by Winding Pathways | Sep 15, 2015 | Bugs, Nature
As leaves tumble off our trees each fall we usually spot one or two round or football shaped gray wads of paper clinging to branches. They’ve been there all summer but hidden by leaves.
This fall many people will discover similar baldfaced hornet nests and be alarmed that they’re sharing their yard with stinging insects.
A fertile bald faced hornet queen overwinters under a log or in the ground. As the weather warms she flies to a branch and makes a tiny nest of paper-like material. She’ll lay an egg or two that hatches into a worker. Workers forage for tasty insect food and expand the nest. As the nest grows the queen lays more eggs until the colony has many hornets. By summer’s end it’s full size just before leaves begin to fall.
Bald Faced hornets are normally content to go about their business building their nest and catching tender insect food. They have little interest in stinging people unless someone molests their nest. Get too close or bother the nest and you likely will get stung many times. Dozens of hornets will instantly attack and multiple stings are the norm.
There’s a simple way to avoid being stung. Leave the nest alone. That may be easier said than done. A few years ago a neighbor teenager spotted a nest in a backyard tree. He hurled rocks at it, and his aim was good. Angry hornets boiled out and attacked! The boy retreated in pain but with an education he won’t forget.
As the weather cools the colony creates more queens that mate and then find a snug place to overwinter in solitude. Worker hornets die and the nest soon becomes empty and disintegrates during winter wind and snow.
A bald faced hornet nest by a front entry. Leave it be until freeze up.
If you find a hornet nest in early to mid-fall LEAVE IT ALONE. It may still be occupied. If it must be removed wait until cold weather sets in. By then it will be abandoned and can be removed safely. At Winding Pathways we leave our nests in place and gradually watch them disintegrate.
by Winding Pathways | Jun 7, 2015 | Bugs, Labyrinths, Nature, Wonderment
We walked as 19 individuals in a single community waiting with anticipation for the first glimpse of the magical firefly dance. From ages two to mid-sixties with a healthy mix of 20 somethings visiting the Indian Creek Nature Center for the first time, we shared, questioned, chatted and on entering the sacred space surrounding the Prairie Labyrinth, approached reverently. As we began, Teri P read the powerful verses from Longfellow’s Hiawatha about the night and the fireflies:
“All the air was white with moonlight, All the water black with shadow,
And around him the Suggema, The mosquito, sang his war-song,
And the fire-flies, Wah-wah-taysee, Waved their torches to mislead him;
And the bull-frog, the Dahinda, Thrust his head into the moonlight,
Fixed his yellow eyes upon him, Sobbed and sank beneath the surface;
And anon a thousand whistles, Answered over all the fen-lands,
And the heron, the Shuh-shuh-gah, Far off on the reedy margin,
Heralded the hero’s coming.”
Then, we walked. Each tapped the drum. The children ran eagerly searching…searching and returned somberly. Adult Pilgrims stepped into the labyrinth and fell into silent reverie.
But the night was not. As nature does when given the chance, the evening filled our senses. We wove in and out along the path to the center looking with soft eyes upon the emerging summer prairie. Knee-high grasses cascaded to the ground. Virginia Mountain mint scented the air. Creamy Penstamen turned their tubular faces to the setting sun while butterflies gathered one more sip before dark. Field sparrows, red-winged blackbirds, robins, geese winging overhead called in succession and in the distance tree frogs tuned up for the night chorus. The west glowed faint orange like early evening fireflies do. The earth gave way beneath our foot falls. But, no where did we spy the enchanting flicker of a lightning bug.
In Center, we stood silently after the Firefly poem from “Song From the Sandhills” by Paul F. Long of Kansas. Remembering. Evenings full of magical light as these Coleoptera of the night etched their dance on our memories. In corn fields before potent sprays. In hedges and taller grasses between yards before hedge clippers and riding lawnmowers. In front yards and back yards before monoculture craze took over.
Then, one by one each of us caught a glimpse of a faint glow deep in the grasses. We pointed. Nodded. Smiled. Shared silently. More and more the winking in the prairie woke us up as the fireflies began their dance and story of intrigue – one of code talk, mystery, “femme fatale”, and murder! As the evening darkened and cooled, their lights changed to luminescent green, the pace picked up and the males began to appear higher up in the air. Escorting us out of the Labyrinth.
We walked happily back to the Center as the frogs and toads in the pond chanted, “It’s OK, let them glow, go slow, go slow.” (Virgil Ellis)
by Winding Pathways | May 27, 2015 | Bugs, Nature
Few insects are as visible as fireflies winging over a lawn while blinking their lights on and off. Nearly everyone loves summer’s silent firefly light show, and they are a special delight for children.
Also called lightning bugs, these insects are most common in the eastern half of North America. Firefly larvae live under bark, wood, and leaves in shady damp locations. Although they are luminous people rarely see these larvae lights hidden in woodsy debris. Immature fireflies devour insects and other small ground dwelling creatures. Adults don’t feed. They fly around flashing their lights solely to attract a mate. Some firefly species blink yellow, while others blink green.
A delightful childhood experience is chasing and catching evening fireflies to watch them blink their lights on and off in a jar. Close examination reveals that they are brown or blackish beetles about a quarter to a half-inch long. After a bit of viewing free the captives and let them continue to spangle the night with friendly light.
Fireflies are one of many desirable insects killed by insecticides. Better to shun spray and enjoy these remarkable and beautiful animals.
Join Marion Patterson for a Firefly Labyrinth Walk at Indian Creek Nature Center on Friday, June 5th. Register through the Nature Center. 1-319-362-0664 or on-line
by Winding Pathways | Oct 21, 2014 | Bugs, Nature
October is the perfect time to talk about spiders. With all things Halloween interest is high. And, with cooler temperatures upon us arachnids are feasting on insects seeking shelter from coming winter and some are in fall migration mode. While used to seeing webs outdoors and in window sills most people rarely see these beneficial but somewhat creepy creatures. Too many get “freaked out” over them. Like all creatures spiders do have a purpose and we can admire their characteristics without getting too cozy with them.
On a recent trip to the South West we were startled to see “leaves” scuttling across the open road when no wind was blowing. Turns out they were young male tarantulas looking to stake their territory. Amazed, we stopped to film as dozens of hairy eight-legged dudes hustled across the wide open spaces of asphalt to the security of the taller grasses. Later at Old Fort Bent National Historic Site, La Junta, Colorado, the Ranger explained the migration phenomenon to us sharing how he and his wife had counted scores on a recent short evening drive. We opted to “motel” that night over tent out. Tarantula Migration
It’s one thing to see spiders outside and avoid them. It’s another to know they are “in your space.” Few indoor sightings are as startling as spotting a spider……sometimes a large one…..on the basement floor, wall, or even ceiling. Too many people misunderstand and fear these eight legged animals.
Spiders live in homes for at least two reasons. Like box elder bugs and mice they know cold weather is coming and seek warm places to overwinter. Homes offer more than warmth. They are also a fruitful hunting ground for these super predators. Most houses, even those kept especially clean, are an ecosystem of insects and other invertebrates that spiders catch and devour. Both the bugs and their hunters are usually most numerous down in the basement, where they find more consistent temperature and higher humidity than upstairs. Darkness doesn’t trouble them.
Some spiders are conspicuous while others remain out of sight, but there are likely many more in the house than are ever spotted.
The spider downstairs could be one of many species. Most don’t build webs but catch their prey by either waiting in ambush and pouncing on a hapless insect or running it down. The dark basement can be like a miniature Serengeti, with spiders taking the predatory role of lions and insects the antelope prey. They help keep household insect numbers down.
Although some spiders can inflict a painful bite that is slow to heal, the odds of being bitten by a house spider are low. Thoroughly caulking and weather stripping a home makes it harder for both spiders and cold air to enter. Spiders are arachnids, not insects, but most common household insecticides kill them. At Winding Pathways we shun the poisons and try to live and let eat!
by Winding Pathways | Aug 6, 2014 | Bugs, Flowers/Grasses, Nature, Trees/Shrubs, Weeds, Wonderment
This lovely landscape adds beauty to the neighborhood and welcomes pollinators.
Worldwide concern over dramatic declines in honeybee populations the past few years have hit the news. These intriguing and highly beneficial insects pollinate thousands of species of flowers, but media reports lead us to believe that they are the only pollinator and the disappearance of honeybees will leave plants unable to pollinate. The result will decimate human food supplies.
That’s only true in context. Honeybees are Old World natives introduced to North America in early settlement days. Before Columbus there were no honeybees on the continent, but obviously plants pollinated, thanks to dozens of other insect species as well as a few mammals.
Honeybee loss is of huge concern to anyone who likes to eat because of the way our society farms. Immense monoculture orchards and fields lack habitat for native pollinators. Farmland is often doused with insecticides. Farmers place honeybee colonies in the midst of vast almond and fruit orchards as well as other crops to pollinate these giant biological deserts that can’t support other pollinator species.
Fortunately, there are ways homeowners can welcome pollinators to their yards.
Become a beekeeper. It’s a fascinating hobby that yields satisfaction, pollination and delicious honey. Learning beekeeping takes effort and may not be legal in some cities. Look for future Winding Pathways blogs on beekeeping or contact your local extension agent or nature center to learn about beekeeping classes and locate experienced beekeepers. Beekeepers are usually eager to mentor newcomers.
Create pollinator homes. Mason bees are efficient, fascinating pollinators that are easy to attract to yards. While they do not yield honey they do get the pollination job done. Mason bees lay eggs in cavities in wood and readily use nesting structures placed in a yard. Most garden supply companies sell mason bee “houses” made of many tubes joined together. A mason bee home can be easily made from scrap wood. We made ours from several pieces of scrap 2X6 lumber screwed together to form a thick short piece of artificial tree. We drilled holes in it for the bees to raise their larvae, painted it and hung it from our deck. A few bees used it the first season with more moving in the next year. Google “Mason Bee” and choose from the many plans.
Create a pollination pocket, or PP, in the yard. Many pollinators only need a small patch of tall vegetation to hide in and raise their young. Mowed and sprayed lawns lack pollinator habitat. Often vast subdivisions are so manicured that hardly a beneficial insect can live there. So, to create the simplest PP just stop mowing a strip of lawn and let grasses and weeds grow tall there. The bigger the patch the better but even a 10 or 20 foot long and two foot wide strip will house pollinators.
The downside of letting a patch of lawn grow up is that plant species diversity will be limited and problem weeds may grow. Pollinators love weeds, but neighbors don’t. Be creative. The greater the diversity of flowers the more colorful the PP will be, the more beneficial insects it will attract and the more neighbors will like it. Our PPs include a wide variety of native grasses and wildflowers. Because we live in Iowa many of our plants are native prairie species but we also encourage some ornamental exotic flowers. One of our favorites is the cupplant. It’s tall and gangly but dozens of insect species love it. So do goldfinches and hummingbirds! On most sunny summer days tiger swallowtail butterflies and bumblebees visit it. Goldenrods and milkweeds are also outstanding pollinator plants.
A PP can serve many purposes. Tall, colorful patches of flowers and grasses can form walkway boundaries – winding pathways – in the yard and also can put steep or rough hard to mow areas to good use. A PP does more. The plants sink roots deep into the earth holding soil and creating space for rainwater thus reducing runoff. For a tranquil evening activity, sit quietly near a pollination pocket with a pair of binoculars that will focus closely and enjoy the constant coming sand goings of dozens of species of intriguing insects.
Take a step in creating a wondrous yard by creating a pollinator pocket. It will add summer color to the yard and invite all sorts of delightful and helpful insects to cohabit your space.
by Winding Pathways | Jul 14, 2014 | Bugs, Nature, Pests
Many people believe that long cold winters freeze ticks to death so abundance of these pests will be lower the following summer. That isn’t always the case. Plenty of ticks survived the frigid 2013/2014 winter and have appeared on pets, wildlife, and people the following spring and summer.
Ticks are more than mere pests. They can carry serious diseases. Several species are common in any given part of the country. Most are larger species that are about the size of a pencil eraser. Less easy to spot are tiny deer ticks that can carry the debilitating Lyme Disease. Sometimes they are so small that people are bitten without even realizing it.
The recreational, inspirational, and exercise benefits of being outdoors are immense, and no one should stay inside for fear of ticks, but everyone should take precautions to reduce odds of being bitten by a tick and catching a nasty disease.
Ticks are arachnids. They have eight legs, rather than an insect’s six. Fortunately, insect repellents also repel ticks, and some special sprays are designed to kill them. Repellents are generally safe to apply to the skin but don’t last long. Tick killing sprays are meant to be applied to clothing, not skin, and tend to remain effective through a few washings. We use a combination of both when outside in areas where we suspect ticks lurk.
After spending time outdoors everyone should conduct a tick check on their body. Although commonly believed, ticks do not drop down on people from overhead branches. They normally cling to a plant and simply step onto a person, dog, or wild animal when it brushes by. Usually a tick will walk around on a person, sometimes for hours, before biting. Ticks found walking on a body pose no health hazard and can be plucked off and flushed down the toilet. Only those ticks that have penetrated the skin pose a health hazard. If a dug in tick is found on the body it’s a good idea to consult a medical authority and follow the advice given.
