Fw: [leps-talk] RE: Massasauga Rattlers & Appys

[Ron Gatrelle]

So here is the most recent post from the other group.  I will be happy to
forward a bunch of them.  Good advertising.  Will only make more folks want
some more.  Hey, we want cross postings, right?
Ron

----- Original Message -----
From: "Linda" <conductress2002 at yahoo.ca>
To: "Grkovich, Alex" <agrkovich at tmpeng.com>;
<TILS-leps-talk at yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2003 12:18 PM
Subject: [leps-talk] RE: Massasauga Rattlers & Appys


> Alex and all,
>
> Since we are the first ones to vacation at the cottage for the season, we
rout out the wood roaches, deer mice and other assorted critters who try to
share our living quarters and outhouse. I haven't witnessed the Massasauga
rattler (in residence or not), but heard stories of their presence in
Beaverstone Bay. However, we routinely wrestle bears for our share of wild
blueberries for pancakes. (Just kidding).
>
> Spent yesterday scouring Hawthorn (Crataegus) and Wolf-willow or
Silverberry (Elaeagnus commutata) for P. appalachiensis larvae. Nada. Saw a
female Appy darting around one section of the bush. She's a beauty - the
largest I've seen. I'll net her if she slows down. Will check that section
again this afternoon for larvae on Prunus (Black and Chokecherry).
>
> Found many Papilio troilus on Sassafras - about 3rd instar. P. polyxenes
is ready to pupate. Did not find P. cresphontes larvae anywhere. A large
crop of Danaus plexippus is near pupation, also. Took pictures of Satyrodes
eurydice (Appalachian Brown) and Satyrium calanus falacer (Banded
Hairstreak) and posted them on webpage under Butterflies II. Cercyonis
pegala (Wood Nymph) is freshly emerged. (no pictures yet.)
>
> Saw a Speyeria while halfway up a thorny Hawthorn. Also missed pictures
of fresh Vanessa (Red Admiral and Ladies) on Apocynaceae (Dogbane) just
starting to flower. "Summer" Crescents (Phyciodes ssp) are freshly emerged.
>
> It will be another week before Celastrina ladon (Summer Azure) and Everes
comyntas (Eastern Tailed Blue) show up.
>
> If you all haven't heard from me in a couple of weeks, assume I have
succumbed to West Nile.
>
>
>
>
> "Grkovich, Alex" <agrkovich at tmpeng.com> wrote:
> Linda and all,
>
> An interesting fact about the Canadian (Ontario) side of the Georgian Bay
> coast, as far north as Espanola but particularly the southeastern portion
to
> about Parry Sound, has a number of good colonies of the Massasauga
> Rattlesnake, which while not being a particularly large rattler, has very
> toxic venom, ounce for ounce. My brother and his family had one under
their
> rented cabin a few years ago, somewhere south of Parry Sound...
>
> A (good) number of years ago, there was a story floating around that
region
> about an elderly gentleman who while on vacation had sat for hours on a
sofa
> on his cabin porch, then one stay started complaining about a "pain" in
his
> rear end...after a few days of aspirins and putting up with it, he
finally
> saw a doctor (in Parry Sound?) who identified the bite marks of a
rattler;
> then a search of the interior of the sofa revealed a Massasauga...True?
Who
> knows...but where there's smoke there's often fire...
>
> I know this has nothing to do about butterflies...
>
> Alex
>
>
>
>
> Cheers,
>
> Linda
>
> http://community.webshots.com/user/lndap
>

> TILS Motto: "We can not protect that which we do not know" © 1999
>
> Subscribe:  TILS-leps-talk-subscribe at yahoogroups.com
> Post message: TILS-leps-talk at yahoogroups.com
> Archives: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TILS-leps-talk/messages
> Unsubscribe:  TILS-leps-talk-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com
> For more information: http://www.tils-ttr.org




 
 ------------------------------------------------------------ 

   For subscription and related information about LEPS-L visit:

   http://www.peabody.yale.edu/other/lepsl