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--Apple-Mail-99-898069068 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed An interesting test of sorts for honeybees will occur in the Wolfville area soon, i.e., the copious populations of invasive Japanese knotweeds will be in bloom. In recent years I have noticed that these flowers attrack honeybees in huge numbers, so let's keep watching and see what develops this year. Cheers from Jim in Wolfville. Begin forwarded message: > From: "P.L. Chalmers" <plchalmers@ns.sympatico.ca> > Date: August 13, 2013 10:51:58 PM ADT > To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca > Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Scarcity of Insects > Reply-To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca > > I agree with others who have said that there is a scarcity > of butterflies and bees this year. I have seen very few, either > here in the city or on my few outings this summer. Two weeks ago I > spent an hour on a lovely Sunday morning at Mount Uniacke estate, > and saw no butterflies except for Whites, Sulphurs, and Common Wood > Nymphs. Not a fritillary to be seen. I recalled walking in the > same areas on field trips with Peter and Linda Payzant in former > years and seeing far more, and more varied, insects. > > However, I have noticed good numbers of moths in the > evening in Bedford., including some of the larger ones. I have > also seen healthy numbers of odonates at several of my usual > spots. On Sunday I was in Point Pleasant Park, and observed an > abundance of various odes over the wetland on Pine Road. I > particularly noticed a lot of chalky-bodied skimmers, which I think > were Common Whitetails and reddish meadowhawks. (I realize I'm rusty!) > > Patricia L. Chalmers > Halifax > > > > At 05:06 PM 12/08/2013, Jim Wolford wrote: > > AUG. 7, 2013 - I walked along the Wolfville Rail Trail this > afternoon, as I often do, and noted just a few butterflies (mostly > whites) flitting among the huge array of plants in flower, > especially Queen Anne's lace, common tansy, knapweed, etc., from > Wolfville Harbour but especially from Elm Street out to the Acadia > Arena. BUT what really struck me was how very few other insects I > am noticing on the flowers as I walk. Thinking back a couple of > decades (or more?), I used to see a wide variety of insects and > spiders on the flowers, and now I am seeing few to none, plus the > few butterflies. Has anyone noticed the same thing? And does > anyone know of a database somewhere out there in our world of > information that has decades of data like we have for breeding birds? > > At 09:20 PM 13/08/2013, Nancy Dowd wrote: >> One thing I have noticed is far fewer Odonates on the shores of L >> Torment, Kings Co. I have been going there over 40 years and when I >> was a kid I used to search along the rocks and gather all of the shed >> nymphal skins I could find. And I found a lot. I still come across >> remnants of my collection tucked into a drawer or matchbox to this >> day. >> >> Now I rarely find any shed skins on the rocks. >> >> Others may have also noted changes in the always-popular and obvious >> Dragonflies and Damselflies. >> >> Nancy >> >> On Tue, Aug 13, 2013 at 8:02 PM, Angus MacLean >> <cold_mac@hotmail.com> wrote: >> > Steve's "rant" & other comments center on the weather we have >> experienced >> > this spring & fall. However: >> > >> > I have been photographing insects since 2005. I recall thinking >> during the >> > first two years that this was a great hobby, insects wherever >> one looked so >> > that some days I took 300-400 photos. Then numbers started >> declining.... so >> > much so that in the past few years I consider it a good day to >> get 5-10 >> > useful photos (excluding honey bees which are numerous here in >> the Valley). >> > >> > I am certain that some people still find high insect populations >> in their >> > area. For instance I have found that in northern Cape Breton, >> there are more >> > insects & in particular, populations of Bumble Bees. >> > >> > We do have good comparative data re birds & the Butterfly Atlas >> will collect >> > much useful data too, albeit somewhat late. There may be similar >> studies of >> > other groups although the only specific study that comes to mind >> is that of >> > Bumble Bees where data has been collected over a number of years >> (followed >> > by disturbing analysis!). Are there others? >> > >> > As birders we sometimes thought how exciting it must have been >> to be birding >> > in the forties through early fifties when populations were said >> to be >> > abundant. I wish now I had started my "new" hobby a few years or >> perhaps >> > decades earlier! >> > >> > Likely in 20 years from now, people will look at insect photos >> on the Net & >> > think (similar to the Eskimo Curlew).."Gee, I wish I had seen >> that". >> > >> > Angus --Apple-Mail-99-898069068 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/html; charset=US-ASCII <html><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; = -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "> An interesting test of sorts for honeybees will occur in the Wolfville = area soon, i.e., the copious populations of invasive Japanese knotweeds = will be in bloom. In recent years I have noticed that these = flowers attrack honeybees in huge numbers, so let's keep watching and = see what develops this year.<div><br></div><div>Cheers from Jim in = Wolfville.<br><div><br><div>Begin forwarded message:</div><br = class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div = style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; = margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" color=3D"#000000" = style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><b>From: = </b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: 12.0px = Helvetica">"P.L. Chalmers" <<a = href=3D"mailto:plchalmers@ns.sympatico.ca">plchalmers@ns.sympatico.ca</a>&= gt;</font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; = margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" = size=3D"3" color=3D"#000000" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: = #000000"><b>Date: </b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" = style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica">August 13, 2013 10:51:58 PM = ADT</font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; = margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" = size=3D"3" color=3D"#000000" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: = #000000"><b>To: </b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" = style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica"><a = href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</a></font>= </div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: = 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" = color=3D"#000000" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: = #000000"><b>Subject: </b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" = style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica"><b>Re: [NatureNS] Scarcity of = Insects</b></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: = 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" = size=3D"3" color=3D"#000000" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: = #000000"><b>Reply-To: </b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" = style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica"><a = href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</a></font>= </div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: = 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><br></div> <font = size=3D"3"><x-tab> = </x-tab>I agree with = others who have said that there is a scarcity of butterflies and bees = this year. I have seen very few, either here in the city or on my = few outings this summer. Two weeks ago I spent an hour on a lovely = Sunday morning at Mount Uniacke estate, and saw no butterflies except = for Whites, Sulphurs, and Common Wood Nymphs. Not a fritillary to = be seen. I recalled walking in the same areas on field trips with = Peter and Linda Payzant in former years and seeing far more, and more = varied, insects.<br><br> = <x-tab> </x-tab>However, = I have noticed good numbers of moths in the evening in Bedford., = including some of the larger ones. I have also seen healthy = numbers of odonates at several of my usual spots. On Sunday I was = in Point Pleasant Park, and observed an abundance of various odes over = the wetland on Pine Road. I particularly noticed a lot of chalky-bodied = skimmers, which I think were Common Whitetails and reddish meadowhawks. = (I realize I'm rusty!) <br><br> = <x-tab> </x-tab>Patricia = L. Chalmers<br> = <x-tab> </x-tab>Halifax<br>= <br> = <x-tab> </x-tab><br><br> = At 05:06 PM 12/08/2013, Jim Wolford wrote:<br><br> </font><font = face=3D"Helvetica, Helvetica" size=3D"3"><b>AUG. 7, 2013 = </b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica, Helvetica" size=3D"3" = color=3D"#001EE6">- I walked along the </font><font face=3D"Helvetica, = Helvetica" size=3D"3"><b>Wolfville Rail Trail</b></font><font = face=3D"Helvetica, Helvetica" size=3D"3" color=3D"#001EE6"> this = afternoon, as I often do, and noted just </font><font face=3D"Helvetica, = Helvetica" size=3D"3"><b>a few butterflies (mostly whites) = </b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica, Helvetica" size=3D"3" = color=3D"#001EE6"> flitting among the </font><font face=3D"Helvetica, = Helvetica" size=3D"3"><b>huge array of plants in flower</b>, = especially<b> </b>Queen Anne's lace, common tansy, knapweed, etc., = </font><font face=3D"Helvetica, Helvetica" size=3D"3" color=3D"#001EE6"> = from Wolfville Harbour but especially from Elm Street out to the Acadia = Arena. BUT what really struck me was </font><font face=3D"Helvetica,= Helvetica" size=3D"3"><b>how very few other insects I am noticing = on the flowers</b></font> <font face=3D"Helvetica, Helvetica" size=3D"3" = color=3D"#001EE6"> as I walk. Thinking back a couple of decades = (or more?), I used to see a wide variety of insects and spiders on the = flowers, and now I am seeing few to none, plus the few = butterflies. Has anyone noticed the same thing? And does = anyone know of a database somewhere out there in our world of = information that has decades of data like we have for breeding = birds?<br><br> </font><font size=3D"3">At 09:20 PM 13/08/2013, Nancy = Dowd wrote:<br> </font><blockquote type=3D"cite" class=3D"cite" = cite=3D""><font size=3D"3">One thing I have noticed is far fewer = Odonates on the shores of L<br> Torment, Kings Co. I have been going = there over 40 years and when I<br> was a kid I used to search along the = rocks and gather all of the shed<br> nymphal skins I could find. And I = found a lot. I still come across<br> remnants of my collection tucked = into a drawer or matchbox to this<br> day.<br><br> Now I rarely find any = shed skins on the rocks.<br><br> Others may have also noted changes in = the always-popular and obvious<br> Dragonflies and Damselflies.<br><br> = Nancy<br><br> On Tue, Aug 13, 2013 at 8:02 PM, Angus MacLean <<a = href=3D"mailto:cold_mac@hotmail.com">cold_mac@hotmail.com</a>> = wrote:<br> > Steve's "rant" & other comments center on the = weather we have experienced<br> > this spring & fall. = However:<br> ><br> > I have been photographing insects since 2005. = I recall thinking during the<br> > first two years that this was a = great hobby, insects wherever one looked so<br> > that some days I = took 300-400 photos. Then numbers started declining.... so<br> > much = so that in the past few years I consider it a good day to get 5-10<br> = > useful photos (excluding honey bees which are numerous here in the = Valley).<br> ><br> > I am certain that some people still find high = insect populations in their<br> > area. For instance I have found = that in northern Cape Breton, there are more<br> > insects & in = particular, populations of Bumble Bees.<br> ><br> > We do have = good comparative data re birds & the Butterfly Atlas will = collect<br> > much useful data too, albeit somewhat late. There may = be similar studies of<br> > other groups although the only specific = study that comes to mind is that of<br> > Bumble Bees where data has = been collected over a number of years (followed<br> > by disturbing = analysis!). Are there others?<br> ><br> > As birders we sometimes = thought how exciting it must have been to be birding<br> > in the = forties through early fifties when populations were said to be<br> > = abundant. I wish now I had started my "new" hobby a few years or = perhaps<br> > decades earlier!<br> ><br> > Likely in 20 years = from now, people will look at insect photos on the Net &<br> > = think (similar to the Eskimo Curlew).."Gee, I wish I had seen that".<br> = ><br> > Angus</font></blockquote> = </blockquote></div><br></div></body></html>= --Apple-Mail-99-898069068--
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