Long Lake Conservation Center near Palisade
This report is brought to you by Valts and the members of the Minnesota Astronomical Society who visited Long Lake Conservation Center for their annual Northern Nights Star Fest event from August 20-25.
“Hello this is Valts from the Minnesota Astronomical Society who visited Long Lake Conservation Center for our annual Northern Nights Star Fest event from August 20-25.
“The weather was a roller coaster reaching a high of 86 before the bottom fell out, dipping down to 41 degrees. We were lucky to be able to enjoy two and a half nights of clear skies and observed and imaged many different objects: double stars, clusters, galaxies, supernova remnants, and planets - Saturn and many moons, Neptune, Jupiter, Venus and Mercury.
“Terrestrial sightings included: A group of Tree Sparrows, a hummingbird, Wood Peewees with their “pee-oh-wee” calls, saw baby diving ducks diving at the lakeshore, a pair of Yellow-Bellied Sapsuckers and heard Barred and Great Horned Owls. We flushed two Wild Turkeys from the treetops.
“Our bumble bee expert spotted half black, tri-colored, yellow, brown belted, and common eastern bumble bees on goldenrod, aster and bee balm.
“It was a great visit with nature and we want to remind you to unplug, get outside and LIVE CONNECTED!”
Sugar Lake Lodge near Grand Rapids
Little Falls Middle School
Chad Kaddatz’s students at Little Falls Middle School post pictures to Instagram at little_falls_phenology.
Don Leaon in Itasca County
“Goldenrod Crab Spiders (Misumena vatia) are often present in patches of Goldenrod flowers. They can also be found on a variety of other flowers. Adults are the most active in the summer and early fall.
“Females are experts in camouflage. They have the ability to change their color to match that of a white or yellow flower they have chosen to hunt from. They may change from white to yellow, or from yellow to white as appropriate.
“They have eight eyes enabling them to match their color to their host plant's flower color in part by manipulating an internal yellow pigment. The color change is a very slow process that is measured in days; perhaps a testament to their patience as they wait for a potential meal to arrive.
“When a Goldenrod Crab Spider captures its prey, it injects a paralyzing venom and a digestive enzyme permitting it to prey on insects much larger than itself.
“Though reducing the number of pollinators present on a host plant may seemingly have a detrimental effect, Goldenrod Crab Spiders can provide a benefit to their host plant as they include herbivorous insects in their diet.”
What have you seen out there? Let us know: email us at comments@kaxe.org or text us at 218-326-1234.
That does it for this week! For more phenology, subscribe to our Season Watch Newsletter or visit the Season Watch Facebook page.
Funding for this project was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR).
