Nature Moncton Nature News: May 31 2024

NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

May 31, 2024

Nature Moncton members, as well as any naturalist in New Brunswick or beyond, are invited to share their photos and descriptions of recent nature sightings to build a fresh (almost) daily edition of Nature News

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The live feed to the Peregrine Falcon nest box camera can be accessed at https://www.zoodemagnetichillzoo.ca/nest-cam

**Shannon Inman comes across items in nature we don’t often see and gets photographs. On Thursday, she photographed a Six-spotted Orbweaver Spider. This spider comes in a variety of colours but the six dots on the abdomen give it its identity. It lays its eggs in the spring in sacs in curled-up leaves.

Shannon also photographed a large fly in the genus Hybomitra which is a genus of biting horseflies. Females have scissor-like mouthparts that aim to cut the skin so the horsefly can then lap up the blood.

(Editor’s note: this species can also have a taste for humans as well and can inflict unpleasant bites!)

A fresh-appearing Painted Lady Butterfly also caught Shannon’s camera lens from two views to show off its striking markings.

Again, with two nice views, Shannon captured very pleasant photos of a duo of Silver Bordered Fritillary.

**Jane LeBlanc in St. Martins had her first Monarch Butterfly of the year on Wednesday in her St. Martins yard but didn't get a photo. She did get both an American Lady Butterfly and a Painted Lady Butterfly today. A Red Admiral was seen as well but didn't stay for photos.

(Editor’s note: Thursday turned out to be a great day for butterflies who were taking advantage of the solar energy.)

**Aldo Dorio was pleased to spot a pair of Eastern Bluebirds checking out the nest box in his Neguac yard, seemingly more serious about setting up shop. Aldo has been fortunate to have this species take up residence in his yard several times over the years.

** On Thursday morning Doreen Rossiter watched a lone Mourning Dove picking around on the ground. She later thought about the time three years ago when she also had a lone dove that turned out to be her first White-winged Dove. She gave this dove a second look and it too turned out to be a White-winged Dove. She saw it again in the afternoon. The last time she had one was in June 2021. They usually show up in the fall, but the last two have been around this time of year.

**Yolande LeBlanc in Memramcook saw her first firefly of the season late on Thursday evening.

**Susan Atkinson sends a photo of her newly planted wildflower garden with 12 perennial plants along the side to encourage the seeds. She used 3 1/2 bags of wildflower seeds from Canadian Tire. Behind, her rose garden is also a popular site to visit.

**Way back on last Sunday Brian Stone walked out the long back road behind Irishtown Park for a second time this season and he sends some photos from the outing. The bird life was still plentiful and some of the brave ones that showed for the camera were Chestnut-sided Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Common Yellowthroat Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, and a Nashville Warbler.

Also, a Red-eyed Vireo and Yellow-bellied Flycatcher were close enough to be photographed and a shy Canada Warbler hid well enough in the foliage to hide its most prominent ID features. Other critters seen in ditches along the road were Green Frogs. One interesting observation was a pair of Flesh Flies engaging in public amorous activities. Looks like more flies are on the way soon.

**Sky guru Curt Nason again kindly shares his knowledge of what we may expect to see in next week’s night sky.

This Week’s Sky at a Glance, 2024 June 1 – June 8
Arcturus and Vega, the fourth and fifth brightest stars of the night sky, are seen high above in evening twilight. I use them to locate the constellation Hercules, which is one third of the way from Vega to Arcturus. Another constellation, the nominal crowning glory of the northern sky, is one third of the way from Arcturus to Vega. Corona Borealis, the Northern Crown, does not stand out among its neighbours or contain any popular telescopic treasures like Hercules does, but its semicircle of stars is pretty to look at. If you have a really clear view of the southern horizon you might catch the Southern Crown, Corona Australis, hugging the horizon below Sagittarius around 2 am this week or midnight in late July.

In mythology, Ariadne was the daughter of King Minos of Crete. She helped Theseus slay the bull-headed Minotaur and escape from the Labyrinth, and then accompanied him and his crew on a voyage home to Athens. Along the way they stopped at the island home of Dionysus, the god of wine. After a night of revelry the crew was made to leave without Ariadne, and Dionysus presented her with a beautiful crown if she would be his bride. The crown was placed in the sky to commemorate their wedding. The constellation also represents a bear’s den in a local aboriginal legend of the bear and seven hunters, which includes stars in the Big Dipper and Boötes.

This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 5:31 and sunset will occur at 9:03, giving 15 hours, 32 minutes of daylight (5:39 and 9:05 in Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 5:28 and set at 9:08, giving 15 hours, 40 minutes of daylight (5:36 and 9:10 in Saint John).

The Moon is near Mars on Monday morning and it is new on Thursday. Saturn leads the morning planets, rising around 2:15 midweek followed by Mars at 3:30. Venus is in superior conjunction on Tuesday, while Mercury and Jupiter cross paths that day but they are lost in the glare of civil twilight.

The Saint John Astronomy Club meets in the Rockwood Park Interpretation Centre this Saturday at 7 pm. On Sunday evening at 8 pm, tune in to the Sunday Night Astronomy Show via the Facebook page or YouTube channel of Astronomy by the Bay.

Questions? Contact Curt Nason at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.