SCORES & OUTDOORS: Raccoons extremely adaptive to their surroundings

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Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

Recently, a neighbor came over and warned me that he had just seen a raccoon enter my garage. It turned out to be another neighbor’s rather plump and large Maine coon cat. But it got me thinking.

Raccoons, although they prefer deciduous and mixed forests for their habitat, are plentiful in the city. I have had many an encounter with them, some comical and some a little more serious.

I remember, many years ago, when I heard a commotion outside of my home. I went out, noticed that the lid to my metal trash can was laying on the ground, and went to replace it. That’s when the head of a raccoon popped out from inside the can. I was able to overturn the can, and the “coon” went running off into the woods, from the persuasion of a hockey stick.

They are extremely adaptable to their surroundings, therefore, you’re likely to see them everywhere. They are basically considered pests.

Although they were previously thought to be solitary, there is now evidence that raccoons engage in gender-specific social behavior. Related females often share a common area, while unrelated males live together in groups of up to four animals to maintain their positions against foreign males during the mating season.

The most important sense for the raccoon is its sense of touch. The hyper sensitive front paws are protected by a thin layer which become pliable when wet. The five digits of the paws have no webbing between them, which is unusual for a carnivore.

Raccoons, however, have a rather peculiar intelligence. Only a few studies have been done to determine the mental abilities of raccoons, who have sensory perception, used to interpret tactile impulses, more than any other studied animal. They are able to identify objects before touching them. The raccoon’s paws lack an opposable thumb and thus it does not have the agility of the hands of primates.

In a study conducted, it was determined that raccoons were able to open 11 or 13 complex locks in less than 10 tries and had no problems repeating the action, even when the locks were rearranged or turned upside down. Other studies concentrated on a raccoon’s memory, and showed they can remember the solutions to tasks for up to three years. Another study indicated raccoons were able to instantly differentiate between identical and different symbols three years after the short initial learning phase. They can distinguish boxes containing two or four grapes from those containing three.

Going back to the raccoons that visited my house that night, I figured I would “out smart” them by attaching a bungy cord from the handles of the trash can through the handle on the lid. And, you guessed it, they figured out how to get in anyway. The only things that eventually worked was a cinder block on top of the can, with the aforementioned bungy cord also attached. They were unable to physically remove the heavy object.

Raccoons are thought to be color blind, although their eyes adapt well to green light, allowing them to see well in twilight. Visual perception is of subordinate importance to raccoons because of their poor long-distance vision. Their sense of smell is actually more important. They have a broad auditory range, from high pitch to quiet noises like those produced by earthworms underground.

Captive raccoons have been known to live for more than 20 years, while in the wild, life expectancy is 1-3/4 to 3 years. The most frequent cause of death in North America is distemper, which can reach epidemic proportions and kill most of a local raccoon population. Natural predators are bobcats, coyotes and great-horned owls, the latter mainly preying on young raccoons.

Raccoons are common throughout North America, from Canada to Panama. The population on Hispaniola (the Dominican Republic) was exterminated as early as 1513 by Spanish colonists who hunted them for their meat. They were also extirpated in Cuba and Jamaica, where they were last sighted in 1687.

But, be careful, raccoons are known to have the ability to enter a seemingly secure building. I have a story for that, too. One took up residence in my garage in 1991 (I still can’t figure out how it got there). I was able to capture that one with a Hav-a-Heart trap, and a can of cat food as bait, in pretty short order. It was relocated to a rural area, but not without a fight. He was a little disgruntled about the whole ordeal and actually tried to cut my hand with its sharp claws as I picked up the cage. The move was performed without injury to either party.

Should you encounter a raccoon during daylight hours, it may be looking for food, or, more than likely, is rabid. Do not approach raccoons at any time. Call the animal control officer in your town.

Unfortunately, space doesn’t allow me to relate other raccoon encounters. Perhaps that can be a column for some other time.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

Of the five major sports, baseball, football, basketball, hockey and soccer. Which is the only sport that does not have penalties?

Answer
Baseball.

SCORES & OUTDOORS: The life and travels of the Monarch Butterfly

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MMM, MMM GOOD: Emily Poulin, of South China, captured this monarch butterfly enjoying the nectar.

Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

While watching the National Geographics channel on television, I saw an episode of a series called Great Migrations, and became very interested in the Monarch butterflies, who are among the most intriguing of the migrating species.

The monarch is probably the best known of all North American butterflies. Its wings feature an easily recognizable orange and black pattern, with a wingspan of 3-1/2 – 4 inches.

The monarch is most famous for its southward migration and northward return in summer in the Americas which spans the lifetime of three to four generations of the butterfly.

The upper side of the wings is tawny-orange, the veins and margins are black, and in the margins are two series of small white spots. The fore wings also have a few orange spots near the tip. The underside is similar but the tip of the fore wing and hind wing are yellow-brown instead of tawny-orange and the white spots are larger.

In North  America, the monarch ranges from southern Canada to northern South America.

Monarchs are especially noted for their lengthy annual migration. In North America they make massive southward migrations starting in August until the first frost. A northward migration takes place in the spring. The monarch is the only butterfly that migrates both north and south as the birds do on a regular basis. But no single individual makes the entire round trip. Female monarchs deposit eggs for the next generation during these migrations.

By the end of October, the population east of the Rocky Mountains migrates to the sanctuaries of the Mariposa Monarca Biosphere Reserve within the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt pine-oak forests in the Mexican states of Michoacán and México. The western population overwinters in various sites in central coastal and southern California, United States, notably in Pacific Grove and Santa Cruz.

The length of these journeys exceeds the normal lifespan of most monarchs, which is less than two months for butterflies born in early summer. The last generation – also known as the super generation – of the summer enters into a non-reproductive phase and may live seven months or more. These butterflies fly to one of many overwintering sites. The generation that overwinters generally does not reproduce until it leaves the overwintering site sometime in February and March.

It is the second, third and fourth generations that return to their northern locations in the United States and Canada in the spring. How the species manages to return to the same overwintering spots over a gap of several generations is still a subject of research; the flight patterns appear to be inherited, based on a combination of the position of the sun in the sky and a time-compensated sun compass that depends upon a circadian (repeating in a 24-hour cycle) clock that is based in their antennae.

Monarch butterflies are one of the few insects capable of making trans-Atlantic crossings. They are becoming more common in Bermuda due to increased usage of milkweed as an ornamental plant in flower gardens.

Because they feed mainly on milkweed, monarch butterflies are poisonous or distasteful to birds and mammals because of the presence of cardiac glycosides that are contained in milkweed consumed by the larva. It is thought the bright colors of larva and adults function as warning colors. During hibernation monarch butterflies sometimes suffer losses because hungry birds pick through them looking for the butterflies with the least amount of poison, but in the process killing those they reject. Some birds, such as orioles and jays have learned to eat only the thoracic muscles and abdominal contents because they contain less poison. In Mexico, about 14 percent of the overwintering monarchs are eaten by birds and mice.

Many people like to attract monarchs by growing a butterfly garden with a specific milkweed species. Many schools also enjoy growing and attending to monarch butterflies, starting with the caterpillar form. When the butterflies reach adulthood they are released into the wild.

Recent illegal deforestation of the monarch’s overwintering grounds have led to a drastic reduction in the butterfly’s population. Efforts to classify it as a protected species and to restore its habitat are under way. Also, a problem in North America is the black swallow-wort plant. Monarchs lay their eggs on these plants since they produce stimuli similar to milkweed. Once the eggs hatch, the caterpillars are poisoned by the toxicity of this invasive plant.

The common name “Monarch” was first published in 1874 by Samuel H. Scudder because “it is one of the largest of our butterflies, and rules a vast domain.”

Monarchs are beautiful to watch during the summer, but the next time you see one, think of what that particular butterfly may have gone through to be with us.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

Who became the first major league pitcher to win 20 of his first 21 decisions in 2001?

Answer
Roger Clemens. He finished the season at 20-3.

SCORES & OUTDOORS: Coyotes have made remarkable return to Maine

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Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

There is nothing more soothing than to hear a coyote cry out in the darkness when at a remote location in Maine.

Coyotes have made a return to Maine. This happened sometime in the 1960s and they have settled in very well. Archeological research has shown that coyotes lived in the East 30,000 years ago. What caused the coyote to leave the East is not known.

With the extirpation of the wolf in the lower 48 states caused by clearcutting of the virgin forests, and constant predator control, coyotes began to roam. From the southwest they roamed to Alaska and Canada, and then on to the northern Great Lakes region, and into Ontario and Québec. In eastern Canada, coyotes encountered scattered packs of the Eastern Canadian wolf population. Generally, coyote and wolves do not get along. If a coyote comes across wolves, he is certainly going to die. But these groups of wolves acted differently toward the coyotes since their numbers had been decimated due to extensive hunting and trapping, breaking down their complex social structure. Subsequently, many eastern coyote offsprings possess some degree of wolf genes, but remain coyotes in both appearance and behavior.

Coyotes are one of the most adaptable animals in the world, changing their breeding habits, diet and social dynamics to survive in a wide variety of habitats.

The coyote can be found on the North American continent, and only on this continent. They are also known by other names, such in the southwest and Mexico where they are called “Old Man,” and in other areas of the continent as “America’s Song Dog.” Many Native American myths were passed on from generation to generation with coyote chosen as lead character in all their stories. The Native Americans recognized and respected the coyote’s intelligence, adaptability, cunning, curiosity and humor. The ancient Aztecs gave the coyote his name: “Coyoti,” meaning “God’s dog.”

The coyote is one of the few wild animals whose vocalizations are commonly heard. At night, coyotes both howl and emit a series of short, high-pitched yips. Howls are used to keep in touch with other coyotes in the area. Sometimes, when it is first heard, the listener may experience a tingling fear of primitive dogs, but to the seasoned outdoorsman, the howl of the coyote is truly a song of the West.

The howling shows territorial warnings to other male coyotes. Females are always welcome. Yelping indicates a celebration or criticism within a small group of coyotes. The bark is what the coyote is named for, Canis lantrans means “barking dog.” That is used to display threats when a coyote is protecting a den or a kill. Huffing is usually used for calling pups without making a great deal of noise.

That relationship with humans ended when the Europeans arrived in North America. In his book The Voice of the Coyote, Frank Dobie wrote, “The English-Americans have never taught coyote any language but that of lead, steel, and strychnine.” The coyote, though, was not alone in experiencing the wrath of the settlers, other native wildlife were either pushed into extinction, or their populations were diminished – the wolf being one of them. The coyote, however, would survive.

For centuries, coyote lived with wolves, but very cautiously. It was important for the coyote to stay outside wolf territory if they wanted to survive.

According to Geri Vistein, representing the national Coyote Project, “Coyotes are very capable of co-existing with us, but we need to keep coyotes wild, by never providing them food, water or shelter.”

Conversely, killing coyotes to protect farm animals can actually have the opposite affect. Stable, healthy families of coyotes are likely to be wary of humans, said Vistein, while wandering, unhealthy or starving coyotes are more likely to snag an unprotected chicken or other farm animal. Killing coyotes that have established their territories only opens those areas up to marauding coyotes.

Although there have been no reports of coyotes attacking people in Maine, there are a few things to remember if you should encounter one. Ninety-nine percent of encounters with coyotes result in no confrontation. They are wary of humans. Only on occasion will they display some aggressiveness. Watch its behavior. It’s natural reaction will be to identify you, and then turn away and run off. If it becomes aggressive, treat it like a dog. Show it that you are the master: shout at it, stand your ground, but do not run away.

The coyote’s tail is used to signify a threat. It becomes bushy and is held horizontally when the coyote displays aggressiveness.

Humans have mixed emotions about coyotes. Some want them killed while others see benefits in their presence. Some rural residents feel the presents of coyotes restrict the freedoms of their pets and their own lifestyles, while others who have farm animals, using the proper precautions, have never experienced the loss of any farm animals at the hands of coyotes that are obviously present in the area.

The coyote seems to be asking for humans to feel comfortable having wildness in settled places, it’s up to mankind if that is to happen.

Whether to allow the coyote to live or die is a debate that has gone on for centuries in the United States, but to quote Dell Hymes in his Fivefold Fanfare for Coyote: “…Never will he go from this land / Here always, as long as the land is, / that is how Coyote is in this land….”

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

The MLB Texas Rangers have been in Texas for 53 years. However, their history goes back to 1961. From where did they move to Texas?

Answer
They were the second version of the Washington Senators (1961-1971. They moved to Texas in 1972). (The first version became the Minnesota Twins in 1961.)

SCORES & OUTDOORS: Mystery of the missing crickets

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by Roland D. Hallee

Over recent years I have been asked why certain creatures in nature seem to be disappearing. First we noticed a decline in fire flies, then June bugs, and even frogs.

Last week, I received an email from a loyal reader about the absence of crickets this past summer. After reflecting, I also wondered why we don’t hear them anymore.

Well, crickets haven’t disappeared, but their numbers and presence can be affected by seasonal changes and long-term environmental factors like habitat loss, climate change, and pesticides. If you don’t hear them, it could be because they are hiding from predators, seeking shelter indoors in colder weather, or it might be winter when they naturally die off and only their eggs overwinter. Conversely, a hot, dry summer can lead to an increase in crickets. So, OK, we had a hot, dry summer, why didn’t we hear crickets?

Here are some short-term reasons you might not hear or see crickets:

Seasonal changes: Crickets generally decrease or disappear during the colder months as temperatures drop. Many species die off after the first frost, with the next generation hatching from eggs in the spring.

Shelter-seeking: They may move indoors to find shelter from the elements, so you might not hear them in your yard anymore.

Predator avoidance: Crickets are sensitive to vibrations. If they hear you coming, they will go silent to avoid being detected by predators.

Long-term reasons for declining numbers.

Habitat loss: Increasing urbanization, large-scale agriculture, and wildfires destroy the natural habitats crickets depend on.

Climate change: Fluctuations in temperature and weather patterns can impact cricket populations.

Insecticides: The use of pesticides can directly kill crickets and contribute to overall insect decline.

What you can do.

For temporary seasonal absence: You can expect to hear them again in the spring, as they overwinter in the egg stage.

If you want to encourage them: Planting native grasses and flowers and reducing pesticide use can help create a more favorable environment.

If you’re seeing them inside: They are likely seeking shelter from the cold or looking for moisture. Focus on sealing cracks and entry points to prevent them from getting inside.

Let’s learn a little more about crickets.

Crickets have a cosmopolitan distribution, being found in all parts of the world with the exception of cold regions at latitudes higher than about 55 degrees North and South. They have colonized many large and small islands, sometimes flying over the sea to reach these locations, or perhaps conveyed on floating timber or by human activity.

Crickets are found in many habitats. Members of several subfamilies are found in the upper tree canopy, in bushes, and among grasses and herbs. They also occur on the ground and in caves, and some are subterranean, excavating shallow or deep burrows. Some make home in rotting wood, and certain beach-dwelling species can run and jump over the surface of water.

Crickets are relatively defenseless, soft-bodied insects. Most species are nocturnal and spend the day hidden in cracks, under bark, inside curling leaves, under stones or fallen logs, in leaf litter, or in the cracks in the ground that develop in dry weather. Some excavate their own shallow holes in rotting wood or underground and fold in their antennae to conceal their presence. Some of these burrows are temporary shelters, used for a single day, but others serve as more permanent residences and places for mating and laying eggs. Crickets burrow by loosening the soil with the mandibles and then carrying it with the limbs, flicking it backwards with the hind legs or pushing it with the head.

Other defensive strategies are the use of camouflage, fleeing, and aggression.

Most male crickets make a loud chirping sound by stridulation (scraping two specially textured body parts together). Most female crickets lack the necessary adaptations to stridulate, so make no sound.

Several types of cricket songs are in the repertoire of some species. The calling song attracts females and repels other males, and is fairly loud. The courting song is used when a female cricket is near and encourages her to mate with the caller. A triumphal song is produced for a brief period after a successful mating and may reinforce the mating bond to encourage the female to lay some eggs rather than find another male. An aggressive song is triggered to detect the presence of another male cricket.

So, how come this past summer, the only time I heard crickets was when I told a really bad dad joke?

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

Name the Red Sox player who is the only one to hit for the cycle in a post season game.

Answer
Brock Holt hit for the cycle in Game 3 of the 2018 ALDS against the Yankees, becoming the first player ever to achieve this in a post season game.

SCORES & OUTDOORS: Well-dressed pigeons

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Fancy feather-footed pigeon

Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

One night last week, my wife showed a photo to me she received from a friend, showing a pigeon-like bird with fuzzy feathers on its feet. I wasn’t quite sure what it was, but it did look like a pigeon.

Research led me to identify it as a fancy feather-footed pigeon. So, more digging was done, and this is what I found. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much about them online.

A fancy feather-footed pigeon, such as the English Trumpeter or Bokhara Trumpeter, is a domesticated pigeon bred for ornamental beauty, distinguished by “muffs” of feathers on its feet, which are a form of genetic variation from its rock pigeon ancestors. This distinctive feature, which gives the appearance of “feather pants,” is caused by genetic mutations that reprogram the leg to develop feathers instead of scales, and can vary in length from a few stray feathers to large, fluffy plumes.

Foot feathering is an uncommon trait among bird species, as most birds have scaly feet. Some raptors and boreal birds have feathered feet, and among chickens and pigeons, birds can have feathery or scaly feet, depending on their breeds.

Fancy pigeon refers to any breed of domestic pigeon, which is a domesticated form of the wild rock dove. They are bred by pigeon fanciers for various traits relating to size, shape, color, and behavior, and often exhibited at pigeon shows, fairs and other livestock exhibits.

OK, with all that beauty, are there any brains?

Rock Dove

Pigeons are considered to be quite intelligent birds. They can recognize themselves in mirrors, learn complex tasks, and remember long-range routes. How smart are pigeons? Pigeons can learn and remember tasks, solve problems, and recognize individual people and places.

Fancy pigeons with feathered feet are a sight that you can find often at bird shows and displays. But why do some pigeons have feathered feet while others don’t? What evolutionary processes lead to feathers on some pigeons’ feet?

Pigeons with this characteristic have become the subject of much discussion. You can see some of these birds in bird shows and exhibits.

Pigeons get feathery feet because of one or more genetic variations. Though you might think this is just some sort of overgrowth of feathers like humans that have hair in the wrong places, foot feathers are actually not the skin growing extra feathers.

Other bird species with feathers on their feet include Snowy owls, golden eagles, certain bantam breeds, and ptarmigans.

Aside from them, certain chickens and domestic pigeons have been bred with and without feathers in the same species. The evolution of feathered feet throws new light on how evolutionary processes work.

So, where did this particular fancy feather-foot pigeon come from? Well, although they are common among breeders for show purposes, this kind of genetic mutation does not occur in the wild. So this bird is probably one that has escaped from a breeder or an owner. It’s likely to have a home somewhere nearby.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

Name the famous football player who is the brother-in-law of former Boston Red Sox star Kevin Youkilis?

Answer
Tom Brady.

SCORES & OUTDOORS: The appearance of the boxelder bug in my world

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boxelder bug

Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

There they were! Marching along the railing of my porch as my wife and I were enjoying the day’s end of sunshine on a Saturday afternoon. They formed a column like a trucking convoy, one behind the other, all heading in the same direction. Blackish-colored bugs with red stripes, about a half inch long. I had seen them before, but not this many.

Then, it happened! The next morning, one had found its way into the house, clinging to the outside door, trying to make its best impression of an opossum. Playing dead, not moving.

It was time to find what these things were and why were they trying to enter our domain.

It really didn’t come clear to me until a little later, when evidence started to fall into place. First was a call out to a contact with the Maine Forest Service. But, it was the weekend, and I would have to wait until mid-week for an answer.

Second, I met with an arborist with the plan to cut down some dead trees on my property. The arborist informed me the trees were boxelders, and would have not much heating value. (That was OK, I just wanted to get rid of them.)

Then came the news from my state contact: the bugs were most likely boxelder bugs. Ta-dah! There is the connection.

Boxelder trees and boxelder bugs.

The boxelder bugs feed almost entirely on boxelder, maple and ash trees. Another clue. I have a maple tree directly in front of my porch.

These bugs also like to winter indoors, if possible. Should they enter your home, they will hibernate there, mostly in cracks in window frames, gaps and crevices, and tears in screen doors. But, once they get in your home, they will lay dormant while the weather is cool. Once your heating system becomes active, they falsely perceive that it is spring time and they will head out in search of food. Their extracts may stain upholstery, carpets, drapes, and they may feed on certain types of house plants.

The next question: do they bite?

They are not typically known as biters, but they have the ability to pierce into skin, which makes the skin a bit irritated and results in a red spot that resembles a mosquito bite. Medical attention should be sought in the case of a bite. They are, in general, harmless to humans and pets.

These bugs are not classified as agricultural pests and generally are no danger to ornamental plantings. They are, however, known to do damage to some fruits in the fall as they leave their summer homes in trees to seek areas to overwinter.

The boxelder bug emits a strong scent, similar to stink bugs, should they be disturbed or threatened. Spiders are their minor predators, but because of their defense mechanism, only few birds or other animals will eat them.

Eggs are laid by females in the cracks of tree bark during spring. They prefer female boxelder trees, which produce seeds, as opposed to male trees that do not.

Boxelder bugs prefer seeds but will also suck leaves. They are frequently seen on maple trees as these trees provide them with seeds as well.

So, the arborist is coming in a week or so to take down those boxelder trees, and that should help reduce the population. However, my maple tree stays.

New good luck charm

Last Sunday, following weeks of frustration with the New England Patriots, I decided to break out a new “good luck” charm. In the past, every time I wore a piece of Patriots apparel, they would lose. So, I went into a bureau and pulled out an old Mike Vrabel jersey from his playing days with the Pats. Well, the team responded with a stomping on the Carolina Panthers. I believe I may be the only person in central Maine with an old Vrabel jersey. Does anyone else have one?

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

Have the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers ever met in a World Series?

Answer
No. They only met in 1916 when the Dodgers were known as the Brooklyn Robins. Sox won 4-1.

SCORES & OUTDOORS: How about a winter prediction

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Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

Well, we’re coming up on the middle of October, and time to take a look at what Mother Nature has provided to us in regards to a preview of the upcoming winter.

Brrrr! Dread the thought!

During the summer and fall, our little critters, and even our vegetation, provides us with a glimpse of what we may be in store come the winter months.

Now, let’s make it clear. All of the following are according to farmers’ folklore. I looked up the word “lore” in the dictionary, and this is what I came up with: “All the knowledge of a particular group or having to do with a particular subject, especially that of a traditional nature.” Apparently, these are the result of many years of farmers keeping track of conditions involving their fields and crops.

First, it’s the old wives tale about the beloved onion. The lore goes that if an onion is difficult to peel, it is a sign of an impending harsh winter. If the onion peels easily, we can expect a milder winter. Notice I said, “milder.”

So far this summer, I have noticed that onions have been relatively easy to peel. My wife and I eat lots of onions, so this is more than just a small sample size.

Next comes those dreaded hornets and wasps. Farmers’ folklore has it that ground hives signify a low snowfall. Well, we went through this a couple of weeks ago when I told of the problem we had at camp this fall with yellow jacket hives in the ground. We had at least four that we knew about this summer, when action had to be taken to alleviate the problem.

However, during our close-down weekend at camp, we were again pestered with a multitude of yellow jackets, indicating there was another hive nearby. We never found it.

Contributing to that theory is the hornets nest I saw last week. A nest, the size of a honeydew melon, hung on a branch, low on a tree, probably about six feet or so off the ground. Not very high for a hornets’ nest.

With so many nests in the ground and the one hanging low on a tree branch, that, supposedly, indicates low snowfall. Wouldn’t mind that, even if I do have the snowblower tuned up and ready to go.

Another sign that the impending winter will be on the mild side has a little bit of controversy.

The wooly bear caterpillar. That darling, little fuzzy insect that usually comes out in mid-September. I have seen only a few, but they all have been on the highway, where I can’t get a really good look at them.

I did see one last weekend at camp, and the results were favorable.

Now, I am sure everyone has heard the myth that the length of the rust-colored band on a wooly bear tells of how severe or mild the winter. If the rust-colored band dominates the body, it will be a mild winter.

The wooly bear I saw measured 1-5/8 inches long. An inch of that length was black, while the rust-colored band measured only 5/8-inch. That’s telling me the winter will be a little on the bad side. However, other people have told me – and showed photos to me – the wooly bears they have seen were predominantly rust-colored. I hope mine was the flunky of the wooly bears.

Finally, the cicadae. That is the green insect that buzzes during the hot, steamy, humid days of July. Farmers’ folklore has it the first killing frost of the season will occur 90 days following the first sound of the cicadae, after the full moon. The first time we heard the cicadae this summer was on July 26. Count out 90 days, that brings us to October 26. With the next full moon happening on October 6, you have to go beyond. The next full moon after that is November 5. We could be looking at an Indian Summer, with the first killing frost following that date.

Now, just for giggles, let’s throw in the Farmers’ Almanac. The Farmers’ Almanac, which has provided long-range weather forecasts for more than 200 years, is predicting a cold and snow-filled winter for Maine. Do we dare look any further?

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

Which Red Sox batter has the best career On Base Percentage in team and major league history?

Answer
Ted Williams (.482)

SCORES & OUTDOORS: Crickets mark the end of summer!?

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Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

I’ve always been interested in folklore. It is intriguing how older generations and cultures came up with them, with most dealing with nature.

While sitting around a campfire with friends last Saturday, we heard a cricket chirp in the distance. One of the friends, we’ll call her Martha, groaned at the sound. “What’s the matter?” I asked. Martha responded, “Hearing a cricket means the end of summer.”

Interesting!

Well, my curiosity got the best of me. I started asking many acquaintances, friends, family and whoever else would listen: Had they ever heard of that folklore? The answer has been “no” every time. One thing I failed to ask Martha was where she had heard that. It probably is an old wives tale or something, just like the cicada predicting the first killing frost in the fall, or the wooly bear caterpillar forecasting the severity of a winter.

Crickets are found in all parts of the world, except in cold regions at higher latitudes. They are also found in many habitats, upper tree canopies, in bushes, and among grasses and herbs. They also exist on the ground, in caves, and some are subterranean, excavating shallow or deep burrows. Some live in rotting wood, and some will even run and jump over the surface of water. They are related to the bush crickets, and more distantly, to grasshoppers.

Crickets are relatively defenseless. Most species are nocturnal and spend the day hidden. They burrow to form temporary shelters, and fold their antennae to conceal their presence. Other defensive strategies are camouflage, fleeing and aggression. Some have developed colorings that make them difficult to see by predators who hunt by sight.

Male crickets make a loud chirping sound by scraping two specially textured limbs together. This organ is located on the fore wing. Most females lack the necessary parts to stridulate, so they make no sound.

Crickets chirp at different rates depending on their species and the temperature of their environment. Most species chirp at higher rates the higher the temperature. The relationship between temperature and the rate of chirping is known as Dolbear’s law. According to this law, counting the number of chirps produced in 14 seconds by the snowy tree cricket, common in the United States, and adding 40 will approximate the temperature in degrees Fahrenheit.

Some crickets, such as the ground cricket, are wingless. Others have small fore wings and no hind wings, others lack hind wings and have shortened fore wings in females only, while others have hind wings longer than the fore wings. Probably, most species with hind wings longer than fore wings engage in flight.

Crickets have relatively powerful jaws, and several species have been known to bite humans.

Male crickets establish their dominance over each other by aggression. They start by slashing each other with their antennae and flaring their mandibles. Unless one retreats at this stage, they resort to grappling, at the same time each emitting calls that are quite unlike those uttered in other circumstances. Once one achieves dominance, is sings loudly, while the defeated remains silent.

Crickets have many natural enemies. They are eaten by large numbers of vertebrate and invertebrate predators and their hard parts are often found during the examination of animal intestines.

The folklore and mythology surrounding crickets is extensive. The singing of crickets in the folkore of Brazil and elsewhere is sometimes taken to be a sign of impending rain. In Alagoas state, northeast Brazil, a cricket announces death, thus it is killed if it chirps indoors, while in Barbados, a loud cricket means money is coming, hence the cricket must not be killed or evicted if it chirps inside the house.

In literature, the French entomologist Jean-Henri Fabre’s popular Souvenirs Entomoloquques devotes a whole chapter to the cricket. Crickets have also appeared in poetry. William Wordsworth’s 1805 poem, The Cottager to Her Infant includes the lines, “The kitten sleeps upon the hearth, The crickets long have ceased their mirth.” John Keats’ 1819 poem Ode to Autumn, includes the lines, “Hedge-crickets sing; and now with treble soft, the redbreast whistles from a garden-croft.” Could this be from where that folkore about the end of summer comes?

Crickets are kept as pets and are considered good luck in some countries. In China, they are kept in cages specially created. The practice is also common in Japan, and has been for thousands of years. Cricket fighting is a traditional Chinese pastime that dates back to the Tang dynasty (618-907). It was originally a common indulgence for emperors, but later became popular with commoners. (I hope Vince McMahon doesn’t read this!)

While serving in the U.S. Army in Southeast Asia from 1968-69 (Laos, Thailand and Vietnam), I learned that crickets are commonly eaten as a snack, prepared by deep frying the soaked and cleaned insects. In Thailand, there are 20,000 farmers rearing crickets, with an estimated production of 7,500 tons per year. No, I didn’t try them.

And, of course, in popular culture, we have Walt Disney’s Jiminy Cricket in the 1940 film Pinocchio, and in the 1998 film Mulan, Cri-kee is carried in a cage as a symbol of good luck.

In the media, the sound of crickets is often used to emphasize silence, often for comic effect after an awkward joke.

I’ll bet you didn’t think crickets had such a valued place in societies and cultures for centuries.

Roland’s trivia questions of the week:

Is Jim Rice the all-time Red Sox home run leader among right-handed batters?

Answer
Yes. (382).

SCORES & OUTDOORS: Bees gathering coolant for hives

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Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

OK, we’ve been going through quite a dry spell since July, with hardly any rain. Plants and flowers are starving for the liquid and so are the bees.

I’m sure everyone has noticed the presence of many, many more bees than normal. Just last week, on a particularly beautiful Saturday, I decided to go read my daily newspaper on the deck with a glass of wine.

Nope! Not happening. I was immediately swarmed with dozens of bees all fixated on that glass of wine. So, inside I went.

Last week, my granddaughter and two great-granddaughters came out for lunch. The little girls wanted to eat in the gazebo. So they went out with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and an apple, with some apple juice. Well, guess what happened. Inside they went because of the swarming bees, with the apple and apple juice seeming to be their targets.

Actually, I use the term “swarm” loosely. Do you know how many bees it takes before it is considered a swarm? Give up?

A bee swarm typically contains thousands to tens of thousands of bees, with average swarms around 10,000 to 30,000 bees. The number can vary significantly, though, from a few hundred to over 30,000 depending on the original colony’s size and whether it’s a primary or secondary swarm. Swarms are a natural form of honey bee reproduction, where a queen and a large group of worker bees leave their original hive to establish a new colony.

So, why all the bees?

During a dry spell, the increased bee activity is driven by the colony’s heightened need for water to cool the hive and a scarcity of natural food sources. You are more likely to see bees congregating in places where water is available, such as puddles, pet bowls, and swimming pools.

Bees require a lot of water to maintain their hives, particularly during a dry spell.

The hive needs to be cooled. Bees use a process called evaporative cooling to regulate the temperature inside the hive. Water-foraging bees collect water, spread it in thin layers, and fan their wings to create airflow and lower the hive’s temperature. This is crucial for keeping developing larvae and the wax comb from overheating.

Water is also necessary for feeding young bees and for diluting honey. With natural water sources drying up, bees will congregate around any available source they can find. Interestingly, they often prefer “dirty” water, like from puddles or damp soil, because of the minerals and scent, which they can detect more easily than clean water.

Droughts lead to a “nectar dearth,” a period where nectar-producing flowers are scarce or no longer in bloom. This lack of food changes bee behavior and makes them more visible to humans.

As food sources dwindle, foragers must travel farther and search more aggressively for nectar and pollen. Bees will seek out alternative sources of sugar and carbohydrates, which brings them into contact with human areas like picnic tables, garbage cans, and sugary drinks.

The combination of hunger and the need to protect their limited resources can make a colony more defensive. They may become irritable or aggressive, especially if they are a strong colony attempting to rob a weaker hive. The heightened activity during a dry spell is also influenced by the seasonal growth of bee colonies.

By the end of summer and beginning of fall, colonies typically reach their maximum population size. This means there are simply more individual bees out foraging and more individuals to notice around your home and garden.

My wife, who can’t stand bees, sets off on a mission to capture the bees by luring them to sweet liquids and then disposing of them. I tell her bees are necessary to pollinate the gardens. I explained to her the famous quote: “If the honey bee disappeared off the face of the Earth, man would only have four years left to live.” It is a misattribution to Albert Einstein. While the statement is not found in any of his writings, it originated with a Canadian beekeeper in the 1940s and was popularized by a French journalist in 1965, later circulating on pamphlets and in media to highlight the importance of bees as pollinators. We’ll see how that goes.

So, it’s a conundrum. We need the bees, but they can be pests, especially during dry conditions. I was stung a couple of weeks ago, and it wasn’t a picnic. I worry about my great-granddaughters.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

Whose 240 hits in 1985 are the most in a single season in the Boston Red Sox team history?

Answer
Wade Boggs.

SCORES & OUTDOORS: Red foxes seem to be making more appearances this summer

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Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

When we first moved out to camp for the summer in mid-May, we heard something mysterious on our fourth day out there. It was after dark, and from a distance, we heard a wailing, lamenting siren-like shriek. Everyone around was wondering what was making that noise. At first we thought it was a small, yipping dog. But it continued almost uninterrupted.

Then, someone mentioned that a family of foxes had been residing under the main office during the winter, and had recently moved out.

That was it. The sound we heard was that of a red fox. It is common to hear those kinds of cry during the foxes’ breeding season, and thought to be emitted by a vixen’s (female fox) summoning males. Foxes generally greet each other with high pitched whines, particularly submissive animals. During an aggressive encounter they will emit a throaty, rattling sound.

An adult red fox has been identified with 12 different sounds while kits may produce eight.

The red fox, Vulpes vulpes, is the largest of the true foxes and the most abundant wild member of the species. It is listed as least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Besides its large size, red foxes are different from other species because of their ability to adapt quickly to new environments. There are 45 different subspecies of foxes.

The red foxes have a long history of interacting with humans, having been extensively hunted as a pest and furbearer for many centuries. Because of its widespread range and large population, the red fox is one of the most important furbearing animals harvested for the fur trade. Too small to pose a threat to humans, it has successfully colonized many suburban areas.

Urban red foxes are most active at dusk and dawn, doing most of their hunting and scavenging at these times. Despite their search for usable food, foxes tend to eat anything humans eat.

There have been more reported sightings this summer. We actually saw one cross the road while we were sitting at a camp fire.

These foxes can cause problems for local folks. Foxes have been known to steal chickens, invade rubbish cans and raise havoc in gardens. In our case, we heard that a nearby neighbor, who kept chickens, had many disappear in a relatively short period of time. They will also prey on domestic rabbits and guinea pigs if they are allowed to run in the open. Urban foxes have been known to encounter cats and may feed alongside of them. In confrontations, cats usually have the upper hand, although foxes have been known to attack cats, not so much for food but rather as a competitor for food.

Red foxes are not readily prone to be infested with fleas.

Red foxes live in family groups, sharing a common territory. They may leave their families once they reach adulthood if the chances of winning a territory of their own are high. Otherwise, they will stay with their parents, postponing their own reproduction.

Red foxes have binocular vision, but their sight reacts mainly to movement. Their hearing though, is their strength, being able to hear a squeaking mouse at about 330 feet. Their sense of smell is good, but weaker than that of a domestic dog.

Being the largest of the Vulpes genus, on average, an adult male will measure 14-20 inches high at the shoulders, 18-35 inches in body length, and the tails measuring 12-22 inches. Their weight range is 5 – 31 pounds, with vixens weighing 15 – 20 percent less.

Red Foxes are often mentioned in folklore and mythology of human cultures. In Greek mythology, the Teumessian fox or Cadmean vixen, was a gigantic fox that was destined to never be caught. According to Celtic mythology, witches were thought to take the shape of foxes to steal butter from their neighbors. In later European folklore, the figure of Reynard the Fox symbolizes trickery and deceit.

The red fox originated from smaller-sized ancestors from Eurasia shortly after the Wisconsin glaciation, which took place approximately 85,000 to 11,000 years ago. It was the most recent major advance of the North American ice sheet complex.

At camp, the red foxes have been sighted many times, and because of that, we can’t leave the sliding glass doors open while we are not there. With only the screen door between the outside and inside, our pet rabbit would have been fair game for a red fox roaming in the area. The temptation would have been too much to resist.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

Who was the last major league pitcher to win 30 or more games in one season?

Answer
Denny McLain, of the Detroit Tigers, in 1968, went 31-6, with a 1.96 ERA.