The (Western) Bluebird of Happiness

The Bluebird of Happiness might be winging its way to your home next spring and what a sad experience it would be if they could not find a suitable nesting site in which to raise a nest full of happiness.

Last year, during the first annual Metchosin BioBlitz on April 30, a pair of western bluebirds were spotted in the highlands of North Metchosin, after a twenty-seven year absence. As the female had food in her beak, it is hoped that these were a breeding pair. Building on that sighting, GOERT (Garry Oak Ecosystem Recovery Team) has initiated a Bluebird Recovery program in Metchosin. 

Western bluebirds, which were once common on southern Vancouver Island and nearby areas of Washington and Oregon, are thought to have suffered catastrophic declines from a combination of factors: loss of Garry oak habitat (over 95% gone), removal of standing dead trees (which supply cavities for nesting), reduction of insect prey from pesticide use, and competition for nest holes from exotic and aggressive birds, particularly starlings and English house sparrows. Changes in agricultural practices are thought to be another factor, with mechanization - ploughing and harvesting can be done right to the fence line, thereby removing the hedgerows that are critically important for berries and as habitat for their insect food source.

In the last few years there has been a successful reintroduction program in the San Juan Islands and it is possible that the birds seen and photographed last year were a pair from that program.

Western bluebirds are members of the thrush family. They are insectivores, usually hunting for grubs, cutworms, grasshoppers and other insects from their perch in the branches, swooping down to capture their prey on the ground, where they will also search for earthworms and ants. They are not so proud that they wouldn’t accept any insect that comes within reach though. They will sometimes hold their prey in their beaks and beat them against the ground, a crude but effective tenderizing process? In the winter, as their insect prey hibernates, they turn to fruits and berries.

In our area they have historically been found in sparsely forested ridges as well as open plant communities; grassy and herbaceous fields; weedy, logged or burned forests; farms; Garry oak woodlands and log-strewn or stony beaches. The birds reported recently were on a sparsely treed, open ridge.

The western bluebird male has a deep blue hood and upper parts, a chestnut coloured breast and a grey belly. The female’s head and back are brownish grey, wings and tail are light blue, breast a pale reddish brown and belly and undertail a dull white. She also spots a whitish eye-ring.

Start looking for them to arrive from their winter holidays around mid-February through the first week of April, with nesting happening mid-April through May, with a possible second brood after that. They use natural cavities that are two to six metres above ground and line them chiefly with grass and bits of conifer needles, fur, string and cedar strips; gently protecting the (usually) 5 pale blue eggs. They are considered monogamous…but someone is sneaking in or out as approximately 45% of nests have juveniles of mixed parentage. Hmmmm, doing their part to keep the gene pool strong I guess. Both the male and female share the chore of feeding the young but it is up to mom to offer the comfort of her warm feathers when they are being brooded. Sometimes siblings from the first clutch will help raise second brood.…Amazingly, violet green swallows have been known to feed western bluebird chicks and help defend nests.

GOERT is offering some free nest boxes to residents who have the appropriate habitat for western bluebirds. If you feed birdseed and consequently have many house sparrows or if you have outdoor cats, then your property might not be the best location for a nest box. The nest box holes are sized so that they are right for the bluebirds and starlings can’t enter, but house sparrows can and will attack and kill the mother and babies and usurp the nest for themselves. Grey squirrels can be a problem too.

If you do find the bluebird of happiness tweeting from your trees or hunting in your hedgerows, please contact GOERT immediately.

Interested in learning more about the Western Bluebird Nest Box program? Contact moraleamilne@gmail.com or 250-478-3838  or GOERT at 250-383-3427 or bluebird@goert.ca  or go to their website at www.goert.ca/bluebird

You can learn their song at: http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/150/_/Western_Bluebird.aspx

First Annual Metchosin BioBlitz 2011

Comandra umbellata (Bastard Toadflax)

What is more fun than Christmas, Easter and Halloween combined? The First Annual Metchosin BioBlitz, held on Saturday, April 30^th, would easily compete for my favourite day of the year.

Is anything more exciting than waking to the first sunny day in a long, long time and sharing it with dozens of equally delighted scientists, naturalists and residents as you engage in a treasure hunt of immense proportions?

Metchosin District lies within one of the rarest forest ecosystems in Canada, the Coastal Douglas-fir forest, a component of which are our endangered Garry oak and associated ecosystems. For many years some of us have waged a stealthy campaign to painlessly impart knowledge of the biodiversity and importance of the natural ecosystems and native species of Metchosin to its residents. To that end there have been dozens of Talk and Walk (natural history) events, newspaper articles, a booth at our annual Metchosin Day fair, school walks and myriad other efforts aimed at developing an enthusiasm and appreciation for our wild areas and species, which we hope will in turn foster a culture of stewardship.

A BioBlitz is a 24 hour recording frenzy of all living species within a certain area. In 1996, at the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens in Washington, DC, Sam Droege and Dan Roddy conducted the first modern BioBlitz and the concept has been gaining popularity since then. Whistler had its first BioBlitz in 2007.

Without significant funding from any level of government in the foreseeable future, the responsibility falls upon landowners and residents to provide protection of habitat. Unfortunately, most people can’t name even twenty of the native species with which they share their community, let alone understand the complexities of the interrelationships that comprise ecological communities.  BioBlitzes and similar events help landowners and residents to put names to species; knowing the names awakens in us a comprehension of the non-human species that live in our communities.

Andy MacKinnon, raconteur, author of many field guides, and fungophile (Andy puts in fun in fungus), Kem Luther, author, computer whiz (metchosinbiodiversity.com), and talented amateur botanist and teacher, and myself, self confessed keener and incessant prodder, organized the Metchosin BioBlitz. Both Andy and Kem have been involved in the Whistler BioBlitz in previous years and we were eager to craft a “made in Metchosin” version of this event.

Partnering with CRD Parks, The Metchosin Foundation and the District of Metchosin, our first BioBlitz was a huge success as we recorded 850 species, including 325 species of vascular plants, 60 mosses, 14 liverworts, 60 lichens, 71 fungi, 28 algae, 4 amphibians, 5 reptiles, 110 birds, 2 fishes, 5 mammals and 166 invertebrates. Of these 13 were blue-listed and 6 red-listed species. There are many more species to be recorded in future fun-filled BioBlitzes, but even this beginning list demonstrates the diversity and abundance of our wild neighbours to local residents.

It was interesting to note the breadth of knowledge of many of our 60+ experts. It was a birder who found a rare plant, a botanist who found the exciting rare bird sighting and two mycologists who found the rare slugs…

For those participants who had the desire and stamina, Hans Roemer led a dedicated multidisciplinary team on an all day foray into the Metchosin hinterlands and Sugarloaf Mountain. They came back with an impressive list of more than 225 species.

Botanically speaking, the highlight of the day had to be the sighting of Viola praemorsa ssp praemorsa (yellow montane violet), a red-listed species.  Found within a local regional park, it was the first record ever of this delightful little violet in Metchosin. Sitting demurely by the edge of a path, with only a few yellow flowers to mark its location, a violet-eyed birder was the first to spy this gem.

Red-listed Grindelia hirsutula var hirsutula (hairy gumweed) was found on some rocky outcrops at higher elevations. It can sometimes be found in association with Orobanche californica ssp. californica (California broomrape), although this broomrape species doesn’t make an appearance until July and August.

Limnanthes macounii (Macoun’s meadowfoam), a diminutive annual linked forever in my mind with Adolf and Oluna Ceska, was another red-listed species spied during the day.

Allium amplectens (slimleaf onion) was recorded at one site, but only because the recorders knew where to look. Examples of this blue-listed species would be quite a challenge to find so early in the season, long before the emergence of their distinctive flowers.

Allium amplectans (Slimleaf onion)

Blue-listed Pseudocyphellaria crocata (yellow specklebelly lichen) made the day for Daryl Thompson, the lichen expert, who was overjoyed at his good fortune at being able to add this species to his life list.

The second Metchosin record for the semiparasitic Comandra umbellata var californica (bastard toadflax) was also identified during a walk along the shoreline of Parry Bay. It is widespread but not common throughout the province, except on Vancouver Island where it has a very limited occurrence.

Youngest ever found blue-grey taildropper
(Photo by Adolf Ceska)

Very young, tiny, blue-grey taildroppers (Prophysaon coeruleum) were found nestled within a hollow mushroom, perhaps giving researchers a new glimpse into the habits and habitats of these elusive slugs. Rare mollusks were also represented by a threaded vertigo (Nearctula sp.), a minute snail (less than 3 mm), that resides in rich, mature second growth and old growth mixed conifer and deciduous forests.

The spider brigade claimed they found the most exciting species of the day with two unique spiders. The finding of Nesticus sylvestrii was only the second record of this species on Vancouver Island and the first since 1930. Coreorgonal petulcus, which has a very peculiar head, even for a spider, has only been recorded three or four times before.

The birders were also crowing about their find, a pair of western bluebirds (Sialia mexicana), whose Georgia Depression population is red-listed. The female had some food in her beak, so the hope is that they are a nesting pair. Western bluebirds are occasionally seen migrating through in February but their appearance in late April gives further credence to the possibility they are raising a family. The last nesting western bluebirds on Vancouver Island  were seen over thirty years ago. Our American neighbours have reintroduced them to the San Juan Islands and it is possible these birds ventured onto our island from those successful releases.  

Western Bluebird
(photo by Jeremy Gatten)

From the ordinary to the extraordinary, discovering the treasures of your natural communities can increase the awareness and appreciation of their value and encourage stewardship of our wild lands. Plans are already afoot for Metchosin’s second BioBlitz on May 5, 2012, when stalking will be an accepted activity.

www.metchosinbiodiversity.com

Winged Wonders of Metchosin - Butterflies of Metchosin

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Two-banded Checkered Skipper

Flamboyantly garbed or mutely camoflauged, butterflies evoke a sense of delight…..Butterflies have become an pleasurable interest of mine over the past few years, although learning their identification has been a challenge. Understanding their complex life cycles, their needs and preferences, has broadened my understanding of the interrelationships between plants and animals and our place in their ability to survive.

James Miskelly, biologist and entomologist (bug guy), was the guest speaker at the April Talk and Walk, presenting beautiful photographs of our local Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths), while informing us of their multiple stages of life and the difficulties they must overcome in order to successfully produce succeeding generations of these lovely creatures..

There are sixty-eight species of butterflies on Vancouver Island, fifty-five of which are resident, three non-native and seven migratory. Thirty species have been recorded at my home on Camas Hill, although I have only seen twenty-six myself. Three other species are termed accidental, meaning they have arrived here by accident and soon left. Monarchs are one of these, they don’t naturally occur here, as their host plants, members of the milkweed family, are absent from Vancouver Island. Monarchs do occasionally show up, the result of a faulty guidance system, a severe storm or perhaps just an individual butterfly with a sense of adventure….

In 1884, George W. Taylor remarked on the extreme abundance of butterflies in the Victoria area, writing that “nearly forty species may be recorded as abundant”. Dr. James Fletcher noted in 1901 “the dead butterflies may be seen in vast numbers, floating on the sea around Vancouver Island (probably Pine Whites) or thrown up along the beach in windrows sometimes an inch or two deep”.

What has changed to bring us to the severely reduced numbers and species we have today? One of the reasons is likely the change in the landscape, the conversion of  grasslands and forests to urban, industrial and agricultural uses and the loss of micro and macro habitats; climate change might be having an impact as well.

Most adult butterflies have short lives. Once they emerge from their cocoons they generally have only a week or two to find a partner and reproduce. The temperature at which they can fly must be at least 10-12ºc and they don’t do rain-they are fair weather fliers. The female has to find just the right host plant on which to deposit her eggs. Host plants are the (often very specific) plant on which the young caterpillars feed and there must be enough of these plants, growing in the right conditions, in the sun, to ensure sufficient food for the caterpillars, until they are ready to pupate. Often with a late spring or early heat wave, the host plants are not in sync with the butterflies’ needs., they emerge late, dry up early, have poor bloom or sparse numbers. Nectar plants, the ones the adult butterflies use as a food source face the same requirements, they must be available at the right season with enough nectar to supply a butterfly’s nutritional needs. It’s a wonder any butterflies make it at all.. Rare butterflies, already struggling with low population numbers, can succumb to extinction rather quickly if there are a few bad years in succession. On top of all these factors, many, many other species think butterflies are a lovely meal. Birds eat them as both caterpillars and as adults; many butterflies have bits of their wings missing, showing near misses with a hungry bird. There are wasps who lay their eggs on living caterpillars, who will serve as meals to new generations of wasps. It’s a tough world out there for these gossamer winged beauties.

If you’re thinking that our cold, wet, grey springs lately might be hard on the early butterflies, you would be correct.

Moss' Elfin

One of our earliest flying butterflies is the Moss’ Elfin. With a wingspan of only 2 cm and cryptic brown colouration, it can be easy to miss. I have recorded them as early as late February, though more often in mid-March through to early May. This year they appeared in mid-April. This elfin is considered one of our less common species. It lays its eggs on the developing flower bud of our native broad-leaved stonecrop. The caterpillar must emerge, feed and pupate before the flowers are finished. In a year like this, when the elfins have been hiding under leaves, under rocks and in cracks in trees, waiting for weather in which they can fly, there is little time to complete their lifecycle. Stonecrop itself has been impacted by development, it grows on rocky outcrops and on cliff faces, areas which have seen a good deal of development in the last few decades. Deer, too, appreciate a tasty stonecrop morsel and the increase in deer and shortages in their food sources has put more pressure on stonecrop patches. When elfin populations have been decimated and their numbers are not abundant, there is a real possibility that these charming little butterflies might disappear forever.

Propertius Duskeywing

Propertius Duskeywing is another cryptically hued brown and grey butterfly that is in flight in April and May. It is a Garry oak obligate, meaning that is the only food source for its caterpillars. These butterflies are considered threatened, with rapidly declining populations. As you look around the Victoria area you might wonder why as there are still many oak trees in yards and parks. Unfortunately for the little Propertius Duskeywing, its caterpillars like to attach their cocoons to a leaf and overwinter in the leaf fall at the base of the trees. With our propensity for tidy lawns and yards, the caterpillars are raked into piles and sent to the compost or burn pile. The adult butterflies that have been fortunate enough to survive in a natural area, untouched by rake and lawnmower, don’t realize the danger of leaving the parks and venture out to any likely Garry oak, most of which suffer the indignities of our too tidy complex. If you are so fortunate to share your home with Garry oaks, please resist the urge to rake and burn….it’s easier on you and better for the butterflies. Go read a book instead.

Anise Swallowtail

One of the more common species in Metchosin are the swallowtails. Large and strikingly coloured, they are sometimes misidentified as Monarchs, although the species are much different. We have three species of swallowtails in Metchosin and the Anise can be distinguished from the others by the wide, dark band of scales across their upper wings. Flying in early April, it can be found in open, rocky areas, searching for springold, Indian consumption plants and cow parsnip, three native members of the carrot family. The Anise can have another generation during the summer, and as the rocky outcrops dry and the plants wither, they will seek out fennel and a variety of cultivated carrot family species on which to lay their eggs. Most gardeners remove them as pests, not realizing the beautiful Anise butterfly waits inside it’s less lovely young. 

2nd Instar Anise Swallowtail

The very juvenile, small caterpillars look like bird droppings, as they mature, they exhibit yellow spots, in their final stage they are a large green caterpillar with black bands in which there are yellow markings. Perhaps you can find it in your heart to reserve some of your carrots or fennel for these stunning butterflies (they only eat the leaves–not the roots).

Western Tiger Swallowtail

Pale Swallowtail

The large (7.6 cm) Western Tiger Swallowtails and their very similar Pale Swallowtail (9 cm) cousins can be seen in relative abundance from May through the summer and Westerns can be seen as late as September. The Tigers use native willows, bitter cherry and poplar while the Pales lay their eggs on red alders, Saskatoon, oceanspray and bitter cherry and both species use cultivated apple trees.

Spring Azure

Spring Azures are a small (2 cm), gloriously hued blue butterfly although it can be a rare experience to actually see the blue while the butterfly is at rest. Often their wings are held folded together above their body, with only the grey dotted undersides on display. They are common from April through early June and you can sometimes find a congregation of them sipping their mineral supplements at a mud puddle, hence the term mudpuddling. They lay their eggs on the buds of oceanspray, blueberry, spirea and red osier dogwood. According to Peterson’s First Guide to Caterpillars, the young are termed slug-like and are tended by ants for their honeydew. Having ants concerned about your welfare is a good strategy to keep predators at bay.

Lorquin's Admiral

Lorquin Admirals are usually found in edge habitats, often along hedgerows where they strongly defend their territory, males can be seen perched five metres apart, heroically ready to battle any and all intruders. These large (5.6-6.5 cm), striking, dark butterflies are brightly banded in white across their upper wings, with orange tips. From June through September, the females use willows, poplars and bitter cherry as well as orchard trees on which to lay their eggs. In the fall, the caterpillars (who appear a lot like bird droppings-another defensive measure) will roll a leaf around themselves, use their silk to attach the leaf to a branch (a better strategy than Propertius Duskeywings?) and prepare to spend the winter comfortably swinging in the breeze. If the days warm up sufficiently they will take the opportunity to graze. Adults will feed on nectar plants, fresh animal droppings and rotting fruit. I have observed them feeding on the few rotting plums the bears didn’t manage to eat…

Pine White

Pine Whites are a medium sized (4.5-5 cm) summer butterfly, superficially resembling the introduced Cabbage White. The Pine Whites have a dark border to the wings and are usually seen high in the canopy of Douglas-firs, their preferred host plant. One summer I spent quite a lot of time looking out a hospital window where I  enjoyed the slow, graceful ballet performed by the Pine Whites high amongst the trees.

Purplish Copper-female

Purplish Copper-male

Purplish Coppers on the other hand are small (2.5-3.5 cm), quick and known to be fearless, attacking larger butterflies that encroach on their territory. They are a widespread butterfly of the west.  Males and females have different colourations and sizes, the males are smaller and sport the purplish sheen that has given it their common name. The larger females are quite orange on their topwings and both sexes have a thin orange zigzag band across the bottom of their hindwings. Their host plants are sorrel, dock, smartweed and knotweed, many of which are weedy species. Purplish coppers can be found in a variety of habitats, preferring moist areas but also found on disturbed sites (the usual habitat of introduced and weedy species). They have two generations per year, and you can find them flying most of the summer with peaks in June and August.

Common Branded Skipper (ssp oregonia)

The Common Branded Skipper subspecies oregonia is a very rare, small, brown butterfly with white markings, known only from two remaining locations. One in Metchosin and another on the Peninsula. It’s host plant is believed to be some type of native grass, many of which have disappeared from the area, overwhelmed by invasive species such as broom, hairy cat’s ears and a multitude of introduced grasses. It generally flies in late July through early September , when nectar plants are in short supply-most having succumbed to drought. It will feed on pearly everlasting and our native asters as well as garden nectar plants.

I find butterflies a reason to get up in the morning, I wait in anticipation all winter for their return. The cold, wet springs that seem to be extending their season and the loss of habitat are reasons for concern for the survivability of even our more common butterflies, however stewardship options abound. Habitat protection is critical, preserving our remaining natural areas will allow butterflies and the plant species they use to continue to co-exist, especially important are open sunny areas, Garry oak woodlands and rocky hilltops. Restoration of habitat by removing broom and other invasive species supports biodiversity and allows the native plants that sustain butterflies to regain their hold on the landscape.

If you are a keen gardener, you could consider planting butterfly host and nectar plants. Butterflies seem to have a preference for nectar plants that are yellow or blue, save the reds for the hummingbirds. Plant in full sun, the butterflies will rarely venture into shade, and plant a succession of nectar bearing flowers, so there are always some plants for a stray butterfly to sip. Nectar plants should also supply nectar that is accessible, ones in which butterflies can reach the nectar with their proboscis (tongue), rhodos are useless to butterflies. The flowers also need to support the weight of the butterfly, very small flowers such as blue-eyed Mary are too minute even for a small butterfly. Some good nectar plants include asters, lilies and members of the pea family. If you have a lot of space and are unconcerned about being overrun by certain plants, both our native Douglas aster and pearly everlasting supply valuable summer and fall nectar for butterflies and many other species of insects. You will never be bored watching the flurry of winged activity around these flowers. 

Host plants also need to be planted in full sun and be large and dense enough to allow the development of the caterpillars, they can’t wither or be totally consumed before the larval development is complete.

Mylitta Crescent-female

Some butterflies appreciate patches of wet soil, for mudpuddling while others will welcome alternative food sources such as rotting fruit, sap, carrion and dung. A few species will overwinter as adults under shingles and loose pieces of bark.

These winged denizens of our open fields and wild lands have suffered severe reductions in their populations, for reasons beyond their control. Metchosin is fortunate to be home to some of the rarest species and with good stewardship we can hope to bring them back from the edge of extirpation (extinction on a local scale). Enjoy your summer and your butterflies!

The Lives and Good Times of Northern River Otters

One of the most wonderful and memorable sights I have experienced was during a typical wet and chilly west coast day. With rain soaking through my clothes and water dripping off my nose - while remaining absolutely still - I watched entranced as a small group of three coastal river otters frolicked over and under logs at a creek along the shoreline of Parry Bay, Metchosin. For half an hour they chased each other, sliding into the creek, swimming under the logs and pouncing on each other for the sheer joy of the game. Only uncontrollable shivering and incipient pneumonia released me from viewing their playful antics.

Like watching youtube videos of cute kittens or listening to babies laugh, river otters make me smile, and I am delighted to find out that they are just what they seem, a group of otters out for a good time. Otters love to toboggan and slide on the stomachs - across ice or snow and down muddy banks. They dive for pebbles they throw in the water and they play with sticks and bits of floating flotsam. All this play is apparently the result of efficient foraging techniques that free up lots of disposable time.

Coastal river otters (Lontra canadensis) have not been well studied and new evidence is emerging about their habits, which are markedly different from their interior relatives. The dynamic environment in which they live and their ability to forage in both marine and fresh water, provides them with many food options. Most of their food is comprised of slow moving intertidal species such as sculpins, gunnels, rockfish and crabs, although they will eat almost anything, even blackberries have been observed as part of their diet.

The latest theory on why some otters congregate into groups is that they can then hunt fast moving prey more efficiently. Three otters have been observed dragging a large halibut onto the shore, a meal that a solitary otter, hunting alone, would be unlikely to acquire.

Although coastal otters spend much of their time in the marine environment, they need access to fresh water every day. Natal dens, where the young are born, are often located far from shore. One to six young (but usually only two to three) are born in late spring after a three month gestation, they are born blind and helpless and remain in the den for a month or more. They stay with the mother for half a year and sometimes until the next litter is born, as she teaches them hunting skills. The natal dens are separate from the regular den sites, which might hold a group of unrelated otters.

Outside the den, which can be found by following your nose, is a latrine. It is estimated there are latrine sites every 200-300 metres from Pedder Bay to Cadboro Bay. Otters use many communal latrine sites, which seem to function as an information exchange, where many aspects of an otter’s life is on olfactory display: from profiles on sex, age, kinship and status to territorial signals and foraging success as well as warnings to stay away or welcoming invitations. With continual status updates, the latrines serve as an otter’s version of Facebook.

Coastal river otters are the top predator in their environment and as such they maintain the ecological stability of that system. When a top predator is removed from a system, a drastic imbalance can occur. When cougars and wolves are gone, deer populations can increase to unsustainable levels and excessive amounts of vegetation can be destroyed, which can lead to further system instability (erosion for example). When sea otters were exterminated, sea urchin populations increased dramatically and they decimated kelp forests, which had been critical nurseries for juvenal fishes.

River otters along the Pacific Northwest coast are the only stable and healthy populations left on earth. Habitat degradation has been the major cause of decline, especially from pollution. Cait Nelson a masters student at UBC, has been studying the coastal river otters in this area, determining the impacts of the PCB polluted waters of the Victoria Harbour on their health. Her work focuses on the effects of PCB contamination on the otters, through study of the level of toxins in their systems, their genetics and stress levels. The research is done in a non-invasive manner by studying their feces, from which they can extract DNA. Already she has found that their home range is much smaller than was previously thought. Some otters stay within the harbour all the time and other otters along the coast might have territories of three to six km. This is markedly different from inland otters who must travel much farther, as food resources are less abundant.

Although otters can be a joy to watch, they are a smelly nuisance if they discover the perfect denning site under your house. The best way to protect yourself from sharing your home with otters is to wildlife proof your house before they arrive. At Albert Head, where there is an abundance of natural habitat, they still seem to prefer the comfort of urban living and den under some of the buildings.

Coastal river otters have been successful because they are a generalist species. As well as having the awww factor, they are adaptive, resourceful and flexible. Sometimes this leads them into conflict with people as they discover free fish at marinas, as they harvest crabs from traps and as they set up latrines on decks, and dens under buildings.

These charismatic and playful predators just want to have a good time and we can help to protect these important sentinels of ecosystem health by respecting the fact they are wild animals and by protecting the environments which sustain them.

Lichen It!

Worm Lichen (Thamnolia vermicularis)

False Pixie Cup (Cladonia sp.)

Walking through the mist shrouded hills in the wet, winter season provides a wonderful opportunity to appreciate the rich, vibrant tapestry of mosses and lichens that cloak the landscape. The number of variations of green, brown and white are astounding, and the diversity of textures, from a velvet smoothness to intricately branching sculptures, to rock hugging crusts is exceptional; surely an artist has been at work.
Lichens are a remarkable adaptation of nature, a combination of a fungus and an algae or in some cases a cyanobacteria (formerly known as blue-green algae), who co-inhabit and create a new form of being. They have a mutually beneficial relationship (symbiotic) whereby algae supply nutrients otherwise unavailable to the fungus and the fungus provides a home and protection from a harsh environment to the algae. Renowned BC lichenologist Trevor Goward considers that "Lichens are fungi that have discovered agriculture”.
Are lichenologists born with a creative streak or does their intimate relationship with these strange and wonderful plants stimulate newfound abilities? Consider the names they have given to lichen species: Questionable rock-frog, lipstick cladonia, coastal reindeer, waxpaper, tickertape bone, antlered perfume, fishnet, devil’s matchstick, waterworm, blood-spattered beard, witch’s hair, lettuce lung, false pixie cups…… playful and suggestive, you’d almost think they sat around the bar one long night, inventing names, each more amusing than the one before.
Lichens can grow in the most extreme areas of our planet, albeit very slowly. From the High Arctic to Antarctica, from deserts to ocean shores, some species have been shown to be able to survive temperature extremes, ranging from +100C to -196ºC. The only place you won’t find them is in subterranean caves where there is no light, the algae component need sunlight to photosynthsise and produce food. They are the first species to colonise bare rock, beginning the long process of building ecosystems. They don’t have roots, they take their nourishment from the air, living on trees and shrubs, often high in the canopy, never harming their hosts. They can be found on glass and metal left out too long in the unforgiving elements.
Lichens have served the environment and people well over the millennia. They are an important component of desert and semi-arid ecosystems, partnering with mosses, algae, fungi and other hardy and miniscule plants to form a microbiotic crust that protects the dry landscape from erosion.
They contribute to invertebrate diversity in forests, they supply nesting and camouflage material to birds and insects - lichens are woven into a hummingbird nest, making it almost impossible to find. Lichens are nitrogen fixers, supplying a much needed source of nutrients to enrich forest health and productivity.
Fifty percent of lichens have been shown to have some antibiotic properties. Across many cultures, Usnea species, the “beard” lichens, have traditionally been used to treat wounds. Old Man’s Beard is one species of Usnea that can be found in our woods, it can be distinguished from similar looking but different lichen species by a central white cord that runs through all Usnea species. In “Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast”, it is recommended to “slowly pull the lichen lengthwise like a party cracker”, if it is an Usnea species, there will be a tough, somewhat elastic central cord. Being able to recognize these lichens can save your life. If you cut yourself while hiking far from medical services, grab some Usnea and apply to the wound, it is supposed to have antibiotic, antioxidant, antifungal and absorbent properties that can help combat infection until you can get medical assistance. Usnea is purported to be helpful in treating a range of medicals problems: respiratory and urinary conditions; yeast infections, herpes and in treating HIV and it supposedly supplies long term immune system benefits.
Lichens are the subject of research, especially in Japan, for their medicinal qualities. Some lichen species have been used as food, especially during famine times, they are made into soups and flours; generally they have low protein and high carbohydrate levels.
Punctured rock-tripe produces the scarlet colour used in some Scottish tartans while speckled horsehair and waxpaper lichens produce yellow and brown dyes. Wolf lichen, so named because of its alleged ability to poison wolves, was a valuable trading commodity between Interior and Chilkat First Nations-who used it as a yellow dye in their blanket making. Antlered or oakmoss perfume is a slow-growing (2mm/yr) lichen, commonly found on trees and shrubs throughout our Coastal Douglas-fir region. It has long been used as a fixative in the production of perfume.
Lichens are very susceptible to pollution and are being used as environmental indicators by scientists monitoring air quality; alder trunks are usually festooned with lichens but downwind of a pollution source the bark can be bare, indicating problems that can affect the rest of us; they act as our canary in the coal mines. They perform like organic sponges, absorbing radioactive pollutants at high rates, analysis can then show which pollutants are in the air. This doesn’t bode well for the many species of animals that use them for food, who can ingest high levels of contaminants. Studies have shown that some wild meat can have ten to one hundred times the levels of contaminants as farmed beef.
Lichens are strange and fascinating organisms which exhibit remarkable properties. Beyond their own intrinsic values, they hold the promise of exciting medical and monitoring advances. Next time you are outdoors, here in Metchosin or elsewhere, check the bark on alders and see what it can tell you about the air quality in your neighbourhood.

Usnea tincture from: (http://www.herbalremediesinfo.com/usnea.html)

Fill a jar of your choice with Usnea (the more freshly harvested the better, although this plant contains so little water that it's hard to distinguish fresh from dry).

~ Pack the jar full, but not crammed. Then fill the jar again with 100 proof vodka.

~ Make sure the alcohol totally covers the plant material.

~ Label your jar with the date and contents and cover it with a lid.

~ Let it sit in a cabinet for six weeks (feel free to open it up occasionally and taste it). It's not necessary to shake it.

~ After six weeks strain off the liquid, compost the Usnea, and pour your extract back into the jar. It will have turned brownish-orange.

~ You can pour some into amber dropper bottles for easier use.

Seeds: Collection, Cleaning, Storage and Germination

Seeds: Collection, Cleaning, Storage and Germination


One of the most enjoyable aspects of restoration is the collection of propagules for your project. After you have surveyed your site and reference sites and determined which species are most likely to have been present and which species you will spend your efforts on replanting, you have the opportunity to search for these species.
Instead of report writing and viewing scenes of ecological devastation, you have the pleasure of hiking through forests, wetlands and grasslands where you can take some time to appreciate the beauty of the world around you and perhaps enjoy new botanical/natural history opportunities.

Plant Identification

Underlying this pleasant activity though is the quest to restore a functioning ecosystem into some semblance of its previous make-up. Therefore, if you are in any doubt as to plant identification, it is best to locate promising populations with the help of an expert, preferably during the flowering season, as many vascular plants are easier to identify when they are in bloom. (GOERT flowering dates link here). You will need to receive permission to hike and collect from these areas. Identify the healthiest and most vigourous plants, these will likely produce the highest quality seeds. It is helpful to mark their locations in such a way that you can return with a great deal of assurance to the exact location and be able to identify the plants in their new, less obvious stage as seed containers. GPS units can be a huge help in locating your mother populations, but a little brightly coloured tape can be beneficial narrowing down those last few metres. It is also useful to collect or photograph representative seedheads and mount them as a learning/identification tool.
It is most important to collect propagules from within your restoration site or from the closest populations; researchers are discovering new information on species every day, some species that have been identified as a single species are in fact separate species, with different ecological preferences. Collect from the closest similar habitats at the least.

Seed Collection

Consult with local knowledgeable sources as to the appropriate time to collect seeds (seed collection dates link), it is better to go earlier than is recommended and have to return for mature seeds than to go late and miss the seeds for the season. Many factors can influence when seeds are ripe and the quantity of seeds you might find: early and late seasonal changes, moisture and drought, browsing by predators, elevation and geographic variations, disturbance regimes, the plants’ own individual requirements and other vagaries of which we have no or incomplete knowledge. Garry oaks (Quercus garryana) are known as mast-fruiters, plants that produce acorns in abundance only irregularly, some years they are as hard to find as hen’s teeth. Combine their possible paucity with predation by band-tailed pigeons, Stellar’s jays and grey squirrels and infestation by various weevils and you can be lucky to find any suitable acorns in some years. This is not only a problem with Garry oaks, many plants are sensitive to climatic variations and have life cycles and predation rates that can make finding a good seed supply a real challenge some years. Consider when you are harvesting in lean years that you are also decreasing the quantity of seeds available for natural reproduction and for food to native species that utilize them. Also, that any one population might have been decimated for whatever reason, therefore find and mark more sites than you might think you will need.

Carry many paper and plastic (ziplock) bags and indelible writing implements when you set out on a seed collecting trip; dry days are preferable, so that you don’t have to worry about wet seedheads and additional mold problems.
Refer to ethical guidelines (GOERT ethical guidelines link here) on the amount of propagules that you should collect from species, populations and locations.
Be absolutely sure of your identifications.
Put the plant name, date, location and any other relevant information (such as recent weather conditions -dry year, wet year-, a note to try collecting two weeks earlier, later, colour, plant vigour, flavour, etc.) onto each seed packet.
When collecting, it is fine to allow some seeds to drift through your fingers onto the ground where they might eventually contribute to the gene pool.
Step lightly through these ecosystems; disturbances, especially in sensitive rocky bluffs, can facilitate the spread of invasive species.

Use paper bags when collecting dry seeds, to reduce the possibility of mold. Check to ensure that no seed eating creatures are accidentally collected with your seeds, it is very disappointing to open your containers and find only dead insects.

Soft-bodied seeds, such as berries, are better collected in plastic bags or storage containers, paper bags are too likely to become soggy and develop holes.
If you are collecting for food production, taste the berries, some have much better flavour than others of the same species and can be collected preferentially (although you will get truer (flavour/flowering/etc.) results from vegetative propagation).


Usually the largest, fattest, firmest seeds are best to use, soft-berried seeds will have lost their firmness and become soft, but not decayed. If you open the seedcoat, seed embryos should fill the embryo cavity.

Depending upon your resources, patience, abilities and amount of seed, you may clean seeds yourself or send them to a seed cleaning business (e.g. Yellow Point Propagation).
When collecting seeds from some plants species, it can be easy to clean them to a large degree as you harvest. Camas (Camassia sp), Fawn Lily (Erythronium sp) and Chocolate Lily (Fritillaria affinis) seeds are easily released from their dry shells into a paper bag. Grass seeds on the other hand, require more effort to release them from their packaging.

Directions For Cleaning Dry Seeds by Heather Koni-Pass
From Jan 2007 NPSG News: www.npsg.ca

FLUFFY SEED HEADS: (e.g.) Holodiscus discolour, Spirea douglasii.
You will need: sturdy gardening gloves, sieve of a size to allow seeds to pass through, ice cream bucket, newspaper, small plastic bags, labels.
With gloves on, take small handfuls of seedheads and rub between your hands over a newspaper to separate seeds and chaf. Then put this into sieve and sift. Save and label seeds, discard chaf.

CAPSULES & PODS: (e.g.) Penstemon, Rhododendron & Lathyrus
You will need: sturdy gardening gloves, rolling pin, large screen with mesh of size to let seeds pass through, newspaper, small plastic bags, labels.
With gloves on, put a handful of capsules or pods on screen on newspaper. GENTLY crush capsules/pods with rolling pin. Shake seeds thru screen. Save and label seeds. Discard chaf.
*With many pods which curl open when dry, it is just as easy to flick the seeds out with your fingers.

CONES: (e.g.) Alnus, Abies, Picea
You will need: face mask, paper grocery bag, sieve of size large enough to allow seeds to pass through.
When cleaning Alnus cones, wear a face mask as they can be allergenic.
Put cones in paper bag and shake vigorously. Pour bag contents into sieve and sift seeds thru. Save and label seeds. Dry on blank newsprint.

WINGED SEEDS: (e.g.) Acer
You will need: sturdy gloves, newspaper.
Wearing gloves, take small handfuls of maple keys and rub vigorously between your hands over newspaper. Winnow to separate seeds and chaf.

WINNOWING: (e.g.) Poa family
Sometimes, when separating chunkier seeds from chaf, better results are obtained by winnowing the seeds and chaf. It is easiest to work at a large table.
You will need: broom, dust pan, large plastic sheet to cover table, newspaper to cover plastic, fan, 2 deep buckets of same height, ice cream bucket.
Cover table with plastic. Cover plastic with newspaper. Place one deep bucket at end of table, upside down. Stand fan on this bucket with head in fixed position, facing down the length of the table. Turn fan on to low speed. Hold your hand in front of the fan so you can judge where the airflow is not too strong. Position the other deep bucket, right-side up, at this point in front of the fan.
Put the seeds and chaf in the ice-cream bucket. This will be trial and error. Holding the ice-cream bucket above the deep bucket, slowly pour a little of the contents into the deep bucket. If positioning is correct, the heavier seeds will fall into the deep bucket and the chaf will blow onto the table. If the air current is too strong and everything blows onto the table, simple scoop up the mixture, move the deep bucket a little further away from the fan and try again. With some experience, it becomes easy to judge the distance from the fan.

NUTS: (e.g.) Quercus & Corylus
You will need: seeds, bucketful of water, two screens of same size with two pieces of black landscape cloth to match screens, weights or clamps to hold screens together…and later, 1 gal. pots full of leafy compost.
Put all seeds in bucket of water and soak for a while (overnight is good). Seeds that sink are viable. Throw the floaters away where critters can eat them. This will also drown any worms in the seeds. Put a layer of landscape cloth on a screen. Spread seeds on this. Lay second layer of cloth over seeds. Put second screen on top. Weigh or clamp all together so seeds don't become critter snacks. Put this package on table in greenhouse or in shady spot outdoors. Water 3-4 times daily. As seeds sprout, transfer to pots of soil, ensuring that soil is gently tamped down while not damaging the sprout. Put one seed per pot. Water pot to ensure good contact between soil and seed. Continue to water regularly. Seedlings will remain in this pot until sold or ready to plant out carefully, taking care to not damage the root.
If you have only a handful of seeds, sprouting can be done in a canning jar with screen on top, as if sprouting seeds. The cupboard under the kitchen sink is a good, dark, warm spot.

Directions For Cleaning Soft-Berried Seeds by Heather Koni-Pass
From May 2006 NPSG News: ww.npsg.ca

EQUIPMENT:
Waterproof apron, water source at work table, several buckets, food processor, duct tape, large sieve, clean stir stick, several clean-up rags, fine-meshed screens, clean newspaper, fan, small plastic flower pots

• Put one or two layers of duct tape on blades of food processor; one for small seeds (Rubus-raspberries) and two for larger seeds (Oemlaria-Indian plum).
• Put a small amount of berries in the food processor, fill with cool water.
• Holding hand over spout, pulse several times until a slurry forms.
• Fill a bucket ½ full of cool water. Pour slurry into bucket of water and swirl around. Unviable seeds and berry mush will float to the surface. Viable seeds will sink to the bottom of the bucket. Set sieve over another bucket.
• Slowly pour swirling water through sieve, stopping before the clean seeds are poured out of the first bucket. If cleaning fine seeds, line a screen with clean newspaper. Omit newspaper for large seeds. Retrieve clean seeds from first bucket and spear on screen.
• Examine stuff in sieve. If you feel there are enough seeds remaining in slurry dregs, repeat processing.
• Repeat this process until all fruits are seeded.

When you have completed the screening process put the screens of cleaned seeds in a well-ventilated space to dry. Stand a flower pot under each corner to ensure good ventilation. Cover with a second screen so they don’t become mouse treats! Stir gently several times a day while drying. Running a fan in this area will help the drying process.
If seeds stick together while drying, simply rub through your hands occasionally to separate. Plant out or store in fridge/freezer.

Some native plant with soft-berried seeds/husks:
Amelanchier alnifolia-saskatoon; Arctostaphylos uva-ursi-kinnikinnick; Cornus canadensis-bunchberry; Cornus stolonifera, red-osier dogwood; Crataegus douglasii-black hawthorn; Elaeagnus cummutata-wolf willow; Gaultheria shallon-salal; Juniperus communis-common juniper; Lonicera spp-honeysuckles; Mahonia spp- Oregon grapes; Oemleria cerasiformis-Indian plum; Rhamnus purshiana-cascara; Ribes spp- currants; Rosa spp-roses; Rubus spp-raspberries; Sambucus spp-elderberries; Sorbus spp-mountain ash family; Symphoricarpos spp-snowberries; Vaccinium spp-huckleberries

Seed Storage
from: www.jvk.net/pdf/drk_seed_storage_and_handling.pdf

Check the GOERT (and other) propagation guidelines (propagation guidelines link) for information on storage times. Some species will keep for decades and others for only months or a few years, with decreasing germination success as time goes by.
Generally speaking, seeds should be dried to 5-8% relative humidity (RH) and then stored at 5ºC to retain optimum seed quality. Seed quality will be affected when moisture content falls below 5% RH (vigour declines) or above 8% RH (seed deterioration); above 12% RH and fungi can grow. Refrigerators are the right temperature for seed storage but have approximately 40% RH. To ensure proper drying, seal the seeds in a jar (wide mouth canning jars work well) with a desiccant such as silica gel (can be purchased at scientific supply stores), the amount of silica gel should equal the weight of the seeds. Some silica gel comes as a coloured product, a pink or red colour means the product is still working, when it turns blue, it has ceased to be useful; it can be reinvigorated by heating to 110-180ºC. It’s helpful to be able to see if your seeds are still being stored at the right RH.
When you cannot find silica gel, powdered milk, tied in a small breathable fabric such as cheesecloth, is a satisfactory substitute. Small seeds will dry sufficiently overnight while larger seeds might take several days. Now the seeds can be stored, in their sealed jars, in the fridge.
If you open dried seed packets to sow and leave them unsealed for several hours, they will increase their moisture content rapidly, you will need to dry them again to ensure continued vigour and viability.

Some seeds have short life spans and can only be stored a short while. Garry oak acorns should be planted almost immediately and kept cool and moist until planting, they won’t tolerate being dried out. They also benefit by being soaked for a number of hours, discarding any that float, or which have insect damage, these have either not developed fully or are infested with pests and will not germinate. Weevils, like rats fleeing a sinking ship, will vacate soaking acorns and drown, these acorns should also be eliminated.

Seed Germination

In order to propagate plants at our convenience, it can be necessary to artificially induce the germination process.

Some seeds germinate with great ease, Roemer’s fescue (Festuca roemeri) is only too willing to germinate. Carefully measure one to two seeds into each planting cavity (styro block size 144), lightly sift potting soil mix on top, water, place in a warm, bright location and germination will occur rapidly.

Scarification
Some seeds, including many tree and shrub species, have hard seedcoats that have evolved for protection and they are naturally disinclined to germinate unless they have been subjected to extensive modification. In their natural environment, they might sit for one, two, or more seasons until their seedcoats have deteriorated and thinned enough to allow moisture and air to begin the germination process. Manzanita (Arctostaphylos columbiana) and Kinnikinnick (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) are two such species that can be forced into an earlier germination by various means. Mechanically, the seeds can be gently rubbed with sandpaper or a nailfile, nicked with a sharp implement or cracked with a hammer; chemically, they can be immersed in a sulfuric acid bath for various lengths of time (check propagation techniques), vinegar can be used more safely but with less successful results; or they can be covered with boiling water and let sit until the water has cooled. Whichever method is used, it is important to open the seedcoat without harming the embryonic plant. Scarified seeds do not store as well.

Stratification
Many seeds need stratification, which involves manipulating the seeds’ environment; providing moisture, cold and heat as if it has undergone seasonal changes. Saskatoon (Amelanchier alnifolia) will germinate after a cool moist stratification period: place in a plastic bag with slightly moistened peat moss, refrigerate for 3 months, plant. Alternately, plant the seeds directly into their container and leave outdoors for the winter. Snowberry seeds (Symphiocarpos albus) are more particular, they first require a warm, moist 60 day period of stratification, followed by 180 days of cool, moist storage before planting. Check the seeds regularly as they stratify to monitor for signs of mold or dryness.

Some seeds need both scarification and stratification to germinate, check propagation guidelines for individual species’ requirements.

Whether for large scale production or your own satisfaction, proper seed collection, storage and germination technique is an important consideration in any project. Enjoy the process!
January 2010

TICKS!

Pacific Black-legged Tick (Ixodes pacificus)

DON’T BRING A TICK HOME FOR DINNER!
May 20, 2009

Which creature do you consider to have the highest revulsion factor rating?
When I wrote the recent article on Rats!, I’m sure some of you were squirming in your seats, shivering with memories of battles lost and won to rid your homes of rats. But rats do have their place in this world, as food for other predators, as recyclers of garbage, as scientific tools in the search for cures to human ailments.
I have been trying to think of a reason that ticks exist, how they might fit into our limited understanding of ecological interconnections. I suppose if you remove our human perspective of good and bad (for us), they have a place as a reservoir for bacteria, and maybe this plays a role in keeping populations in balance. There is a small parasitic wasp which lays its eggs in ticks and apparently guinea fowl consume them. Personally I find them really tough to appreciate, particularly when I find them latched onto some part of my anatomy.
Vancouver Island is home to about eight tick species but in Metchosin, the most common tick that you will find is the Western Black-legged tick (Ixodes pacificus). It is also the only one that will attach to humans. A walk through almost any natural landscape on a pleasant day from November through June will end with a few ticks trying to find a meal on my small dog, Maggie. Sometimes I’ll see them crawling over her white fur, looking for the safest location to settle and start feeding. Other times I will find them by accident as I give her a rub and feel a grey lump protruding, sometimes behind her ears or often on her forehead.
For two years I collected all the ticks I pulled off her, dropped them into a container of alcohol and eventually brought them to the Royal BC Museum, entomology (insect) section. They displayed a variety of colours, ranging from black to brown, grey, red and white and I thought I had at least several types of ticks in my little jar. Expert analysis pronounced all the ticks as Western Black-legged ticks in various stages of development.
These ticks have a four stage life cycle. Adults lay eggs that are deposited on leaves or in the leaf litter. The eggs hatch and the immature, minuscule ticks (larvae) immediately look for an appropriate host, usually small mammals. They attach to their host, feed on blood and detach. In their next stage, as nymphs, they again attach to a host - they prefer alligator lizards with deer mice a close second - feed, detach and molt. The top photo shows a northern alligator lizard on Camas Hill, Metchosin, with a tick attached, midway between the eye and front leg. As an adult tick, they prefer large mammals such as deer, cattle or humans, probably because they offer a large blood source to ensure their eggs a good start. They find their new hosts by climbing onto some low growing plants or grass. From here they exhibit behaviour known as questing, where they wave their legs in the air, sensing a prospective “mobile home” through organs which detect carbon dioxide and heat. In one survey adult ticks were found more often on south-facing hillsides, questing from salal, Scouler’s willow and wild rose; the same habitat where you’ll find alligator lizards. Adult ticks consume 200 to 600 times their unfed weight in blood.
The female tick can produce 1000 to 8000 eggs, after which she dies; the male dies after reproduction. Ticks in the larval stage are minute, the size of a poppy seed, while an engorged adult can expand to the size of a bean or grape. Studies have shown them to be more prevalent just after rain, with female adults reaching their peak populations in May.
Western Black-legged ticks can be carriers of Lyme disease, a potentially serious disease that can affect joints, the heart and the nervous system. There is some controversy as to the incidence of Lyme disease in ticks in this area with some studies showing a low (less than 1%) incidence while others claim up to 30% rate of infection.
In some US states, including California, they have (rarely) been known to pass on granulocytic ehrlichiosis rickettsia to horses, which can cause fever, loss of appetite, loss of coordination and various other symptoms.
Ticks inject an anesthetic that can prevent you from feeling them while they are feeding. If you are unlucky (like me!) and find a ramble in the hills has resulted in an unwanted hitchhiker, carefully remove the tick with tweezers placed firmly at the head, pulling gently and slowly but not twisting, allowing the tick to disengage its mouthparts. Try not to squish the ticks abdomen as this can expel contents from the tick’s stomach into the wound and thereby transfer disease bacteria. You can save a live tick in a jar with a dampened cotton ball, if you intend to send it for testing, but I just flush any I find down the toilet. Wash the bite area with soap and water and then swab with hydrogen peroxide or alcohol. I seem to break out in a swollen ulcer-like, tender wound which can be slow to heal but this doesn’t occur with everyone and does not mean that you have contracted Lyme disease, it is probably a reaction to the saliva. If you develop a fever or flu-like symptoms within two weeks to a month of the bite or a red bulls-eye rash, you might have contracted Lyme disease and you should see your doctor. There is a vaccine for dogs but we humans don’t have that safeguard yet. Two weeks on antibiotics is the recommended course of action. The Centre for Disease Control has an excellent brochure on Lyme Disease and ticks that can be downloaded, see the reference at the end of the article for the website.
There are other less common diseases that ticks can carry, so it is best to protect yourself from a bite in the first place. Don’t let the fear of ticks prevent you from exploring the countryside, hiking up hillsides and into the woods. Wear long pants tucked into socks, a long-sleeved shirt and a spray of an insect repellant such as Deet to reduce your chance of harbouring these creatures. And enjoy your hike!

References:
BC Centre for disease Control: http://www.bccdc.org/topic.php?item=83
http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/id-mi/tickinfo-eng.php
http://www.afraidtoask.com/lyme/lymelifecycle.html
Arnason, Carl, S. 1988. Biology of the Western Black-legged Tick, Ixodes Pacificus

Swamp Lantern Sex

SWAMP LANTERN SEX
April 7, 2009
Moralea Milne


Through the damp mist, glowing like a brilliant yellow beacon, the swamp lanterns rise from the wetlands and swamps to announce the rebirth of the landscape; what a wonderful sight for eyes tired by unrelenting grey skies. More prosaically know as skunk cabbage, this tropical looking member of the Arum family is one of the first plants to appear in March, or April if you have a cold winter such as this year. The eastern species can generate heat more than 30ºf warmer than its surroundings, melting ice and snow to emerge. Our western species (Lysichiton americanum) does not have (nor need) this ability but it has a few tricks of its own up its spadix.
The first scent, often overlooked, that is emitted from these harbingers of spring is a sweet, coumarin-like fragrance (coumarin produces a scent similar to new mown hay). Enticed by its flag of brilliant yellow and the “come hither” alluring scent, the winged rove beetle (Pelecomalius testaceum) arrives to feed on the pollen and in doing so, transfers the pollen so that the plant is fertilized. After gorging themselves at the pollen banquet, the beetles satisfy further primal urges and mate, retreating to the protective and hidden base of the spathe (yellow encircling leaf) and spadix (clublike stalk with hundreds of miniscule flowers). The skunky smell for which it is renowned comes later, when the flowers have wilted and the leaves are more fully developed.
The thick, fleshy roots are eaten by bears, and elk and deer browse the young leaves. This is an example of when you should not consider something safe to eat because animals eat it, seemingly with impunity. The plant contains crystals of calcium oxalate (also found in rhubarb leaves), which will cause intense burning, irritation and swelling if ingested. It was eaten in times of famine but only after thorough cooking.
The immense, almost tropical looking, verdant green leaves can grow to 1.5 metres and were used by many First Nation people to wrap food for steaming, apparently no odours were imparted to the foods. They were also handy for lining baskets for the berry harvests and in the cooking pits. Some First Nation communities used the leaves as a poultice for burns and injuries.
As their name suggests, swamp lanterns grow in swamps, where the soil is rich in nitrogen and usually has slow moving groundwater near the surface. They are usually found in association with red alder, western redcedar and lady fern.
Europeans have been renowned for centuries for their plant expeditions and for bringing new plants into their horticultural trade. Swamp lantern is one such plant that has been celebrated for its beauty and peculiarity and planted into European gardens and into natural areas “to enhance native flora”. To be fair, most of this was before the concept of invasive plants disrupting ecosystems was even a gleam in a scientist’s eye. Swamps are rare in Central Europe and now they are under attack from the invasive onslaught of our swamp lanterns which have successfully bullied their way into these habitats, shouldering aside the native flora. An ironic reversal of the usual direction of invasive species; many of our most common alien invaders have come from Europe and Asia.
Whether you call them skunk cabbage or swamp lantern they signal the rebirth of spring and the promise of sunny days ahead.


Reference:
R.T. Ogilvie, Pollination of skunk-cabbage March 1997 NPSG newsletter
Pellmyr and Patt, Madrono, 1986, 33 (1):47-54
Alien invasive species profile www.nobanis.org/files/factsheets/Lysichiton%20americanus.pdf
Pojar, J. and A. MacKinnon, Plants of Coastal BC
Hebda, Richard. http://www.npsbc.org/Newsletter/article01.htm