by 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?

by 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?

by 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.

by Roland D. Hallee

It’s a new year!

Boy, that was a news flash.

Anyway, we’ve turned the calendar to a new year, the holidays have passed, and we are now settling into the reality of at least three months of winter.

We are sure to suffer some aches and pains of moving the snow – and anything else that nature throws our way.

With all of this turbulence, there is one thing that still brightens my day, and that is watching the birds at the feeding stations.

Following a couple of years where my wife stopped feeding the birds because of the constant battle with squirrels (I know, squirrels have to eat, too), she decided to give it another try. This year, she was introduced to a new bird seed, one that repels squirrels, and decided to try it. Besides relocating the feeders that make them less accessible to the little gray rodents, the new seeds have been a success.

I have seen two squirrels (that would be Martha and Stewart) sit on the porch railing and assess the situation, knowing that what is going through their clever little minds is trying to figure out how to attack the stations. Well, they have tried, and they have failed.

In the meantime, the activity around the feeders has been remarkable. Every day we see a plethora of birds coming and going: chickadees, nuthatches, gold finch, cardinals, house finches, the occasional tufted titmouse, and the most unlikely of all, a hairy woodpecker. We have lots of crows and bluejays around, but so far have stayed away from the feeders.

Sometimes there are more birds than there are feeding stations. That causes a problem, for the birds that is. They engage in a little bit of rough housing. Maybe that is what is keeping the crows and blue jays at bay.

That is fine with me.

Ironically, my wife and I, following a hectic weekend, sat and watched the Alfred Hitchcock classic film, The Birds, last Sunday night. As we watched the birds, mostly crows – ravens? – and seagulls, take over the small hamlet of Bodega Bay, supposedly located north of San Francisco, driving out all its residents, I really didn’t make a correlation between that, and the birds that have, literally, taken over my side porch at the house.

What if…?

That could never happen, could it?

Monday morning saw me standing at my kitchen window, watching as the onslaught continued at the bird feeders. My imagination, which has been described as a little on the strange side at times, began to take over. What if those little feathered creatures decided there wasn’t enough food or feeding stations, and decided to try to enter the house to get at the feed bag? Maybe they could even engage the cooperation of the squirrels. Maybe we’ll need some eye protection!

Slap! Slap! Wake up, and get a hold of yourself. They are only tiny little creatures. They couldn’t possibly do the kind of damage those big birds did in that film.

Could they?

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

Has there ever been a shutout in the Super Bowl?

by Roland D. Hallee

It’s become obvious that the warmer weather is behind us, and winter is patiently waiting in the wings. The other day, after doing some fall chores outside, I watched as squirrels scampered around, up and down trees, and were just plain busy.

Last week on my security cameras around my house, during the early morning hours, I saw a skunk and a very well fed raccoon, on two different occasions, pass before the lense of the camera. That got me to thinking, what do these animals do during the cold months of December, January and February?

You may already know the cold weather could drive rodents like mice, rats and squirrels into your home this season. But what about other mammals? Do you have to worry about raccoons in winter?

Unfortunately, it is possible. They might sneak into your attic or crawl space during colder months. Raccoons are omnivores, meaning they eat other animals, insects and vegetation. However, their meal of choice is going to depend on where they live. For example, raccoons that live near the water may snag crawfish or frogs from streams and creeks. These mammals may also steal eggs from birds’ nests or sniff out insects or mice. And urban raccoons are definitely not above rummaging through your trash can or eating any pet food you might keep outside. To put it simply, raccoons will take whatever they can get.

Raccoons are not true hibernators, meaning they do stay active year-round. That being said, you may see fewer raccoons in winter. This is because some raccoons, especially those in more northern states, may store up body fat in the spring and summer so they can spend most of the winter sleeping in their dens. In the winter months, they’ll sleep several weeks at a time, and it is possible to find several raccoons sharing a single den.

Skunk males, for their part, spend the winter alone in their own hole. Generally, skunks enter their lethargic sleep phase from December to March. They lose about 30 percent of their weight over that period. They look for places like patios and garden sheds, under which they can dig a hole to hide until spring.

During winter months, skunks enter a phase of lethargic sleep, without falling in a complete state of hibernation. We can sometimes smell a skunk’s odor during wild weather, when it gets out of its hiding place to feed. Females get together to spend the winter, and there can be as many as 12 of them in a single hole.

Youngsters will share a den with their mother during the winter months. In warmer climates, skunks will stay active most of the winter. In colder areas, they will sleep through the coldest periods, but do not hibernate. Often skunks will use the same winter den used the previous year.

Gray squirrels sleep in tree nests during the winter and only venture out during the morning and evening. Instead of hibernating, they rely on sheltered nests or dens in trees, fat reserves, and stored food to survive the long, cold winter.

These critters are homeotherms, which means that unlike some mammals, their body temperatures remain fairly constant throughout the year; they don’t hibernate. In the winter, squirrels spend less time foraging outside their dens, and it’s more common for several squirrels to share a den.

Squirrels can survive temperatures as low as -40°F, especially those adapted to Arctic environments. Their thick fur and hibernation behaviors help them endure such extreme cold.

Now, recently we discussed opposums and what seems to be a growing population in our area. So what do thet do?
Because their fur doesn’t provide much insulation from the cold, opossums typically spend the winter in dens that are dry, sheltered and safe. Opossums are vulnerable to frostbite on their hairless tails, ears and toes, so they often “hole up” during extremely cold spells. Their dens may be in hollow logs or trees.

Opossums do not hibernate. Their greatest challenge during winter, especially in colder climates, is simply to survive. Very often opossums will alter their foraging habits during winter, coming out during the day when it is warmer rather than at night.

So, there you have it. Some of your “favorite” critters that rummage around your yard, and how they survive the winter.

Roland’s trivia questionn of the week:

Who was the tallest player ever to play for the Boston Celtcs?