Mystery Photo

Any thoughts as to whom this “eye” belongs to? If so, go to http://www.naturallycuriouswithmaryholland.wordpress.com, scroll down to “Comments” and write your thoughts! Identity will be revealed on Monday, September 15th.

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Broad-winged Hawks Soaring South

Every fall the entire North American population of Broad-winged Hawks migrates south to Central and South America.  The Broad-winged Hawk is one of the few North American raptors that flocks during migration. Broadwings are commonly seen in the tens of thousands at the peak of their fall and spring migrations in southern Texas, Mexico, and Central America. (Over 2 million individuals have been tabulated in fall counts in Mexico; 700,000 were counted in one day in 2002.) While these numbers aren’t seen in the Northeast, over 4,000 were observed in one day at Hawk Mt. in Pennsylvania.

The manner in which Broad-winged Hawks migrate thousands of miles is as notable as the size of the flocks they travel in.  These birds conserve a large amount of energy by soaring on thermals and mountain updrafts.  The timing of their migration, peaking in mid-September, takes advantage of day length as well as the production of thermals.  Much time and energy are saved by using this strategy.

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Northern Prickly-Ash & Eastern Giant Swallowtails

Northern Prickly-Ash (Zanthoxylum americanum) has prickles, or thorns, on its branches, and its leaves resemble those of an ash, but it is a member of the citrus family and is found sporadically throughout New England. One noticeable characteristic is the lemon-scented foliage, flowers and bark of this tree. Its bright red fruit (excluding the seed) is the source of a spice known as Sichuan pepper, commonly used in Chinese, Nepali, Indian and Tibetan cooking. Known for its citrus-like taste, it also has a tingling, numbing effect said to resemble the effect of carbonated drinks or of a mild electric current. For this reason, Native Americans chewed the bark and fruit of this aromatic tree to alleviate toothaches. 

If you should come upon this unusual tree, be sure to keep an eye out for the larvae of the Eastern Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes), a magnificent butterfly whose host plants are primarily in the citrus family, Northern Prickly-Ash being its preferred host in New England.  The larvae, or caterpillars, can often be found consuming Northern Prickly-Ash leaves – look carefully, as the caterpillar’s resemblance to a bird dropping makes it easy to miss! (Photo: Northern Prickly-Ash; insets-Eastern Giant Swallowtail larva with defensive Y-shaped osmeteria extended; Eastern Giant Swallowtail butterfly)

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Beaver A/C

During the periodic, seemingly endless, heat waves this summer, how many of us stopped to appreciate beavers for their ability to cool the air?   Beavers build dams and create ponds and widening rivers which increase the surface area of the water.  Water evaporates from these surfaces using heat energy from the air, a process known as evaporative cooling. Because this process removes heat, it can lower the local air temperature by several degrees. Lucky are those individuals who live near a beaver pond, for this and many other reasons!

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Bird’s Nest Fungus

Bird’s Nest Fungi are aptly named — all species resemble a miniature egg-filled bird nest. They are tiny – each measuring from 1 to 25 mm in height and 2 to 10 mm in width, and can be found in colonies growing on and decomposing organic matter such as mulch, logs and scat.  Many are topped with a fuzzy, thin covering which opens when their spores have matured.

The tiny eggs (peridioles) inside the cupped fungus (peridium) each contain as many as 30 million spores.  The peridioles of some species are attached to the peridium with a thin string (funicular cord) that has a sticky end (hapteron). These are both coiled and packed inside an envelope called a purse.

The spore dispersal mechanism of these fungi depends upon rain, and is brilliant. Raindrops splash the peridioles upward and out of the peridia, rupturing the purse.  The funicular cord uncoils and stretches out, often wrapping around a twig or blade of grass and sticking to it with the help of the hapteron. The peridioles are thrown as far as three feet; some are thought to be dispersed even farther away by grazing herbivores.

To watch this process, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EBipTLgPUw.

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Why Do Yellow Jackets Sting More As Fall Approaches?

As the weather cools down, you may have noticed that Yellow Jackets seem to be getting more aggressive. Your chances of being stung by a Yellow Jacket increase significantly this time of year. Why is this? 

During the spring and summer, Yellow Jackets feed on high-protein foods like decaying meat and insects. As these food sources dwindle with the arrival of fall, when colonies are at their largest population, Yellow Jackets become feistier due to competition for the limited resources.

In addition, during the spring and summer, Yellow Jackets chew these foods into a paste that they feed to their larvae which in turn produce a sugary substance that nourishes the adults (this exchange of food is called trophallaxis). By fall, most larvae have matured, leaving the adults without this sweet treat.  As a result, Yellow Jackets develop a strong craving for sugary substances, such as soda and sweets, which humans are often consuming.  The competition for these sweets often results in stings.

Lastly, there is a nearly identical looking but much more aggressive species, the Southern Yellow Jacket, which has recently moved northward into New England. It’s possible that you may have encountered this species if you’ve been stung. (Photo: Yellow Jacket eating sweet, dried honeysuckle berries)

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Ruby-throated Hummingbirds: Frenzied Feeders In Late Summer

If you feed hummingbirds, you probably have had a large number of visitors in recent days. As you probably surmised, this frenzied activity has to do with the birds preparing for migration. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds overwinter along the western Gulf Coast south through Central America, a trip of thousands of miles.  Some fly along the Gulf Coast to reach Central America, while others fly nonstop across the Gulf of Mexico, a distance of 500 miles. 

In order to successfully complete this journey, some individuals almost double their body mass by fattening up on nectar and insects prior to departure.  Male hummingbirds are the first to leave, some as early as mid-July, followed later by the females. Lastly, the young hummingbirds begin their first migration, all alone. 

During migration, a hummingbird’s heart beats up to 1,260 times a minute, and its wings flap 15 to 80 times a second. (Cornell Lab. Of Ornithology)  To support this high energy demand, a hummingbird will typically gain 25-40% of their body weight before they start migration in order to make the long trek over land and water. Small wonder that our hummingbird feeders are humming these days.

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Larval Lacewing Camouflage

You may be familiar with adult lacewings – green or brown insects with small heads, large eyes and large, transparent wings that have a fine network of veins and are about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch long. They are often seen on summer nights when they feed on nectar, pollen and honeydew produced by aphids.

Young lacewings, or larvae, are very different creatures — alligator-like in appearance, spindle-shaped and often mottled. They have spines along their sides and long, curved mandibles, or mouthparts.  The larvae are voracious predators and eat almost anything they encounter, especially aphids and other soft-bodied insects. 

The larvae of some species of lacewings have special adaptations for predation, such as those that camouflage themselves by attaching debris (plant material, insect exoskeletons, remains of prey, bits of leaves, bark, lichen and spider silk) to the bristles on their back. The type of debris they carry varies depending on the species and the material available in their environment. Studies have shown that carrying the bodies of dead aphids on their back helps the lacewing larvae evade detection by ants that are tending and protecting the colonies of aphids the larvae prey on. The larvae are sometimes referred to as “trash bugs” or “junk bugs” due to this debris-carrying behavior. (Main photo: lacewing larva camouflaged with remains of deceased woolly aphids)

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2026 Naturally Curious Calendar

Although I declared last year’s Naturally Curious calendar to be my last, this year finds me putting together the 13th Naturally Curious calendar after all!  My hope is that there is a continued interest in gazing at wildlife photographs on your wall for at least another year.

Naturally Curious calendar orders can be placed starting today through November 15 by writing to me at 505 Wake Robin Drive, Shelburne, VT  05482. The calendars are printed on heavy card stock and measure 11” x 17” when hanging. There is one full-page photograph per month. The calendars are $40.00 each (includes postage). Please specify the number of calendars you would like to order, the mailing address to which they should be sent and your email address (so I can let you know I received your order and can contact you if I have any questions). Your check can be made out to Mary Holland. 

Orders placed before November 15 are guaranteed; those placed after 11/15/25 will be filled as long as my supply of extra calendars lasts. (I have had so many last-minute requests (after the deadline) in past years that I have not been able to fill all of the orders, so if you want to be sure of having your order filled, I encourage you to place your order before November 15th. I hate to disappoint anyone.)  Many thanks.

Monthly photos: Cover-red fox; Jan-red-tailed hawk; Feb-sun-bathing eastern red squirrel; March-common goldeneye; April-long-tailed weasel; May-red fox kits; June-tuliptree; July-American bittern; Aug-mating bluets; Sept-moose; Oct-green jelly babies; Nov-ruffed grouse; Dec-common redpoll.

An Exception To The Rule

In the bird world, males usually have a more colorful plumage than females (think Cardinals, Baltimore Orioles, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks). This phenomenon of differences in appearance between males and females of the same species is referred to as sexual dimorphism.

 Females choose their mates based on visual cues – the more vibrant and elaborate the male’s plumage, the greater his chance of being chosen. In addition, it stands to reason that the gender that does the majority of the incubation of eggs would have the plumage that blends in best with its environment, so as not to attract predators.

There are exceptions to this rule, however, and the Belted Kingfisher is a prime example.  The male kingfisher has one “belt” – a blue band across his chest.  The female kingfisher has this belt, but also has a second rusty partial belt on her chest and flanks.  Often when the female of a species is more colorful than the male, roles are reversed, with the male tending the nestlings. This is not the case with kingfishers, however, and ornithologists are working on understanding why this might be.

Naturally Curious is supported by donations. If you choose to contribute, you may go to http://www.naturallycuriouswithmaryholland.wordpress.com and click on the yellow “donate” button.