Katie Says: When it comes to wildlife, let it be!

In most cases, we are told that it is our duty as a part of society to act when we see something wrong. If we see a robbery in progress, we call the police to come and intervene. If we see someone in danger, those that step in are heralded as heroes. But when it comes to wildlife, our first instinct to intervene may not always be the best. Such was the case yesterday when I witnessed a bald-faced hornet kill and devour a red-spotted purple butterfly.

I noticed the butterfly flopping on the ground, and instinctively picked it up to see what was wrong and to put the butterfly on a nearby leaf. It was then that I noticed the bald-faced hornet latched on to its victim, using its jaws and stinger to try to subdue the red-spotted purple. Not wanting to be stung by a rather worked up hornet, I dropped the pair onto the ground. Part of me wanted to intervene; pry the hornet off of the butterfly to save the beautiful insect, but then I realized that the hornet needed to eat too and that I should instead appreciate the incredible opportunity to watch a hornet eat what literally lay before me.

In a gruesome act that seemed to come right out of a mobster movie, the hornet first removed the butterfly’s proboscis (tongue). Next came the head, which ended the butterfly’s suffering. I had predicted that the butterfly’s wings would naturally come next, but instead, the hornet removed the four hind legs of the butterfly, noisily chewing all the while. Finally, the hornet removed the thorax (the middle of the body) from the abdomen and the wings and flew off noisily with its bounty clutched between its legs.

Yes, it may have been a bit unnerving to watch a butterfly being eaten alive by a fierce predator, but what an opportunity, too! To witness the strength and deliberate actions of the hornet was something I will never forget. I may have felt badly for the butterfly who lost its life, but at the same time, I am glad that I did not intervene so that I could share in the hornet’s victory. Have a question or a story of your own to share? Post a comment below; it’s free and you don’t have to create an account!

Katie Says: Did you know…?

…that some species of flowers only open at night? These flowers were designed to attract moths, bats and other nocturnal animals as their pollinators, which are not active during the day.

…that not all fireflies are nocturnal? There are diurnal (active during the day) species that look just like any other firefly, except they lack the yellow, glowing abdomen. They also have longer, fuzzier antennae, a sign that these daytime fireflies rely on chemical signals from their mates, and not blinking, glowing ones.

…that snakes cannot blink? If you ever see a legless reptile blink at you, you’ll know you’re looking not at a snake, but at a species of legless lizard, found in the southeastern United States.

…that daddy long legs are not spiders? Although they are a kind of arachnid (along with mites, scorpions and ticks), they are not spiders. Daddy long legs cannot produce silk, have only two eyes instead of eight and have only one body segment instead of two. And in case you’re wondering, yes, daddy long legs can bite, but contrary to the myth, their venom is quite weak.

…that the barn owl can eat more mice in one year than ten cats combined? In parts of the country where the barn owl is common, farmers put up owl nest boxes around their crops to attract these magnificent mouse munchers!

…that Briar Bush is starting a brand new series of nighttime programs called “Hot S’more Nights”? It’s true! Each Thursday night in July, Briar Bush educators will lead fun and exciting programs to teach about the nighttime side of the Briar Bush woods. Want to learn more? Call Briar Bush at 215-887-6603 or be on the lookout for the next Briar Flyer!

Katie Says: Babies, babies, everywhere!

Everywhere you look; there are babies at Briar Bush! Some are obvious, looking different from the adults or those that are still reliant on their parents for food, and some that achieve independence early in life are less apparent.

It doesn’t take long once you’ve arrived at the Briar Bush pond to notice that the water is practically bubbling with tadpoles. Green frogs (which is the true species name and not just a description) of every life stage can be found in the pond, from legless tadpoles to the giant, bullfrog-like adults. What I think is most fascinating about the life cycle of the green frog is that it takes two years for the tadpoles to complete their metamorphosis into their adult form. They spend the winter snuggled beneath a mud blanket at the bottom of the pond, much like their legged elders.

Common grackle fledglings are also taking Briar Bush by storm! Rather than being colored black with beautiful iridescent feathers on the neck and head like the adults, juvenile common grackles are a matte blackish-brown. They are also easy to spot as they mercilessly follow their parents around, constantly squawking to be fed. I had to laugh this week as I saw a young grackle at the bird observatory, begging to be fed while standing atop a pile of sunflower seeds. When not at the bird observatory, the grackles love to flick and throw dried leaves on the ground outside of my office window in the hopes of finding a tasty insect to eat.

If you’ve been to Briar Bush recently and are thinking that there are an unusually high number of chipmunks here in our woods, you’re exactly right; what you’re seeing is a whole forest full of young chipmunks. Young chipmunks don’t emerge from their underground burrow until they are almost fully matured and independent, so by the time we see them above ground, they blend right in with the adults. The next time you’re out on the trails, count how many chipmunks you see or hear and let me know your tally by posting a comment below!

BOA

It is always sad when we lose one of our resident education animals but many of us had a very strong connection to our red-tailed boa constrictor, who was humanly euthanized last week. ‘Boa’ had been here longer than any of us can accurately remember, but it was at least 18 years. He was a very old snake (we think 25 years at least) who lived a good long life despite respiratory and kidney problems. In his old age, he started to deteriorate and we decided to let him go peacefully when he took a turn for the worse. ‘Boa’ was a favorite among the staff and visitors of all ages – we will miss you big guy.

Kristen Haas, Environmental Educator

Katie Says: Create a backyard oasis!

How many of us have looked at those big, expensive, elaborate ponds in backyards and businesses and found ourselves uttering a big sigh? We only wish we had enough money for supplies, time for installation and patience for malfunctioning pumps. But did you know you can add a pump-free, wildlife-attracting water feature to your backyard or balcony in less than a day? Try a container pond!

First, you’ll need your container. Purchase a large flower pot; the best shape is one that has a base almost the same size as the top and does not have vertical sides. Imagine the bottom cut off of a whiskey barrel—in fact, some home improvement stores sell fiberglass versions of this exact design! Next, if the pot has a hole in the bottom of it, you’ll need to plug it using a bit of epoxy.

Do you want your pond level with the ground, making it appear more natural and wildlife-accessible, or are you living in an area where your water feature cannot be dug into the ground? If digging your pond into the ground, have the lip of the container be slightly above the rest of the ground. This will prevent most soil from washing in during rainstorms.

Once you have your container in place, add some native aquatic plants, like pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata.), bulrushes (Scirpus sp.) or waterlily (Nymphea sp.). Besides adding beauty and shelter for any pond residents, these plants will act as natural filters and aerators for your pond, thus eliminating the need for a pump or filter. These plants can either be planted into sand or aquatic plant soil (found at home improvement stores) or can be put pot and all directly into your pond. A wonderful resource for learning more about Pennsylvania’s native and invasive aquatic plants can be found at http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/FreePubs/pdfs/agrs110.pdf You may also want to add other features to your pond, such as submerged places for aquatic animals to hide, and a stick leading out of the pond, to assist stranded insects. (My neighborhood robin uses the stick as a perfect bathing perch.) Fill your pond with cool, refreshing water and congratulations! You’ve created your very own backyard oasis.

Finally, if you’re concerned about mosquitoes, there’s a good chance that your pond will attract natural mosquito controls, such as frogs and tadpoles and predaceous aquatic insects and their larvae. Mosquito dunks are also available as a safe method of control that will not harm fish, frogs or other wildlife.

Once you’ve created your own pond, share your experience and wildlife sightings by posting below!

Nature Playscape Grand Opening

We celebrated the grand opening of the Nature Playscape on Saturday, May 8. The playscape is located on the Pond Overlook Trail and is open during daylight hours.

Take a visit to Lancaster County's Shenks Ferry Wilflower Preserve