Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada
Ask the Naturalist
A S K T H E N A T U R A L I S T
One of the joys of Nature is dicovering and learning new things. Occasionally, something comes along that we just can’t explain. And that’s what this page is all about. I certainly don’t profess to know all the answers, and this page is all about sharing. So, if you can shed some additional light on the topics below, by all means send us your thoughts.
February 16, 2015
Four questions from the following person, curious about Nature:
1) In my first two winters here in The County, I nearly bankrupted myself feeding birds. In my third winter, I have filled the birdfeeders as before. I swear I haven’t seen any bird in two months, and I can see quite far back to the woods. Where are they?
Answer: It’s a common question, and who really knows what dictates the comings and goings of wild birds. Usually, when given a choice, birds much prefer to feed in the wild and up until recently, it has been a fairly open winter with probably lots of wild food around such as berries and seeds. And that wild food crop could possibly be better where you live than in other places. Compare that to our home this winter where numbers of some species have never been greater. Tree Sparrows – upwards of 30, goldfinches – 80 two days ago. Mourning doves, however, are down in number with only a dozen coming regularly, even when it snows. Most winters we have over 40. So, I am guessing that for at least our mourning doves, there is lots of their kind of food in the wild, while other species have run a little short, hence their appearance in large numbers at our feeders. Every year and every winter are different, so I wouldn’t worry about it. Next year may be different. 2) A B&B guest returned later with a gift of red worms, to be kept indoors and fed food scraps. I don’t think she was an expert. A few weeks later, I notice that these worms are multiplying like rabbits in a pail in my kitchen. The problem is that the worms are not red. They are white and about 1/3 of an inch long. Have I been misled on the worm situation and may be raising useless impostors? They seem to like me. Answer: Sounds like you might have White Worms, often known as Pot Worms (originally believed to have been introduced from potted plants). They are quite harmless and their appearance is usually an indication of over feeding or you might be introducing too much acidic waste. Apparently they get along okay with the red worms.
3) My chipmunk has been missing for several weeks. Will Chippy come back and eat toast on my deck ever again or do you think he met with an accident?
Answer: Chipmunks generally hibernate. Warm weather like we have had before this cold snap will bring them out, then they will retreat again once it gets cold. In the fall, they cache seeds, etc. in their burrow, then off they go to sleep, waking up automatically only every week or so to urinate and feast away on their cache, then they go back to sleep again. At least, that is what happens in a normal winter. It’s not uncommon though to see chipmunks quite active in cold weather, so who knows what really dictates when they need to come out and have some toast? Normally, their appearances seem to be related to the outside temperature. Out when it’s decent, and down in their burrows when it’s not.
4) We have heard rumours that there are freshwater jellyfish in the water around PEC. Is this at all true?
Answer: Yes – it is true. In fact, they have been seen in the Bay of Quinte. I don’t think they are considered to be an Invasive Species yet, because it is not clear yet what effect, if any, they are having on the ecology of the local lakes and bays. They are quite harmless and feed mainly on plankton. Because of their small size, barely the size of a quarter, they don’t seem to be considered any kind of a danger to humans since they are unable to penetrate human skin. That’s about all I know on the species. I think it was only about three years ago when they were first encountered in the Bay.
– S. Heenan, Belleville
August 31, 2014
Our daughter found this item on the floor of her hardwood wood lot just south of Madoc. There were others and they were near white oak trees. Do you know what they are?. – P. Peterson, Madoc
Answer: Yes – these are very commonly found on oak trees. They are “oak-apple galls” and they form as a result of a little cynipid wasp, more commonly known, simply, as an oak-apple gall wasp. . The biology is somewhat similar to the familiar globular galls you will often see on goldenrod stems, only from a totally different microscopic insect. The insect lays an egg and when the larva begins to feed, the secretions from the larva will cause the plant or leaf to form the gall structure, with the larva safely inside. The evolution of this is intentional in order to offer protection to the gall insect. The gall will increase in size as the grows. If you were to dig around in the hard centre of that gall, you will likely find the larva. Or, you might find a tiny hole where the adult has crawled out. Sometimes not though, if the larva died for some reason and decomposed to the point of not being able to see it. Once the larva pupates, the adult will then craw out through an exit hole that the larva has thoughtfully created while it still had mouth chewing parts to do so, and flies away. The empty gall will then usually drop to the ground. I find these processes of Nature so fascinating at times. Every insect is different in its life history
August 31, 2014
What’s this guy?? Just fun looking at his marvellous disguise but what is it?? The tree it’s on is a Quaking Aspen or Poplar tree. – A. White, Belleville
Answer: That was an easy one as you already gave it away by describing the tree! It is the caterpillar of the White Underwing Moth. They develop into a fairly large moth. Actually, it doesn’t get its name from any white under the wing. The term refers to the brightly coloured hind wing that is hidden beneath the forewing. With the approach of a predator, the moth will lift its wings exposing the brightly coloured underwings, presumably to startle the predator enough to cause it to aim its attack instead at the hind wings, the least important part of the moth’s body. While these caterpillars like aspens and poplars, they do enjoy an occasional feed of hickory, birch and oak!
February 09, 2014
With the bird sightings being a little scarce some days, I thought this was a good time to share something I believe is unusual. Directly behind our house is a Hydro greenbelt, in which we have 4 bird feeders (niger, suet, bird seed, black oil sunflower seed) and a heated birdbath. Also, under an old picnic table we have a bail of hay for the rabbits. Each day I top up the feeders, check the suet and refill the birdbath, and scrap away the new fallen snow under a couple of trees and sprinkle some seeds on the ground for the ground feeders. Every evening, just after dark, two coyotes show up and eat all of the birdseed I have spread on the ground (they appear to especially like the sunflower seeds). I throw the sunflower seed far enough under a tree that the coyotes actually get right down on their knees to reach. I understand this may be a harsh winter for them, but eating birdseed? Is this something you have heard of or seen before?
B & K Brooks, Kingston Answer: Thanks for the report. The coyote behaviour is a little out of the ordinary, but it has been a very difficult winter for all manner of wildlife to find sufficient food. I have heard of coyotes eating bird feed on rare occasions, but they are opportunists and they will also eat frozen apples that have fallen, carrion, or anything that moves that it can catch. Survivors, they are.
May 12, 2013
Thank you once again for being a resource for me as I interact with the natural world. I am a regular reader of your column Outdoor Rambles in the Napanee Beaver. In the 10 years I have lived here this is the second time I’ve seen these strange rusty-orange gelatinous masses on a Juniper in my yard. They certainly seem fungal in appearance and texture. They are odourless and generally appear seemingly overnight, particularly after a very damp spell or following a heavy rain. We got 31 mm last night. As the humidity drops the masses shrink as they desiccate, which makes perfect sense in my book. There are also a few areas of orange on a couple of branches but they are beyond my reach both visually and physically. They seem to be a thin deposit of a similar material but are smooth in appearance. I took a couple of pictures of them as well if you are interested. I would love to know what these growths are (the largest one is approx. 5 cm in diameter) so that I can research them properly. I thank you in advance for your kindness and patience in helping me with my flora and fauna which share my greenspace here at the edge of Napanee. I truly appreciate the time you take to peruse my photos and answer my questions. – Linda Isherwood, Napanee
Answer: You are correct – it is a fungus. Gymnosporangium juniperi-virginianae. Or, in simpler terms, Cedar-apple Rust. Red Cedars (junipers) will carry what appear to be small, knobby gall-like formations on the branches. During a rainy period like we had recently, these galls explode into the gelatinous formations that you describe. Once they shrivel and dry, the spores are carried to a neighbouring apple tree, or related species (pear, cherry, etc.) and continues its cycle there when it manifests itself as small lesions on the leaves around summer. Spores from the leaves are eventually carried back to the red cedar in the wind, where they germinate to form the knobby brown growths that remain dormant until the next rain comes. However, these new little galls won’t become active until next spring. They are quite fascinating and never fail to generate a question or two on my guided hikes.
April 30, 2013
Hi Terry, I think I sent you a time line with a video clip of a robin that keeps flying into our window, he starts at 5:30 a.m. and goes on for hours, every morning for a week now. If you don’t get the clip I can try and share it again, please let me know and why is he doing this. – Steve Plaskos
Answer: As to why it’s doing this, the robin is interpreting its reflection as a rival bird in its territory. Often they get so obsessed with fighting with its own image that they actually go into a mental state and occasionally bash themselves to death, and die either of exhaustion or by bleeding to death. Not much you can do but sometimes if you can cover the window temporarily, that might work,. but robins in an active mood will simply move to another window, and lo and behold, guess what it sees?
April 26, 2013
Can you tell me what causes the oil like rainbow colouring at the edge of a creek. I have horses that use the water from a dug well close to this and the sump pumped water also has the appearance when in their livestock tank – Robyn
Answer: More times than not it is from natural sources. Some bacteria (Leptothrix discophora) that live in waterlogged places get their energy from iron and manganese, and as these harmless bacteria grow and decompose, the iron may appear oily or form red or orange films, fluffs, and coatings. If you are concerned that it might be some sort of oily substances, you can tell the difference by taking a stick or your finger and poking it into the substance. If the sheen swirls back together quickly, it is petroleum based; if the sheen separates and does not flow back together, it is from natural sources. We see this sheen a lot along the shore of West Lake at Sandbanks Park and visitors get somewhat concerned, but it is most always from natural causes.
June 26, 2011
At the recent Ontario Horticultural Association meeting in Peterborough, Rose Paliwoda showed you her photo of the bird holes with sticks in some of them at about 20 feet high in a hemlock tree on her lakeside property. Here is a copy of the photo which she has asked me to send to you for your comments back to me which I will pass on to her. Thanks for any info you can provide. Pauline Pooard
ANSWER: There is plenty of anecdotal evidence of birds in the world using tools to assist them in obtaining food. We will likely never know which species was responsible for leaving these tools behind, but likely the sticks were used to pry out insects that had been attracted to the tree sap oozing out of the sapsucker holes. The Darwin finches are legendary for this practice on the Galapagos Islands, but evidence is slowly coming forward of birds in this area using tools too, primarily crows. However, it certainly appears that smaller birds have learned this handy characteristic too, as evidenced by your photo. We already know that green herons have been seen tossing pieces of lint or leaf matter into creeks and waiting for a small fish to appear, and if it has no luck in one location, it will retrieve the debris and try another spot farther downstream. Perhaps smaller birds have acquired this ability and Rose is the first person to have taken note of it.
October 12, 2008
I have noticed a mourning dove on our deck/feeder lately that has a terrible looking growth that seems to be coming from inside its beak and protruding outside of the beak. The top appears deformed and very crooked. This poor bird tries to pick up seeds to eat, but cannot. Any suggestions? Thanks. Al.
Answer: I thought it might be a trichomonas infection, but Sue Meech from the Sandy Pines Wildlife Centre in Napanee had this to say: It is avian pox, a retrovirus. I have seen several doves with it this year, but never seen it before in doves. I am also getting call from people with feeders noticing diseased birds. We have also had it in Robins and crows. Each species has its own version of the virus. It is highly contagious but is species specific. The bird will die slowly of starvation. If caught it should be euthanized as there is no cure for it. You are correct in that sometimes there can also be a co-existing trichomonas infection. Pox sores are usually on featherless areas, beak and feet but can occur anywhere and are often internal. I wonder if it was the unusually wet summer that precipitated this outbreak. I have had cases from Gananoque to Ottawa and Pickering to Peterborough, so the outbreak is very widespread. I advise people to take down feeders from now until it gets really cold. Scrub and soak in Bleach solution and sun dry.
September 24, 2008
I read your column in the Gazette last week about various symbiotic and transgressive relationships between different insects and had a follow up I wished to share with you regarding the Yellow Jackets that nested in Mother’s pear trees. The fruit of the tree the nest was in had yet to fully ripen, but the nearby Bartlett were already ripe and most had been at least half devoured right on the tree. It was while picking the green pears that the nest was disturbed and the hornets subsequently punished my poor Spaniel. As you know I used a commercial foam to kill the wasps after they had gathered in the hive at sundown, and the next day I sprayed a few stragglers and cut the nest down from the tree….not without some remorse. “Live and let live” works best most of the time. I picked the fruit of that tree and to our surprise found the pears were totally free of any worms. We had never applied any pesticides and in other years have to cut what is left of the crop after the worms have had their fill. So, the question is…did the wasps “tend” the pear tree so they could have a better harvest themselves? Would they have eaten other pests like caterpillars or moths that lay eggs on the tree. Was their presence alone enough to deter other insects from coming too close? Have you heard of any similar situations? I know you enjoy separating fact from fiction. John from Allisonville
Answer: I think you may be on to something. I am suggesting that the bees with the nest were probably bald faced hornets, as yellow jackets which build a similar but smaller nest, usually locate in cavities, such as behind eaves, underground, or in one memorable case, at least to me anyhow, in the dry straw atop a manure pile! Bald-faced hornets are the ones that build the huge dome-shaped nest often found in trees. In any event, whatever the species, all hornets/wasps/yellow jackets, seek out insect larvae which they paralyze, and take back to the nest and insert into the egg cells for the bee larvae to feed on once they hatch. This could account for the lack of any insect presence in the pear tree as they likely stripped it clean as soon as any appeared. The hornets likely chose the tree for two reasons – the presence of insects as well as the presence of fruit and flower nectar which they feed on themselves.
May 30, 2008
I’ve got a question…I have a fear of snakes, and a common garter snake greets me every morning on my front walk. I also don’t want to kill anything of God’s great creation, so is there anything I can do to discourage it living in my life. ( aside from just getting my wife to capture it and drive it away)?? I’m kinda curious if it’s nesting at this time of year?? Steve
Answer: Garter snakes breed in the spring and give birth to live young in the summer – usually about 50 to a high of 80, although I recall one giant garter snake we had in captivity at Sandbanks one summer giving birth overnight to 132 young! The terrarium was an absolute seething mass of “snakettes”. Every staff member took some home! But to answer your question, there is, of course, no need to fear snakes as we don’t have any poisonous species here, and they are not aggressive. Anyway, their bite only hurts for a little while! There is a snake in your yard because there is either food that it likes in abundance (grubs, small frogs, insects, etc.) or it has found a place that it can regard as its own hibernaculum where it may even have a family. Are you comforted yet by these revelations? Snakes are cold blooded, so it is likely on your walk to soak up warmth. Snakes do not respond well to mothballs as a deterrent, waving your arms (their eyes are poor) or yelling (they have no ears!). Unless you drench your yard in powerful toxins to rid the area of its favoured prey and virtually level your yard so there are no enticing crevices, and eliminate rockgardens, walkways and wooden decks where they like to sun themselves, there is really nothing one can do to discourage snakes. Destroying them or live trapping them are not options either for as long as the attractant is there, another will move in. No voids in the natural world. It’s the law of Nature. Sorry, but you gotta learn to embrace it……or them !