============================================================================================= Vol. 13, No. 3 August, 2009 =========================================================================================== Enjoy the rest of the summer, and I hope to see you August 7-10 at the Minor Orders Blitz at Schoodic Point. * * * * * Last Chance for Minor Order Blitz! (with dates for 2010 and 2011 Blitzes) The Acadia BioBlitz on August 7-10, for Minor Insect Orders (full details in the May issue of The Maine Entomologist and on our web site), is about full. BUT if you have a last- minute change of heart (or just procrastinated), and want to attend and participate, please contact Melissa Rice ASAP at Acadia Partners for Science and Learning, at 207-288-1326 or [email protected] . Writing is not one of my favorite activities and certainly not in the summer. But here I am, presenting some words of wisdom for the Summer of Rain, 2009. Collecting has been tough; it has to be squeezed in between rain - not just showers - but rain and cool weather. Planned days off, free afternoons, and weekend trips all are getting rained out this year. Collecting insects is more difficult and not as much fun in the wet. Last weekend I was at my camp in T4 R7 WELS and the storm clouds cleared off just before sunset. As dusk deepened we sat by the pond and watched the thousands of insects skittering across the water while the bats swooped across the water scooping up their prey. What surprised all of us was the lack of A veritable army of workers in the lab at last year's Bug Blitz mosquitoes. In Whitefield right now, if you venture out after sorted, pinned, and labeled specimens as they were brought in. dark the mosquitoes will descend in hordes that threaten to suck NEXT year's Blitz, and that for 2011 are scheduled for: a person dry. It was delightful, whatever the reason, to be unencumbered by biting insects for a time. Probably by this Aug 13-16, 2010 • Aug 12-15, 2011 weekend the mosquitoes will have arrived at the pond. The groups to be studied in 2010 and 2011 have not yet At the Maine Forest Service Lab we have received some been set, but that decision is made in the fall – to facilitate interesting insects (and their relatives) this summer. The planning for the M.E.S. Winter Workshop in January and to Cerceris wasps that collect metallic woodboring beetles brought allow recruiting of the appropriate expert(s) for the events. back a new buprestid in Fryeburg. This beetle, Spectralia In this issue: gracilipesi, is associated with oak, hop hornbeam and hawthorn ☞ Wells Field Event Reports (p. 2) where it bores into the branches. Hopefully we will get ☞ July Field Day Report (p. 3) additional specimens now that it has warmed up enough for the ☞ Bug Maine-ia coming to Augusta! (p. 3) wasps to fly more and bring in more prey. Another interesting ☞ Solitary Hunter Wasps of Southern Maine (p. 3) new record is a Galumnid mite. It is tiny, black, very smooth ☞ A"Vampire Ant" in Maine (p. 4) and shiny and could be mistaken for a beetle - until you count its ☞ Report from Maine Butterfly Survey (p. 5) legs. They were pouring into someone’s cellar through a crack ☞ Deer Browsing Intensifies HWA impact on hemlock in the wall. Not much information on them but it appears they survival (p. 5) live in the soil and probably just got flooded out. Another new ☞ Woolly Bear Watch, Calendar Photo Call, Annual addition to our collection is the woods gnat Sylvicola fenestralis. Meeting Announcement (p. 7) You would think they would already be in the MFS collection ☞ BioBlitz at Islesboro on August 15th (p. 7) but they are not. I got these from Dixfield where the swarms of ☞ Japanese Beetles and Biocontrol (p. 7) dancing males are annoying the neighbors. ☞ Fall webworm watch (p. 8) The Maine Entomologist v. 13, no. 3, p. 1 August, 2009 Wells Field Day A Big Success examining the rack (washed-up rotting seaweed) nearest the By Mike Mazurkiewicz dunes, and other debris. Poking through the rack is an interesting experience. The The first MES field day of 2009 brought 13 participants to rotting seaweed is very pungent. Then there are the "sand the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve on May 23. The fleas." They immediately pop out by the hundreds. A few event began with Dick Dearborn providing a nice overview of beetles and other things also make a run for it, so you must be insect life at the Reserve with emphasis on salt marsh alert. A few minutes later, as the sand dries out, spiders and inhabitants featuring extensive fly trap data. Monica Russo other insects scramble to the surface. followed next with a description of the fossorial wasps of We were soon catching an excellent array of beetles. As we southern Maine and their nesting habits. She thoughtfully gave made our way down the beach, turning over every piece of everyone copies of her wonderful illustrations showing the debris and poking through the seaweed, the sky cleared and it distinctive external features of the more common species (see warmed up nicely. It was an excellent day. above!). Dana showed me an interesting beetle he had found by Earnest collecting efforts ensued on the salt marsh, sandy gently scraping the sand under the rack. Later, he found two beaches and adjoining uplands. Although cool, breezy with more, plus the remains of a third one. They turned out to be overcast sky, the day yielded a diverse assortment of insects, Sperchopsis tesselatus, a rather scarce Hydrophilid. These are representing seven orders and dominated by beetles. Dave probably the first Maine records. Bourque and Dana Michaud were the most prolific collectors, About an hour later, I made my find of the day. I saw a tallying about 95 species (79, beetles) among 36 families (22, bright patch of orange on the sand. Initially, I thought it was a beetles). The beetles included two species that may be new state live Sperchopsis, but soon realized it was a Spilodiscus, a records awaiting confirmation. stunning orange and black Histerid. We subsequently identified In all it was a good start to the 2009 field season, brought it as Spilodiscus arcuatus, possibly the first Maine record. about through the gracious efforts of Domenica Vacca who Dana later found a second one when he dug up an odd- made arrangements and kindly provided refreshments enjoyed shaped burrow. We poked in others, but found no more. While by all. doing this, we noticed some cone-shaped depressions along the * * * * * beach-dune interface. We watched for a while, and sure A Day at the Beach enough, when an unlucky ant wandered into a pit, it was by David Bourque grabbed by an ant lion larva. To the typical family, a day at the beach means sand, sun, By now we had collected quite a few specimens, and were gentle sea breezes, and gulls squawking. It means digging out getting a little tired, so we headed back to see how the others last year's bathing suit and hoping it still fits, remembering the were faring. A group was gathered around a large picnic table, sunscreen and the anticipation of leisurely strolling the beach enjoying some snacks kindly provided by the Woos. We looking for shells and other treasure. It means children laughing swapped stories and enjoyed a cold drink. The ever-energetic and giggling as the waves gently bump into them. Brandon Woo said he hadn't been down to the beach yet, so To the dedicated insect collector, however, it means a Dana and I, his father, and a few others walked down with him. chance to explore a unique habitat, find some elusive specimens, Brandon was soon happily running around and chasing tiger and who knows, maybe a stray Cicindela dorsalis will appear! beetles. We showed him the ant lion pits, and he couldn't resist More realistically, we were hoping to catch our first Cicindela putting in a few ants and watching the quick attack. marginata or scarce deer flies. While looking for more insects, I discovered an interesting On May 23rd, the Woo family graciously hosted an M.E.S. encounter. A tiger beetle larva apparently seeking a new site for field trip at the Wells Reserve. The weather cooperated, and its burrow was having a face-off with a large jumping spider. about fourteen people gathered. We were granted permission to After a few minutes of back-and-forth sparring, the spider collect insects with the proviso that we furnish a list for them. decided to find an easier meal. Dana Michaud and I were the first to arrive. The sky was It had been a long day, and we were all getting tired, so our overcast and it was a bit chilly, but the weather was predicted to little group marched back to pack up and head for home. We improve. While waiting for the others to arrive, we got a trail had a final chat with the few people remaining and headed home map and examined our options. Since Dana and I are primarily to sort and examine our day's catch. interested in beetles, the choice was easy. We were headed for In all, we caught about 215 specimens, 176 of them beetles. our day at the beach. We managed to find 23 different beetle families, mostly in the Shortly, people began to arrive. After some greetings and Carabidae (42 total). Included was Cicindela hirticollis, the catching up on friendships, Dana and I grabbed our nets and aptly named hairy-necked tiger beetle.