July 26, 2022 (Tuesday)
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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
**Rheal Vienneau leaves a message to add to his comments of yesterday about deterring birds and a further comment about protecting Monarch Butterfly caterpillars.
“1. Here is what I use to keep birds away from my cherries and it works. (See photo) One could do the same for caterpillars.
2.I also remove eggs and tiny caterpillars from my
milkweed to rear them until they are large enough to reduce mortality from
other insect predators. I then return
the larger caterpillars to my outside milkweed plants.
** NATURE MONCTON FIELD TRIP
Milkweed Survey for Monarch Butterflies
Date: Sunday July 31st
Time: Morning or afternoon (will be announced shortly)
Meeting Place: 1827 Amirault St. in Dieppe (Rhéal Vienneau’s place)
Want to learn more
about the Monarch Butterfly, which was added just last week to the
endangered species list of the International Union for the Conservation of
Nature? Are you interesting in doing
your little part to help out this beautiful insect? Nature Moncton is offering
you a great opportunity to do just that this coming Sunday. In the context of
the International Monarch Monitoring Blitz fostered in the province by Nature
NB, we will first take part in a quick information session on the Monarch with
local butterfly expert Rhéal Vienneau and then go on an outing to survey a
couple of known local milkweed patches (the Monarch host plants) for eggs and
caterpillars. Rhéal has a great love of butterflies in general and has in
particular observed, studied and even bred and released Monarchs (and other
butterflies) for many years, so he will be a great guide for us on this mission
to help out the Monarchs. So why not come and join us this Sunday July 31 starting in Rhéal’s yard situated at 1827 Amirault St in Dieppe? (morning or afternoon to be announced shortly) After talking to
us a bit about the Monarch and the importance of the egg and caterpillar
monitoring blitz, Rhéal will then show us with live specimens how to recognize
the eggs and caterpillars of the Monarch. From there we will follow him to a
couple of known local milkweed “hot spots” which we will explore to look for
the presence of Monarch eggs and caterpillars. The territory
covered should be open and level, making for easy walking. See you there!
If the subject really interests you and you feel like learning more about
the International Monarch Monitoring Blitz, Nature NB will be offering an
online information session in English on the project this Thursday at 7:00 PM
(a French version will be offered on Wednesday). To register go to:
French:
**Aldo Dorio recently shared a photo showing three different plants. A consultation with Gart Bishop provided some identification. The blue flowered plant is Creeping Bellwort (Campanula rapunculoides). Another is Yarrow with the white umbels (you can just make out some leaves). The other plant (with opposite leaves) Gart suspects to be Bladder Campion (Silene vulgaris), which is in bud.
**Brian Stone and Nelson Poirier visited the very busy Eastern Bluebird family that are occupying a nest box across the road from the home of Brian Coyle on Lower Mountain Road. The parent birds were extremely busy bringing home groceries and carrying out fecal sacs. Brian was lucky to get a photo of a parent carrying out a fecal sac.
Following that stop, they visited a woods pond that was alive with dragonflies and damselflies. Brian got photos of a Belted Whiteface Dragonfly, Four-spotted Skimmer Dragonfly, and a Aurora Damselfly.
Some blooming plants included Monkey Flower and Water Plantain.
A third stop to the trail behind Crandall University had the goal of listening to the sounds of cicadas to try to decide if one of the cicada species calling (stridulating) may be the Canadian Cicada (Okanagana canadensis). One of the prominent sounds heard seemed to support that, but photos sent to 2 different insect sites have yet to offer an opinion.
While at that site, several Leaf Cutter Bees were observed, and it was very obvious why these bees are so frequently used in agriculture as a pollinator. The photos demonstrate that well!
Another Harvester Butterfly was spotted.
**Brian Stone noticed a Meadow Katydid on the side of his front door frame on Monday and recalled that every year at about this time he sees one in the same place. He is not sure what attracts them but maybe they just like soaking up the heat of the Sun in that spot.
**Nature Moncton will again have a nature walk on Wednesday, July 27,
starting at 6:30 p.m. This outing will be at the Ducks Unlimited
compound in Upper Coverdale. This outing will be led by Gordon Rattray.
Directions: From Moncton take Route 112 west from Riverview,
travel 9.7 km from the end of the new bridge in Riverview to Tucker Street, on
the right, go to the end of the street, there is ample parking.
From Salisbury, take Route 112 east and travel 11.1 km to
Tucker Street on your left.
This compound has several large ponds with an excellent trail
system. It has been mowed so walking will be easy. There is a significant
hill to go down to get to the marsh, so it will be a moderate exertion going in
and out. There were a lot of waterfowl there last week, so it looks
good. There is also good vegetation for other nature spotting.
Nelson Poirier
Nature
Moncton
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