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GEORGIA’S LARGEST GRASSHOPPER MAY BE IN YOUR BACKYARD

Jun14

         Recently while walking across the Augusta University Campus my granddaughter spotted the largest grasshopper, she had ever seen.

        Since she knows her grandmother and grandfather are interested in wildlife sightings, she took several pictures of the huge insect using her smart phone and later shared them with us.  

         It turned out that she had photographed the largest grasshopper found in Georgia.  This gigantic grasshopper is the eastern lubber (Romalea microptera).  The critter is sometimes called “The Georgia Thumper.”  

         This grasshopper measures 2½ to 3½ inches long.

         Fortunately, my granddaughter did not try to handle the insect.  The reason for this is, if the grasshopper feels threatens, it defends itself by launching a horrible-smelling toxic spray.

          If you find a lubber grasshopper, you will notice it is equipped with extremely small wings.  In fact, they are so tiny, it cannot fly. As such, it moves from place by walking or crawling.

          Since this native grasshopper ranges throughout the Southeast, there is a chance you might see one in your yard.  If you do find one, please let me know the city and county where it was seen.

        

BACKYARD SECRET – LEAVING HUMAN SCENT ON A BIRD NEST WILL NOT CAUSE BIRDS TO ABANDON IT

Jun3

         Most of us have heard that, if we touch an active bird nest or young birds, the scent we leave behind will cause the nesting birds to abandon it.

This advice is false.  The reason why this is the case is most birds have a poor sense of smell. 

While we will never know where or why this myth originated, some feel it was perpetrated by adults to discourage youngsters from disturbing bird nests.

      

A TRULY AMAZING HUMMINGBIRD STORY

Mar2

        One of the things I most enjoy about writing The Backyard Wildlife Connection is fellow bloggers share with all of us a wealth of information regarding ways to enhance backyards for wildlife as well as stories regarding experiences with their wildlife neighbors.

       When I read the blog found below, I knew I just had to share it with you.   The piece was written in response to a   Backyard Secret regarding how hummingbirds recognize human faces.

       I hope you will enjoy this story as much as I did.

Thu, Feb 27 at 10:08 AM

I found a baby hummingbird a couple years back in blackberry bushes. Her wing was pierced, and I took her home and syringe fed her sugar water until she could fly again and let her go. I named her hummer and she would always fly back to our apartment and say hi, even bumping the window to get our attention. We moved and I thought I wouldn’t see her again. Fast forward a couple years and we moved into the apartments right next to the ones we lived in when I found her. We were outside and she hit my fiancés leg to get her attention and flew off, I thought it was her but I wasn’t quite sure until about a week later I saw a hummingbird from our balcony. I called her name, “Hummer” and she flew straight at me and my fiancé, like, she got about 2 feet away from us, hovered for a bit, and flew off. I thought it might’ve been a fluke but about 5 minutes later I saw her again a little further back than before and I called her name again, “Hummer” and she flew straight at us again! I know she recognizes me for sure and she even comes to her name! My fiancé tried as well to call her and she went to her too, even though she wasn’t around hummer that much, maybe 2 days. I just wanted to share.

Lucian W

GRAY FOXES ARE SOMETIMES SEEN NEAR HOMES

Feb18

        When we think of backyard wildlife, the gray fox does not usually come to mind.  However, as Georgia’s undeveloped lands are shrinking, we are seeing these fascinating animals more often in residential areas.

       Recently on a cold, dark February night, as my granddaughter was driving home, she was both surprised and thrilled that she spotted a gray fox quickly darting across the road in her neighborhood.  I am sure most people lucky enough to see a gray fox catches a glimpse of one in a similar fashion. However, they are also showing up on security cameras as they scoot across backyards.

       Since suitable den sites are becoming increasingly more difficult for gray foxes to find, they sometimes will try to raise their young in backyards beneath porches and outbuildings.

       If you are wondering how to respond, if a pair of gray foxes decides to raise their young close to your house, here are a few tips offered by the New York Department of Environmental Conservation:

  1. Do nothing. Enjoy watching fox kits grow up and play in your yard.

  2. Scare the family away. Making loud noises near the den could convince the parents to move their young to a new den.  Gray foxes typically have more than one den and will move their young if they perceive a threat.

  3. Remove artificial food sources. Feed pets indoors and secure any garbage or compost stored outside.

  4. Erect a fence around your yard or block holes or areas which fox may find desirable to make a den. Make sure that the animals are not inside your yard or den before blocking it off.

      

 

RESPONSES TO SAPSUCKERS EATING SEEDS BLOG

Jan11

        Bloggers have responded to the blog regarding a yellow-bellied sapsucker eating sunflower seeds.  It seems some folks are enjoying success attracting yellow-bellied sapsuckers to their feeders.  With that in mind, I thought that you would like to know what they have to say.

       Nudicale says, “They regularly see yellow bellies feed on manufactured suet. We also have seen them feed on scrub oak logs in which they feed on a peanut butter and oatmeal mixture placed in holes drilled into the logs.”

       Pat Kinser wrote to say that she and her husband watched a male yellow-bellied sapsucker dine on a Brome Nut Feeder eating Clinger’s Charms, a great no waste nut mixture.

       Igrid Sanders responded to the blog by saying, “A yellow-bellied sapsucker has been visiting one of our feeders for the past few days.  This is the first time I’ve seen a sapsucker visiting.  It comes often, stays for several minutes at a time, and appears to be eating black sunflower seeds, though I have seen it well enough to be sure.  It feeds on a woodpecker block of mixed seeds that are largely black sunflower seeds, but there are others and maybe fruits.”

       An unnamed blogger added the only thing that he/she has seen eat around their home is grape jelly.

       I hope you will benefit from these reports; I know that I have.

SPIDER ALERT

Aug18

        I know that you are going to be elated to learn that a new spider has taken up residence in Georgia.  This large colorful arachnid is the joro spider and is native to China, Korea, Taiwan, and Japan.    

       According to University of Georgia biologists, that spider was initially located in Hochston, Georgia in 1983.  The current range of the joro spider in the Peach State includes Hall, Jackson, Gwinnett, and Madison Counties in Georgia’s northeast quadrant.  The spider has also turned up in Greenville, South Carolina.

       While nobody knows how it made its way to the United States, Richard Hoebeke, curator of the University of Georgia’s Museum of Natural History believes that the showy spiders probably hitched a ride to Georgia on shipping crates transported on container ships from ports in Japan and China.                        

 

JORO SPIDER photo submitted by D. Kizlowski/UGA

       The joro spider is not a spider that lurks in the dark corners of old barns or haunted houses.  While in has been found living in plain sight in woodlands; it also seems to prefer to live near humans.  The first indication that joro spiders are living nearby is often the appearance of a large orb-shaped web.  When the light catches these webs just right, they take on a golden sheen.

       The female joro spider has a body that measures 0.68-0.98 inches in length.  In addition, when spread out, its eight legs span anywhere from three to four inches.

       Many folks are afraid a spider will bite them.  Fortunately, the joro spider is not aggressive.  However, for some unknown reason if a joro spider bites you, unless you are highly allegoric to its venom, the bite will give about the same amount of discomfort as a bee sting.

       Based on how far the joro spider has expanded its range in well less than a decade, it appears it will continue its range expansion unabated.  Meanwhile, the UGA biologists working at the Museum of Natural History are requesting our help in plotting the spider’s marc across the state. 

       With that in mind, if you spot what you believe to be a joro spider, take a picture of it, and send it to Richard Hoebeke at rhoebeke@uga.edu along with the date and location of your sighting.  

SUPER LIST OF NATIVE PLANT DEALERS

May12

With your help, during the past several weeks we have been developing a growing list of native plant dealers.  Recently a fellow blogger (whiteandredroses) submitted an extensive list of native plant dealers. 

Here it is: https://gnps.org/georgias-native-plants/sources-native-plants/

IDENTIFYING ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS IN FALL CAN BE TRICKY

Oct11

       Whenever male rose-breasted grosbeaks magically appear at our feeders in the spring, it is difficult to mistake them for any other bird.  No other birds are cloaked in striking black-and-white plumage and also display bright crimson red chevrons on their breasts.  However, when they pass through Georgia in the fall, identifying them can be a challenge.

       The reason for this is the adults are in their nonbreeding plumage when they arrive at our feeders.  In addition, they are accompanied by adult and immature females, as well as immature males.  Whereas immature females are difficult to separate from adult females, the still look pretty much alike.

       Things are a bit trickier when it comes to distinguishing immature males from adult males.  However, the best way to describe an adult male is that it appears to be a washed out version of an adult male in breeding plumage.  In addition, there are subtle differences between adult and immature males that are often difficult to separate in the field.  Immature males will look much like the females, however they will sport varying amount of a rose wash on their breasts that is buffier than the breasts of the females. 

       Most years I only see rose-breasted grosbeaks in the spring.  However, others, like Ron Lee, entertain the birds during both seasons.  Such has been the case again this year.  Whereas Ron has been seeing these stunning migrants for quite some time this autumn, they have avoided my feeders.

       Ron has been kind enough to share with us the accompanying photo of a male rose-breasted grosbeak.  Ron took the picture taken October 10, 2020.

       With time running out on their fall migration schedule I suspect Ron’s photo is the only rose-breasted grosbeak I am likely to see this autumn.

A DEVIL’S RIDING HORSE MAY BE GRAZING IN YOUR BACKYARD

Sep20

       One of the most bizarre insects that inhabits our backyards is a critter known by a number of unnerving names such as the devil’s riding horse, devil’s darning needle, witch’s horse, and musk mare.

       The names referring to horses relate to the fact that the much smaller male of the species is often seen attached to the back of a female.  If you closely look at the picture accompanying this blog, you will notice a male clinging to the back of a much larger female.

       The name musk mare refers to the insect’s ability to spray would-be predators with a foul-smelling fluid.  It is believed this defensive spray helps thwart the attacks of ants, beetles, and even mice.

       With that in mind, if you stumble across a devil’s darning needle, do not get your face too close to the insect.  Should one happen to spray you; the chemical might cause temporarily blindness as well as irritation to your mucous membranes.

 

   

Photo credit: Angela Dupree

This insect is fairly large.  Males may be only 1.5 inches long, whereas females can attain a length of 5 inches.

       Even though this invertebrate may have been living in your backyard for years, you may never have seen one.  However, your chances of seeing one are greater in the fall than at any other time of the year.

       The places where you are most apt discover one of this fascinating insects  are hidden in grass, secluded beneath the loose bark of a trees, as well as under logs, and other objects littering the ground.

       Interestingly, in spite of the insect’s frightening names, it is not a ferocious, flesh-eating predator.  It prefers instead to graze on the leaves of a variety of trees and shrubs including oaks, roses, rosemary, privet, and crepe myrtle.

       I am surprised that, although I have spent a large portion of my life outdoors, I have never seen a witch’s horse.  However, a couple of weeks ago my daughter found the two illustrated here.  I guess that goes to show you can spend a lifetime watching wildlife and never see everything that is living just outside your backdoor.