House Flies--Natures Pesky Pest

Shoofly! Shoo! How many of us have said those words, or heard someone say them? They become part of our spring and summertime vocabulary as we try to keep pesky flies away from our food, drinks, and… well, US! It is a constant battle; that we are sure the flies are winning. House flies rank right up there with mosquitoes and ticks as being loathsome and unwanted. Where do they all come from and what good are they?

House flies (Musca domestica) are probably the most common fly encountered by humans. Even their genus name of domestica hints at their domesticated nature, and their association with humans, livestock and pets. In fact it has been reported that up to 90% of all flies encountered by humans will be the house fly. House flies are in the order Diptera, which means Two-Wings, and like all flies they only have one set of wings, or “two-wings.” All other winged insects have two sets of wings, or “four-wings.”

House flies are relatively small at approximately ¼ of an inch. They have gray bodies with four longitudinal stripes on their thorax (behind the head). Their bodies are covered with hair-like projections. Females are slightly larger than males. How do you tell a male from a female? Look at the eyes; the females have eyes that are wide set, whereas males will have eyes that practically meet in the middle, or touch each other.

Females are capable of laying up to 500 hundred eggs in their lifetime. These tiny white eggs will be laid on garbage or animal dung and usually hatch in less than 24 hours. It will take the maggots approximately 5 days to reach their full size, then they will drop to the ground and burrow into the soil. They will remain in this underground chamber to pupate and will emerge in a few days as fully grown adult flies. So we can easily see how we end up with so many flies…with each female producing hundreds of eggs, and those eggs going from maggot to adult in less than 1 ½ weeks, and then they are ready to mate in less than 3 days and start the cycle all over again. It has been estimated that if all the offspring of a single pair of house flies were to survive throughout one breeding season beginning in April and ending in August, they would have produced 191,010,000,000,000,000,000 progeny. Thankfully though, not all will live, many are consumed by other insects, birds, and frogs or are outwardly killed by humans. A typical adult house fly will live up to 25 days, but may live up to 2 months if suitable food can be found. They are particularly fond of sugars. According to a study conducted in Texas, breeding site suitability (in descending order), was horse manure, human excrement, cow manure, fermenting vegetable, and kitchen waste. However, another study found that structures containing swine, horse, sheep, cattle, and poultry varied in fly abundance, with swine facilities containing the most and poultry the least. Fruit and vegetable cull piles, partially incinerated garbage, and incompletely composted manure also are highly favored sites for breeding.

House flies have the potential to spread many diseases, including typhoid, cholera, dysentery, viral hepatitis, cocci, salmonella, and many other unsavory pathogens. These are spread to humans through indirect contact, meaning it is passed through their feces, vomit and from the hairs on their bodies. Think about where a fly hangs out….then he comes to join your family picnic and lands on your food. The fly will vomit, defecate or sometimes both right on Aunt Mabel’s potato salad. Then we consume Aunt Mabel’s potato salad and voila….we get sick! So the next time someone in your family yells Shoofly! Shoo! There is good reason for it……these little beasties should be kept away from food meant for human consumption. The transmission of diseases is more prevalent in areas where hygiene is poor. Washing and cooking raw vegetables controls the spread of these pathogens. When outside, keep food covered to deny the fly access. Remember, that fly has been crawling around on garbage and manure, then landing on your food….!

Controlling flies is a difficult endeavor that involves removing animal waste, garbage and other materials they find suitable for mating and laying eggs. Killing the adults will help, but remember one fly can produce 500 eggs, so if you do not remove the areas where eggs are laid, an infestation will occur. This is especially true near livestock farms.

When being asked where do they all come from, and what good are they; I point out their prolific lifestyle and their ability to produce numerous offspring. I try to find something good in all manner of creatures, including flies. They are instrumental in breaking down waste which aids in adding nutrients back in the soil. They are also a food source to numerous other creatures. So not all is bad where house flies are concerned, but it is still best to keep them at a distance.

Tumblebugs----Earths Manure Spreaders

Poop, Poop, everywhere Poop, much to the delight of the dung beetle or tumblebug as it is sometimes called, which consumes dung with as much enthusiasm as we show to an ice cream sundae. These beetles range in size from very small to quite large at over an inch in length, and all are incredibly robust looking. These are stout beetles and are unmistakable when spotted. They may be black, green, brown, or even iridescent in coloration. Males have a distinctive horn on their head, presumably to fight for the right to mate with available females.

These industrious beetles are in the family of beetles called scarabs. Many of us are familiar with the significance of the dung rolling scarab beetle in Egyptian historical culture. The activity of rolling dung was thought to be a symbol of Ra rolling the sun across the sky each day. Scarabs, especially the dung rolling variety are depicted in Egyptian culture often and for many reasons. In Gothland, Sweden’s largest island it was believed that if you encountered a dung beetle on its back and righted it, you would be purged of all sin. In African folklore it is told that butterfly and dung beetle were best friends. One day while resting in the shade, first man and first woman came by. They admired the butterfly but ignored the beetle. After declaring to the butterfly that he did not like being ignored, the butterfly encouraged the beetle to become the strongest beetle ever. The beetle worked hard to gain strength and once again first man and first woman came by. They witnessed the feats of strength the beetle exhibited by rolling his dung ball. They were so impressed that for the first time they ignored the butterfly it all its beauty. The beetle was so proud of his accomplishment that to this day he continues to roll dung. While this may be folklore, the strength of the dung beetle is in fact quite remarkable. Most can move ten times their weight, and one species in particular can move 1,141 times its own weight! That would be like an average sized man pulling six double decker buses full of people! 

Dung beetles come in three classifications. There are rollers, tunnelers and dwellers. Rollers are the ones we are all most familiar with and get the most attention. They use an extremely sensitive sense of smell to locate dung, remove a portion of the “cake,” and tamp it into a ball which they roll to another location to bury. Males are usually the ones moving the ball, while females either walk behind or hitch a ride on top of the ball, and just hang on for the ride.

Most of us have watched a video or two of these beetles racing across the landscape rolling their prized ball with them at what seems like remarkable speeds when moving something so cumbersome. They are not trying to set land speed records, these energetic movers are trying to protect their ball from lazy dung rollers who mean to steal their hard work. 

The tunnelers on the other hand dig a burrow right below the cake and bury it in place. The dwellers took the easy route and just live inside the cake. These beetles utilize the dung of herbivores and omnivores with the former be their preference. Plant material is difficult to digest in its entirety which means bits, and pieces are passed through the digestive track of large herbivores such as cattle or in Africa it is often elephants and rhinos. The indigestible bits are then deposited inside a nutrient rich pile of poo that dung beetles find quite tasty. This habit of eating leftover plant material out of fecal matter also gives them clout as seed dispersers. As they roll the prized dung ball across the landscape and bury it, seeds are transferred to new locations and often sprout into new plants. Because dung contains all the nutrients and moisture these beetles need, they do not seek other forms of food or water. However, there are some species of these beetles that prefer fungi and decaying fruit.

All three types use dung as a food source for their offspring. Eggs are laid within the fecal matter, and when the eggs hatch the larvae feed on the provided meal. In the case of those that bury the dung, often both parents stay with the offspring and guard them from potential predation. Once the larvae form pupas the parents eat much of what is left of the dung ball.

In our area they are most likely to occur in feed lots where cattle are kept or in pastures with horses or cows. But worldwide may be found in a wide variety of habitats including deserts, woodlands, savannas and grasslands.

These beetles are important components in the environment, and they play a significant role in breaking down organic matter (dung) and returning it back to the soil as a nutrient rich substance. They aerate the soil, compete for underground nesting sites with several different species of flies, as well as remove the availability of dung for the flies to feed on or lay eggs in at the surface (which greatly reduces the fly populations). Thus reducing the number of flies that pester your livestock, keeping them healthier. Their habits add nutrients back to the soil which helps prevent pasture fouling. Pasture grasses will yield better stands and provide more fodder for cattle and horses, thus reducing the amount of hay that needs to be purchased to supplement their diet. Not to mention an estimated 380 million dollars annually is saved in the cattle industry by these beetles and their dispersal of dung. The use of chemical control of flies in cattle lots has had a dramatic impact on populations of dung beetles. Many individuals are beginning to understand the detrimental result of this practice and have eliminated the use of such chemicals or have greatly reduced the amount used. Chemicals that kill flies often kill beetles and many other insects.

There are species that navigate using the milky way, still others that use moonlight to traverse their habitats. They occur on all continents except Antarctica. These unique beetles are beneficial by aiding in a healthier environment for all of us. They should be encouraged and marveled at, and never destroyed. If you want a chance to watch these beetles in action, they are more active in the late evening and nighttime hours. Grab a flashlight and head to the nearest pasture, scan the piles of dung and you may just get to see one of these beetles forming and burying their dung ball.

Inchworms

Who doesn’t have fond memories of childhood, capturing “bugs” such as ladybugs, roly-poly’s, or the intriguing inchworm? Harmless insects such as these have fascinated children for generations. I can remember capturing inchworms and letting them crawl over my hand or across my arm, fascinated by their movement. Legend has it that an inchworm crawling on you, is measuring you for your coffin. After 50 years, I can attest to the falsehood of this claim.  Inchworms get their name from their unique mobility. This creative movement is possible because of the absence of middle legs. Their legs instead are located at the front and rear of the caterpillar. They essentially clasp with the front legs and draw up the hind end then clasp with the hind legs, giving them a humpback appearance. Before reaching out again with those front legs to clasp onto something else, repeating their motility. This unique movement gives the impression they are measuring their journey; thus, the name “inchworm” was attributed to them.

The first inchworm found in Baltic amber was discovered in 2019 and was given the name Eogemeter. It was estimated to date back 44 million years ago! So, they have been around a very long time. Currently there are approximately 24,000 species of inchworms found Worldwide, 1400 of which live in North America, there is no shortage of these fascinating caterpillars. They belong to the family of moths called the Geometer moths. This name is derived from the Latin word geometra and translates loosely into “earth measurer.” Which is also a descriptive term for their unique movement. They may be green, gray or a shade of brown, with some species being nearly black. Some may have spots, or stripes, but all are masters of camouflage. These small, thin caterpillars resemble twigs and blend in well with their environment. When disturbed many species will bungie jump from their vantage point via a piece of silk string they release. This silk string will harden, allowing the caterpillar to climb back up to continue feeding once danger has passed. Some parasitic wasps, however, are aware of the trickery of these caterpillars. They can locate the silk line and either reel up a desperate caterpillar or maneuver themselves down the silken line to inject eggs inside the horrified inchworm…. which hatch into tiny wasp larvae that feed on the caterpillar from the inside out. Other insects, like yellow jackets and paper wasps paralyze the inchworm with special enzymes and masticate them, only to serve them up as a tasty meal for their offspring in a form of inchworm vomit.  With all the birds, and predatory insects out there that feed on these caterpillars I am certain they are kept busy reeling themselves down and climbing back up multiple times daily. Other species of inchworms will stand erect on their hindlegs completely motionless, giving the appearance of a small twig. These enterprising caterpillars manage to avoid being eaten by freezing in place. 

Inchworms, like all caterpillars, are herbivores and feed on a wide variety of plant material. There is an exception though. In Hawaii lives an inchworm that is carnivorous and feeds on insects and spiders. They have a specially adapted mouth and lightning-fast reflexes and can capture an insect in 0.1 seconds. These meat-eating inchworms are referred to as pugs. At this point, these are the only known predatory caterpillars living today.

 Inchworms are considered a social insect and will often gather in relatively large groups but will feed as loners away from their brethren. Inchworms are boom and bust insects. Meaning there are years of plenty and years of few. Their cycle is typically two to seven years of higher populations, then thirteen to eighteen years of low population. The last significant, damaging population explosion occurred in the 1970’s. These explosions in population can cause significant damage to fruit trees, and deciduous shade trees, which are their typical foods of choice. If higher populations remain for three years or more, the continued defoliation of trees may lead to extremely stressed trees that end up dying.

 Many people may know these caterpillars by their other common name ofcankerworm. There are two types of cankerworms, the spring and fall species.  The spring cankerworm spends the winter in the soil as a mature caterpillar until spring when they will form a cocoon and pupate into the adult form that will emerge in a few weeks. Typically, it will be early April through mid-May when the adults appear. Fall cankerworms emerge as adult moths in October after a hard freeze. The males appear first, followed by females a few days later. Mating takes place and females will lay eggs in clusters that overwinter and hatch the following spring. Adults die shortly after mating. They hatch in spring, usually to coincide with the budding of trees. In about four weeks they will drop to the ground and finish their lifecyle to the adult stage. Both spring and fall cankerworms typically begin feeding at the same time each spring, even though their lifecycles are a little different from each other. In years of excessive population numbers, control measures may be needed. Assess your trees and try to start any treatment when the caterpillars are in their earliest stages, older caterpillars are more difficult to impossible to control. In most cases, however, control is not needed, and natural predators will take care of the problem. If you do need to use chemicals, find those with Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) as a key ingredient, it is the safest and has the most effect on the caterpillars.

 Historically other control measures were implemented which resulted in a whole other problematic issue. In the 1850’s immigrants from Europe found our country devoid of familiar wildlife. They drastically missed the birds they had lived with back home. It was also during this time that a huge outbreak of cankerworms appeared and were destroying the Linden trees in New York City. An enterprising individual by the name of Nicholas Pike, had a plan. He bought eight pairs of English sparrows, or house sparrows as they are more commonly referred to as. These birds were released in New York and did a fabulous job of eating the caterpillars causing all the havoc. It is believed those initial birds are the ancestors of all house sparrows living in the United States today. Others claim those initial sixteen birds did not reproduce and subsequent purposeful releases did the trick. Either way, this is a case of the cure, being arguably worse than the problem at hand.

Finding yourself in the middle of a plague of inchworms, often dangling in an unsightly manner like pendants on a string only to drop on your head, can be a bit annoying. Not to mention watching as they defoliate your orchard, leaving behind a barren

Bleeding Heart

As a little girl I was fascinated by a plant that grew in my grandmothers garden, each spring it would be covered in perfect, delicate pink hearts. I could not fathom how such a plant could grow hearts. My grandmother explained to me it was called the Bleeding Heart, and that particular plant came from her own mothers garden, and before that from her grandmothers garden. I could tell this plant was extra special in my grandmother, and her love of what it represented to her was displayed for all to see in those perfect hearts. Nearly thirty years ago, after moving to the farm, my grandmother gifted me a start off of the bleeding heart her family had so lovingly passed from one generation to the next. It is still my absolute favorite plant growing in my gardens. I lost my grandmother a few years ago, but a part of her lives on through those enchanting blooms.

There are several species of bleeding hearts, one variety is native to the United States, but the variety mentioned here is native to China, Korea and Siberia and was later well established in Japan. As early as 1810 this unique plant made its way into Europe, by the then famous Scottish botanist Robert Fortune. It was subsequently lost, until it was brought back in 1846 by the Royal Horticulture Society on exploratory trips East. The unique shape, color and foliage of the plant earned it favor among royalty and commoners alike and was soon planted all over Europe. As more and more people immigrated from Europe and Asia into the newly developing colony states and later the United States, they brought with them many of the plants they so loved in their home countries. Bleeding hearts among them.

The bleeding heart goes by many names, including lyre flower, lady-in-a-bath, and locks & keys. Each name in some way reflects the unique shape of the bloom. They were once included in the same genus as our native Dutchman’s breeches, and it is easy to see why. Both plants have blossoms that grow like pendants hanging in rows under delicate stems. However, scientists now classify them in another family of plants, that includes the poppies. The delicate flower is shaped like our most famous symbol of love, hearts, and varies in color from pink to deep fuchsia. These slightly puffy blooms resemble tiny lanterns with two white inner petals and a stamen peeking out underneath. These inner petals appear to be dripping from the lantern. They have a delicate sweet scent and are showy in any spring garden. They prefer shade to partial shade but will tolerate sun in cooler climates. 

Homeopathic healers recognize the medicinal value of the bleeding heart and often create remedies to treat coughing, dizziness, and skin disorders. May also be used as stimulants or diuretics. However, this plant is considered toxic to humans as well as pets, like dogs and should not be consumed in any way, as it contains isoquinoline alkaloids and may cause trembling, convulsions, diarrhea, and vomiting as well as breathing issues. Even handling the plant should only be done while wearing gloves as the secretions of the plant may cause skin irritations. Leave the home remedies up to the experts.

Several legends surround this spectacular plant, one of which originates in China where it is said a Jade maiden named Si Jun, who was originally a minor deity and considered virtuous as well as beautiful. Si Jun lived in ancient times, in a beautiful valley between the mountains. She was kind, faithful, wise, and had numerous suitors. However, the loyal Si Jun – her name translates as ‘the one thinking of her lord’ – refused all of them. She had her secret love, a beautiful and handsome young man. Her beloved was a soldier, encamped far from her and forbidden to communicate with his love and send her answers in letters. The faithful and patient Si Jun waited for his return. While waiting, she would dedicate herself to embroidery. Once a month, she would embroider a purse she dedicated to her lover. The embroidered purse would hang on the branch of a peony tree by her window. Her embroidery was so beautiful and real, that it tricked bees and butterflies. The bees and butterflies would try to pollinate the artificial motifs on the purse, and it continued for so long that the peony tree gave new, heart-shaped flowers. The gods made it into a new plant, the one Chinese legend refers to as the ’purse peony’. The story of Si Jun inspired a custom of giving this plant as a precious love promise or even a proposal of marriage since the flower has a shape like a bridal purse. The symbolism of the ’purse peony’ in China is similar to that of red roses in European culture. 

Another legend begins in Japan where it is said a noble prince was smitten with a selfish, but beautiful princess. He tried in vain to win her love, he frequently brought her extravagant gifts from his worldly travels. Yet she took no notice of him. Returning from a long journey, bearing with him special gifts, he felt sure would win her heart. First, he gave her two magical pink bunnies (peel off the outer two petals and set them on their side to reveal little bunnies). The princess only sighed, not impressed. The prince did not lose hope and presented her with a beautiful pair of enchanted earrings (remove the two long white petals and hold them to your ear). She happily accepted the gift, but declared she could not love him. Still unable to give up hope he made her a gift of slippers from delicate silk (inner two petals). The princess barely took notice and again declared she could never love him. Defeated and forlorn, the prince had no choice but to give up. He rose up and pulled a dagger from his sheath and stabbed himself in the heart (remaining in the flower is a heart shape with a stamen that appears as a dark green line down the center, hold the heart up and carefully remove the dagger-like line and plunge it though the heart). The princess was overcome by the devotion of the young prince and his unending love for her. She then realized too late that she loved him too. “Alas” she cried out “I have done a wrong, my own heart is broken also, I shall bleed for my prince ever more. Her heart bleeds to this day.

It is said that the bleeding heart plant appeared for the first time at the place where this love smitten man died of a broken heart and self-inflicted wounds.

 

Try pressing the heart-shaped blossoms between the pages of a book to dry. They will become perfectly shaped paper-thin hearts, any valentine or loved one would cherish in a message of love. The bleeding heart, favored by royalty, steeped in legend both beautiful and tragic is a beautiful addition to any shade garden.

Horse Chestnut

Receiving phone calls or emails from readers with questions or suggestions for topics to write about is one of my favorite aspects of writing. It encourages me to learn new things, and as my grandfather used to say to me “no day is complete unless you have learned something new.” Recently I heard from Don W. in Fillmore, MO. He wanted to know if I was familiar with the Horse-chestnut tree. I told him I was not, and after visiting with him I knew I needed to learn more about this tree. I was able to photograph the tree on his sons property and came to the conclusion it is a beautiful landscape tree.

Horse-chestnuts, also called the Conker tree or buckeye are native to the Balkans, including Greece, Yugoslavia, Turkey, Bulgaria, and Albania. Because of their beauty they quickly became popular worldwide and can now be found in all reaches of the globe. Typically, they grace parks, and tree-lined avenues, or botanical gardens. They are rarely found in the forests within their homeland. These are large trees that may reach heights up to 130 feet and produce beautiful panicles of white flowers tipped in yellow or pink that bloom in May. These panicles may be four to twelve inches tall and contain up to fifty flowers. From the panicle fruit develops, in the form of a fleshy, bumpy husk, with a warty appearance. 

 

"When the leaves fall in autumn, a perfect horseshoe shape, complete with seven "nail holes" is visible at the end of each stem."

Within each capsule a nut-like seed develops called a Conker. The common name of horse chestnut comes from the observation that these nuts may cure coughs or panting in horses. Which I find ironic for reasons I will mention later. It is also believed the name comes from their similarity in appearance to the sweet chestnut trees, like the American chestnut, Japanese chestnut, Chinese chestnut, and European chestnut. The Horse chestnut shares the same family of trees as the soapberry and maple trees. Whereas the sweet chestnuts are in the same family of trees as oaks and beech.

These trees are related to the buckeye tree, that we are all familiar with, which produces the attractive nut, said to bring good luck to anyone who carries one on their person. (I remember as a young girl being so excited when a fellow student would bring a handful of buckeyes into school to share. I still love finding or receiving buckeyes.) The nut of the horse chestnut is said to resemble the eyes of a deer; thus, the name buckeye became a colloquial name to describe the tree. 

The infamous American chestnut tree, native to the United States is now considered functionally extinct, meaning that while there are some estimated 430 million stems growing in forests throughout the Eastern United States, none of these stems are growing into the adult tree as they should. They are all less than one inch in diameter. Because they cannot reproduce or produce seeds, they are not contributing to the forest ecosystem in beneficial ways. The American chestnut is highly susceptible to chestnut blight, which creates a canker around the tree effectively girdling and strangling the tree. Older, larger trees will succumb to the blight in two to five years, whereas young, immature trees may die in a single season. Scientist are working on a biologically engineered variety of the American chestnut that is resistant to the blight. The end goal is to repopulate our forests with this iconic tree. American chestnut trees traditionally were prized for their timber and for the benefits to wildlife in the form of a food source in the consumption of the nuts. Even humans enjoy eating chestnuts, after all who hasn’t heard the popular Christmas song “Chestnuts roasting on an Open Fire?” They are not called sweet chestnuts for nothing. These tasty nuts are often baked or roasted after a curing period that turns the starches in the nut to sugars. Chestnuts are higher in vitamin C than most other nuts, lower in fat and contain more starch than a potato, which earned them the nick-name Potato Tree. Horse chestnuts on the other hand are considered toxic and non-edible. So how do we tell the difference between a sweet chestnut and the poisonous horse chestnut? The sweet varieties have a sharp spiny bur covering the nuts, and each nut will have a tassel or point at one end of the nut. Horse chestnuts lack this tassel or point, instead they are flattened in shape.

 

Horse chestnut seeds are reported to cause tremors and lack of coordination in horses. Remember I said I would explain how ironic it was that people fed the seeds to horses to cure coughing and panting. This might be a case of “the cure being worse than the cause.” The FDA has classified this tree as unsafe for consumption. We may not be able to eat these nuts, but we can benefit from them in other ways.

A suitable, inexpensive laundry soap can be made for those of us looking for less chemically ladened products. Simply peel, then grate or chop conkers and soak in warm water for a couple of hours. For a bar of soap put the conkers in a cheese cloth or piece of muslin then squeeze out the excess moisture before pressing into a mold. Use the soaking water as a laundry liquid. For liquid soap blend around 20 soaked conkers in 6 liters of water. If you wanted you could add some essential oils.The resulting laundry or bath soap is reported to be gentle on your skin and even better its free!

Or perhaps, you could play a game of “conkers” named after the seed. This game is played by drilling a hole in one end of your nut (conker) and threading a string through it. Tie a knot and take turns swinging and striking the conker of your opponent. The first person whose conker breaks loses. This game was first recorded on the Isle of Wright in 1821 and grew in popularity throughout Europe and Ireland. By the 1940’s it was played on the street of New York and quickly became popular throughout the Eastern United States where it is still played in some areas today. The name conker translates to “knock-out” which would explain other variations of the game. Each player stands on one side of a wall and chucks conkers at his opponent trying to make bodily contact. This slightly more aggressive form of the game may have come from the word onomatopoeia. This long, complicated word, comes from the two Greek words onoma, meaning "name" and poiein “to make". So, in a literal sense, onomatopoeia means "to make a sound. Such as the sound of the conker seed striking something hard, like a skull! 

  If you don't mind being called a cheater, try aging your conker into something called a laggis. Conkers are left for a year to harden, and the result is the laggis, This almost always guarantees you will have the advantage needed to usurp your opponent. Want to speed up the hardening process? Soak or boil your conker in vinegar or try baking it in the oven. 

 

Some people claim the saponins within the seeds, can repel spiders. There does not seem to be any scientific proof this works, but saponins are toxic enough to most likely repel insects in areas where seeds fall and these toxins have permeated the ground. Just not sure how effective it would be to keep spiders at bay.

During WWI conker seeds were collected by many people , including children, and turned over to our government. These seeds were valued for their starch content which through a fermenting process could be used to produce acetone, which was then used to create cordate, that was used in the manufacturing of armaments. The conker seed was selected by the US government as a viable starch source. This choice was made to avoid starvation in an already struggling population, which they felt would happen if they used already low supplies of high starch food sources, such as potatoes. However, this particular nut proved to be a poor alternative to other starch rich foods and was abandoned after three months.That did not stop people from reprising this idea during WWII, when once again seeds were collected, and fermented, and cordite was created, and the whole thing was abandoned in short order. Some lessons are never learned, or perhaps these enterprising individuals thought they could succeed where their predecessors did not.

Fan of beer? Before the time of refrigeration, creative individuals in Bulgaria planted the horse chestnut tree near the cellars used for lagering beer. The trees shaded the cellars, and because of their shallow root system they did not damage the caverns within. Because beer was often served near the cellars, the term beer garden was coined and still used today. Although you probably will be enjoying said garden at the top of a high rise patio rather than an outdoor cellar. 

In Amsterdam a horse chestnut, which grew in the center of town was referred to as the Anne Frank tree. In her diaries she mentioned the tree which gave it historical value to the area. In 2010 the tree was blown down in storms, but from the loss came eleven saplings that made their way to the United States. After a lengthy quarantine period, those saplings were later planted in historically significant places, including the 9/11 memorial park and two holocaust centers, which is very fitting for these historically important trees.

 

Horse chestnuts may not have the culinary value of sweet chestnuts, but they certainly have a rich history and value all their own. They are beautiful landscape trees, and if you are feeling particularly adventuresome you could try your hand at a game of conkers. 

 

Scorpionfly

Trunks aren’t just for elephants, there is a unique insect in Missouri called a scorpionfly that has a schnoz any elephant would envy. This appendage contains the chewing mouthparts at the end of it, but why do they need such an exaggerated beak? Maybe it is a thing of beauty in the world of scorpionflies. These insects are not related to scorpions or flies at all, so their name is a bit of a misnomer, as they are in a family of insects all  their own. I personally think “elephantfly” would have been a more fitting name. Their name comes from the scorpion-like appendage at the tip of the male’s abdomen. Females lack this appendage, so the appendage is an accurate way to tell males from females. They cannot sting with their scorpion-like tail, nor do they bite, in fact they are completely harmless.

Maple callous borer

 Another insect encountered in the same area as the scorpionfly is the maple callous borer. It looks so similar to the scorpionfly, mistaken identity is common. 

 

There are fifty-five species of scorpionflies throughout the Eastern United States and Canada. Most have black patterned wings that are held back over their body. They have a short fluttery flight that rarely takes them more than a few feet away at a time, However, they are wary of disturbances, making them incredibly difficult to approach. 

 

The species pictured here is Panorpa nuptialis, they may reach lengths up to one inch or a little more. This particular species is found in South Central United States. They are found from central Missouri southward, and I photographed this one at Truman Lake State Park near the lake on some flowers.

They are omnivores and feed predominantly on insects, which makes them beneficial to humans. They will sometimes feed on pollen or nectar. There has been some indication that they will appear on human carcasses. While this is a deviation from their normal diet, if this option is available to them, they will take advantage of it. These insects may be useful for forensic scientists who investigate murders. As they are only known to appear during the first stages of decomposition. Therefore, the appearance of multiple scorpionflies feeding on a carcass, would indicate the body has not been deceased for very long. Forensic scientists have long used insects to help determine the closest approximate date of death to help investigators in solving crimes.

 Scorpionflies have an interesting mating ritual. 

 

Males will typically offer females a nuptial gift in the form of a juicy insect morsel. Males also emit a pheromone from their abdomen. Females are often drawn to the male by the powerful chemical cocktail that he produces or perhaps his gift is what entices her. Most human females appreciate a good smelling man bearing gifts, seems these female scorpionflies do as well. The scorpion-like tail of the male is used as a clasper for mating with females. In some instances, the males are living life on the edge in the mating game. If a female is not receptive to his advances, she may well make a meal of him. Hence the offering of an insect gift, keep her occupied with eating the “chocolates” he so lovingly brought her, and lessen his chances of losing his head in the process. Mating will occur as the female feeds on her tasty gift. Males will sometimes pose as females in order to "steal" the potential nuptial gift meant for an intended mate. This gives the male a leg up in the mating game. After all, stealing a gift meant for a potential mate, means the rival male has to work harder to replace his gift. 

Females lay their eggs in cracks or crevices in the soil. The larvae feed on dead soft-bodied insects. They will emerge as adults sometime in the fall and will be found from September through November. Look for them on low shrubs and ground cover in densely vegetated woodlands, often near water; grasslands; cultivated fields and forest borders. The adults are usually seen resting on leaves in shaded areas less than three feet from the ground. Adults may emit an offensive odor if disturbed. I personally have never smelled this obnoxious odor, but then again, I’ve never grabbed one. 

Spring is here, and along with the return of warm weather, will also be the return of all those insects. Many people groan at the thought, but I for one am excited at the new discoveries that await me. The diversity in the insect world is as limitless as your imagination.

Barred Owl

"Who cooks for you….who cooks for you all?” rings out in the dusky horizon as the barred owl makes his presence known to anyone who is listening. These large owls are the most vocal of all the owls living in North America. At least eight known songs, calls and vocalizations are attributed to this owl, earning it the nickname of Old-eight hooter. Like all animals there are many colloquial names attributed to them depending upon the region in which they are found. In the far north they are referred to as Le Chat-huant Du Nord or the hooting cat of the north. They may also be called the Northern barred owl, striped owl, hoot owl, or my personal favorite the rain owl, because of their love of rainy weather and their tendency to call loudly after a recent rainstorm. Over the past week I have spotted a barred owl leaving a hollow tree directly in front of our house. We have heard this same owl and her mate many nights over the past month calling, often so loudly we are awoken out of deep sleep. I am hopeful that she has chosen this particular tree to nest and we will soon see a new owl family in our backyard. Because of these close encounters with the female each time she flees the tree, I was prompted to write about them this week.

Easily recognized, the barred owl is slightly smaller than the great horned owl, and weighs approximately three pounds, with a wingspan up to thirty nine inches. They are mottled brown or gray and cream with brown vertical bars on the underparts and down the back and horizontal bars on the breast. The wings and tail are barred with white and brown. It is this pattern that earned them the common name of barred owl. They are the only “typical” owl with dark brown eyes, all other typical owls have yellow eyes. The only other owl in Missouri with dark eyes is the barn owl and they are classified in a group all to themselves. Unlike many owls, the barred owl does not have ear tufts. Instead, their head is smooth and rounded, giving them a rather chubby appearance. Ear tufts serve no function in hearing, but instead may be used to give the illusion of a larger silhouette , or in communicating distress, fear or alertness. There is also some who believe the ear tufts break up their shapes in a form of camouflage. Like most owls they are nocturnal but are also known to be active during daylight hours and may be spotted flying or heard calling at any time during the day.

These owls rely heavily on old growth forests

Barred owl eating a rodent

with deciduous hardwood trees, evergreens and in some area’s conifers. Increasingly they have become more synanthropic, adapting well to life near humans. In urban settings where large trees are available these owls have done well and are frequently seen roosting in backyards, and parks. They require hollow trees, broken snags and occasionally the abandoned nests of other animals to create their own nesting site. From one to three eggs will be laid and incubated by the female. The male will keep watch over his family and bring food to the female that she will feed to their offspring. Both parents play an active role in rearing their young. Like many bird species the parents can be particularly territorial and protective of their offspring and will vocalize their displeasure at your presence, or even attack when sufficiently provoked. One such barred owl lived in Salem, OR. This owl frequently attacked joggers at a local park when they would jog near the nest site. The attacks often left talon marks or gashes in people’s heads. This earned the owl a nickname of Owlcapone. Best to give nesting birds their space…especially birds large enough to hurt us. At approximately six weeks the young will begin taking short flights from the nest to nearby branches where they will call incessantly begging for food from the parents in an activity called branching. The parents are kept busy playing hunt and seek as they locate each begging baby to feed it. At ten to twelve weeks of age the owlets will graduate to fledglings and begin flying and are capable of hunting and caring for themselves. They usually stay close to their siblings for many months before finally finding mates for themselves and raising their own families.

Barred owls are found throughout most of North America, with three subspecies. The Northern barred owl is located in the Eastern United States, and the pacific Northwest, the Texas barred owl, is found in Texas and the Florida, or Southern barred owl is found the Southern United States. Historically the barred owl was absent from the Pacific Northwest, but with the expansion of forests throughout the Great Plains along the Missouri River and its tributaries it has allowed the barred owl to expand its range. Finding sufficient foraging habitat, protection from weather and concealment from predators gave them all the advantages they need to head westward into new territories. The increase in forested areas is due to the suppression of wildfires by the European-American settlers and the ceasing of controlled fires traditionally set by Native Americans, plus an increase in the planting of trees. The barred owl’s expansion into Oregon and Washington has created a direct threat to the threatened spotted owl. Barred owls are larger, more gregarious by comparison and compete for food, nesting locations and territories. The smaller spotted owl cannot compete with this new interloper. Many biologists are beginning to recommend culling the barred owl to allow for the spotted owl population to rebound. Another threat facing the spotted owl due to the barred owl is their ability to hybridize. Both owls are closely related and can crossbreed, thus creating a whole new set of issues for the spotted owl population.

The diet of the barred owl is highly variable with rodents such as voles and mice making up the majority of what it eats. They may also eat reptiles, amphibians, insects, birds, and even fish. Many fishermen have reported seeing barred owls roosting and hunting from docks. At least five species of fish have been found in dissected owl pellets including bullhead and bass. They will wade into the shallows of a stream, creek, small river or lake and capture fish and even crayfish. The crayfish eating barred owls often have pink-tinged feathers under their wings. This is caused by the keratin in the crayfishes exoskeleton, much like the flamingo turns pink because of the shrimp it consumes.

We are all familiar with the story of Harriet Tubman and the underground railroad, but what many may not know is she was an avid naturalist and had a deep connection to the natural world. She was known to have used the call of the barred owl to communicate to individuals seeking freedom on the railroad when it was safe to come out of hiding. 

 Several years ago I received a call from a lady I know who said she had an owl stuck in her chimney. It had been there for many hours and did not seem to know how to climb back out and sitting just above the damper clinging to the bricks. At the time I was working at the Conservation Department as a naturalist and after checking with the agents they said it was fine for me to go try and help. I showed up with my daughter to help me and we set to work to try and free this very scared owl from his current predicament. After opening the damper and looking up into the shaft I could see the owl holding on for what appeared dear life. When he spotted a face looking up at him, he was even less encouraged to come down. We debated as to the best way to proceed and finally it was decided to use a telescoping rod to dislodge his feet and hopefully get him to drop onto the soft pads we had put down in the bottom of the fireplace. After several attempts we were successful and he landed with an undignified plop. Free of the chimney we now had to get him out of the house without causing injury to him or destruction to the house. Suddenly he came to his senses and took off flying right for my friends head and she hit the floor with a scream. It was total chaos for several minutes before he spotted the light coming in through the front door. He flew to the door, but was hesitant to fly outside. After some gentle coaxing he finally realized he was free to fly and with those large wings he lifted off and flew out the front door as if he always did these sort of things. Parked in front of the house were two men working on their car. The look on their faces as they witnessed this large raptor fly out of my friends house was priceless. It was an unforgettable experience to say the least. 

Babies have been fledgings in recent weeks to start their own lives in new territories and the song of the barred owl will continue to ring out “Who cooks for you, who cooks for you all?”

Dickcissel---the poster bird of the prairie

Several years ago, I was invited to attend a bioblitz in southern Missouri on one of the few prairies remaining in our state. For those that do not know what a bio blitz is; it is an annual event usually hosted by environmental-minded groups to inventory the plant and animal life found on a prairie or other natural area. For this particular blitz I was there as the “expert” entomologist. I am far from an expert, but I am not one to turn down an opportunity to hang out with a group of like-minded people with something to teach me. The prairie is a wonderous place with so much diversity in plant, bird, and insect life. One of first things I began to notice were these beautiful birds perched on fence posts in various spots around the prairie. They resembled meadowlarks but were much smaller. They were too colorful and big to be sparrows and since I had never seen one before I wasn’t sure what they were. Soon I had an ID from one of the bird experts in attendance.

This beautiful little bird was a Dickcissel, originally, they were referred to as black throated buntings. Scientists have had an exceedingly difficult time classifying these birds and they have undergone several classifications over the years before finally landing in their current group classification of Cardenolide. Males are very colorful and somewhat resemble meadowlarks with their black collar and yellow breast. Females on the other hand are muted in coloration by comparison and look more like sparrows. Both sexes have a yellow line above their eye, a rusty patch on their wings and a light-colored conical bill that very much resembles the bill on a cardinal. Which is one of the reasons they are currently classified in the same family group as cardinals. Although as more information is learned about them, this could likely change. The dickcissel gets its name from the call they make while in flight. It can vary some in the syllables as well as the intensity, but it usually goes something like this “dick-dick-dickcissel-cissel.” This unmistakable call helps ornithologist identify them during nighttime migration events and allows for monitoring of population densities.

 

They are a common sight throughout the Midwest during the late spring and summer months. These birds migrate back into the United States late in May or early June, which is much later than most birds returning to their breeding grounds. Dickcissels nest near the ground and typically build their nests in grassy meadows, prairies, or other tall grass areas. Males may have as many as six mates, although two or three is typical. Males will vigorously guard their territory from rival males. While the males are busy puffing out their chest and chasing off the competition, the females are looking for suitable sites to build their nest and lay their eggs. Once the eggs hatch the female will rear them to full fledglings on her own. After the young leave the nest, they go their separate ways. Unlike many bird species that mate for life, the dickcissel is a polygamist and will have multiple mates and a whole new set of mates the following year. Young bachelor males often do not get the chance to mate, but they will have the opportunity next season.

In their winter range they may be a pest to grain farmers because of their habit of forming large flocks and feeding on the grain seeds. Early in fall these birds begin forming loose flocks that gradually grow in number by mid to late fall. It is common for a flock heading south to contain millions of birds. It is this tendency to congregate in such large flocks that causes so much trouble for grain farmers in their overwintering sites. They head south to Southern Mexico, Central America and Northern South America where Venezuela is especially plagued with these birds and have traditionally used poisons and other methods of ridding themselves of these birds. Fortunately, various bird groups and other environmental groups have done an excellent job of educating farmers in these areas on other methods to scare of a hungry flock of these birds. In the Midwest breeding grounds, dickcissels face several additional threats: cowbird parasitism, the destruction of nests and nestlings by mowing machines, and loss of habitat due to changing agricultural practices and succession. Additionally, the use of pesticides kills off the insect population they depend on while rearing young. With the increase in wind turbines, we are also seeing an increase in deaths during migration events when birds fly too close to the spinning blades. The wintering population of these birds can become highly concentrated at certain favored roosting sites. A single "successful" poisoning event of a large flock of roosting birds could significantly reduce the world population of dickcissel. Currently the estimated population is at twenty-seven million, which sounds like a lot of dickcissels, but we all known how quickly that can change…. just think about the Carolina parakeet or the passenger pigeon that historically numbered in the millions and are now extinct.

Formerly common in farming regions of the eastern states, especially on the Atlantic coastal plain, the dickcissel disappeared from that region by the middle of the last century and is now most numerous in the Midwest. It appears in small numbers on the East Coast during the fall migration and on occasion will visit winter feeding stations, often with house sparrows. 

Since my initial introduction to the dickcissel on the prairie that weekend in southern Missouri, I have become more cognizant of the species around me and frequently notice the dickcissel on our farm. They are always a welcome sight in the summer as they sit on the fence posts singing “dick-dick-dickcissel-cissel.”

NoMO Trash April

Very few things will get an outdoor enthusiast as angry as being faced with someone’s litter, or trash if you will. We have all experienced it, walking our favorite trails, visiting our favorite parks or other natural areas, and coming face-to-face with garbage. This can be anything from soda cans and beer bottles to dirty diapers and old tires. It makes no difference what the trash is, the results are the same, unsightly litter that harms the environment and the animals that live there. It has now become the responsibility of conscientious, civic minded individuals to clean up after those who won’t clean up after themselves. Countless tons of trash are picked up each year in Missouri alone, by organizations that recognize the importance of removing this potentially harmful litter before it causes untold amounts of damage to our soil, water, and wildlife.

This is frustrating to say the least, after all why should we have to be the ones to pick up after those irresponsible individuals who made the mess? We do it because we know it is the right thing to do. Working as a naturalist gives me the opportunity to educate the youth of our state about the importance of cleaning up after ourselves. The Missouri Conservation Department designates April as NoMO Trash Month and launches a campaign each year to educate Missourians about the cause-and-effect issues of litter. We encourage the philosophy “If you pack it in, pack it out!” Don’t rely on other people to pick up after you.

I came face-to-face with one such cause and effect of littering. One evening several years ago, I was out walking around the backyard when I heard my daughter yelling. I could only make out “Mom, hurry, SNAKE!” I ran to see what the commotion was about and discovered a Western (black) rat snake near the backdoor. It was about two feet long and had most likely just come out of hibernation. This in and of itself is not unusual, we see a lot of black snakes in our yard. However, this was the first time I’ve encountered one with a plastic band around its midsection. I soon realized this snake was in trouble and would not survive another season with this bracelet of trash around its middle. It would not be able to eat properly and who knows what other internal damage the snake would end up suffering. I quickly grabbed the snake before it could disappear and earned a bite for my trouble. How could I blame the snake? It had just woken up from 5 months of winter and was most likely hungry, it had a restrictive band around it that probably made mobility uncomfortable and was now being snatched up off the ground by a giant potential predator. I’d bite me too!

I found my husband and showed him the snake and asked him to help me help the snake. We debated for a few minutes on the best way to proceed, and ultimately decided that sawing the plastic ring off was the safest and best way to remove it. I held the snake, under strict instructions from my husband to not let the snake bite him! This was no easy feat, I had to maintain a firm grip on the snake without squeezing too hard, I had to hold onto the piece of plastic to keep it from moving so that my husband could saw it, and I had to make sure the snake was not coming into contact with the saw blade…..I only have two hands! After 20 or 30 minutes we finally had the band sawed but we could not get it off the snake! The snake was still too fat to slide it off and I was about ready to cry. All that work in vain? Then my husband got an idea, he retrieved a handy-dandy tool that spread the plastic apart. He held the plastic open, so I could “feed” the snake through it and finally free it. I looked at the snakes wounds and fortunately they did not look severe. There was no blood, and nothing was festering. This snake was lucky and will recover from his experience. I released him to a safe place in the yard to regain his strength and to hide and lick his wounds so to speak.

Many would say….”so what, that is just one snake, and I don’t like them anyway!” No animal deserves to suffer a slow agonizing death that was preventable in the first place. This piece of plastic originated in the crawl space under our master bathroom. We hired a plumber several years ago to do some work in the bathroom; he had to cut various pieces of PVC pipe and left behind his litter. If this person had taken a few minutes and picked up after himself this snake would have never ended up in such a predicament.

UPDATE: I saw this particular snake several years later in my front yard, and he was doing well, although he was still showing the scars from his experience.

I for one appreciate the snakes that live in my yard and on the eighty-six acres we own. They provide rodent control, and I can honestly say they do a superb job of it to. I have not found a sign of a mouse in our house in many years!

Would left behind by the PVC

Many animals are not so lucky and never get rescued from the litter they find themselves entrapped in. They suffocate, strangle, and die slow agonizing deaths. The Conservation Department has a turtle by the name of Peanut. Peanut is a red ear slider that found itself stuck in the plastic rings that soda pop is carried in. He could not remove the plastic himself and the plastic did not dissolve. Year after year Peanut carried his plastic ring everywhere he went. He grew, but the plastic ring did not expand with his growth, consequently he became malformed. He was eventually found by some fishermen who took him to a veterinarian. They were able to remove the plastic ring and after x-rays determined he was one lucky turtle and suffered no internal injuries. He will forever be misshapen and resemble the peanut after which he is named. Peanut is an ambassador for the “no more littering campaign” and travels the state sharing his story with the public. If you want a chance to see Peanut in person, he makes a guest appearance each year to the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia. A quick search on the internet will reveal many such stories about animals suffering unnecessarily due to the litter left behind by irresponsible humans. 

Peanut

 With the return of spring and outdoor activities we will all be spending more time outside, remember to pack it out, if you pack it in, it only takes a few minutes to do the right thing……. all the wild animals will thank you.