Nature Moncton Nature News: June 17 2020

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, June 17, 2020 (Wednesday)

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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)

** Peter Gadd got 2 great comparison photos of the BLACK SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLY [Papillon du celery] and the SHORT-TAILED SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLY [Papillon queue-courte] that are now appearing at the same time at Hay Island. Peter got the photos on Saturday, June 13^th. Peter comments “they were within 30 ft. of each other and there was about a 5 minute gap between the 2 photos. It can be so easy to be confused between the species, particularly when one relies too heavily on location. The Black Swallowtail in the photo is worn, damaged and faded a bit. The Short-tailed Swallowtail appears very fresh and might even have been drying off after emerging judging by how long it stayed in place and seemed methodically to periodically close its wings.”

** Aldo Dorio got a photo of the uniquely marked ELM SAWFLY [tenthrède orme] on Tuesday at Hay Island. The Elm Sawfly will lay eggs that will develop into a bright yellow, medium to large larval caterpillar with a dark stripe down the center in the later season that is an eye-catcher. Aldo also got another SHORT-TAILED SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLY [Papillon queue-courte] on Tuesday as well as the TOOTHED SOMBERWING MOTH that can be seem day flying but does not seem to be interested in moth lights. Jim Edsall helped on this one.

**Barb Curlew tried photographing a Nelson’s Sparrow on Waterside Marsh Tuesday evening, which is always a challenging species to photograph. The angle and the late day sun were challenging but Barb got a few photos. Barb has been hearing these sparrows for the past week but had difficulty seeing them, so was happy to find one singing from the top of a clump of clay out on the Marsh. Their distinct call sounding like a drop of fat hitting a hot pan is easy to recognize but they are a skulky and secretive sparrow.

**Leigh Eaton noted some very large bumblebees on Tuesday preferring the rhododendrons of which they have several around their home. The bees in Leigh’s photos are the Common Eastern Bumblebee (Bombus impatiens) are our largest native bumblebee (June Beetle size). They are recognized by the black abdomen, teardrop shaped black spot on the thorax, and large size. They were not common in New Brunswick 100 years ago but are now due to greenhouse strains.

**Judy Whalen in Gondola Point has gardened for many years and has experience with ajuga mentioned in a recent edition. Judy comments “Yes, it will take over and destroy a lawn. It is invasive! I planted it years ago have been chasing, digging it out after we saw it taking over. The chase is on. I chose the plant when I read that it would out- compete weeds.

Reason for the choice, but a bad choice.”

** Louise Nichols got a few nice insect photos on a trail near the Tankville School in the Irishtown Nature Park on Tuesday. One photo is of the AMERICAN CARRION BEETLE [scarabée charogne]. This profile is fairly typical of several species of Carrion Beetles that recycle dead animal carcasses surprisingly quickly and can be very abundant around a carcass. Louise also got a photo of a SCORPIONFLY. The curved up tail makes them resemble a scorpion but it is actually a reproductive organ. They are harmless to humans with no bite or sting. Their features make them easily recognized.

** A correction from yesterday’s edition that is corrected on the Blogspot. Rheal Vienneau points out that the moth identified as a Cecropia Moth is actually the similar, less common and smaller (yet still large) COLUMBIA MOTH [papillon de la colombie]. The corrected photo is attached to today’s edition. I have been caught by this error before and photos of these two have to be looked at very carefully and yet they are not that difficult with a bit of study. They are both beautiful silkmoths. The Columbia Moth’s food plant is Tamarack.

** Brian Stone visited Bell Marsh on Tuesday. Many of us have known this as Bell Marsh for many years but it is called Wilson Marsh by Ducks Unlimited. We may have to use both names for a while until folks will know where we are referring to. A large HIGHBUSH CRANBERRY [Canneberge Highbush] shrub was in a mass of bloom, a SORA [Marouette de Caroline] Rail cooperated for some nice photos, as did a PIED-BILLED GREBE [Grèbe à bec bigarré] with a chick in tow. Male and female RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS [Carouge à épaulettes] were abundant in their favourite Cattail nesting habitat and some MALLARD DUCKLINGS [Canard colvert] looked quite young. Male BLUE-WINGED TEALS [Sarcelle à ailes bleues] were evident. The females may be still on nests. BLUE FLAG IRIS [iris drapeau bleu] was in its spectacular bloom. A CANADA GOOSE [Bernache du Canada] family was showing the goslings getting quite large now and some grouping together of families. A general panorama view of the marsh shows that it is greening up fast which will soon reduce wildlife watching possibilities.

** Pat and I dropped by Jim Johnson’s place in Scotch Settlement to see his CLIFF SWALLOW [Hirondelle à front blanc] nests of which he is sure that 4 pair are nesting. I was interested to see the manmade nests that we tried last year which they did not take. Jim is going to place them higher for next season as a second trial. We were distracted by a handsome, male EASTERN BLUEBIRD [Merlebleu de l'Est] on a utility wire in front of Margaret Murray’s home. She has a nesting pair in her yard with TREE SWALLOWS [Hirondelle bicolore]. Just a few kilometers away by bird flight is another Eastern Bluebird pair that started nesting at Winston Johnson’s place only a few weeks ago. I was not aware of these 2 nesting sites and suspect that we may have a surprising number of Eastern Bluebirds nesting in New Brunswick at the moment.

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier,

Nature Moncton