יוני 13, 2023

Brewster Community Gardens meadows 13Jun2023

During the 12 days since last visit here, the meadows surrounding fenced organic gardens were mowed. Seemed surprising since that's usually done just in the Fall. Also puzzling because this is a conservation area, where quite a few Monarchs are seen every year on common milkweeds growing throughout the meadows. About 30 or more milkweeds were spared by the mowers, but many times that number were cut down, along with goldenrods, Queen Anne's Lace, Joe-Pye Weeds, Carolina Rose, mint, various ferns and many more. In addition to a few milkweeds, mowers spared a field poppy, a few patches of Northern Bayberry, and an extensive patch of Stinging Nettles that thrives under a small Black Walnut tree near the small parking lot. I imagine it would have been dangerous for the mower operator to drive over those tall nettles, but it's surprising they haven't been removed yet, since they are right beside a well-used walking trail. I barely touched a leaf once while photographing an insect, and the stinging pain lasted for many minutes.
It's still early in the growing season, so many of the plants will probably grow back, I'll be looking forward to that, and a return of the many species of bees, flies, dragonflies, butterflies, beetles, and true bugs that thrive here every summer.

הועלה ב-יוני 13, 2023 05:51 אחה"צ על ידי rdebenham rdebenham | 2 תצפיות | 0 תגובות | הוספת תגובה

יוני 18, 2021

Brewster Community Garden 6/17/21

Have been visiting regularly here to walk the path through the meadows that surround the fenced garden area. Noticed many lady beetles recently, but today was notable for the number and variety seen in all stages: adult, nymph and larval.
Also saw first Monarch of the year today.
The most interesting find was a good macro of predatory stink bug eggs clustered in the center of a milkweed leaf. Had no idea what they were when I took the photo, because they were so small, like grains of fine black sand. But at high magnification, it looks like each dark egg has been fitted with a white spiked corona. Later that day read an article saying the bugs can control the color of the eggs, depending on whether they are laid on the upper or lower surface of the leaf. These were on the upper surface, and the dark color apparently protects them from UV light of the sun.

הועלה ב-יוני 18, 2021 10:48 לפנה"צ על ידי rdebenham rdebenham | 0 תגובות | הוספת תגובה

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