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Please e-mail Frank Wihbey, Editor: menature@maine.maine.edu
Wild
Blueberry report for July 21-27, 1996
Wild blueberries in late flower stage: Franklin, Oxford Counties.
Wild blueberries in early fruiting stage: Hancock, Washington Counties; Penobscot County
(in low-altitude river bottomlands)
No reports: other Maine counties
This week's reports
Friday, July 19. Orono (Map 23) On July 2 and July 11 I reported on the progress of the webs that spiders have woven on the railing on the West side of the Ferry Hill Bridge, Main Street, Orono. Whenever I think I have seen all the possibilities, a new surprise is in store! Today every bay of the railing seemed to have three webs (in contrast to two at each edge on July 2, or four crowded together on July 11). The webs were bigger than either prior time. Also, any webs woven opposite those on the upwind (West) side of the same bay were in staggered positions, as if to have better access to windblown insects (instead of directly opposite the upwind ones, as on July 11). Many smaller webs were seen at the bottom panels, where there were only 4-inch openings. Are these woven by smaller, younger spiders, or are these the left-over less competitive spots? F.W.
Saturday, July 20. Mason Township (Map 10) Red Rock Mountain, Elizabeth Mountain.
Hiking into the White Mountain National Forest we noted all streams running full and fast.
It was windy, with blowing clouds, occasionally as low as 2000 feet.
In the fields and clearings at 1000 feet, numerous species of wildflowers were in bloom.
In the woods I saw a tall, purple-flowering raspberry, blooming in the semi-shade
conditions of a stream bank, contrasting with the sunloving common raspberry seen on open,
disturbed ground and at edges of roads and fields. A few moose prints were spotted;
perhaps most were obliterated by rain. Moose scat was everywhere, with some variation in
size clearly showing more than one individual had walked through.
Ascending the mountain slopes, we encountered several complete, fresh black bear hind paw
prints in the wet ground, most showing what appeared to be the compressed scrape of the
toes when she (or he) grabbed and lifted to climb uphill. As usual, we never saw the bear.
Up in the Caribou-Speckled Mountain Wilderness the woods were thicker and the wind faster
and gustier. I saw what appeared to be either star-flowered Solomon's seal or false
Solomon's seal, in fruit. I did not take a sample of the red berries or leaves, since
there were so few, and I feared compromising its success.
On the descent we successively encountered three large trees that had cracked and fallen
just since we went in a couple of hours before! One had cracked off about 10 feet above
the ground. We were puzzled why this healthy looking beech, which was no taller than its
neighbors, was downed. On the gravel road back a similar thing had happened to a tall
birch, which arched dangerously over th road. Perhaps a freak gust of wind on a tree with
just the right resonant frequency? F.W.
Monday, July 22. Orono (Map 23) I saw what looked like a log floating down the Stillwater River. As it approached, I realized it was an entire cedar tree, roots and all! This reminded me that a significant number of the blowdowns in the woods during the last couple of months were roots-and-all. I assume the sequence was: the spells of heavy rain in mid-June and all of July soaked the ground and loosened soil from the roots; the gusty winds during and after storms blew the trees over. F.W.
Friday, July 26. Old Town (Map 23) Fly honeysuckle are bearing numerous red berries; a few individual trees bear orange berries. Butter-and-eggs, lance-leaved goldenrod and plantain are in flower. Many grasses are also in flower. White tailed deer are now seen browsing in broad daylight in the farm fields, keeping about a quarter-mile distance from human observers. F.W.
Saturday, July 27. Orono (Map 23) Black flies are still here! I rate them about a 2.5 (annoying but not quite "severe") on a scale of 1 to 3. They seemed to recede when the Sun appeared. I notice them swarming the thickest nearly newly-mowed lawns. F.W.
From the press
_Bangor Daily News_ Wed., July 17, 1996, pages C1, C3.
"Fireflies light up a fun-filled night; light-hearted beetles amaze scientists"
by Mary Anne Lagasse
"Common in Maine, the firefly is not a fly. It's a beetle. There are about 1900
different kinds throughout the world and they live on every continent except Antarctica.
The adult beetles are seldom seen flying during the day, but they are active in early
evening. The oblong-shaped insects are dull black or brown with pale orange-red or rose
color markings Their light organs are locate on the underside of the abdomen. ...
Fireflies flash light signals to attract mates when firefly sees the flashing signal from
a mate of its own species, it returns the signal. Each species had a different flashing
signal or code. ...
There has been a lot interest in how fireflies produce light. Man still has not come up
with a way to efficiently produce light without producing a lot of heat, but the firefly
can. 'Almost 100 percent of the energy used to produce light in fireflies is given off as
light,' Groden said. [Ellie Groden, an entomologist from the University of Maine, in
Orono]...
Fireflies lay their eggs in moist places on or in the ground. The eggs hatch into larvae
that are often seen glowing on damp lawns and along streams, Larvae take a year or more to
develop , then pass through a brief pupal state and change to adults, which only live for
five to 30 days. Larvae eat snails, earthworms and other insect larvae. They kill their
prey by injecting poison into them. Enemies of fireflies are birds, frogs, lizards and
spiders."
_Bangor Daily News_ Thurs., July 25, 1996, page B6.
"Mainers warned of raccoon dangers; rise in population of animals has increased
diseases such as distemper" by Dawn Gagnon
"Mainers are urged to use caution in dealing with nuisance raccoons and other
wildlife, particularly when the animals appear sickly. An increase in raccoon populations
in central Maine has spawned and increase in diseases that affect them, according to
animal experts. ... Peaks and dips in various animal populations, such as the area's
recent increase in raccoon numbers are cyclical, Hilton noted. [Henry Hilton, a wildlife
biologist with the state Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife]
'This is a natural thing,' he said. Populations typically fluctuate with changes in such
factors as the availability of shelter and food. One of Nature's methods of keeping animal
populations in control is 'density dependent' diseases, such as distemper.
'Raccoons do very well in human residential area,' Hilton added. The presence of people
provides raccoons with lots of good cover -- in sheds and under porches, for example --
and an abundance of food. Pet food dishes, bird feeders and trash cans are just a few of
the sources. Also contributing to the population bubble is that raccoon trapping is 'way
down' in recent years, Hilton said."
Downeast Birdline -- transcript of current telephone message
Downeast Birdline -- transcript of current telephone messageMaine black fly report in map form
Weekly black fly reports for May-June, 1996
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