Nature Moncton Nature News: August 24 2023

NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

August 24, 2023

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Edited by Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Proofreading courtesy of Louise Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca

**Many thanks to Trevor and Elaine Clancy for welcoming the participants of the Wednesday evening Nature Moncton walk.

The groomed trails through their woodland property had so much to fascinate the many eyes observing and much to share with one another.

Cameras were snapping constantly, and a portion of those photos are available today and we can expect more in the coming days.

David Cannon, Cathie and Isabelle Simon, and Rhonda and Paul Langelaan share some of the photos they got for today’s edition.

The many observations could fill many pages of text! The hospitality of the Clancy’s was very appreciated, and their invitation to return will no doubt be accepted.

**Jane LeBlanc in St. Martins had 3 Monarch Butterfly caterpillars on her milkweed patch last weekend. There may be many more, but finding them in the thick patch of milkweed would be difficult.

(Editor’s note: Jane is having much more luck than many of us with her Monarch Butterfly caterpillar patrons. There are many of us who have all the Monarch Butterfly essentials but no Monarchs this season.)

**Aldo Dorio had one lone immature Ruddy Turnstone put in an appearance at Hay Island, joining some of the other peeps there.

Aldo also photographed a Brown-headed Cowbird in his Neguac yard, which appeared to be a young-of-the-year bird.

Aldo also photographed a female Pelecinid Wasp. This large 2 ½ inch wasp with very long antennae and an abdomen 5 times the length of the rest of her body is not easily missed.

This wasp will use her long abdomen to burrow into the earth and deposit her eggs into underground larval grubs where the eggs will hatch and feed upon the grubs. June Beetle grubs are a favourite target. Her male mate barely reaches 1 inch in length.

**Mac Wilmot had a Dog-day Cicada land on their back deck for some close-up observations, allowing photographs. Mac comments on the impressive engineering evident in that wing structure.

(Editor’s note: cicadas are usually very high in trees making their loud vocalizations that are readily heard, but we don’t often get the opportunity to have one drop-down on a house deck for close observations of this striking insect.)

Mac and Brenda have had White-tailed Deer pillaging their garden efforts but wondered if things might be going a little too far when a Great Blue Heron came to the yard pond poaching a goldfish and enjoying it on their lawn!

Nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier

Nature Moncton