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SCORES & OUTDOORS: Brown-tail moth, immigrant from Europe, invasive to Maine coast

April 18, 2018/0 Comments/in Scores & Outdoors/by Roland D. Hallee

brown-tail moth

by Roland D. Hallee

A couple of weeks ago, during a discussion with associates, the subject of the brown-tail moth came up. I figured it was just another of the mundane moths we see during the summer. However, that was not the case. This particular moth, Euproctis chrysorrhoea, is one that we probably could do without.

This moth, once native only to Europe, was accidentally brought to Massachusetts in 1897 on nursery stock, and soon spread to the rest of New England, Today, it is found only on Cape Cod and along the coast of Maine, where it is considered an invasive species.

The brown-tail moth is armed with defensive barbed hairs throughout its life span but especially during the caterpillar stage. These hairs break off, and for many people exposed, are susceptible to skin rashes, headaches, and even difficulty breathing. This caterpillar also has a huge host range of plants on which they feed.

The brown-tail moth caterpillar has tiny poisonous hairs that cause rashes similar to poison ivy on sensitive individuals. Rashes may develop when people come in direct contact with the caterpillar or indirectly from airborne hairs. The hairs become airborne by either being dislodged from living or dead caterpillars, or they come from cast skins when the caterpillar molts. Respiratory distress from inhaling the hairs can be serious.

Caterpillars are active from April to late June. Hairs remain toxic throughout the summer but get washed into the soil and are less of problem over time.

Brown-tail caterpillar

The moths, which are attracted to light and fly at night, and active in July and August, have a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. The wings and midsection are solid white on both the male and female. The abdomen has brown on it, and the brown coloration extends along most of the upper surface of the abdomen in the male, whereas the top of the abdomen is white on the female, but the tuft of brown hairs are much larger.

The factors underlying brown-tail moth population dynamics are little understood and have been only thoroughly investigated by few researchers.

According to the Coastal Pharmacy & Wellness staff, the brown-tail moth has been getting plenty of attention over the past few years. This is because the numbers have spiked to levels that haven’t been seen in quite some time. Last year was a banner year and this year’s population is predicted to be even higher.

Throughout much of its life cycle, the moth sheds its toxic hairs. Eggs are laid in August-September, when a female can lay up to 400 eggs. They build their winter nest in the fall and remain there from September to June. In June and July, the larvae spin cocoons in which to pupate. The cocoons are full of toxic hairs. The moth emerges in July and August, mate and lay eggs to begin a new cycle. During this period, more hairs are shed to cover the egg mass.

The brown-tail moth’s excessive desire to eat, and its habit of feeding on many different kinds of foods, together with its tendency to reach outbreak densities, makes this species a major pest of hardwood forests and may also attack fruit and ornamental trees.

According to the Coastal Pharmacy and Wellness staff, moth spray or lotion, to combat the rash, are available by prescription from your doctor. There is no antidote for the toxins, so treatment is focused on relieving symptoms and eliminating further exposure. “Since many reactions occur over weekends, seeing a doctor may not be immediately possible. In these cases, you may find relief by soaking in a warm bath and applying calamine lotion or antihistamine cream.”

Pursuant to Maine Statute Title 22§1444 the Chief Operating Officer of the Maine Center for Disease Control can declare an infestation of brown-tail moths as a public health nuisance. The declaration may be made on the COO’s initiative or upon petition by municipal officers.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

With his win in game five of the 2013 World Series, Jon Lester of the Boston Red Sox became only the second Red Sox left-handed pitcher to win three World Series games. Who was the first?

Answer can be found here.

I’m Just Curious: Shoe facts to keep you on your toes

April 18, 2018/0 Comments/in I’m Just Curious/by Debbie Walker

by Debbie Walker

The kid’s books and magazines give me some different things to write about! Some of this column is from a World Magazine. I believe it is an off shoot of National Geographic World.

So we are going to start out with information about shoes:

Sneakers:

A few years ago there was a ship carrying about 40,000 pairs of sneakers in the Pacific Ocean, headed for the United States. A storm struck and the sneakers went overboard. Sometime later beach-goers from British Columbia to Oregon saw hundreds of sneakers had washed up on the shores – “they were the ‘sole’ survivors”!

Symbols:

Shoes were symbols of ownership years ago. At European weddings, the bride’s parents threw shoes to ‘say’ they didn’t own the bride any longer. Shoes became a symbol of good luck. Sometimes all the wedding guests threw shoes at the happy couple. “Maybe throwing shoes helped a marriage start out on the right foot”.

Right or Wrong

Eighteenth century people didn’t have to worry about right or left shoe. Both shoes were exactly alike. Both shoes in a pair were identical!

Someone Else’s

Napoleon I didn’t have to get blisters. His servants wore his boots to break them in for him. “They spared his imperial tootsies a royal pain.”

Fashion

About 500 years ago in Europe men wore shoes with extremely long pointy toes. Some were so long that the wearer had to fasten them to his knees – or he’d trip.

“Walks of Life”

People give shoes a real workout. Each day most people take about 9,000 steps. And over our entire lifetime we may walk far enough to circle the Earth three and a half times. That’s enough to make your feet sore!”

Altitude Footwear

Platform shoes are not new to fashion. Years and years ago in Europe decorated platform shoes were a status symbol for wealthy women. The style “peak” was called the chopine (shah-PEEN). Sometimes rising more than two feet high, this was a shoe with a view!

Okay, I guess that is enough shoe business for one day. Although I could add that my Dad used to tell Mom to take me shoes shopping. He said they would throw away the shoes and I could wear the boxes. I have big flat feet with bunions! Used to have bunions but those were taken off, yehaw! Me and shoes still don’t get along really well. And, NO, it was not my mother’s fault. She always made sure our shoes fit well.

As usual I am just curious if you have any great “shoe” stories. For questions or comments you can contact me at dwdaffy@yahoo.com . Thanks for reading!

REVIEW POTPOURRI – Pianist: Paul Baumgartner; TV Series: Cold Justice

April 18, 2018/1 Comment/in Review Potpourri/by Peter Cates

by Peter Cates

Paul Baumgartner

Piano Recital
recorded February 17, 1964; Ermitage-ERM 200-2 ADD, CD.

Paul Baumgartner

Swiss-born Paul Baumgartner (1903-1976) was most definitely below-the-radar, when compared to Rubinstein, Brendel, Ashkenazy or Horowitz, but he was highly revered by connoisseurs of really fine piano recordings. This CD preserves a live concert of the following works – Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata and Andante Favori, the Brahms Opus 117 3 Intermezzi, Debussy’s 1st Images and Masques, Schubert’s 6th Moment Musical and Chopin’s 4th Ballade and 3rd Waltz of Op. 70.

Baumgartner’s artistry was splendid but of the quieter mode, rather than of cheap, virtuosic self-indulgence. Instead he used virtuosity, of which he possessed infinite amounts, scholarship, exquisitely honed dynamics, passion and soul-filled intelligence to convey the particular beauty of each selection in the program, whether it be the muscularity of Beethoven, the nobility and reserved sentiment of Brahms, the dew drops of Debussy, the lyricism of Schubert or the captivating, grace of Chopin. My favorite performance, by a tiny margin over the others, is of the lesser known but very engaging Beethoven Andante Favori in which Baumgartner pours out his soul in each note, one of the most moving performances I have heard in a long time!

Most, if not all, of this recital is accessible via individual yts !

Cold Justice

featuring Kelly Siegler and Yolanda McClary; produced by Dick Wolf; premiered 2013, each episode one hour, accessible via Netflix

Kelly Siegler

For the last two or three weeks, I have been viewing one or two episodes of this investigative program most evenings and am on the second season. It follows former Houston prosecutor Kelly Siegler and her colleague, retired Las Vegas homicide investigator Yolanda McClary, as they travel around the country investigating cold cases of murder that are languishing in local police department files. According to the pronouncements at the beginning of each episode, a murder is committed in the US about every 36 minutes and there are over 200,000 unsolved homicides since 1980.

Yolanda McClary

What I find most engaging and endearing about the show is the absence of melodramatics, especially eerie music and the use of actors in staged re-enactments. Also, the 2 women’s warm personalities; their very caring interactions with families of the victims; their very personable working relationships with colleagues; and finally their comprehensive knowledge of investigative science contribute immeasurably to the well paced unfolding of each story.

Not to mention the remarkable advances in DNA processing just in the last ten years. These innovations alone led to the apprehension of a rapist/murderer of a young 25 year old Pocatello, Idaho, woman; ten years earlier, his hand print had been found on the outside of the victim’s back door. But, his priors were a few burglaries, he had no known connection to the victim and he left no other implicating marks, while the police had two other major suspects and scratched him off their list! With new techniques, the investigators were able to find new, more incriminating DNA within the existing DNA and to figure out the hand print came from within the house rather than outside!

MESSING ABOUT: Wear layers; be prepared to build shelter

April 18, 2018/0 Comments/in Messing About in the Maine Woods/by Ronald Maxwell

Messing About in the Maine Woods

by Ron Maxwell

Veterans day 2017 found me by Donnell Pond between Schoodic and Black mountains. It was a drippy night and a cool morning but the real fun began at 7 a.m. when a wall of sleet and hail hit from the east. I stood on the beach watching it roll my way. When it hit, I leaned into the blast and enjoyed the buffeting – until the hail started in earnest. Then I bravely ran back to my emergency shelter and hid. (The shelter was a tarp, staked to the ground on bottom and lashed on top to two trees.) This created an excellent barrier that diverted the sleet and wind, while I was dry underneath. I waited out the storm in my layered clothing and emerged from my manufactured microclimate, dry and comfortable. There are two reasons it went well: I was wearing layers, and I was in a pocket of still air created by the tarp.

The first reason is called thermoregulation, which is a fancy way of describing layers of clothing to take off or put back on as you warm up/cool down. I layer with a T-shirt over a long sleeve turtleneck/ long underwear shirt as a base. Then add a wool sweater and a waterproof jacket above the base layer, and the upper torso is set. Lower body layers involve the bottom of long underwear worn under cargo pants. A case can be made for a thermal layer under it all if you feel you need the extra help.

None of my layers is water wicking or fancy or expensive. Standard wisdom says to use wool, because it warms you when it is wet. There is a place for those things if you spend lots of time out in the weather, but for me they are too cost prohibitive. With the layers mentioned above I can remove pieces to keep my core temp at the stage where I don’t sweat, while staying warm enough.

The second reason is the area of stillness under the tarp, a microclimate. The difference between being warm and freezing is how well you get yourself out of the wind. I always carry a folded tarp or emergency blanket and paracord when out in the woods hiking. It allows a dry zone to be set up when the rain starts or a windbreak to take a break behind. But you can also make use of microclimates without rigging up a tarp each time a breeze blows. Use a sheltered area in the trees to recover from the wind. Bask on that warm rock. Make use of the natural features of where you are because simple changes can make a big difference.

So make sure that you have appropriate shelter for the season you are out in. Wear clothing in layers so you can thermoregulate by removing or adding those layers as you get too hot or cold. I also recommend an emergency plan for when something goes wrong – a simple emergency blanket (or contractor garbage bag) tucked in your backpack and some paracord will allow you to make a simple windproof shelter if you get stuck, hurt or ‘turned around.’ And that is how we thrive in the Maine outdoors.

GARDEN WORKS: Is spring really here? Tips for a productive garden this time of year

April 18, 2018/0 Comments/in Garden Works/by Emily Cates

by Emily Cates

Well, lookie here! Could it be? Why, yes, I think it is! Finally, the moment where I can actually go out to my garden and really feel like I can do something other than twiddle my green thumbs while looking at seed catalogs. The snow has melted in most parts of my lawn, and well-drained areas and raised beds are ready to be worked. And I figure it’s good to get going before the going gets good for the pesky black flies. I’m sure all of us who love to be outdoors can appreciate that, so let’s take a look at a few activities we can do to welcome Springtime. We’ll make sure the soil is ready to work with, and things we can do whether it is or not.

How do we know if the ground is ready to be worked? The soil should have the consistency of a wrung-out sponge when squeezed. If it forms a sticky ball, be patient and wait for the ground to dry out – or you’ll run the risk of damaging the soil structure.

Raised beds have a great advantage this time of year, as they are usually well-drained and ready to be worked before lower-lying areas of the garden. (I dug one up the other day and could’ve planted it if I had time!) I prefer to mulch my raised beds heavily if I get around to it in the fall so that when I dig them up in the spring, they are much easier to work. However, since mulch can hold in the cold, it might be a good idea to move it to the side in early spring until the soil has warmed, and then replace after the bed is planted.

quackgrass

The plots in my garden that I care for are dug exclusively by hand with a spading fork. Of course it would be easier to till with motorized equipment, but I do have weeds like quackgrass that spread by rhizomes.

To chop them into the soil would simply multiply them beyond my management capabilities – more work for me than just digging by hand and meticulously removing as many weeds and roots as I can while preparing a bed. I’ve found that over the years, I have less and less of a quackgrass problem when I carefully dig by hand and mulch – either with living mulches and cover crops such as oats – or straw, cardboard, old wood chips, or black plastic mulch. Now if only my aching back was as pristine….

The best plants for cold weather include kale, spinach, peas, carrots, leeks and other alliums. And don’t forget that trees, shrubs, and vines should be planted while they are still dormant – a ways before most garden plants are ready to plant. As soon as you can dig a hole, you can plant a tree! Don’t wait for it to warm up to do this if at all possible. (See details for the FEDCO Tree Sale below!)

Cold frames, hoop houses, high-tunnels, row covers, and similar items combined with cold-loving plants can really jump-start the season. Be sure to make good use of them if you have them handy.

Oftentimes there is no getting around areas that are slow to warm. North-facing places, especially, are the last to be ready for action. At times, this can cause considerable delay, though there might be a couple of things we can do. Some folks cover the area with a layer of clear plastic to help it heat up. Another possibility is container gardens: just fill large tubs with the planting mix of choice and go from there. Black containers will heat up their contents quicker.

If working the soil and planting is just not an option, it might be good to put some time into preparation, such as building up a compost pile and a mulch heap in a handy place near the garden. Stocking up on soil amendments is never a waste of time, as is clean-up of plant residues from the previous season. Without a doubt, we can find something to do!

Few things get me in the mood for Springtime more than the annual FEDCO Tree Sale. Located on the Hinckley Road, in Clinton, the sale runs Friday and Saturday, May 4 and 5. Be there if you can, you won’t regret checking out their vast assortment of everything you can imagine growing in your garden and the supplies to help you. It’s a lot of fun and a perfect trip to take with family and friends. See you there!

SOLON & BEYOND: Somerset County 4-H Leaders Association to hold auction, activities on May 5

April 18, 2018/1 Comment/in Solon, Solon & Beyond, Somerset County/by Marilyn Rogers-Bull

by Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percy
grams29@tds.net
Solon, Maine 04979

Good morning, dear friends. Don’t worry, be happy!

Was very pleased to receive the following very interesting news about Somerset County 4-H Leader’s Association 2018. Officers for this are Eleanor Pooler, president; Sherry Grunder, vice president; Lori Swenson, secretary and Karen Cornell, treasurer.

Ted Blum 4-H Center

The Somerset County 4-H Leaders Association is holding a fundraising effort: a “Luck of the Draw” Auction on May 5, in Skowhegan.

4-H is the largest youth organization in the world. Our 13 local Somerset County 4-H clubs and independent project volunteers/ members learn life skills and participate in community service activities. Research studies document that 4-H youth are more likely to go on to college than youth engaged in other out-of-school programs. We provide funds to enable youth to participate in programs like Engineering Day, the 4-H @ UMaine Conference, summer camps and various county educational activities along with awarding county scholarships to youth who attend college. In an effort to reach more youth, we are coordinating with local schools and teachers to establish afterschool programs.

Would you be so kind as to help by donating an item or gift card? Many people love gift certificates for services or fun events. We are collecting new items or gently used things; no used clothing please. Your cash donations may also be used to purchase gas cards, a popular item in the auction for much needed help to many local residents. Items may be dropped at the Skowhegan Cooperative Extension Office.

Your donation will help further the leadership skills developed and demonstrated by many youths participating in our county. We would love to acknowledge your contribution by listing your name or organization. The above letter was signed by Lori B. Swenson, Secretary, Somerset County Leaders Association, UMaine Extension Office, 7 County Drive, Skowhegan, Maine 04976. (207) 474-9622

Now for the monthly news from Solon’s Pine Tree 4-H Club from leader, Eleanor Pooler: The Solon Pine Tree 4-H Club met at the Solon Fire Station with three leaders, nine members and seven visitors in attendance.

Plans are being made for the club to do flowers for Mothers Day at the Solon Congregational Church. Several members are planning to attend to pass out the flowers.

The Somerset County Leaders Association is planning to have a “Luck of the Draw” auction on May 5 at the American Legion Hall, on Route 201, in Skowhegan. Anyone wanting more information can contact Eleanor Pooler at 643-2305.

Five members gave their demonstrations. This is something that members are asked to do each year.

After the meeting the members enjoyed doing a craft project. The next meeting will be on Saturday, May 12 at 9:30 a.m., at the Solon Fire Station.

Several columns ago, I shared a letter I received from the Somerset Woods Trustees. This is just a reminder that they would appreciate volunteers to help clear the Kennebec Banks Rest Area on April 22. Please bring whatever tools you may have to dig, cut, and trim. We should dig out the Japanese knotweed and honeysuckle. Please bring your gloves. We’ll supply the doughnuts and hot chocolates.

And so for Percy’s memoir entitled, “Life’s Adventure”:

Life is a great adventure,
Each day a new surprise,
So sweep the cobwebs from your heart,
And open up your eyes.
Sorrow flees the sunlight,
So throw the windows wide,
And watch the brightness flooding in,
Warm everything inside.
Life is a great adventure,
For those who would explore
The road winds upward and the wind
Taps lightly at the door.
And should the day be cloudy,
No reason to complain,
When trees along the avenue,
Are singing in the rain.
Life is a great adventure,
Each day that passes by.
A dazzling panorama
As broad as it is high.
Beyond all comprehension,
The wonder of the spheres,
When one by one the hours make
A ladder of the years.

(words by Grace E. Easley.)

FOR YOUR HEALTH: Reuniting Long-Lost Loved Ones

April 11, 2018/0 Comments/in For Your Health/by Website Editor

(NAPSI) — Imagine your family members are caught up in an international disaster or armed conflict and you have no idea where they are or even if they are still alive.

Where could you turn? Fortunately, the world’s largest humanitarian network can help.

How It Works

The Red Cross can reconnect loved ones when:

Families are separated internationally as a result of conflict, disaster, migration or other humanitarian emergency.
Families have already tried normal channels of communication to reconnect.
The family member making the inquiry is a relative who had been in direct contact with the sought person before the crisis occurred.

The Red Cross’s family re-connection services are free and confidential.

“I Am Alive”

The three simple words, “I am alive,” can bring peace of mind after disasters. But after Hurricanes Irma and Maria slammed into the Caribbean, most people had very little opportunity to impart that crucial message to family members. So Red Cross teams there carried mobile hotspots along with relief supplies. “Witnessing people shed tears of joy when they connect with their loved ones has been the highlight of this mission,” said Colin Chaperon, American Red Cross’s Emergency Field Operations Lead.

A Century Of Reconnecting Families

In fact, the Red Cross has been helping loved ones separated by disaster, crisis and conflict to reconnect for more than 100 years. These days, thanks to technology, this type of humanitarian aid continues to evolve—bringing along with it hope and relief for families around the globe.

Through these services, the organization reconnected young refugee brothers in the United States with their mother in Africa; Polish twins who hadn’t seen one another in 68 years; and many others from Asia and the Middle East who had lost touch with family during wartime.

Learn More

If you’re ever looking for a lost family member who fits the criteria above, contact your local Red Cross chapter, call the free national helpline (844) 782-9441 or go to www.redcross.org/contact-us/international-reconnecting-families-inquiry-form.

To volunteer your time or donate money to help others, go to redcross.org/reconnectingfamilies.

SCORES & OUTDOORS: Pink flamingos, yes; but pink pigeons?

April 11, 2018/0 Comments/in Scores & Outdoors/by Roland D. Hallee

pink pigeon

by Roland D. Hallee

I came across something quite interesting last week while watching the Animal Planet network. It was a story about Pink Pigeons. Now, you have your general, run-of-the-mill rock doves, or common pigeons, that we all know all too well, marking up our landscape and just making a plain nuisance of themselves in parks, parking lots, and at backyard feeders. But these guys, the pink pigeons, were a little different.

Pink pigeons, not classified as a true pigeon, are endemic to Mauritius, an island nation in the Indian Ocean about 1,200 miles off the southeast coast of the African continent.

The pink pigeon was on the brink of extinction in 1991 when only 10 individual birds remained, but its numbers have increased recently due to the efforts of the Durrell Wildlife Conservations Trust since 1977. While the population, estimated at 450 birds in 2011, is still of concern, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) downlisted the species from critically endangered to endangered in 2000. A healthy captive population is also kept as “backup.”

Reclassified with recent DNA tests, the pink pigeon is more closely related to the Madagascar turtle dove, and has been suggested that it takes its place with a genus mostly contained as turtle doves.

An adult pink pigeon is about 14 – 15 inches in length from its beak to tail. They have pale pinkish-gray plumage on their head, shoulders and underside, along with pink feet. The beak is a drak pink color with a white tip.They have dark brown wings, and a broad, rust-colored tail. Their eyes are dark brown surrounded by an eye-ring of red skin.

A related subspecies, the Reunion pink pigeon, that resided on the neighboring Reunion Island, became extinct around 1700. As of 2016, there are five locations where wild populations of the pink pigeon can be found. Four of these locations belong to Black River Gorges National Park and the fifth to the Isle aux Aigrettes.

The species is not migratory.

They prefer upland evergreen forests, although they can also be found in coastal forests as long as the vegetation is native and not dominated by introduced species such as Chinese Guava or the privet. Destruction of such primal forests has been a major cause for its decline in numbers.

There are more males than females in the population due to a greater life expectancy of the male – about five years more. One reason for the difference is that producing eggs is extremely taxing on the female. Female birds are nearly constantly producing eggs – similar to the domesticated chickens. This can end up totaling to a large metabolic tax on the female’s survival.

Habitat degradation, introduced predators and wildlife disease are the major ongoing threats to the pink pigeon’s survival. Only two percent of the native forest remains on Mauritius. Common predators include the crab-eating macaque, the small Asian mongoose, rats and feral cats. Invasive plants such as the Chinese guava and privet dominate native forest plants, preventing their growth.

Feeding stations that provide supplementary feed may accelerate the spread of disease between individuals, since they congregatge at greater than normal numbers at stations. An ongoing concern faced by the pink pigeons, as by many other endangered species that exist in small remnant populations, is inbreeding depression.

Several foundations and organizations have contributed to conservation efforts. In addition to direct conservation efforts such as captive breeding, genetic research, and supplementary feeding efforts, more general research on the species may aid in the formation of more applicable conservation actions.

It’s an interesting species of bird that exists in only a small area of the world, far away from central Maine. But it’s still interesting to learn about this wildlife that I had not heard of a week ago.