watershed
The term given to the land that drains water into a particular stream, lake, or river.

Wetland
An area of land that is often wet; the soil in wetlands are often low in oxygen. Wetland plants are adapted to life in wet soil. There are many types of wetlands, including: swamp, slough, fen, bog, marsh, moor, muskeg, peat land, bottomland, mire, wet meadow, riparian, etc.

Wharf
Structure built along the shore of navigable waters so ships may lie alongside to receive and discharge cargo and passengers.

Wolf tree
A large spreading tree, often an oak or beech, which has multiple cavities in its branches and trunk that provide refuge for squirrels.

Woodlot
A small plot of land on which trees are grown and cut.