BIOBLITZ WAS A BLAST

We had alot of fun at the Bioblitz at Sinnemahoning State Park May 19,20, & 22.  Her are some some pics I took.

Klaus Newald cataloging the 40 plus butterflies and moths he found.

Students and staff in the field.

Some of the aquatic creators collected,
(of course we released them)

A "new for me" wildflower found in our campsite'
Pollygala - sometimes called "bird's wings"

Our reptile crew found the largest garter snake I have ever seen.

Our camp site - time spend in the woods makes me feel much closer to our Creator.

Lab and collection reporting center for the bioblitz.

MOURNING WARBLER

Bioblitz was wonderful.  Here is just one pic (the best one) I took there.  I had help finding him and this is the first Mourning Warbler I have ever seen.  Oh Happy Day!

Mourning Warbler - Potter County PA

BIOBLITZ IS COMING

What is a Biobliltz?  It is an inventory of biodiversity with in a predetermined boundary such as a county, a park, or any other area chosen.

Why a Bioblitz?  It identifies species and their status with in they area and gives a bench mark of future comparison of trends in population for science and management.

Why am I blogging about a bioblitz?  Don Billett and Klaus Neuwald are going to a bioblitz in Sinnemahoning Sate Park on Mon and Tuesday May 20 and 21.    Sinnemahoning is a large State Park surrounded by the Elk state forest in North Western PA.  I will be blogging more about this experience in the future.  My purpose in attending is to video and photograph all phases of this event to develop a "program" to present to groups.  It think it will be an interesting and worthwhile program to share.

Want to know more about the Sinnemahoning Bioblitz?  Here are some links to web sites about the park and bioblitz.

PA DCNR - Sinnemahoning State Park
http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/findapark/sinnemahoning/

bioblitz
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BioBlitz

If you know me then you know that a day in the woods is better than a year in our development.

Please pray for safety and success.

HERE THEY COME - THE 17 YEAR CICADA

Here in Eastern PA we are about to witness an event that happens as regular as clockwork every 17 years. This is my 4th experience with "brood 2" of the 17 year variety (maybe my last).

There are several types of cicada in North America and several broods or regional groups of each type.

There are more than 10 broods of the 17 year variety.  Brood 2 is one of the largest stretching from Massachusetts to North Carolina.  They last appeared in 1996 and this years new born larva will not emerge until 2030.

Here are some pics of an brood we witnessed several years ago in KY.

small holes in the ground from which the grubs emerge

empty exoskeleton of grub with newly emerged adult

adult cicada after "drying"
 note the red eyes unique to the 17 year cicada

the adults do not eat - they exist on the energy they stored
up while "sucking" on tree roots during the 17 years underground

minor tree damage is a result of the female
 laying here eggs in the twigs of trees - these dead branches fall to the ground
 and as the eggs hatch the grubs tunnel under the soil to begin there 5 stage 17 year larva stage

Our display at the nature center this month is about the 17 year cicada.  We are having fun with specimens from our collection and thanks to a good friend some live grubs.  In another week or two we will have live adults there too.