Winter 2013 No

R e p o r t s Winter 2013 No. 409 Conservation and Management of a Rare INSIDE Carnivorous Plant, Pinguicula ionantha, The Illinois River Valley Provides a Haven for in the Florida Panhandle Shorebirds During Fall 2 In Memoriam — It has been estimated that Don Webb 3 600 species of carnivorous plants, belonging to 9 families and 19 genera, Biofuels Production and exist worldwide. Mosquito Populations 4 Carnivorous plants are unique among flowering Monthly Visitation Rates plants for their ability to of River Otters at Two capture and consume prey Latrines in East Central using highly derived traps. Illinois Such adaptations have 5 allowed them to thrive in habitats with nutrient-poor Species Spotlight: Bats soil such as bogs and fens 6 in the temperate zone. Based on data generated The Naturalist's Apprentice: by the International Union How to Help Bats for the Conservation 7 of Nature, of the 102 carnivorous plant species Pinguicula ionantha is found in sandy open areas and in shallow standing water. that have been Photo by Jean Mengelkoch, INHS evaluated, half, including P. lutea, P. planifolia, P. require a burn cycle of every members from the primuliflora, and P. pumila) are two to three years to maintain genus Pinguicula, located in the Florida panhandle. ecosystem health. In the absence are threatened Five of them are listed as of fire, more aggressive species due to natural and endangered at the state level and outcompete P. ionantha. While anthropogenic habitat one, Pinguicula ionantha R.K. the effect of fire on P. ionantha changes. Godfrey (Godfrey’s butterwort, has been addressed, research to Approximately 80 Lentibulariaceae), also is listed understand specific biological species of Pinguicula as a federally threatened species. and ecological interactions, such occur throughout the Populations of P. ionantha as plant-pollinator and plant- world. All have a are restricted to herb bog prey interactions, are absent rosette of carnivorous communities in the wet flatwoods and require immediate action to leaves and multiple of six Florida counties along the prevent further species decline. stalks consisting of Gulf Coast In collaboration with Eastern A closer look of Pinguicula ionanthaa single flower. Six Prior research indicates Illinois University, Augustana leaves with prey. that wet flatwoods are very College, the U.S. Bureau of Land Photo by Jean Mengelkoch, INHS of these species (P. caerulea, P. ionantha, sensitive to burn regimes and Continued on back page 1 The Illinois River Valley Provides a Haven for Shorebirds During Fall The Illinois River valley (IRV) hosts species except Killdeer were in good to selection); however, they did appear hundreds of thousands of migrating shore- excellent condition. Shorebird diets were to select several invertebrate taxa and birds during late summer and early fall. dominated by invertebrate taxa from the consistently avoided aquatic worms Shorebirds passing through Illinois come Orders Diptera (fly larvae) and Coleop- (fourth-order selection). We suspect that from as far away as the Arctic, and may be tera (beetles). Invertebrate biomass at potential food was so abundant in the headed to the U.S. Gulf Coast or portions foraging and random sites was generally IRV that shorebirds did not need to select of Central and South America. Populations similar, indicating that birds did not select foraging sites, but were able to select cer- of many shorebird species appear to be foraging sites within wetlands based on tain food items within foraging sites that declining in North America, and the quality overall invertebrate biomass. Conversely, were preferable. We suggest shorebirds of stopover habitats may be a contributing we found considerable evidence for may forage opportunistically when food factor. Many shorebird species forage on selection of some invertebrate taxa within densities are low, but may become more mudflats or in shallow water with little or particular foraging sites, and consistent selective when food densities are high. no vegetation. These wetland conditions avoidance of aquatic worms (Order Additionally, shorebirds were abundant can be abundant in the IRV during late sum- Oligochaeta). Overall, the dry mass of on privately owned wetlands, especially mer and fall as backwater lakes, moist-soil potential invertebrate foods in the IRV those managed for dabbling ducks. Many wetlands managed for ducks, and floodplain was 51.2 kg/ha, more than 25 times than privately owned wetlands are currently areas of the Illinois River de-water and ex- what is assumed to be available by U.S. not assumed to contribute to estimates of pose mudflats rich in benthic invertebrates. Fish and Wildlife Service regional conser- foraging habitat availability for shore- During late summer and fall 2007– vation plans. birds and are seldom surveyed. Thus, 2008, we measured food resources available In this study, shorebirds did not ap- the IRV may support far greater numbers to migrating shorebirds in the IRV. Addi- pear to select habitats based on overall of shorebirds during fall migration than tionally, we experimentally collected four biomass of individual foods (third-order previously assumed. species of shorebirds (Killdeer [Charadrius vociferus], Least Sandpiper [Calidris minutilla], Pectoral Sandpiper [Calidris mel- anotos], and Lesser Yellowlegs [Tringa flavipes]) to determine body condition and food use and selection. We located foraging flocks of shorebirds, watched them feed for ≥10 minutes, and collected focal individuals using shotguns. Immediately after collection, we preserved ingested food and collected core samples at the foraging location and a random location within the same wetland. We obtained morphological measurements for each bird and identified, enumerated, and weighed invertebrate foods found in the digestive tract and in core samples. Using morphological mea- Lesser Yellowlegs and Pectoral Sandpiper using mudflats at ChautauquaNational Wildlife Photo by INHS Forbes Biological Station staff surements to calculate condition Refuge. indices, we determined that all Continued on next page 2 Shorebirds continued from previous page Although the Illinois River and associated wetlands have been highly modified and habitat has been elimi- nated or severely degraded for many species, mudflats appear to provide abundant and high-quality habitats for shorebirds during the fall. Future research should examine spring migration ecology, or further inves- tigate how current wetland management and flood pulses affect shorebird abundance, distribution, and stopover duration in the IRV. Randy Smith, Joshua Stafford, Aaron Yetter, Michelle Horath, Chris Hine, Heath Hagy, INHS Lesser Yellowlegs collected and processed by Aaron Yetter. Photo by INHS Forbes Biological Station staff In Memoriam — Don Webb In September, the Illinois Natural History nered the North American Benthological Survey said goodbye to longtime Ento- Society (NABS) Distinguished Service mologist/Insect Systematist Don Webb, Award in 1999. who passed away on September 5th at the Don served the Society of Freshwater age of 73. Dr. Webb joined the survey in Science as Chair of the Literature Review 1966 and was actively involved at INHS Committee for nearly 30 years and, in even after his retirement in 2007. Don collaboration with Ron Hellenthal, was pursued his interests in systematics and responsible for converting the annual bib- ecology of aquatic, semi-aquatic, and ter- liography to a searchable database. restrial insects all over the world. He was Rosemary Mackay wrote in her history an author of nearly 100 journal articles, of NABS “. Don liked to come across book chapters, monographs, and proceed- as a crusty curmudgeon but he always had ings. In addition to his career in science, a twinkle in his eye to let everyone know he was a musician and an avid sports fan. that it was all in good fun.” He played racquetball, softball, golf, and And, Don had a rejoinder to Will pool. Rogers’ saying that “I never met a man I Don was born on July 12, 1939, didn’t like.” A bumper sticker on Don’s in Brandon, Manitoba, to Orville and office door stated, “Will Rogers never met Ivy Webb. He married his high school Bobby Knight.” sweetheart, Lois (Kelly) Webb on May 12, Don was the life of any gathering 1961; she survives. whether professional meeting, INHS lun- Photo from INHS Image Archives Also surviving are daughters, Janice cheon, or watercooler encounter. Almost (Mark) Wettstone and Diane (David) He was preceded in death by his par- always, you left his presence with a smile. McClain; grandchildren, Maggie Mc- ents and brother, Barry. He was a character in every sense of the Clain, Bradley McClain, Evan Wettstone, Don earned his Bachelor and Master word. Ryan (Laura) McClain and Christopher of Science degrees from the University of McClain; great-grandchildren, Tyler and Manitoba. In 1981, he earned his Ph.D. Aiden McClain. from the University of Illinois. He gar- 3 Biofuels Production and Mosquito Populations There is a growing interest in biofuels as the Ecological changes associated with alternative solution to the world’s energy biofuel production can also affect human needs. In the U.S., the major biofuel is ethanol health by altering the transmission dynam- derived from corn. Because corn production ics of vector-borne diseases. Transitions requires more fertilizers and pesticides than from one crop to another can alter the local any other major U.S. food or biofuel crop microclimate and create new breeding

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