Exploring the Western NY Wilds: Polyphemus – the scary moth of Allegany County

 

 

 

On a pleasant Sunday morning one June, my family and I awoke to find a gigantic moth on the outside of our kitchen window. It was a polyphemus moth, the largest – and the least common - of the giant silk moths that can be found in Western New York.

 

While my daughter and I thought its wingspan of a half foot was intriguing, my wife found it unsettling, as it reminded her of a bat. She’s not the first person that I’ve heard share such thoughts and she won’t be the last.

Man is not the only creature frightened by polyphemus moths. Animals that could be considered potential predators like birds and frogs are also put off by the moth’s appearance. That can be attributed to the appearance of eyes on its large wings, which makes attackers think that it’s the face of a much larger animal, like a cat or something.

 

In the picture that accompanies this article you will notice how it looks in a partially-closed state – there are two small eyes on the wings while the abdomen looks like a nose to complement the face. I did not get a picture of its wings being fully open, but, if I did, you would have seen two gigantic multi-colored eyes on its lower wings. It’s quite the sight and you can imagine why an animal might be frightened by it. And that is where it gets its name – Polyphemus was a one-eyed man-monster from the island of the Cyclops, made famous in Homer’s Odyssey.

Now is the time to watch for polyphemus moths in Allegany County. They emerge from their cocoons in late-May and early-June. In southern states, you will actually see two broods of moths, one in May and another in August. But, due to our northern climes, we see them just once a year for a small period of time (maybe a two-week window).

These beautiful flying insects will be attracted to lights at night, which is why the specimen we saw lit on our window…he was no doubt enamored with the nightlight by that window.

As ugly as they may be to some people, they are even uglier when young. Their caterpillars are nearly hairless, bright green, squat creatures, thicker around than a big man’s thumb. They will reach three and a half inches in length.

They are none too numerous, though, as the adult female lays just 3 to 5 eggs on the underside of a leaf. Coming out of the egg, the caterpillar eats the shell and then proceeds to devour leaves of trees like oaks and maples, their preferred foods. They are voracious – it’s said that polyphemus caterpillars will eat 86,000 times their weight over their life cycle.

In the late-summer, the caterpillar will wrap itself in a large leaf and then spin a huge, hairy cocoon of silk. The light-brown, hair-like oval cocoon is about half the size of a chicken egg. It’s a sight to see a silk moth hatch from them in the spring, the large beast coming out of the pupal home and stretching out its newfound wings.

If you have a chance to see one of these magnificent insects, don’t be afraid. Leave that to the animals that might otherwise feed on them – it’s a great defense mechanism that ensures we can forever enjoy these giants of the insect world.

 

 

From the 31 May 2022 Wellsville Sun

New York's Climate Act needs your input

 

You have just two weeks left to provide your input to one of the most significant state initiatives in memory.

 

On June 10^th, the public comment period closes for the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (also known as the Climate Act). Passed by the State Legislature in 2019, it is among the most ambitious climate laws in the world and requires New York to reduce economy-wide greenhouse gas emissions 40% by 2030 and no less than 85% by 2050 from 1990 levels.

 

The law had created a Climate Action Council charged with developing a scoping plan of recommendations to meet these targets. The draft plan is available online, where reams of information can be found at tinyurl.com/ScopingPlanNYS, ranging from an 18-page summary to the 341-page plan, and numerous supporting documents and appendices.

 

The list of goals is incredible. Here are just some of the action items:

 

·         70% renewable energy by 2030

·         Zero emissions electricity by 2040

·         Retirement of natural gas electrical generation

·         Accelerated development of clean energy projects such as solar and wind farms

·         Transition from natural gas to electrified heat in buildings and homes

·         Inducement of the purchase and use of heat pumps, smart devices, and the like while encouraging the early retirement of older equipment

·         Changes to farming process such as feeding, manure, and soil management

·         Conversion of refrigerant technologies

·         Electrification of public transit and personal and fleet vehicles

·         Investment in electrical storage

·         Changes to waste management

·         Elimination of so-called “fugitive methane”

·         Development of carbon sequestration opportunities and technologies

 

Depending on what side of the issue you’re on, this plan may be just what the doctor ordered to save the environment from ruin or it could be something that needs a physician-like approach to save the economy from ruin it imposes. Or, maybe you’re like me and you can see value in parts of “both sides” and your views are a little more nuanced. Regardless, set aside some time to really read up on the scoping plan and then share your love, hate, or suggestions with state officials.

 

The Climate Action Council recently wrapped up a whirlwind tour across the Empire State, hosting 8 public hearings at which they heard from hundreds of residents and special interests. Now, your comments must be submitted via their website or by mail.

 

I suggest the latter option. There’s something meaningful about a letter, whether it’s handwritten or typed with your signature upon it. Keeping with that personal touch, it is strongly suggested that you write your own comments. Many lobbying organizations that you might be part of, such as the Audubon Society or the Farm Bureau, have likely tried to influence you to share their thoughts or send one of their canned letters. Don’t. If policymakers see the same letter over and over they’ll become numb to it. Make it real. Make it valuable. Make it a point to share how the Climate Act specifically impacts you and future generations. Mail your comments to: Draft Scoping Plan Comments, NYSERDA, 17 Columbia Circle, Albany, NY 12203.

 

This is your chance to help decide the future of New York’s environment, energy, and economy. Don’t miss that opportunity.


From the 24 May 2022 Greater Niagara Newspapers, Batavia Daily News, and Wellsville Sun

Exploring the Western NY Wilds: Attracting orioles to your yard

 

The Baltimore oriole is one of the most beautiful birds that you’ll find during the spring and summer in Allegany County. They are unmistakable in appearance, their fire orange bodies contrasting with their black heads and wings. They are equally attractive in voice, with a loud, far-carrying whistled tune that it sends from the treetops. Their homes are just as interesting, too, a sack-like nest that looks like a pendulum as it hangs from branches, a real marvel of avian engineering.

They tend to be difficult birds to see, not because they are rare (they are pretty common) or because they are birds of forests (they are equally at home in parks and city lawns with large, old trees). It’s because they frequent the treetops in search of insects, leaving the ground-level insects to robins, catbirds and the like.

But, there is a way to bring them closer to the ground and closer to view: Feeding them.

Despite being voracious insect eaters, they love fruits too. When our local wild berry crops hit its peak in mid-summer, up to 20% of an oriole’s diet might be fleshy fruits and berries.

You can take advantage of that hunger for fruits and build a series of feeding stations in your yard. My parents maintain some in their yard and they are typically visited by a half dozen of the fiery males and just as many of the more subdued, almost yellowish females.

The orioles have been in town for two or three weeks now and will be with us through the summer, so it’s not too late to get started.

Here are some attractants that have proven successful for my parents:

 

Put out some fruits

 

Orioles will consume fleshy fruits like oranges. All you have to do is split the orange in half and firmly attach it (with a nail or post) to a feeding platform. If the orange is not mounted to something, the orioles will have a hard time tearing apart the juicy contents and they will quickly lose interest. Orioles will consume the fruits from either a horizontal feeding platform or a vertical set-up as shown in the accompanying photograph. Other birders have found similar success with apples and pears.

Feed them like you would a hummingbird

When my parents first had orioles visit their feeding stations, the birds used nectar feeders that were intended for hummingbirds. That’s a plus, because you can attract two beautiful species of birds with just one feeder. You have to make sure, though, that the feeder has a large enough perch for the orioles or they won’t go to it. Many hummingbird feeders have very small perches or none at all – many hummingbird lovers prefer to see those little dynamos hovering while feeding.

There are a variety of hummingbird sugar waters and nectars on the market that hummers and orioles will eat. My mom suggests you save money and make your own. It’s easy. Boil a concoction that’s two-and-a-half cups water to one cup sugar (which is even sweeter than many hummingbird drinks on the market). Let it cool before putting it in your plastic feeder.

Give them jelly

 

 

My parents have had the most luck with grape jelly. There are a couple of jelly feeder styles available on the market…one is small dispenser onto which you screw a small can of jelly upside down, the other is like that shown in the photo (a basin with a rain cover). The orioles in my parents’ yard love the jelly so much that they consume a whole jar of it every four days.  Once again, my mom suggests that you save your money: There are a wide variety of pricy “bird jellies” on the market; don’t buy that. Instead, go to your local grocer or dollar store and get run-of-the-mill grape jelly.

If you want to see Baltimore orioles up close and personal this summer, follow these time-tested approaches to attracting them to your yard. You surely won’t be disappointed by your newfound feathered friends.    

 

From the 23 May 2022 Wellsville Sun