Maine Nature News

Vol.  10, no. 29   Tuesday, July 19, 2005

Quick jumps:  This week's report | Editor's Column | Home page

Monday, July 11.  Pembroke (Map 27)  A vigorous thunderstorm with some hail. After it stopped I measured some of the hailstones and the biggest was a tad over 1 inch in diameter. The damage to my garden was not severe, but the corn and onions all showed noticeable bruises. Leaf crops like beans were not punctured, but some were knocked over.  F.G.

Thursday, July 14.  Holden (Map 23)  Fields Pond Audubon Center's butterfly count, part of the annual North American Butterfly Association's count, took place last weekend (July 9-10), which unfortunately was terrible weather due to remnants of Hurricane Connie. We had a few hours of sunshine on Sunday when some butterflies emerged from their leafy hiding places during the rain. The following species were identified: Cabbage White; Clouded Sulphur; Harris Checkerspot; Northern Crescent; Painted Lady; White Admiral; Inornate Ringlet; Silver-spotted Skipper; Least Skipper; European Skipper; Common Branded Skipper; and Indian Skipper. Other insects identified during the count session include Green Lacewings; Halloween Pennant Dragonfly; Widow Skimmer Dragonfly; Common Whitetail Dragonfly; Virginia Ctenucha Moth. Butterflies seen on the count week include Silvery Blue; Canadian Tiger Swallowtail; Baltimore Checkerspot; Viceroy; Great Spangled Fritillary; Meadow Fritillary; Atlantis Fritillary; Hobomok Skipper; and Peck's Skipper.   P.S.

Thursday, July 14.  Windsor (Map 13) I live in Windsor, in Kennebec County.  On July 11 the blueberry ripeness was "Early fruiting."   I picked one ripe berry from the bushes in our woods. The rest were yet to be ready.  R.H.

Black Fly Activity Report to Maine Nature News for period ending July 14, 2005:
Town                County         Severity
Kennebunk         York              1
Kennebunkport   York              2
Palermo               Waldo          1
Observer:  J.G.

Friday, July 15.   Highland Plantation/North New Portland (Map 30) I found a wood turtle in western Maine last weekend and wondered if there was a state survey of some kind that might want to know about the sighting, as it's a species of Special Concern in Maine.  I didn't see a link on your site to anything that seemed appropriate.  K.L.

Editor's note:
I agree that there is nothing right on-target.  But here are some related links that you might find of interest:
      NatureServe Explorer
      Maine Natural Areas Program, Rare Animals survey
      Northern Sky News (turtle article)
      Book with CD:  Maine Amphibians and Reptiles
Hope this helps.  F.W.

Sunday, July 17.   T10 R10 WELS (Map 56) Got back yesterday from Island Pond in Piscataquis County. (This may be too late for your map but I figured I would send it along). No black flies at all.  Definitely a 1 based on your scale. Maybe even a 0!   ( :  )
    Water was higher than I anticipated which may be a result of the June rains as you stated.  W.M.

Monday, July 18. Glenburn (Map 33) Our feeders have been visited daily by rose-breasted grosbeaks.   We have not had these in the past 6 years, that we can remember. N.P.

Tuesday, July 19.  Orrington, Bucksport (Map 23) The final tally for our July 10 butterfly count (observers were in Orrington and Bucksport, Maine) showed over two-thirds of the butterflies seen were European Skippers.
    Judy Markowsky, Director of Fields Pond Audubon Center, commented:   "Seems like the same thing that occurs in birds: lots of pigeons, starlings, and house sparrows (all imports from Europe, just like us)."
    I'm sure if we were counting abundance of plants, we might also come up with European species as dominating our landscape (Timothy grass, white clover, Queen Anne's lace, dandelions - I'm sure the list is extensive).
    The part of her quote in parenthesis is probably the key to the whole scenario - the abundance of European homo sapiens in our population who brought their plants, birds, and insects (probably hiding as eggs in the plants) with them.
    A recent edition of North American Butterfly Association's magazine stated that the demarcation line for decline of native species seems to be 50% development. If more than half of the land in a given area has been developed (agricultural activity counts as developed), then a decline in native species will be observed.  But this concept did not identify how much acreage (or square miles) is needed for this measurement to apply.  P.S.

Editor's column

Wild blueberries

  Now it's time to observe and enjoy the wild blueberries of Maine!  We switch over from black flies to a more "fruitful" pursuit in Nature observation. Your reports are invited about the state of ripeness of blueberries where you reside or visit.  It's very easy.  Please give the city/town location and describe the state of ripeness according to the following scale:

   Please send a report to the Editor at menature@maine.edu!  I'll compile them by county each week for the Maine Nature News.

P.S.  Is there any relation between black flies and blueberries?  Go to this link for the surprise answer!