Summer is Wrapping Up

Hey there Kids in the Biosphere,

It is almost the end of August, you know what that means, back to school soon...

We know fall is coming because of the temperature change and the fact we are getting ready to go back to school. There are some other activities going on in the Biosphere that show the change of the season:

Katydid - Good find Armstrongs!

• Listen carefully, there is a symphony of insects including: cicadas, crickets, katydids, grasshoppers and more! 
• Maple trees have finished producing their seeds which are commonly called helicopters; throw these in the air to see why.
• Fall webworm nests are noticeable on shrubs and trees (they overwinter as pupae).
• Beavers are busy cutting trees for their winter food supply. Look for piles of branches near their lodge.

  

  Busy Beaver - Nice work Eatons!

• Eastern Chipmunks, Eastern Grey Squirrels, and Red Squirrels are busy storing food for the winter.
• Birds begin traveling south to Central and South America. To get an idea of the volume of bird migration, stand outside on a calm clear night and you’ll hear the contact calls of thousands of migrating songbirds- particularly thrushes and warblers.

  

  Beautiful Butterfly - Well spotted Campbells!

• Common Nighthawks are most visible during the last three hours of daylight (seen in groups, quite high in the sky, moving in a southwesterly direction).
• Red-winged blackbirds are beginning to mass, prior to migration. Check out a nearby marsh!
• Blue Jay calls are common sounds. Some Blue Jays will move south, while others will stay.
• Some butterflies are migratory too! Look for butterflies clustering in trees along shorelines. Lets wish the Monarch Butterflies safe travels to Mexico. 
  

Another way we know fall is coming is the Kids in the Biosphere program is beginning to wrap up.  Keep sending in pictures and activities right up until the end of summer. Don't forget to pick up your prize at the Museum on Tower Hill, 17 George Street Parry Sound. Prizes can be picked up anytime. 


Three cheers my friends for rain drops and frog hops...

Kids in the Biosphere - You are doing GREAT!

 Hi Everyone!

It seems the farther into summer we go, the larger the things we are finding in the Biosphere, just check out these amazing observations:

Tall invasive Mullen                                                          A Moose in Sans Souci                                                   A Black Bear            
Spotted by the Eaton Family                                         Spotted by the Denune Family                           Spotted by the Reicheld Family

Fun Facts: 

Mullen is an invasive species, this means it is not normally found in this area but has been brought here by people. This can have a negative impact on native species. Can you think of another invasive species?

 The moose is the largest member of the deer family. Unlike other species in this family it is a solitary animal that does not live in herds. 

Black bears have a FANTASTIC sense of smell, even better than a dogs. They are 85% herbivore, which means plants make up a large portion of their diet.

Time to reveal the answer to the POP QUIZ in the last post: what are some of the differences between a moths and butterflies? They have a lot in common but here are some different features:

1. Activity - Moths are nocturnal, which means active at night. Butterflies are diurnal or most active during the day. If you see something on a flower during the day it is probably a butterfly whereas if something is flying around a porch light at night, it is a moth.

2. Wings - When a moth is resting its wings will lay at its sides. A butterfly however, unless basking, will hold its wings upright.

3. Antenna - A butterfly's antenna are wider at the tips, moths tend to look fuzzier and more feather like.

Remember: sometimes a species doesn't follow these guidelines so it is best to use multiple features to tell what you are looking at!

Three cheers for sandy ant hills and yellow duck bills...