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  • From: EarthNSky <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net>
  • To: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Homestead] Primitive Technology Living
  • Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2008 12:30:04 -0400



eureka AT hctc.net wrote:
Unfortunately the gall would be seen by many as something making
their tree less than perfect (such an American obsession), and
chemicals would be brought in to eliminate the wasp. But we know
wasps are such great pollinators and these undoubtedly have some
vital roll in your diverse ecosystem. Isn't it wonderful when every
new discovery rekindles one's sense of wonder?

Absolutely.


Also, in the case of the galls on your trees, which you have not
noticed before, I wonder what this is indicating?

I don't know, but I think Roxann might be onto something with borers and
predatory wasps. I have noticed, logically, if the mole population
increses, so does the snake population and so forth. Maybe I do have
some type of borers on the white oaks, the wasps are feeding on the
borers and the spiders on the wasps?
As for indication, it could be anything from a new species invasion from
another location or new species migration to more suitable microclimate
or simply a new species evolution. Identifying the gall should tell me
something about what might be going on. It is interesting to think about.

We have these huge Eastern Lubber grasshoppers here. They are up to 4
inches long, black with red wings and a bit of yellow if they are
younger. Our local population have black and red adults and they are
amazing looking as they are so shiny black and bright red. I haven't
found an exact picture of what we have, but these are the closest:
http://tinyurl.com/6aahhp
http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/27349928
They emerge in the heat of summer and remain into fall. Visitors see
them on the road and freak out, having never seen a grasshopper so large
and colorful. Most folks in this area make a game of running over them
in their car(and yes, even in my pickuptruck, I can feel them crunch)
You can see how big they are here:
http://tinyurl.com/5nkdcc
While I find 5-10 of them in my yard and driveway-living property area
every year, the folks on the other side of the loop, a mile away, are
overrun with them, and this population is not found in town or once you
get out of this little valley. I often wonder what it is about right
here that they like. Is it some plant that doesn't grow anywhere else?
Fewer cats/predators?


Here I have already learned to "read" some insect activity. For
instance, when the cutleaf ants get active we are going to have a
rainy season and some flooding. I think I already mentioned on the
list once that during the two 500 year floods I've been through large
slugs came into my kitchen. One was a two slug flood and the other was a three slug flood. I am sure the next time it is raining and I
see slugs in the kitchen I'm in for a bad one. How can these slugs
know what even our meteorologists with the best equipment cannot? How
nice to have them to warn me should I find myself without electricity
in the future.

I know what you are talking about, even though I haven't heard the slug
story.

Bev




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