BACKYARD SECRET – FUELING RUBYTHROAT MIGRATION?
During the past few weeks the hummingbirds that have been visiting our feeders seem are on a feeding frenzy. The reason for this is they are trying to store enough fuel (in the form of fat) to power their fall migration.
Prior to migration, an adult female ruby-throated weighs roughly 1/10th of an ounce (3.5 grams). These long-distance migrants will consume enough nectar and insects to increase their weight to 5.5 grams (0.194 ounces). Each gram of this stored fat enables a hummingbird to migrate 300 miles.
THE TIMING OF THE FALL RUBYTHROAT MIGRATION
If you have been feeding hummingbirds, you have probably noticed that the number of rubythroats visiting your feeders has dropped significantly. This reason for this is rubythroats are heading south on their fall migration. Interestingly, the timing of their departure is dependent on their sex and age. Let’s take a quick look at the timing of the migration in Georgia.
If you take a close look at the birds visiting your feeders, you will notice that currently few adult males are still using your feeders. The reason for this is adult males are the first to leave. While some adult males will begin migration as early as July, most will leave in August. The adult females are the next to leave they begin their southward trek in August. The last to depart are the hummers that hatched this year. Most of these birds migrate in September.
BACKYARD SECRET – KILLDEER CAN FEED AT NIGHT
One evening this week my granddaughter called to ask me, Is it unusual see killdeer feeding in a brightly-lit parking lot at night?” She posed the question because she and her friend spotted two killdeer feeding alongside puddles of water in a large well-lit parking lot.
While killdeer do most of their feeding during the daylight hours, they do feed at night. Killdeer will hunt for food during the non-breeding season on moonlight nights. In addition, they also forage for food at night in open areas such as parking lots and athletic fields that are bathed in bright artificial light. It seems that the bright lights often attract a bounty of insects such as moths and beetles.
BACKYARD SECRET – BUTTERFLIES HAVE AN ODD WAY OF TASTING THEIR FOOD
We taste food by placing it in our mouths; such is not the case with butterflies. Unbelievably, butterflies taste food with their feet. It seems that when a butterfly lands on a flower, before it unrolls its straw-like proboscis and begins dining on the flower’s nectar, they taste the potential source of food through their feet. They are able to accomplish this amazing fete because their feet are cloaked with cells (chemoreceptors) that let a butterfly know whether the flower contains sugary nectar.
BACKYARD SECRET – HOW MUCH NECTAR DOES AN ADULT E. TIGER SWALLOW EAT IN A DAY?
The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail is one of the largest butterflies commonly seen in Georgia yards. In spite of its relatively large size (wingspan -3.5 – 5.5 inches), this colorful butterfly consumes only 0.0014 – 0.0105 ounces of nectar daily. To put this in perspective, a standard-sized paperclip weighs only 0.04 ounces.
IDENTIFYING MALE & FEMALE CLOUDLESS SULPHURS
From late summer into the fall, one of the most often seen butterflies in our backyards is the cloudless sulphur. These medium-sized butterflies are seen drifting across our yards in search of nectar. As you might imagine, both males and females are flying at this time of the year. Although male and female cloudless sulphurs look very much alike, if you know what to look for, you can easily tell the males from the females. Even though their wings are quite similar, there are several differences between them, here are some of the most easily identifiable ways in which they differ.
The dorsal side of the male’s wings is unmarked. The female, however, displays a broken black border along the trailing edge of her hindwings. In addition, each forewing features a single black spot.
The ventral sides of the male and female cloudless sulphurs are also quite different. On the underside of each of the female’s hindwings, you cannot help but notice prominent silvery spots surrounded by a brownish trim. The spots seen on male are inconspicuous.
One finale note, the hindwings of the female are more heavily marked than those seen on the male.
FEMALE CLOUDLESS SULPHUR
SIMPLE WAY TO ATTRACT MOTHS FOR VIEWING
Far more moths than butterflies inhabit our backyards, however, since most moths are active only at night we rarely catch a glimpse of them. Here is simple way to enhance your ability to view these amazing gossamer-winged insects.
Hang a white sheet over one the windows of your house. Make sure that a bright light is glowing on in inside of the window. If possible, shut off the lights in the rooms adjacent to the sheet-covered window.
Once the sun goes down, the moths should begin arriving. With a little luck, moths of many sizes and colors will land of the illuminated sheet. Often the moths drawn to the sheet will not quickly fly away when approached. This allows you ample time to take fantastic pictures of these amazing creatures.
Keep your moth viewing session as brief as possible. Once you remove the sheet, the moths will resume their normal nocturnal activities.
THE BEST HUMMINGBIRD FOOD
During July and August Georgians typically feed more ruby-throated hummingbirds than at any other time of the year. I know that is the case at my home. For weeks, the demand of sugar water has been so great my wife has been making 20 cups of nectar every other day to keep up with the hummingbirds’ demand for the sugary treat.
Whenever you are feeding hummingbirds, you want to be sure that you are feeding them the right food. With that in mind, here is the recipe for the best hummingbird food. Boil a mixture containing 4 parts water and 1-part white table sugar for minutes. Allow the nectar to cool and store in your refrigerator.
During the extremely hot weather that has been roasting Georgia for weeks, it is best to replace the nectar in your feeders every 3 days or so.
FEEDING BIRDS SEEDS DURING THE SUMMER CAN BE CHALLENGING
Feeding seeds to birds during the summer can be more challenging than during the winter months. One of the main reasons for this is in the summer the high humidity and heat encourages mold and bacteria to contaminate seeds. As a result, birds that dine on contaminated food are more likely to become infected by a number of diseases. Here are a few tips that will help you prevent this from happening.
During the summer, you often have to clean feeders every 3-5 days in order to discourage a buildup of dangerous bacteria and mold. Clean feeders with soap and water. Follow this up by disinfecting them with a solution of nine parts water and one part bleach. Dry the feeders before refilling them with seeds.
