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FRIENDS OF JAMAICA POND
36 Perkins St., PO Box 300040, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130-0030 Gerry Wright, Founder and President Telephone: 617-524-7070 Email: FrederickLawOlmsted@yahoo.com TTY/MA
RELAY 800-439-2370 |
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       "Let it be not for present use and delight alone, but let it be of such a work that our descendents will thank us for it." Frederick Law Olmsted |
Environmental
Education
Emerald Necklace Great Horned Owls Emerald Necklace Red Tailed Hawks Emerald Necklace Butterflies and Dragonflies
Emerald Necklace Fungi (Coming Soon)
Class
Room: Summer Emerald
Necklace Butterflies and Dragonflies:
Class Room: Spring Spring
Bird Migration: Black and White
Warbler, Yellow Rumped "Myrtle" Warbler, Eastern Kingbird The spring bird migration in April and
May of warblers, sparrows, swallows, thrushes and other rarer species
enlivens the park environment. Warblers winter in the rain forests of
Central America before coming north for the summer. Great time of year
for bird watching. The Black and White Warbler creeps and
forages along branches and trunks of trees like the White Breasted
Nuthatch. The Yellow Rumped "Myrtle" Warbler
(center photo) has a bright yellow crown, side patches and rump. Often
seen in large groups with rapid flights between branches of trees and
short flights from branches to catch airborne insects. The Eastern Kingbird nests around the
Jamaica Pond edges in the summer and is from the Flycatcher family. It
has a very faint redish spot on the crown and is identified by the
white band at the end of the tail feathers. Often seen on the tallest
branches and very territorial, the Eastern Kingbird Tyrannus
tyrannus is know to chase away much larger hawks and crows.
It will often hover in mid flight as it hunts insects.
Winter
Moth - Operophtera brumata (L)
Insect Order: Lepidoptera, Family: Geometridae Winter Moths
emerge from soil in late November and fly until January or the first
major freeze. Male moths are brown or tan and have four wings fringed
with hairy like scales. Male moths are often seen at porch and outdoor
lights. Females are wingless and cannot fly. They are found in the
ground at the base of trees. After mating the female lays 150 eggs in
bark of tree trunks and branches. An entomology study found more than
250,000 eggs on each invested trees. Adult moths die and the eggs hatch
in the spring when temperatures reach 55 degrees. The larvae are pale
green caterpillars inchworms with white stripes. The caterpillars climb
the trees and spin a long silk thread that balloons them from branch to
branch and tree to tree. The larvae eat buds and leaves of oaks,
maples, basswood, white elm, crabapples, apples, blueberries and cherry
trees. The larvae caterpillars can defoliate an entire tree. It was
estimated that 34,000 acres were defoliated in Massachusetts in 2005.
Repeat defoliation of a tree for 3-4 years can be fatal. Urban trees in
the Emerald Necklace are already stressed from air and water pollution
and are seriously threatened by the Winter Moth. The Winter Moth
is native to Europe and arrived in Nova Scotia in 1949. Eastern
Massachusetts has seen large numbers for the past six years. The Mass.
Department of Conservation and Recreation released the Cyzenis Albicans
parasitic flies, a European native fly that feeds on the Winter moths
to control the outbreak and the damage to area trees in Wompatucket
State Park in Hingham in 2005 and the Iron Rail Property in Wenham in
2006. Information: http://www.umassgreeninfo.org/fact_sheets/
defoliators/ winter _moth .pdf http://www.massnrc.org/pests/pestFAQsheets/winter%20moth.html Dr Joseph Elkinton Professor of
Entomology University of Massachusetts 413-545-4816, Forest Health
Program in Amherst at 413-256-1601, DCR Boston 617-626-1250 Cabbage
White Butterfly You will notice this flighty white
butterfly around the pond and in your gardens. What are the other life cycles
of the butterfly? The caterpillers favor easting plants in
the cabbage family -- kale, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli,
cauliflower, etc. Thus its name. Is this a female or male
butterfly? This is a female butterfly. The male has
only one black spot. Web
sites for additional information http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species?l=1398 http://www.fcps.edu/StratfordLandingES/Ecology/mpages/cabbage_white.htm Spotted
Sandpiper You will notice this bird dipping along
the edges of the pond. What other birds use the pond as
a fall migration resting stop or winter retreat? Many ducks, hawks, occassinal ospreys and
eagles visit the pond during the winter. Visit the Emerald Necklace Bird Club web
pages to see ongoing list of birds. What is the summer coat of the
sandpiper? Like its name suggests lots of spots on
front chest. Spotted Sandpiper summer spots Woolly
Bear Caterpillar You will notice this caterpillar around
the pond and in your gardens. What are the other life cycles
of the caterpillar? The caterpillar pupates, spinning a
cocoon then turns into the Isabella Tiger Moth. Can you tell how long and harsh
the winter will be from its coat? Folktale myths state the Woolly Bear
caterpillar can predict the winter is going to be mild or
rough by the stripe width. If the stripe is narrow, it means
the winter is going to be harsh. If the stripe on
the caterpillar is wide, it means the winter is going to be easy. The caterpillar's red setae
stripe width mid-section actually decreases as it grows older. Web sites for additional information http://insects.ummz.lsa.umich.edu/MES/notes/entnote19.html http://www.acsu.buffalo.edu/~insrisg/nature/nw03/1110WoollyBear.htm 36
Perkins St., PO Box
300040, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130-0030 Gerry Wright, Founder
and
President Telephone:
617-524-7070 Email: FrederickLawOlmsted@yahoo.com TTY/MA
RELAY 800-439-2370
Class Room:
Projects
Emerald
Necklace Wildflowers:
Class Room: Winter
Class
Room: Fall
