Nature Moncton Nature News: Sept 4 2022

NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

Sept 4, 2022 (Sunday)

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

**Jane LeBlanc in St. Martins has had very poor luck this year getting Monarch Butterflies from caterpillar to chrysalis/butterfly stage. This weekend, she found a newly hatched butterfly which was already dead from a suspected predator. She knew of 2 other chrysalides and a hanging J caterpillar, so she gently took them, leaf and all, into the greenhouse, hoping for better outcomes. The J has already become a chrysalis and one other chrysalis should be ready to hatch any time. (Editor’s note: many have experienced Jane’s scenario this season and have gone into placing caterpillars and chrysalides in a protected area to better their chance of survival. It has worked for many folks.) A photo of Jane’s chrysalis ‘hatchery’ is attached.

Jane also noted that most of the birch trees, all species, in her area, are looking pretty sad right now, with brown, curling leaves.

**Brian Stone sends a few more photos from his outings on Thursday to Mapleton Park and Aulac. At Mapleton Park, he photographed several Cedar Waxwings, including some young ones, that were feasting on ripe berries. (Editor’s note: the Cedar Waxwing normally nests much later than many other bird species to take advantage of the abundant berry supply to feed its young).

A female Hooded Merganser was still present in the main pond at Mapleton Park and a Bald Eagle was being chased by a Crow in the sky above.

Least Skipper Butterflies, small Bees, and Wasps were common on leaves and flowers alongside the trail. An Emerald Ash Borer Monitoring site has been set up in the park and is collecting insect samples at an ash tree.

At Aulac Brian got photos of a Spreadwing Damselfly, an Autumn Meadowhawk Dragonfly (Editor's note: note the brown legs which is an ID feature of this meadowhawk species), a Clouded Sulphur Butterfly, a large Two-striped Grasshopper, and the uncommon Yellow Ladies 's Tresses Orchid blooming at the edge of the bog on Louise Nichols' property. (Editor‘s note: this group of plants has expanded from one to a dozen over the past few years. The identity of this uncommon orchid was confirmed by a Ladies’ Tresses orchid expert when a few plants were first noticed).

**Nelson Poirier, as many others have, watched the rewarding scenario of 2 out of 14 Monarch Butterfly Chrysalides eclose and noted the fresh adults seek out a sunny spot on Saturday’s cool morning to soak up solar energy, no doubt with filing flight plans for Mexico on their minds.

Several other chrysalides are expected to have adults emerge in the coming days.

Nature Moncton

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com