The Urban Pantheist

We like going to Castle Island for a bunch of reasons. It's an interesting place with great views of the city and of the harbor island, there are cool birds there, and there are usually far fewer off-leash dogs there than at other places we walk. Usually. Yesterday was a sunny Sunday in the 50's following a work week that was bitterly cold, so there were tons of people out. More people at Castle Island than are there even in the middle of summer. And more off-leash dogs than ever before. So that meant paying a lot of attention to our dogs (making sure they weren't snuck up on, and that they didn't start freaking out at distant loose dogs) and not so much picture taking. Sadly, Alex has been sick and couldn't join us, and we miss her and hope she feels better soon. So, anyway, only three pictures, not too great, but better than nothing, right?



cottonmanifesto and rockbalancer and Maggie with Deer Island in the background.

( two more )

Photos by cottonmanifesto. Location: Spectacle Island, Boston.

Urban species #212: Japanese beetle Popillia japonica

I n 1916, America's most densely populated state (New Jersey) became the first place in North America where a certain exotic Asian scarab beetle was found. This beautiful but destructive animal is now well-known to gardeners in the eastern states, and is becoming familiar in more places every year. Increasing amounts of regulation and use of biological controls (a bacterium and parasitic wasps) are the official weapons in use against the Japanese beetle. Others may use a more hands-on approach, as my parents did in years past, hand-picking beetles by the hundreds, off of the raspberry and rose bushes, and dropping them into jugs of soapy water. Still they seem to have a robust population in areas where they occur, including urban centers that have the plants the adults feed on (over 400 species documented) and grassy soil for their grubs to overwinter in. And they continue to spread, being found in San Diego for the first time in 2000, and at an airport in Montana in 2002.

Japanese beetles are often encountered in what appears to be mating groups. Females produce sex pheromones that attract many males, who compete for the opportunity to mate in large clusters. According to one researcher, relatively little mating actually occurs in these groups. Males will guard their chosen female from other males until she is ready to lay her eggs. At least while clustered, they can be easily picked off of plants.

Skunks are known to make holes in lawns digging for Japanese beetle larvae, and moles and raccoons may eat some grubs as well. Other known predators of Japanese beetle larvae include ants and ground beetles. Few creatures seem to prey on the adults, though this observer has noticed at least one turkey seems to have a taste for them.

We had a great walk and a beautiful day on Spectacle Island yesterday. Pictures will follow, but I wanted to post and acknowledge the Urban Nature Walk participants who were present. I know some of you read this (or at least look at the pictures), so, hi! and thanks!

It was really great of Minona to arrange our meeting with Abby, a DCR ranger who gave us a history and natural history tour of the island. I got to enjoy being a participant, and let Abby do all the heavy lifting. On previous walks I've felt a like a little too much of a jabberjaw, and that I should let others take more control of the conversation. I feel a little bad that we didn't spend more time getting to know one another, but I hope that you can come to future walks, and we can say hi again.

If you've got no idea what I'm talking about, you should consider joining Urban Nature Walk. So far all of the walks have been in the Boston area, but it is my sincere wish that we are able to visit other cities.