Confrontation

Yesterday a resident alerted me to a confrontation that was taking place in "E" courtyard.  I hurried up there, but by the time I arrived this young red-tailed hawk was sitting on a chimney.

In a nearby tree, this squirrel was chewing him out.  I suspect that there had been an unsuccessful hunt due to the hawk's immaturity.  But as he grows and matures he will take a few squirrels in the future.
I will be on vacation for the next week, look for a new blog after October 7th.

Insect Migration

Most people think of Monarchs when asked about insect migration.  But we are learning that other insects migrate, and this year the Xerces Socisty is starting a citizens' survey on the black saddlebags
dragonfly migration.  This black saddlebags was photographed on Sep. 12th, and appears to be an immature (more yellow bands). 

Another was photographed on Sep. 23rd, and also seen swarming with it were common green darners.  The young black saddlebags are apparently migrating south, but more needs to be known about this insect migration.

Bird Walk with Ruth

Ruth Pfeiffer leads an annual birdwalk in honor of former resident Ruth Zumeta.

First thing spotted was a wasp nest, but then there were many birds.

An easy one to photograph was this red-bellied woodpecker.

We then saw an artist at work near the wetlands.

The birdwatchers spotted some mallards in the wetland.

Walk In

People have asked where are the yellow flowers.  They are there, but you have to walk on the meadow paths to see them.  For some reason many of them are very short this year.

If you walk on the pennisula, you can get this nice view of the wetland.  This is the first year, we expect it to be better next year.

The beekeeper was there briefly today to feed the new queen hives some more sugar water.

The bees know when the centers turn dark there is no more pollen, go for the yellow!

Bees Get the Treatment

As we said last blog the bees have Varrora mites and will get treated with Apiguard, which contains Thymol.  This lovely white goop.

One scoop will do it, but since we are treating  bees in small hives they will get a half scoop.

The half scoop is placed on a file card.  The paper card is used because the bees can discard it when the medicine is gone.

The card is then placed in the hive.  The bees do not like the smell, and will fan vigorously which then conviently distributes it throughout the hive.  Hopefully the mites will be gone and the bees will be one more step ready for winter.

Bees - Checking for Verroras mites

In the hives that have new queens, the beekeeper needed to check to Verrora mites, but the usual way involes killing the bees, so this is an alternate.  A tray is removed from the hive and he shakes down  the bees into a wash basin.

He then measures out a half cup of bees.

These bees are put into a jar with an open lid, through which is added powdered sugar.

Shake well, and then shaked some more.  And then finally shake the sugar into the wash basin.

 

If there are more than five Verrora mites in the sugan, the hive needs treatment.  To be continued....

Beautiful Day

Picture postcard days!

A picture to remember.

And in the meadow an adult locust borer eats golenrod pollen.

I haven't seen as many mantids, but I did find this egg case.

The monarchs were everywhere -- in my garden, in the post office garden and in the meadow.

Life cycle of the Cloudless Sulphur

Here is a male courting a female cloudless sulphur in the meadow.

The female has been laying egs on the wild senna (cassia hebecarpa).

Here you can see one of the eggs on a senna leaf.

And here is the caterpillar on the senna pod.
From "Butterflies of the East Coast" by Cech and Tudor, "It ranges in summer from Pataglonia to southern Canada.  ... Why large numbers fly far north in fall, never to return, is a mystery."

My Reference Library

I have always had many books on the bookself in my living room which are invaluable references.

I also have a whole bookcase devoted to butterflies, insects, and such.

But I decided I needed some reference books handy to the computer, so I got this nice basket to hold them.

All too quickly the lineup extended beyond the basket.  Including such as "Damselflies of the Northeast", which is way beyond me, and the latest is Peterson's "Field Guide to Moths".

And I have an assistant always ready to help me with a search.

All around

The mantids are no longer clinging to the senna, as it has ceased blooming.

The are looking for prey on goldenrod and other plants that are blooming now.

Went looking for mushrooms in the Japanese garden, but this was all I found.

Not a new species, but a moulting house finch.

Puddling

A Foulkeways resident was given a gift of a "puddler", which is supposed to attract butterflies.  But she has not seen a butterfly come to it yet.

This image of a puddling spot came from the internet.

I have seen tiger swallowtails puddling, but not here at Foulkeways.  Male butterflies need minerals  found in puddles, stream bamks and other damp surfaces.  If urine is present in the water, it will make the puddle especially attractive.  Males pass the minerals along with the sperm to the female when they mate.  It is felt that the females need these minerals in the production of eggs.

But on a rainy day like today, the butterflies are hiding from the rain, and not even the birds are interested in a bird bath.

First of September

This is a cloudless sulphur, very large and lemony yellow.

The cloudless suphur is a resident of the south and a variable migrant in September.  Probably attracted by our Sennas, which is its host plant.

Most of the time it  is flying, and often high in the trees.

Here it is the first of September and the Bidens is starting to bloom.  Watch for it in different places, as it is a self-seeding annual.

Also blooming in the morning is chickory, which is near the wetland.   Years ago some residents tried very hard to establish it in the meadow with no success.  Now it has come into our area on its own.