NATURE
MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, August 01, 2019 (Thursday)
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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
Info Line # 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)
** David Cannon gets a variety of
interesting visitors to his outdoor pool in a very rural area. On Wednesday
night he came across a PREDACEOUS DIVING BEETLE taking an evening dip. The
Predaceous Diving Beetle is a large, carnivorous beetle that preys on other
insects, developing amphibians, and fish that are larger than themselves. They
also sometimes get the name “Water Tiger”.
** Jim Johnson leaves a report on some
activity around his Scotch Settlement home. There is lots of RUBY-THROATED
HUMMINGBIRD [Colibri à gorge rubis] activity with young fledglings now
attending feeders. It seems hard to believe but the males will soon start
filing flight plans south with most of them departed by August 15th
with the females and young of the year birds staying until early September. Jim
has also noted 3 AMERICAN KESTRELS [Crécerelle d'Amérique] monitoring a nearby
field and saw a RED-TAILED HAWK [Buse à queue rousse] on the wing with a rodent
prize in its talons. He still has a few CLIFF SWALLOWS [Hirondelle à front blanc]
remaining around his new colony. He dropped by a neighbour’s place where there
is a hay barn to see 40 plus BARN SWALLOWS [Hirondelle rustique] and Cliff
Swallows flying about. The barn hosted a good number of nests this past season.
** Gordon Rattray took note of some of
the blooming plants at the moment. EVENING PRIMROSE is in its prime at the
moment and it is a good time to look closely at the plants for the adult
Primrose Moth with its wings protruding from a blossom. It will lay its eggs on
the plant and when the pods of the Evening Primrose form it can be tricky to
find the Primrose Moth caterpillars camouflaged among the green seed pods.
Gordon also got photos of MARSH CINQUEFOIL, BLACKBERRY in bloom, and the
striking blooms of HEDGE BINDWEED.
Brian Stone timely got some photos of
the Evening Primrose Moth Caterpillars to add to Gordon Rattray’s photos of the
blooms. Brian also got some Young-of-the-year American Robins that are foraging
around his home.
Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton
AMERICAN ROBIN (YOUNG-OF-THE-YEAR). AUGUST 01, 2019. BRIAN STONE
BLACKBERRY. JULY 30, 2019. GORDON RATTRAY
EVENING PRIMROSE. JULY 30, 2019. GORDON RATTRAY
HEDGE BINDWEED. JULY 30, 2019. GORDON RATTRAY
MARSH CINQUEFOIL. JULY 30, 2019. GORDON RATTRAY
PREDACEOUS DIVING BEETLE. JULY 31,2019. DAVID CANNON
PRIMROSE MOTH CATERPILLAR. JULY 24, 2019. BRIAN STONE
PRIMROSE MOTH CATERPILLAR. JULY 24, 2019. BRIAN STONE
