Nature Moncton Nature News: Aug 28 2018

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, August 28, 2018 (Tuesday)

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by: Brian Stone bjpstone@gmail.com

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

** Maurice Richard got an excellent photo of a DARK FISHING SPIDER taking a wasp as prey right at the wasp’s nest. Venomous spider or not, this has to be one gutsy spider! This spider species does not build a web, preferring to hunt down its prey. They are often found near water but this one seems to have decided that the pickings may have been better on land.

** A MONARCH BUTTERFLY [Monarque] CATERPILLAR that Jamie Burris had taken inside for protection went into its “J” position and pupated to its chrysalis stage on Sunday evening. The chrysalis of another that had formed on August 16 emerged on Monday morning, appearing to be a male, and was released to continue its mission. Very likely it will head for Mexico to overwinter.

** Aldo Dorio got a photo of a young of the year LEAST SANDPIPER [Bécasseau minuscule]. Note the scaling of the fresh feathers and the pale color of the legs. I felt it at first to be a Pectoral sandpiper from the photo, but Gilles Belliveau points out that though the two are indeed similar, the Pectoral Sandpiper is usually rustier on the upper parts and a Pectoral usually would have a greenish-yellow color at the base of the bill at this time of year. Also the Pectoral would have a longer primary projection and the Least Sandpiper has little or no primary projection.

** The so called “Pine Cone Galls” are appearing on Willow shrubs at the moment, looking a bit like a cabbage or Christmas Tree lights. This gall is produced by a Gall Midge larva that will overwinter in the gall and at the moment is actively feeding inside the gall. A photo of one intact and also of one in cross section is attached to show the plumpening larva inside.

** WILD RAISIN, aka Witherod Berries, are starting to ripen at the moment, going from pink to the mature dark blue. They are edible, but the large seed leaves little flesh. I also came across a WANDERING GLIDER DRAGONFLY on Sunday. These striking, pumpkin coloured dragonflies are a real challenge to net in warm temperatures as they are always gliding about, never alighting when the temperature is warm. One made the mistake of zipping by too close to get netted and temporarily chilled in a fridge to get photographed before promptly being released to continue its mission.

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton