[NatureNS] absence of insects

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Index of Subjects

flying insects - no black flies, and the
On 6/23/2016 3:43 PM, Donna Crossland wrote:
> Darn!  Ha, ha,  I’ve heard the song played on CBC but never saw the
> video.  It’s true the black flies seem larger in northern Ontario.  I
> think a different species from here.

* there are hundreds of species and, I seem to recall, asexual lineages 
with diverse karyotypes - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simulium - some 
feed on one species of host or another, and some don't take a blood meal.

fred.
=====================================================
>
>
>
> I seem to be too late with thoughts on the black fly.  Annapolis Royal
> has claimed a ‘_black fly_ _festival’_, though I’ve never seen a black
> fly there, and they’d be nothing compared to the wooded heartlands of
> NS.  A ‘_black fly_ _supper’_ probably wouldn’t draw a big crowd....  : )
>
>
>
> Donna
>
>
>
> *From:*naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca
> [mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca] *On Behalf Of *Rick Whitman
> *Sent:* June-23-16 4:01 PM
> *To:* naturens
> *Subject:* Re: [NatureNS] absence of insects
>
>
>
> We can't claim it, Donna. Ontario already has it:
>
>
>
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjLBXb1kgMo
>
>
>
> Rick Whitman
>
>
>
> On 23 June 2016 at 15:00, Donna Crossland <dcrossland@eastlink.ca
> <mailto:dcrossland@eastlink.ca>> wrote:
>
> Thanks, John, for offering the thought of blackflies being keystone
> species.  Being a non-aquatic person, I hadn’t thought of their
> filtering abilities and incorporating organic matter.   Do you think
> we’d get very far offering the black fly as a new and official
> provincial  insect of our wonderful province?  Ha, ha.
>
>
>
> Donna
>
>
>
> *From:*naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca
> <mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>
> [mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca
> <mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>] *On Behalf Of *John Kearney
> *Sent:* June-23-16 8:25 AM
> *To:* naturens@chebucto.ns.ca <mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
> *Subject:* RE: [NatureNS] absence of insects
>
>
>
> As always Donna, you have given an excellent explanation of the possible
> effects of forestry on Black Fly populations. In addition to the lack of
> food for birds resulting from fewer flies, the Black Fly larvae are an
> important food source for fish and the larvae of larger aquatic insects
> such as mayflies and damselflies. As filter feeders, the Black Fly
> larvae play a crucial role in incorporating organic matter into the
> aquatic food chain. As filter feeders, they could also serve as
> indicator species for aquatic pollution, and in Nova Scotia especially,
> for mercury pollution. The adult male Black Fly, which feeds on nectar,
> may even play some role in pollination. Here we have a species that is
> crucial to both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Certainly the Black
> Fly is a keystone forest species.
>
> John
>
>
>
> *From:*naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca
> <mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>
> [mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca] *On Behalf Of *Donna Crossland
> *Sent:* June-22-16 19:20
> *To:* naturens@chebucto.ns.ca <mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
> *Subject:* [NatureNS] absence of insects
>
>
>
> In response to Susann’s question regarding whether other birders have
> noticed a lack of insects:  I’ve noticed the past couple of years that
> black flies seem to ‘not be what they used to be’.   Mostly, the season
> seems to be noticeably abbreviated.  Also the past two spring have
> witness very cold temperatures in the mornings (last Saturday there was
> a frost at Milford House and only 4 C when I arrived at 5:20 am).   I
> measure the temperature at every bird survey post and notice that 10-11
> C is required before I need to put on some bug deterrent.  By then, on
> most mornings until the warm temps of this week, I’ve pretty well
> completed the bird survey.
>
>
>
> Earlier this spring, some of the fishermen were commenting that the
> blackflies were biting just like in the old days.  Things started out
> ‘normally’ enough, but then we hit the prolonged cold snap and waters
> were rapidly dropping, too.  The blackflies quickly became less of an issue.
>
>
>
> I’m not a bug expert, but I grew up in one of the buggiest areas of the
> province.  My theory with the black fly is that it’s traditionally
> successful life cycle in NS has been altered somewhat from the rampant
> levels of deforestation.  On private lands, it seems that operations
> have reverted back to cutting right up to the stream edges with no trees
> remaining (I’ve got photos of last winter’s cuts in the southwest).
> Even where buffers are left as per legal requirements, the lack of trees
> remaining on the rest of the landscape serve to let streams rapidly fill
> after a rain and then empty quickly, rather than retain moderate flows
> from filtering through forests.  For the black fly, if waters keep
> running more will emerge, but streams are now drying up more quickly
> than before when our great Acadian forest blanketed the landscape.  The
> black fly season is shortened.
>
>
>
> Also bear in mind that breeding success of black flies is sensitive to
> water pollution in streams (which may be relevant to some areas of our
> great province).
>
>
>
> Most folks will herald the shorter black fly season, but I’ve become
> more reflective about our migrant birds now than I used to be.
> Neotropical birds have been coming to this land solely for  its “bugs”
> and the remarkable ‘forest habitats’ found here for centuries!  What are
> we indirectly doing to their precious food supply needed to feed young
> birds?  (I won’t go into habitat issues.)  When I watch the chimney
> swifts and tree swallows flying around, I wonder how things are going
> for them and their progeny...
>
>
>
> Donna Crossland
>
>
>
>
>
> *From:*naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca
> <mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>
> [mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca] *On Behalf Of
> *rita.paul@ns.sympatico.ca <mailto:rita.paul@ns.sympatico.ca>
> *Sent:* June-20-16 8:48 AM
> *To:* naturens@chebucto.ns.ca <mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
> *Subject:* Re: [NatureNS] Golden-crowned Kinglet family group
>
>
>
> Maybe birders are noticing a lack of insects Susann!
>
> but anglers seem not in agreement but maybe birders
>
> blood is not in this year! Just like wine.
>
> Enjoy the last days of spring
>
> Paul
>
>
>
>     On June 20, 2016 at 7:02 AM Susann Myers <myerss@eastlink.ca
>     <mailto:myerss@eastlink.ca>> wrote: