SCORES & OUTDOORS: The frightening and harmless earwigs

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Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

Recently, someone showed me a photograph of an insect they alleged bit one of their children. They wanted to know what it was and whether it was harmful. It didn’t take long for me to identify it as an earwig.

Earwigs are a relatively small group of insects. Earwigs often upset people when discovered indoors. Their forcep-like tail appendages make them look dangerous, but they are quite harmless. Earwigs run rapidly around baseboards, and they may emit a foul-smelling, yellowish-brown liquid from their scent glands when disturbed or crushed. Earwigs are mainly active at night, usually hiding during the daytime. They’re often found in clusters hiding in dark crevices like door or window frames.

Earwigs normally live outdoors and do not establish themselves indoors, though the ringlegged earwig is a common resident in greenhouses. Earwigs are harmless to humans and animals, though if picked up and restrained, adult earwigs can give a slight pinch with the forceps. While mainly predaceous on other insects, earwigs often feed on flower petals, soft vegetables and fruits, or seedling plants when hot and dry conditions persist.

The name earwig actually comes from an Old English name, which was derived from the superstition that earwigs can enter your ears at night and burrow into your brain to lay eggs. This belief is totally unfounded, though earwigs will occasionally seek out ear canals of campers as dark, moist hiding places. This can obviously be a traumatic experience!

Adults of the European earwig are usually winged, while the ringlegged earwigs are wingless. If wings are present, the first pair are hard, short, and scale-like, while the second pair are membranous, fan-shaped, and folded under the hard first pair of wings. Tips of the second pair of wings usually protrude from under the first pair. The European earwig ranges from 1/2 to 3/4 inch long, with banded legs and a reddish head. The ringlegged earwig ranges from 1/2 to 3/5 inch long and is black-yellowish underneath with legs having white crossbands at the joints. Young earwigs (nymphs) are similar to adults except the nymphs lack wings and the cerci are short.

Earwigs develop from egg to adult through gradual, or incomplete, metamorphosis with four to five nymphal instars. Generally, most earwigs lay eggs in late winter into early spring in chambers in the ground, under logs, or under stones. Usually, 20 to 50 smooth, oval, pearly-white or cream-colored eggs are produced. The female moves, cleans, and provides maternal care by protecting the eggs and new young until the first molt.

When spring weather is suitable, the female makes an opening to the soil surface where the young nymphs can leave the nest and forage for food. The small nymphs often return to their burrow during the day, but soon they are large enough to fend for themselves without a burrow. Earwigs are active at night and are often found around lights preying on other small insects that come to lights. During the day, earwigs hide in moist, shady places beneath stones, boards, sidewalks, and debris. They are rapid runners and feed on mosses, lichens, algae, fungi, insects, spiders, and mites, both dead and alive.

Earwigs rarely fly and are unable to crawl long distances, but they often hitchhike in laundry baskets, cut flowers, luggage, newspapers, lumber, baskets of fruits and vegetables, automobiles, etc. They prefer moisture and may migrate indoors during periods of prolonged heat and drought. Forceps at the end of the abdomen are used to defend the nest, capture prey, probe narrow crevices, and fold or unfold wings.

If earwigs are persistently invading a home or building, one should first attempt to control the earwigs outdoors. Since earwigs breed in soil chambers and spaces under landscape stones and timbers, reducing mulch layers and landscape structures can help reduce populations.

During dry, hot weather, earwigs sometimes migrate indoors in search of cool and moist habitat. They are easily killed by residual insecticide treatments in cracks and crevices, along baseboards, beneath cabinets, along door and window sills, and in other hiding places during the day. Unfortunately, control will be short-term due to new earwig entry from outdoors. Therefore, the best strategy is to better seal around doors and windows, which serve as the major entry points.

They are plentiful, ominous looking, but they are harmless to humans. I just don’t care to be pinched by one.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

Which major league players were known by these nicknames. 1. The Splendid Splinter. 2. The Bambino. 3. Charlie Hustle. 4. The Say Hey Kid.

Answer
1. Ted Williams, 2. Babe Ruth. 3. Pete Rose. 4. Willie Mays.

SCORES & OUTDOORS: Arrival of the Red-Winged Blackbird sure sign of spring

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Red-winged Blackbird

Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

More and more in recent days, I have seen and heard of the return of the red-winged blackbird. It is the first of migrating birds to return in the spring. A sure sign that spring is near.

The red-winged blackbird is one of the most abundant birds across North America, and one of the most boldly colored, the red-winged blackbird is a familiar sight atop cattails, along soggy roadsides, and on telephone wires. Glossy-black males have scarlet-and-yellow shoulder patches they can puff up or hide depending on how confident they feel. Females are a subdued, streaky brown, almost like a large, dark sparrow. Their early and tumbling song are happy indications of the return of spring.

You can find red-winged blackbirds in the breeding season by visiting cattail marshes and other wetlands, or simply by watching telephone wires on a drive through the country. Driving in and around China’s wetlands, the bird can be seen perched on small trees in the marshes. Where there’s standing water and vegetation, Red-winged Blackbirds are likely to be one of the most common birds you see and hear. Listen for the male’s conk-la-lee! song.

Red-winged blackbirds may come to your yard for mixed grains and seeds, particularly during migration. Spread grain or seed on the ground as well, since this is where red-winged blackbirds prefer to feed. Find out more about what this bird likes to eat and what feeder is best by using the Project FeederWatch Common Feeder Birds bird list.

Different populations and subspecies of Red-winged Blackbirds vary markedly in size and proportions. An experiment was conducted that moved nestlings between populations and found the chicks grew up to resemble their foster parents. This study indicated that much of the difference seen between populations is the result of different environments rather than different genetic makeups.

The Red-winged Blackbird is a highly polygynous species, meaning males have many female mates – up to 15 in some cases. In some populations 90 percent of territorial males have more than one female nesting on their territories. But all is not as it seems: one-quarter to one-half of nestlings turn out to have been sired by someone other than the territorial male.

Male Red-winged Blackbirds fiercely defend their territories during the breeding season, spending more than a quarter of daylight hours in territory defense. He chases other males out of the territory and attacks nest predators, sometimes going after much larger animals, including horses and people.

Red-winged Blackbirds roost in flocks in all months of the year. In summer small numbers roost in the wetlands where the birds breed. Winter flocks can be congregations of several million birds, including other blackbird species and starlings. Each morning the roosts spread out, traveling as far as 50 miles to feed, then re-forming at night.

One California subspecies of the Red-winged Blackbird lacks the yellow borders to the red shoulders (epaulets) and has been dubbed the “bicolored blackbird.” Some scientists think this plumage difference may help Red-winged Blackbirds recognize each other where their range overlaps with the similar Tricolored Blackbird.

The oldest recorded Red-winged Blackbird was 15 years, 9 months old. It was banded in New Jersey in 1967, and found alive, but injured in Michigan in 1983. It was able to be released after recovering from its injuries.

Bruins slumping

For those of you who watched the Boston Bruins embarrassing loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday, March 15, here is something you probably didn’t see on television. I attended that game, and after the Bruins were outshot 20-0 in the second period, and at the end of the game, when they were outshot 39-12 in a 6-2 loss, the team was vociferously booed off the ice by the fans. Oh, the fickle finger of fans.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

Who was the last MLB player to win the triple crown (batting average, home runs, RBI)?

Answer
The last MLB Triple Crown winner was Miguel Cabrera, of the Detroit Tigers, who achieved the feat in 2012

SCORES & OUTDOORS: Truths and myths about roosters

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Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

You must, at sometime, heard a rooster crow in the morning. It’s pretty cool.

Roosters are often portrayed as crowing at the break of dawn and will almost start crowing before the age of four months. He can often be seen sitting on fence posts or other objects, where he crows to proclaim his territory. However, this idea is more romantic than real, as a rooster can, and will, crow at any time of the day.

Some roosters are especially vociferous, crowing almost constantly, while others only crow a few times a day. These differences are dependent both upon the rooster’s breed and individual personality. He has several other calls as well, and can cluck, similar to the hen. Roosters will occasionally make a patterned series of clucks to attract hens to a source of food, the same way a mother hen does for her chicks.

A capon is a castrated rooster. Caponization affects the disposition of the bird. The process eliminates the male hormones, lessening the male sex instincts and changing their behavior: the bird becomes more docile and less active and tends not to fight. This procedure produces a unique type of poultry meat which is favored by a specialized market.

Did you hear the one about the person who asked another, “How cold was it last night?” The second person responded, “It was so cold I saw a rooster cross the road with a cape on.” It’s corny, but you can smile.

The name rooster was coined in the United States. In the United Kingdom and Ireland, the older term cockerel is more widely used. Also known as cocks, that is more of a general name for a male of other species of bird, for example, Cock sparrow.

The rooster was an emblem of symbolic importance in Gaul at the time of the invasion of Julius Caesar and was associated with the god Lugus, a deity of the Celtic pantheon.

Roosting is the action of perching aloft to sleep at night, and is done by both sexes. The rooster is polygamous, but cannot guard several nests of eggs at once. But he sure tries.

I remember when I was just a youngster the family would travel annually to our grandfather’s farm in northern Canada, in a small mining town named Mont Brun (Brown Mountain), about eight miles north of Rouyn-Noranda, approximately 260 miles north of Ottawa) to spend two weeks. Once a prosperous silver mining town, most of the mines had been shut down by that time, and the area was depressed. It has since recovered.

It was not always fun and games as we all had chores we had to finish before we were allowed to do anything else. And, if you can picture where this farm was, there wasn’t too much else to do. (My mother would say that just over the hill was the end of the world. We didn’t dare to go find out for ourselves.)

The older boys tended the pigs, milked the cows and carried the raw milk, in buckets, by hand to a porch on the back of the house, where my younger brother and I would feed the milk to a centrifugal, hand-cranked machine that would separate the milk from the cream, and begin the process of making butter, which was one of the girls’ chores.

However, another job that my younger brother and I had was to feed the chickens in the coop. Well, there was this rooster with which to contend. He was nasty, ornery and just plain didn’t like us being around. He would hide behind the door of the coop, waiting in ambush for the unsuspecting “city kids.” I had nightmares about that rooster.

More aggressive roosters will drop and extend both wings and puff out all their body feathers to give hens and/or other cocks the impression of a larger size, and charge through the hen yard like a bull. That particular rooster would do that to my brother and I, nipped away at the back of our ankles and scared the dickens out of us. Man, how I hated that rooster.

Roosters, however, can also be extremely graceful. The cockerel “waltz,” as it is known, occurs when the rooster struts in a half circle with one wing extended down, signifying to the females his dominance, and usually, the female will submit by running or moving away from the rooster in acknowledgement. On rare occasions, the hen will attempt to fight the rooster for dominance. Once dominance is established, the rooster will rarely waltz again.When other roosters are in the hen yard, this waltz is used significantly more and most roosters will waltz together if dominance has not been established; either one will back off, or the two will fight. The rooster will waltz again if he is taken out of the pen for a period, usually 24 hours, and put back.

So, the next time you hear a rooster crow, envision two kids running across the hen yard with a rooster in hot pursuit. My grandfather thought it was funny.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

A Canadian-based NHL team has not won the Stanley Cup in 32 years (1993). Which team was that and who did they defeat?

Answer
The Montreal Canadiens won the cup in 1993 by defeating the Los Angeles Kings in five games (4-1).

SCORES & OUTDOORS: The elusive pileated woodpecker

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Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

You must remember the cartoon character of a bird with an innate chutzpah and brash demeanor that would fly into our living rooms during cartoon Saturdays in the 1950s and 1960s. He possessed a fluffy red crest and a laugh that bordered on insanity. He was Woody Woodpecker, the 1940 creation of Walter Lantz at Universial Studios, whose character and design would evolve over the years from an insane bird with an unusually garish design to a more refined looking and acting character in the vein of Bugs Bunny.

Why am I bringing this up? Recently, a local resident sent a photo along to us about seeing one by Sheepscot Lake. While they are not a rare bird, they can be quite shy and wary. I have seen a few of them at camp, but usually from relatively long distances. I even had one sitting on an old apple tree stump in my backyard at home, in Waterville, a few years back.

Pileated woodpeckers are a very large North American woodpecker, almost crow sized, inhabiting deciduous forests in eastern North America, the Great Lakes region, the boreal forests of Canada, and into parts of the Pacific Northwest. They are considered the largest North American woodpecker, although the Ivory-billed Woodpecker is larger; its numbers are such that it is considered near or at extinction, although one has been sighted in Maine in recent years.

When Europeans first arrived in North America, they found a land blanketed with mature woods that were the favorite haunts of pileated woodpeckers. During the 18th and 19th centuries, much of this great forest was cut, and the pileateds became rare over much of their range. Changes in lumbering practices and the abandonment of many eastern farms have allowed much of the forest to regenerate. They still need large tracts of woodlands, but they have adapted well to younger trees.

They measure 16-19 inches in length with a red crest and black bill. You’ll find these birds in mature forests with large trees. The territory of these birds can range from 150 – 200 acres. Signs of their presence can be detected by looking for 3 x 6 inch holes in trees. Using suet feeders can bring them close up, at times.

The call is a wild laugh, similar to the Northern Flicker. Its drumming can be very loud, often sounding like someone striking a tree with a hammer. The bird favors mature forests, but has adapted to use second-growth stands and heavily wooded parks as well.

Since these birds eat carpenter ants and wood-boring beetle larvae that tunnel deep into the wood, the birds will excavate a long gash, roughly rectangular, in a tree to retrieve ants.

Pileated woodpeckers raise their young every year in a hole in a tree. In April, the hole made by the male attracts a female for mating and raising their young. Once the brood is raised the woodpeckers abandon the hole and will not use it the next year.

The females will lay three to five white eggs which are incubated for 15-16 days by both the male and female birds. Both male and female will also feed the nestlings. The young woodpeckers will fledge the nest in 24-28 days. The adults and the young will stay together until fall. During this time, the adult birds will continue to feed them and teach them how to find their own food. Around September, the family will break up and the young will find territories of their own.

Pileated woodpeckers have been observed to move eggs that have fallen out of the nest to another site, a rare habit in birds.

Common predators of the pileated woodpecker are Black snakes, Coopers Hawks, Northern Goshawks, Red-tailed Hawks, Great Horned owls and squirrels.

So, pay attention, listen for a low-pitched drumming that trails off in speed and volume at the end. Follow the sound, and you just may find one.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

How many MLB teams have retired Nolan Ryan’s number?

Answer
Three. California (Los Angeles) Angels, Houston Astros and Texas Rangers.

SCORES & OUTDOORS: Fruit flies have some benefits

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Fruit fly

Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

Now, you’re very familiar with Drosophila melanogasters aren’t you? They usually show up in your kitchen at the most inopportune time.

They are called fruit flies, also known as vinegar flies. Those pesky little bugs that annoy the dickens out of you, but are actually very beneficial to humans.

This species is one of the most commonly used model organisms in biology, including studies in genetics, physiology, microbial pathogenesis, and life history evolution because they are easy to take care of, breed quickly, and lay many eggs.

About 75 percent of known human disease genes have a recognizable match in the genetic code of fruit flies, and 50 percent of fly protein sequences have mammal tendencies. These flies are being used as a genetic model for several human diseases including Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, and Alzheimer’s disease. The fly is also being used to study mechanisms underling aging and oxidative stress, immunity, diabetes, and cancer, as well as drug abuse.

As important as they are in the laboratory, I don’t need them in my kitchen. So, first, how to identify the source of the fruit flies, and what you can do to get rid of them.

The developmental period of the fruit flies varies with temperature. The shortest development time (egg to adult), seven days, is achieved at 82°F. Development times increase at higher temperatures due to heat stress. Females lay up to 400 eggs into rotting fruit or other suitable material such as decaying mushrooms. They hatch after 12-15 hours. The resulting larvae grow for about four days while molting twice, at about 24 and 48 hours after hatching. During this time, they feed on the microorganisms that decompose the fruit, as well as on the sugar of the fruit itself. Then the larvae undergo a four-day-long metamorphosis after which the adults emerge.

Fruit flies can be spotted around fresh fruits/vegetables, rotting fruits and vegetables, drains, garbage and damp organic materials.

Populations tend to be greatest in late summer and early fall as they infest fruits during the harvest season. With the end of summer season, many homeowners often encounter fruit flies in and about their kitchens and near garbage storage areas.

Occasionally, pomace flies, similar in appearance to fruit flies, may infest the home from standing water, like a forgotten mop pail or an open sewer drain.

Newly-emerged fruit fly adults are attracted to lights, but egg laying females will not leave fermenting materials.

How to get rid of them? Sanitation is the first measure of defense, even though there are various traps and sprays that are used to kill fruit flies, it is necessary to eliminate the source in order to eliminate them.

Look first in areas where vegetables and fruits are stored outside refrigeration. Also look for fruit fly sources in garbage cans, under appliances and recycling bins. Remember the larvae can only survive in decaying organic matter that is moist. Also, fruit fly larvae may feed on the sides of the drain and in the drain trap if there is an accumulation of organic debris there.

A space spray such as CB80 Pyrethrin can be used as a quick kill, reducing populations of flying insects.

If you can eliminate the source, don’t allow them to get established, you won’t have to worry about eradicating them.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

What is the historical significance of the number 12 for the Boston Red Sox?

Answer
It was the number worn by Elijah “Pumpsie” Green, the first black player to play for the Boston Red Sox, the last team in major league baseball to integrate.

SCORES & OUTDOORS: The Maine “gentle giant”

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Maine Coon Cat

Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

Recently, my daughter and one of my granddaughters have expressed an interest in bringing home a Maine coon cat. I’ve heard a lot about coon cats, but what makes them so different, and their size.

The Maine Coon is a large domesticated cat breed. One of the oldest natural breeds in North America, the breed originated in the U.S. state of Maine, where it is the official state cat.

The Maine Coon is commonly referred to as “the gentle giant.” The Maine Coon is predominantly known for its size and dense coat of fur which helps it survive in the harsh climate of Maine. The Maine Coon is often cited as having the characteristics of a dog.

The Maine Coon has a distinctive physical appearance and valuable hunting skills. The breed was popular in cat shows in the late 19th century, but its existence became threatened when long-haired breeds from overseas were introduced in the early 20th century. The Maine Coon has since made a comeback, in 2023 the Maine Coon overtook the Exotic, becoming the second most popular pedigree cat breed in the world.

However, their lineage is surrounded by mystery, folk tales, and myths. One myth claims the Maine Coon cat is a hybrid with another animal species, such as the raccoon or bobcat. The second myth states the cats are descendants of Viking ship’s cats, known today as the Norwegian Forest cats. A third story involves Marie Antoinette, the Queen of France, who was executed in 1793. The story goes that before her death, Antoinette attempted to escape France with the help of Captain Samuel Clough. She loaded Clough’s ship with her most prized possessions, including six of her favorite Turkish Angora or possibly Siberian cats. Although she did not make it to the United States, all of her pets managed to reach the shore of Wiscasset, safely, where they bred with other short-haired breeds and developed into the modern breed.

These myths and theories have long speculated that the long-haired Maine Coon cat has to be related to other long-haired breeds, due to their similarities in the observable characteristics or traits in an individual based on the expression of their genes. For the Maine Coon in particular, that it is descended from the Norwegian or Siberian Forest cat, brought to New England by settlers or Vikings. Studies showed the Maine Coon belongs to the Western European cat branch, but forms the closest relationship with the random-bred cat population in the Northeastern U.S. (New York region). This Western European branch contains the Norwegian and Siberian Forest cat.

Maine Coons are descendants of cats brought to New England by Puritan settlers in the 1600-1700s.

The first mention of Maine Coon cats in a literary work was in 1861, in Frances Simpson’s The Book of the Cat (1903). F.R. Pierce, who owned several Maine Coons, wrote a chapter about the breed. During the late 1860s, farmers located in Maine told stories about their cats and held the “Maine State Champion Coon Cat” contest at the Skowhegan State Fair.

In the early 20th century, the Maine Coon’s popularity began to decline with the introduction of other long-haired breeds, such as the Persian, which originated in the Middle East. The last recorded win by a Maine Coon in a national cat show for over 40 years was in 1911 at a show in Portland, Oregon. The breed was rarely seen after that. The decline was so severe the breed was declared extinct in the 1950s, although this declaration was considered to be exaggerated and reported prematurely at the time.

Maine Coons have several physical adaptations for survival in harsh winter climates. Their dense water-resistant fur is longer and shaggier on their underside and rear for extra protection when they are walking or sitting on top of wet surfaces of snow or ice. Their long and bushy raccoon-like tail is resistant to sinking in snow, and can be curled around their face and shoulders for warmth and protection from wind and blowing snow. It can even be curled around their backside like an insulated seat cushion when sitting down on a frozen surface.

Large paws help with walking on snow and are often compared to snowshoes. Long tufts of fur growing between their toes help keep the toes warm and further aid walking on snow by giving the paws additional structure without significant extra weight. Heavily furred ears with extra long tufts of fur growing from inside can keep warm more easily.

Maine Coons can have any colors that other cats have. Colors indicating crossbreeding.

In 2010, the Guinness World Records accepted a male purebred Maine Coon named “Stewie” as the “Longest Cat”, measuring 48.5 inches from the tip of his nose to the tip of his tail. Stewie died on February 4, 2013, from cancer at his home in Reno, Nevada, at age 8.

The median life expectancy of a Maine Coon is 12.5 years.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

What is the Philadelphia Eagles record in the Super Bowl?

Answer
1-3: Losses to Oakland, New England and Kansas City. Sole win was over New England.

SCORES & OUTDOORS: It’s later than you think

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Woodrow Charles

Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

Oh, my goodness!

Sunday is Groundhog Day. My, how times flies.

For starters, I have to find out where my friend Woodrow Charles is hanging out these days. Last year, he had moved to less than flattering surroundings. A quick email will tell me where he is.

I hope it doesn’t take too long for him to respond. I only have three days to find him, do an interview and write the story.

Wow! There he is.

He’s back in his old digs.

So, let’s trek out that way, in Center Vassalboro, and visit with the little fella.

The walk out to his place from Rte. 32, is rather easy. No snow on the ground, and very little ice to deal with. It takes about 20 minutes to get there. The familiar smoke is emanating from the chimney, and there are lights on inside.

A knock on the door and Woody answers.

“Come on in, buddy. Have a seat while a get us some tea,” says Woody. “Nice weather we’ve been having.”

I agreed, as usual, as he begins with the small talk. He knows darn well why I’m here.

“So, how did you end up back here?” I inquire.

“Well, the other tenant didn’t work out, I would say, ” as Woody answers. “Didn’t pay the utilities, heat, or other expenses, and the pipes froze. Was quite a mess from what I hear.”

That’s too bad.

“Not only that, but besides shutting off the utilities, because the guy didn’t pay the rent, the bank threatened to foreclose,” Woody added. “I guess the old guy figured he was never going to find another tenant like me.”

“I see everything is back to normal,” I said. “You’ve got your TV back, internet, Wi-fi, and every other conveniences.”

“Just in time,”said Woody. “With the Super Bowl and all next Sunday.”

“Any prediction this year?” I prodded.

“Well, the early betting has Kansas City as a slight 1.5-points favorite. A little surprising I would say. The Vegas over-under is 49.5.”

“How much are you betting?” I asked.

“Ooohhh, no! Woody retorted. “I’m not laying down hard earned money on such slim odds. And I’m not giving points. You could lose your fur.”

“Come on, you’ve never hesitated in the past,” I replied. “How about your buddies Frank, Slim and Butch?”

“Are you kidding, they lose their fur every year. I wouldn’t bet the stump based on their prediction,” Woody lamented.

“Well, just a wild guess,” I pressured.

“OK, I’ll go with Philadelphia by three,” Woody finally caved.

“Now, how about the rest of the winter? I asked.

“Oh, that again.You must think I have a crystal ball or something,” he answered.

“Come on, I’m running out of time,” I darted back.

“OK, I can wrap this up with one sentence. This winter, in Maine, is expected to be milder, with warmer temperatures and slightly less snow. You can look for an early spring.”

Education

For those of you who didn’t figure it out, last week’s mention about the mayor of Philadelphia, and the person at the TD Garden, both misspelled their message.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

What is the highest scoring Super Bowl in history?

Answer
The San Francisco 49ers defeated the San Diego Chargers, 49-26, in Super Bowl XXIX, on January 29, 1995.

SCORES & OUTDOORS: Black Crappie escalating in Central Maine lakes

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Black crappie

Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

Because I spend my summers on Webber Pond, in Vassalboro, I have the chance to fish that lake extensively. In the 35 years my wife and I have summered there, we have caught plenty of fish of many various species: small and largemouth bass, white perch, yellow perch, chain pickerel, eels, to name a few.

Until 2009, we had not heard of anyone catching black crappie. But the catch has become quite common in the ensuing years.

The first question that comes to mind is whether the fish ladder at the dam on the Webber Pond Road (built in 2008) had anything to do with it. Probably not, but why, all of a sudden, are there crappies in the lake? That is the same question people residing on Togus Pond, in Augusta, have been asking, since the fish has made its appearance there recently.

Black crappie, also known as calico bass, is a member of the sunfish family. These fish seem to fall in the love-hate category. Many people I have spoken with like the fish, saying they are a very tasty pan fish, while others put them in the same class as sunfish – what they describe as trash fish.

Despite that, they are a fairly popular fish although most of them have been artificially introduced. Black crappies are a schooling fish which leads to fast, intense fishing, an experience that many anglers prefer.

Adult crappies are typically around 6-12 inches long and weigh somewhere between two to three pounds. Typical crappie fisheries produce fish between 6 and 11 inches long, although crappies exceeding 14 inches and three pounds have been caught in Maine waters.

Their spawning season varies by location, due to the species’ great range. Water temperature at breeding is 58-68 degrees F. and occurs between April and June. Spawning takes place in a nest built by the male, who guards the eggs and young.

Closely resembling bass and sunfish species, which have 10-12 dorsal fin spines, crappies possess 6-8 dorsal fin spines. Body form is very deep and narrow, much like the sunfish. The coloration is silvery-olive to golden brown, with an irregular mosaic of dark black blotches.

Adults feed predominantly on smaller species, including the young of their own predators. They have diverse diets, however, including zooplankton, insects and crustaceans. This could be an added plus to Webber Pond. Over the last 10 – 12 years, Webber Pond has experienced a tremendous improvement in water quality due, in part, to the return of the alewives, who also feed on zooplanktin. Zooplanktin feed on algae, and when alewives, in turn, ingest the zooplanktin and leave the waters in the fall, they take with them large quantities of algae. With the addition of the black crappie as an eater of zooplanktin, it can be interpreted as a potential for even more improvements. It would be nice if their presence helped with the declining water quality on Webber Pond over the last couple of years.

By day, crappies tend to be less active and to concentrate around weed beds or submerged objects, such as logs and boulders. They feed especially at dawn and dusk, moving then into open water or approaching the shore. Because of their diverse diets, crappie may be caught in many ways, including casting light jigs, trolling with minnows or artificial lures, using small spinnerbaits or worm and bobbers. We catch them on red shad plastic worms, using the cast and retrieve method.

This year, for the first time, we have kept our catch of black crappie and fileted them. Rolling them in a batter of egg and corn meal, with some garlic pepper, we fry them in a pan, or cook them over an open fire. They make great fish filet sandwiches with cheese and lettuce.

Fishing for black crappies is most productive during the early morning or early evening while the air is relatively cool. They can be caught during the day, however, in more active waters. Be patient.

Black crappie are fairly common in the waters of southern Maine and in some of the Belgrade lakes.

A big ”Hooray”! for public education

I might be a little harsh right now, but I saw and heard a couple of things this past weekend that makes me wonder about education in general.

First, there was the mayor of Philadelphia who, at a rally to celebrate the Philadelphia Eagles advancing to the NFL championship game, gave the cheer, E-L-G-L-E-S, GO BIRDS!.

Then, I was in Boston on Monday at a Bruins game when I saw a fan in the stands displaying a sign that read, ”Go Bosten!”

Notice the similarities between the two?

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

Name the only female race car driver to have led both the Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona 500.

Answer
Danica Patrick.

SCORES & OUTDOORS: The adorable Rock Dove

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Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

One of the educational things I do for myself every day is read the comics in the daily newspaper. It kind of sets the tone for the rest of the day for me. I have my favorites: Peanuts, Hi and Lois, Beetle Bailey, Garfield, etc. I even like to read Mark Trail just to see what kind of adventure he sets out on, and invariably, brings to a successful and happy ending.

The one that caught my eye was a certain theme that Doonesberry was presenting. It seemed this certain person declared himself a “birder” and was on a quest to find a certain warbler to add to the list of birds he had witnessed.

That got me thinking. Claiming myself to be an amateur birder, I wondered how many varieties of birds I have seen in my life time. So, I set out to make a list.

Once I got to about 73, I decided I was wasting too much time on this. So, the thought came to me that maybe I should single out one that was intriguing to me.

Having seen birds as small as a ruby-throated hummingbird, and as large as a Great Blue heron, it was difficult to see which one in between would get my attention. Then it dawned on me.

These particular birds are mostly envisioned as pests, vagrants, scavengers and dirty inhabitants of parking lots, churches, parks, and just about everywhere else you can go in the world, leaving behind messes and clear indications of their presence, if you know what I mean. What is more intriguing than the common Rock Dove.

More commonly known as pigeons, rock doves vie with the domestic chicken for status as the world’s most familiar birds. They are not indigenous to the western hemisphere. They were introduced into North America from Europe long ago and are conspicuous in cities and villages throughout much of the world.

There are few visible differences between males and females, and the species is generally monogamous.

Feral pigeons have become established in cities around the world. The species is so abundant, that an estimated population of 17 to 28 million feral and wild birds exist in Europe alone.

With only its flying abilities to protect it from predators, rock pigeons are a favorite almost around the world for a wide range of raptors. I remember several years ago when I kept seeing pigeon body parts strewn all over my yard. One day, when I just happened to be looking out the window, I noticed a large flock of pigeons cleaning up on the ground under my bird feeders. Like a lightning strike, I saw a broad winged hawk dive head first into the pile, and came out with his next meal. To protect the pigeons, I temporarily suspended the feeders until the hawk found a new place for his hunting grounds. That poor pigeon didn’t stand a chance.

Pigeons, though, get a bad rap. They have been falsely associated with the spread of human diseases. Contact with pigeon droppings poses a minor risk of contracting diseases, and exposure to both droppings and feathers can produce bird fancier’s lung. Pigeons are not a major concern in the spread of West Nile virus. Though they can contract it, they do not appear to be able to transmit it.

Pigeons, in fact, have been associated with humans for several thousand years. Believed to have been the first domesticated birds, they were raised for meat as far back as the time of the ancient Egyptians.

Because of their powers of flight and their remarkable homing ability, pigeons have played important roles in history. A domestic pigeon taken from its home loft and released many miles away will almost invariably return. And if a message is tied to the bird’s leg, the result is a kind of air mail – a fact that humans learned to exploit many centuries ago. When Julius Caesar marched against Gaul, the news of his victories was carried back to Rome by a network of carrier pigeons. Other pigeons carried messages for Alexander the Great and for Hannibal. In modern times opposing armies in both World War I and World War II made use of thousands of carrier pigeons, also known as war pigeons. Curiously, many pigeons have received bravery awards and medals for their services in saving hundreds of human lives. A total of 32 pigeons received medallions or medals for their gallant and brave actions during World War II. And today, pigeons are still bred for their homing ability.

The next time I see a disgusting-looking pigeon on the ground, I may stand at attention, salute, and thank it for the many contributions their collective ancestors made for the human race.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

Name the eight NFL teams that have the initials of their host city on their helmets.

Answer
Kansas City, Green Bay, Chicago, New York Giants, San Francisco, Tennessee, Miami (small M on the helmet worn by the dolphin), Baltimore, Washington.

SCORES & OUTDOORS: Browntail moth experienced a drastic population decline in 2024

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Many browntail moth winter webs at the tips of tree branches in Augusta. (photo courtesy of the Maine Forest Service)

Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

I recently received this update from the Maine Forest Service on the status of the browntail moth caterpillar.

Browntail caterpillars will remain in their winter webs for now…

Throughout the winter season in Maine, browntail caterpillars are nestled inside of their winter webs they created in late fall. These winter webs can be found on the tips of the branches of their host trees, typically oak, birch, cherry, crabapple, and other fruit and hardwood trees. Winter webs made by browntail caterpillars have a distinct white silk covering that protects them from the harsh Maine winters.

Now through March is the best time to go out and begin scouting for winter webs on your property. A sunny day makes for a good scouting day, as the white silk of the winter webs will shine back at you – a good indication of a browntail winter web. Sometimes, oak and hawthorn trees hold onto marcescent leaves, which are dead leaves that haven’t yet fallen off the tree, which can be confused for browntail webs.

Maine Forest Service surveys cannot be exhaustive. The most important populations of browntail moth that may affect your daily life in the spring and summer may not be found by these surveys.

Browntail moth experienced a drastic population reduction in 2024. That means aerial survey only highlighted scattered small areas of concern. Trace to moderate populations may be found throughout a large area of the state. Small numbers of webs can produce enough caterpillars to cause an itchy spring and summer.

By recognizing webs in winter, you can respond to their presence and reduce impacts in spring and summer.

Scouting for webs is an important first step in understanding browntail moth populations your backyard.

Pick a sunny day for scouting to make the webs easier to spot.

Prioritize trees that surround your home, driveway, porch, play areas, etc.

Consider scouting for winter webs around your business, especially in areas where browntail moth caterpillars may emerge from winter webs in the spring and crawl onto vehicles (such as parking lots), or impact outdoor activities (such as picnic/break areas, near walkways and buildings, etc.)

Stand with your back to the sun about 50-100 ft. away from the base of the trees.

You may want to stand closer if scouting for webs on shorter, ornamental trees.

Check for clumps of leaves at the tips of branches.

On cloudy days, these leaves may appear brown or gray, but on sunny days, you’ll be able to see a white silk covering on these leaves.

Browntail winter webs will not be larger than the palm of your hand (roughly 3 – 5 inches long) and are typically narrow in width.

In heavily infested trees (trees with 100+ winter webs), like the ones in the enclosed photo, winter web removal may not be appropriate. Instead, pesticide applications may be considered if these trees are in a high-traffic area such as your dooryard or the front of your business building.

If you can’t remove the browntail winter webs on your property, consider hiring a professional to assist with removal. Winter web removals should be completed before the end of March.

What we’re working on this winter:

Browntail populations have declined in 2024. To understand the full extent of the reduction in browntail, we will continue our winter web survey starting in January 2025. These surveys are usually completed in March. After the data is reviewed, it will appear on our interactive browntail moth dashboard, which will give you a rough idea about what browntail is doing in your community.

A Patriots observation

The NFL season has ended for the New England Patriots with a 4-13 record. Here’s my quick analysis of the season. They began the year with an upset win over the Cincinnati Bengals, 20-16. They ended the season with another upset victory, 23-16, over the Buffalo Bills. Comparing the two scores, I see a 13.1 percent improvement, from beginning to end. We won’t discuss what happened in between.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

Name the four NFL teams that have a human face in their logo.

Answer
Patriots, Buccaneers, Raiders, Vikings.