** Aldo Dorio photographed a WHITE ADMIRAL BUTTERFLY and a NELSON’S
SHARP-TAILED SPARROW [Bruant de Nelson] at Hay Island on Wednesday. He got a lot
closer than I did on a brief visit to the park a few days ago with the Nelson’s
Sparrow. There were a surprising number of vocalizing Nelson’s Sparrows in the
salt marsh there.
**Brian Stone came across his first EBONY JEWELWING DAMSELFLIES this season
at Mapleton Park on Wednesday, also a first observation of the soon to be very
numerous EUROPEAN SKIPPER BUTTERFLY.
** I’d like to share some experience with growing COMMON MILKWEED in my own
yard to attract pollinators and butterflies. I’ve tried to plant it from seed
using winter stratification as recommended. I always had lots of seeds develop
but could never get them to take hold and form a colony. On a suggestion from
Rhéal Vienneau and Anne Marsch, I dug up the rhizomes last fall, after the
numerous plants at the CN rail-yards in Moncton died back. The rhizomes have
white structures on them, they are buds from which new plants arise. All five
sites that were placed last fall now have COMMON MILKWEED plants growing which
are going to set flower heads this season. These plants are approximately a
metre in height at the moment. The rhizomes placed this spring are just barely
emerging and some plants transplanted just as they were appearing this spring
are taking off very slowly. The fall re-planting of the rhizome seems to be very
effective. This may be a technique many are aware of but for those who are not,
as I was, it is a sure way to get them established in your yard. Anne has
advised me that I will be sorry as they will take over. Let it happen!
Apparently SWAMP MILKWEED takes well from seedlings. I planted several that
Jim Wilson donated to the Festival of Nature Weekend and it looks like these are
going to join the milkweed plantation.
Nelson Poirier
Nature Moncton
COMMON MILKWEED FROM FALL PLANTED RHIZOMES.JULY 2, 2015.NELSON POIRIER
EBONY JEWELWING DAMSELFLY.JULY 2, 2015..BRIAN STONE
EBONY JEWELWING DAMSELFLY.JULY 2, 2015..BRIAN STONE
EUROPEAN SKIPPER BUTTERFLY.JULY 2, 2015..BRIAN STONE
MILKWEED RHIZOME SECTIONS FOR TRANSPLANTING SHOWING WHITE BUDS.SEPT 3,2014.NELSON POIRIER
NELSON'S SPARROW.JULY 2, 2015.ALDO DORIO
SWAMP MILKWEED FROM SPRING PLANTED SEEDLINGS.JULY 2, 2015.NELSON POIRIER
WHITE ADMIRAL BUTTERFLY.JULY 2, 2015.ALDO DORIO
