Maine Nature News
Vol. 6, no. 31, Tuesday, July 31, 2001

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Quick jumps:  | This week's report | Wild blueberry report |

Tuesday, July 24.  East Millinocket (Map 43)  Blueberries are ripening here, albeit sporadically.  The bushes I saw early this evening while mushroom hunting were, at a quick guess, 25 to 40% ripened.  Had my first fresh chanterelles of the year yesterday.  Mmmm, mmmm good!  On another note; I've noticed the horse/moose flies seem to be much worse this year than other years, at least around here.  D.W.

Wednesday, July 25.  Lincoln (Map 44) Blueberry report:  lowbush - a few ripe fruit; highbush - middle fruiting stage.  H.H.

Wednesday, July 25.  Stockton Springs (Map 14)  Sorry, we haven't been into any berry fields this year.  (The place we usually pick was mowed this year.) I can say we have a good crop of raspberries and black raspberries.  R.S.G.

Wednesday, July 25.  Lyman (Map 2)  I have picked a few low bush blueberries Friday 7/20 in Lyman, ME. The bushes berries were approximately 20-30 % ripe.  I noticed on Thursday 7/19 in Old Orchard Beach some huckleberry bushes, all the berries were still green.  
    I have been in the Farmington area for the last 3 days, 7/23, 24, 25, and the mosquito population in the woods was very high.  T.J.B.

Friday, July 27.  Moose River (Map 39)  I went out around my pasture today and checked out the blueberries.  I was pleasantly surprised to see that at least 3/4 of the berries were ripe.  I have a couple of patches on the side hill by my garden and I picked a quart in a very short time.  In past years my husband and I always planned to go on a "blueberry picking excursion" the second weekend in August, if the weather cooperated.  With that in mind, I would agree that the berries are early this year.  Also picked the first zucchini of the season from my garden today.  I can hardly wait for the first green beans.   S.H.

Saturday, July 28.  Skowhegan (Map 21) Sorry not to get a blueberry report your way. We do not have many wild ones near-by. The bushes we do have are on the power line that runs across the back of our property and they get sprayed regularly by the power company. This makes me wonder about how "average" their development would be. Our one large high-bush blueberry, which produced very well last year took a big hit this winter and is only 1/4 its former size with very few berries.
    My husband has been impressed by a great crop of chanterelles -- on the 13th of the month he picked a big batch of very clean and bug-free mushrooms.  He makes a nice clam chowder and adds those for a delicious treat.  He thought they were early due to all the rain we have been having here.
    As a result of your newsletter which included the request for information on Red Admiral butterflies we have started to expand our knowledge of butterflies. We can now identify those and also Painted Ladies. We'll keep on!
    Young Coopers hawks are calling endlessly near-by. Large flocks of birds (probably mostly grackles) have started passing down the sky in the evening.  My husband thought the flock last night was in the 300 or more category.  J.F.

Saturday, July 28.  Bangor (Map 23)  I saw a Hummingbird Moth hovering at flowers near the Penjajawoc Stream.  It is just amazing how well this moth mimics a hummingbird with its white throat and green head and neck, but the moth is half the size of a hummingbird.  I also saw a garter snake, a spring peeper, several leopard frogs, and several wood frogs.   J.K.M.

Monday, July 30.  Levant (Map 22)  I'm deeply puzzled about the insect situation in my neck of the woods this year.  Black flies thrived for about one week.  Besides that, I've seen maybe ten flies of other kinds, half a dozen grasshoppers,  a like number of butterflies, three mosquitoes, two fireflies, and no June bugs at all..  I don't know of any spraying operations in the area, at least none that have been publicized.  Besides, there are lots and lots of bees.  ???  M.B.R.

Monday, July 30.  Phippsburg (Map 6)  Small Point.  I am still on an insect theme these days. The Monarchs have laid eggs on my Milkweed and I'm keeping an eye out for baby caterpillars.  I'm still seeing Monarch Butterflies in good numbers. This week the new butterfly on the block was the Wood Nymph.  I also made an interesting discovery of a butterfly caterpillar while examining some flowers of Pearly Everlasting.  I noticed that one floral clump was sort of disheveled and bound together... sort of a white petal ball.  I pulled it apart and discovered a most interesting caterpillar residing inside! Consulting Peterson's Caterpillar book, it matched the description for that of an American Painted Lady.  This is one for the books!  The larva has black branched spines, red and white spots, and bands of yellow/green lines over a background of black.  The Everlastings are the food of choice for this caterpillar.  It may nest in their flowers and eventually pupate there. So, I will be following the developments of this beautiful larva.
    The other memorable observation that made the week interesting, was finding a bird nesting in Staghorn Sumac.  I often puzzle over who makes these nests when they are revealed after the leaves have fallen.  The open, ungainly nature of this sumac's growth didn't seem like a good nest site. The dense foliage of shrub Honeysuckle or Bayberry seem far better choices. Anyway, the Cedar Waxwing was seen sitting on a nest in the foliage of this sumac.  Maybe other birds also build their nests there, but I am confirming that the Waxwing did this summer, right now!  R.K.

Monday, July 30.  Detroit (Map 22)  There don't seem to be many blueberries here.  J.B.

Maine Wild Blueberry Report for July 25-31, 2001

Unripe fruit stage:
Early ripe fruiting stage:
Middle ripe fruiting stage:   Central and Southern Penobscot, Sagadahoc, Northern Somerset, and York Counties
Late ripe fruiting stage:
No reports:  other Maine counties

What is their stage where you are, or have visited?  Please send an e-mail.
    Thanks,
    Frank Wihbey, Editor
    menature@maine.edu