Nature Moncton Nature News: Aug 6 2018

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, Aug. 6, 2018 (Monday)

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier: nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by: David Christie maryspt@mac.com

Info Line # 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)

** Jamie and Karen Burris have been busy for the last nine days, trying to get a couple of CEDAR WAXWINGS [Jaseur d’Amérique] on their way. They were visiting a cemetery on the 29^th of July and found two waxwing chicks on the ground. They were cooking in the sun and in very poor condition. If they had not taken them home, they were certain a lawn mower would get them as they were too young to walk or fly. They felt that the birds were approximately 4 or 5 days old, as their eyes were just beginning to open, and they were not fully feathered. There was no other sign of any waxwings in the area. They have them on a diet of serviceberries, Pin Cherries, raspberries, worms, tent caterpillars, cabbage moth larvae, flies and a few earwigs. They are doing very well, and Karen and Jamie are getting them to feed on their own, as they are quite gluttonous at this point. Jamie got photos of the duo on days 1, 3, 5 and 8 after taking them in, as well as a video. Take a look at the attached video link:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/mdsfa29jeh4a8aw/2018-08-05%20001%20%281%29.MOV?dl=0

Raising baby birds from this age is a full-time effort, as they need food so frequently. The Burrises have to be applauded for taking on such a task. They will be bonded to people which may or may not be problematic at release time.

** Ron Steeves is watching his milkweed patches and MONARCH [Monarque] butterfly activity very closely and has found several caterpillars recently dead in an advanced instar stage. They seem to get almost to maturity, and something happens. They seem to die over a few hours. The milkweed patch is alive with stinging insects and Ron wonders if they are not on a collision course. They are still seeing some caterpillars unharmed. In nature, assassin bugs, stink bugs, tachinid flies, ants, spiders and other insects indeed predate on Monarch butterfly caterpillars. Folks like Real Vienneau, Jim Wilson and Janet Kemster gather the eggs and grow them out in petri dishes and aquariums to get them to the adult stage, and then release them. I wonder if it’s not the only way to be sure that the majority make it to adulthood. I understand that the mortality rate in nature is very high. Rheal Vienneau comments that the literature suggests a 50% mortality rate. Ron submits photos of some of the recently expired caterpillars, and of some insects on the milkweed that he wonders about.

** Aldo Dorio is getting more photos of fledged birds at Hay Island, including ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK [Cardinal à poitrine rose], NOTHERN PARULA [Paruline à collier] WARBLER, and BAY-BREASTED WARBLER [Paruline à poitribe baie]. It can be a real identification challenge with photos of fledglings without knowing what adult may be near at hand. Hay Island must be a great nursery.

** Brian Stone revisited the milkweed patches on Gorge Road at either side of the Trans-Canada Highway overpass. He found six large MONARCH [Monarque] butterfly caterpillars in late stages of development and near pupation. A CICADA [cigale] was also there to cooperate for some nice photos. The cryptic CAROLINA [Criquet de la Caroline] and BROAD-WINGED GRASSHOPPERS [un autre criquet] were enjoying the heat. Brian also found a large number of LADY BEETLE [coccinelle] larvae and pupae on the milkweed patch. Lady beetles die after laying their eggs earlier in the season. We will soon be seeing adults again as these larvae and pupae develop. He also got photos of the very attractive-to-insects plant, SPREADING DOGBANE [Herbe à la puce] that can grow in huge patches. Several spiders and egg masses also got near the camera lens, and a young-of-the-year COMMON YELLOWTHROAT [Paruline masquée] got into the action as well as a Wandering Glider Dragonfly and a Lyre-tipped Spreadwing Damselfly.

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton