NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS
September 14, 2025
Nature Moncton members as well as
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**Nature
Moncton activities committee chairperson, Cynthia Doucet, sends a report on
the Nature Moncton Saturday field trip.
“ On
Saturday morning, Nature Moncton organized a guided walk through Fort Folly’s
Medicine Hiking Trail. Our guide, Elder Nicole Dube, introduced us to
Mi’kmaq principles of land-based health and healing, and used storytelling to
help us remember information. She spoke about the Indigenous use of
controlled burns to reduce damage from forest fires, about cyclical events that
signal that the time is right for specific hunting or gathering, and about
sources of medicine found within forests, including vitamins and antibacterial
flora. Our walk lasted more than three hours, but the trail made for
easy walking, and participants appreciated the sunny and cool September
weather.
The Facebook invitation had been shared by Mr. Ya Hoo, and our numbers swelled
in the beginning to include groups with children and families who
brought dogs (well behaved). There were 22 who finished the tour,
including Nature Moncton members Linda LeClerc, Brian Stone, and Cynthia Doucet,
who hung back, while Nelson Poirier, Matt Nguyen, and Jessica
Belanger-Mainville , who kept apace, paid attention and asked questions.
Jessica
Boulanger-Mainville shared a few photos of the guide and some of the
interpretive panels, while Matt Nguyen got a photo of a hickory tussock
moth caterpillar and an American oil beetle (blister beetle). Matt did some searching
for identification and comments about these two insect finds, and I am quoting
Matt below on what he found:
"When
researching these hickory tussock moth caterpillars online, I found that their
white hairs can cause skin irritation or rashes similar to the effect of poison
ivy. It is also interesting to note that, while this species is native to New
Brunswick, reports have emerged in the last couple of years of these
caterpillars being spotted all over PEI as well. The common hypothesis is that
some moths flew over the Northumberland Strait or even hitched a ride on
vehicles crossing over the Confederation Bridge.
The American
or buttercup oil beetle, as suggested by its name, has a
distinct defense mechanism where they excrete a toxic, blistering oil when
threatened. I recall a few of us in the group got a closer look at this beetle
and took some photos, but I'm glad it
didn't seem like it needed to go on the defensive. Especially in cases where
one is unfamiliar with a species, it's best to leave it be. The larvae of these
beetles are parasitic, especially towards bees, which can cause widespread
destruction to a hive.”
(Editor's
note: Nicole Dube did an exemplary job of explaining the points that Cynthia
has mentioned. I believe her words could potentially make us think differently, and the thoughts we carried away with us will likely last for some time to come. I feel
very fortunate to have been present and suspect others may feel the same.
At the
start, 49 participants found it a bit difficult to hear the leader down a narrow
path, but Nicole handled it well.)
**Jane
LeBlanc had a chance to go out on a boat last week and see St. Martins from the
water side of things. She sends photos of the coastline around St. Martins.
Also seen were bald eagles, great blue herons, a lone razorbill, and
several gray seals (those seen off the lighthouse in West Quaco.)
On
Saturday, driving home from Upham, she saw several wild turkeys.
**Norbert
Dupuis captured some very special moments at his bird water bath of eastern
bluebirds seemingly unimpressed with being joined by a song sparrow.
**John
Inman was able to photograph a migrating black-throated green warbler, a fast-moving,
colorful type of ichneumon wasp which paused long enough to clean its
antennae, and a cooper's hawk with bluejays on its mind.
Nelson Poirier
Nature Moncton
