Nature
observation trip on the Appalachian Trail in VermontThe Editor and his son made a backpacking and Nature observation trip on the Appalachian Trail in Vermont. Click here for the report. Narratives and pictures are included.
Vol. 5, no. 31, Tuesday, August 1, 2000
Nature
observation trip on the Appalachian Trail in Vermont
The Editor and his son made a backpacking and Nature observation trip on
the Appalachian Trail in Vermont. Click here for the
report. Narratives and pictures are included.
Quick jumps: | This week's reports | Maine wild blueberry report | Prior weekly Nature reports | Prior black fly reports | Home page |
You are invited to report on any aspect
of Nature in Maine
Please e-mail Frank Wihbey, Editor:
menature@maine.maine.edu
Report format = Day, date, [time]. Location (Maine Atlas Map number) Report text. Initials of correspondent.
Monday, July 24-Monday, July 31.
Fort Kent (Map 68) I found the following flowers to have come into bloom:
Spotted touch-me-not (Impatiens capensis), Canada thistle (cirsium
avense), musk mellow (Malva moshata), early goldenrod (Solidago
juncea), rabbit's-foot clover (Trifolium arvense), and common burdock
(Arctium minus). Two flowers
which I was unable to identify two weeks ago that are still blooming are daisy
fleabane (Erigeron strigosus) and tall meadow rue (Thalictrum
polygamum). We have also had
the pleasure of picking, and tasting the sweetness of ripe raspberries and
blueberries last week.
Wildlife experiences during the week involved a squirrel,
which keeps chewing the stained T1-11 siding of my barn/garage and only stops
for a moment if I bang against the wall from the inside, forcing me to go
outside to chase it off. The squirrel, or one of its kin, also seems to like our
compost pile. I found it sitting on
its haunches, munching away at kitchen scraps, and most unwilling to leave as I
approached. A couple of days later,
a wood chuck was even less intent on leaving his or her perch on top of the
pile. Besides these sightings, we
have noticed more cedar waxwings around our place this year than I have ever
seen before.
Finally, even though I have been enjoying the easy walking
through freshly and cleanly mowed meadows covered with perfectly round rolls of
hay, I could not help wondering about the impact of this on all the wildlife -
arthropods, birds and mammals -- which lost their homes, livelihoods, and maybe
lives in the grass whose tops used to reach higher than my hips. I have
noticed numerous ravens rising from the stubble, complaining with raucous voices
as I approached. I don't think, though, that it was the mowing to which
they objected, but rather my interruption of the dinner which the hay cutters
provided for them. I wonder how many people think about all this when enjoying
their steaks. I certainly never
have. E.T.
Tuesday,
July 25.
Phippsburg (Map 6) Recent flowers and insects that have crossed my path
include: Blue Vervain, Jewelweed,
Common Mullein, Black Mustard and Tansy. Red Admirals, Frittilaries and Satyrs
have come into view. Ctenuchid
Moths fly by day, and a Ornate Tiger Moth emerged from a chrysalis.
Here is the story of the Ornate Tiger Moth:
Its pupa was found under the feathers of a bird carcass - why, I don't
know. Attached at one end to the
hairless chrysalis was the skin of a dark, hairy caterpillar that suggested
a Wooly Bear. Wooly Bears, however, have a hairy cocoon which made one
wonder about the coincidence of finding the caterpillar remnant attached to the
naked pupa. I decided to await the
hatching! After a weekend away, I
came back to see that a beautiful salmon colored moth has emerged with
black geometric markings on the wings.
If agitated, the underwings opened to reveal rosy red wings!
I identified the moth as an Ornate Tiger Moth, one I had seen before but
never knew the nature of its metamorphosis.
I am still puzzled by the
location of this find - under bird feathers!
One
other funny insect encounter. I was
drawing some Red Milkweed Beetles that were confined in a plastic ziploc bag.
I heard a noise and thought my stomach
was rumbling -- but no, it was the beetle!
These insects make a squeaky noise by rubbing bumps on the sides of their
thorax! Incidentally, these are
lovely beetles, often seen mating. On
Milkweed, when looking for the absent Monarch caterpillars, I also found a mass
of Milkweed Tiger Moth caterpillars that have been growing (in confinement) like
topsy! They have voracious
appetites. Fortunately, I have a
large patch of Milkweed to feed them! I
wonder what their chrysalis/cocoon looks like... Stay tuned!
R.K.
Sunday, July 30. Milford (Map 33) A big coyote crossed our back yard this morning, casually sauntering from the woods on one side to the woods on the other side. I saw the same one (I think) last week in the early morning. A raccoon demolished our hummingbird feeder Saturday night. K.T.
Sunday, July 30. T7 R8 WELS (Map 57) Last week my wife and I went on an overnight canoe trip to Scraggly Lake Maine Public Reserved Land and saw an exceptional variety of birds and beasts. We also noted several wildflowers in bloom. The diverse variety of flora and fauna was refreshing and we had fun filling a page in our notebook. [More later] D.W.
Monday,
July 31.
Skowhegan (Map 21) One of
the violent thunderstorms we had at the end of June fried my modem and the port
on the computer so I have been off-line until now.
(One of Mother Nature's less appreciated gifts!)
Don't
know what you are doing now on black flies. Here they seem to be done but the
mosquitoes keep right on coming.
Our daughter across the road can now sit on her deck and
watch the adult Coopers Hawks bringing in food to their 3 large off-spring. It surprises me that they nested so close to a home.
It also surprises me that birds still come to her feeders.
Last night their yard was visited by coyotes.
J. F.
Monday, July 31. Farmingdale (Map 12) Will attempt to check out the b-berry status this weekend... Strange weather this summer...cool and damp... L.S.
Monday,
July 31. Macwahoc (Map 44)
In Macwahoc, the blueberries are in the middle fruiting to late fruiting stage.
Just as information, the raspberries are the same.
Millinocket blueberries are a few ripe to middle fruiting. S.MC.
Monday,
July 31. Fort Kent (Map 67)
I'll answer your question first and then do a report. Our lowbush cultivated
blueberries are still green. I found 3 blue ones that were sort of dried up. I
haven't seen too many wild bushes yet, but I have noticed no blue fruit. Will
check in a bog this weekend.
On July 25th we were at a remote beaver pond near St. Almond
Pond. I saw the oddest looking tangle of black and white insect legs on a plant
near the ground. I couldn't imagine what it was. All I could see were legs! When
it took off, I knew it was not a spider. When it landed again in the same place,
I could see very short clear wings. Some kind of crane fly. When
got home I checked some old insect books and found it: Bittacomorpha
clavipes. It was described as a
striking form of crane fly with its banded legs, swollen feet, and short wings.
I even found a picture of a specimen in
Howard's The Insect Book.
Today,
July 31, I was over in an old beaver pond area of one of our brooks. There a lot
of sedges and grass, and some very mucky areas. Blue Vervain is in mid-bloom in
the sedges, with many branched inflorescences. The bumble bees were all over it.
Near the edge of the brook and in the mucky areas, the lovely blue Monkey
Flowers were open, along with Arrowhead, Bur-reeds and the tiny flowered
Kidney-leaf Buttercup. Bristly Buttercups were in full flower up on the sides of
the old dam. There was one Ebony
Jewelwing damsel and one Whitetail Dragonfly. I saw several White-faced Meadow
hawks.
Last week and the start of this week are the best summery
days we have had in a long time.
We had 4.07 inches of rain in July and very little sunshine.
G.L.F.
Monday, July 31. Caratunk (Map 30) My brother picked a couple quarts [of blueberries], two days ago. My best guess is that they are just beginning. C.B.
Tuesday,
August 1. Stockton Springs
(Map 15) As of the end of July, my wife was picking a
lot of blueberries. We work
for h.o.m.e. Inc. in Orland, and for the farmers' market we hand pick a wild
blueberry field that is unsprayed. Many
berries are ripe in Orland, but many are not and the commercial fields are doing
their thing to keep the ripe ones on, to
rake them all at once. I guess that
would be the "middle fruiting stage" but I will have to check with my
wife. I think most of the berries
in the field we are picking will ripen this week.
(But alas the field has been sold and new owners may do give us the
berries.) I will try to send
in an update when I get more details.
Here
in Stockton, we have been picking our raspberries for a couple of weeks, and
they’re about done, and our black raspberries are coming ripe.
R.G.
Maine
Wild Blueberry Report for July 26-August 1, 2000
Middle ripe fruiting stage:
southern Aroostook County, Hancock County, northern Penobscot County, Waldo
County, coastal Washington County
Early ripe fruiting stage: southern Piscataquis County, central
Somerset County
Unripe fruiting stage: northern Aroostook County
No reports: other Maine counties
Your participation is welcome! Please e-mail Frank Wihbey, Editor: menature@maine.edu