Nature Moncton Nature News: July 28, 2020

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, July 28, 2020 (Tuesday)

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by: david.cannon@rogers.com

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

** Louise Nichols did her first shorebird count of the season at her allotted section of Ann's Acres near Cape Tormentine. The largest number of shorebirds present were GREATER [Grand Chevalier] and LESSER [Petit Chevalier] YELLOWLEGS to get a great comparison photo. 14 SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS [Bécassin roux] were present and still showing breeding plumage remnants, a handful of SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS [Bécasseau semipalmé], a single SANDERLING [Bécasseau sanderling] still with breeding plumage remnants, and one WILLET [Chevalier semipalmé] that was very defensive and quite intent on chasing off arriving shorebirds, and even decided it may have to chase Louise away as well. The shorebirds are arriving!

**There have been a few reports of bats flying about lately. Wayne Cororan in Chelmsford comments he recently saw one very actively hawking insects around a night at his home, something he has not seen in a long time noting they used to be so numerous. Janet O’Donnell also reported one in the Oromocto area recently. A photo was taken but have not been able to get a comment on possible species as yet.

**Aldo Dorio got a photo of a CAPE MAY WARBLER at Hay Island recently as well as a nice photo of a COMMON WOOD NYMPH butterfly. This butterfly seems to be fling more numerously at the moment.

**Brian Stone also got photos of COMMON WOOD NYMPH butterflies on Monday. He also got more photos of the very small SPURLEG LADY BEETLE. There are two species of this Lady Beetle that can look similar at first glance, especially without magnification. Brian also photographed COMMON YELLOWTHROAT WARBLER and RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD that would appear to be fledglings still with rough plumage. He also got a video of a very lively ant colony when lifting a cloth. Take a look at the action at the attached link.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ybdlvfnbuwp0u1c/Ant%20Nest%20..%20Brian%20Stone%20.MOV?dl=0

** The PRIMROSE MOTH and the EVENING PRIMROSE plant maintain a special relationship; the whole life of the Primrose moth is on the Evening Primrose plant to have a symbiotic relationship. The moth pollinates the flowers and at the same time lays its eggs within a flower. When the egg hatches it goes on one of the pods and develops into a very cryptic, pod-lookalike caterpillar larva that feeds and matures on the chosen pod. Photos are attached. Now is a great time to sleuth out the colourful Primrose moth where within 2-3 weeks the cryptic larvae caterpillar stage will be on the plants.

** The SPURLEG LADY BEETLE is the smallest Lady Beetle I have ever encountered in New Brunswick. I noted some mating on Brian Stone's COMMON MILKWEED patches recently. They are tiny compared to most Lady Beetles at approximately 3-4 mm. I have only found them on milkweed but that may be because I look at milkweed leaves closer. I'm not sure if they are specific/prefer milkweed or not. A documentary photo is attached.

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton