tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83478701577489919742024-03-12T19:19:09.237-05:00Save Our StreamThis blog began with the name "Saving the Hillcrest-Upland Greenway." It has expanded to cover wider isues of water quality and sustainability in Madison.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger319125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8347870157748991974.post-68942590918684027572016-12-19T00:12:00.003-06:002016-12-30T15:52:24.024-06:00What is black ice--and why is it slippery?<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Black ice is relatively smooth, hard, and clear.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Packed snow eventually turns to black ice, especially when it rains, or when there's a thaw, followed by freeze.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">You must completely remove packed snow if you want to prevent ice buildup.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Black ice is most slippery when water is present. Then it can be very dangerous. Applying sand to ice greatly improves traction.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Black ice on the roads is what sends cars spinning out of control. On sidewalks with black ice, pedestrians fall without warning. So what is "black ice," and how does it form?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtpi62fK2VtoM0OSbTrcanXAOaGpKd6DGbYbfGRQ8lh1DC-TVOcRgnLYiZ3E7o8d9Aioi2g-txwZswvQ7P65FRwwo_uYeZXnNOxs9pUzAhWIDXXUSXFiEkxNOHWtTo2SiuImeVKJnmQ_8/s1600/31179617883_725415a135_k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtpi62fK2VtoM0OSbTrcanXAOaGpKd6DGbYbfGRQ8lh1DC-TVOcRgnLYiZ3E7o8d9Aioi2g-txwZswvQ7P65FRwwo_uYeZXnNOxs9pUzAhWIDXXUSXFiEkxNOHWtTo2SiuImeVKJnmQ_8/s320/31179617883_725415a135_k.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span>This "black ice" formed by freezing of meltwater. It looks bright because it's reflecting the sunset.</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Black ice is no different from ordinary ice--except that it's more compact and has a smoother surface. Here's how snow turns to black ice.</span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Snow consists of feathery, six-sided crystals of ice. Under some weather conditions, the snowflakes are less branched--instead disk-like or even like pellets. Feathery crystals make snow fluffy and light--containing mostly air. Snow made of pellets is far more dense, but there are still pockets of air between pellets. The amount of air determines whether snow is light or heavy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Snow is white because the surface is reflective but rough, scattering light in all directions. Because some of this light bounces back to you, the snow looks white.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">After the snow falls it gradually compacts. Compaction is aided by the weight of snow falling on top. </span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">As the ice compacts it gets more granular and less fluffy. M</span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">ost of the compaction happens by "recrystalization." Inside the snow, water molecules move around. Small crystals of ice get smaller, while large ones grow even larger. Meanwhile, the many air spaces between flakes merge into fewer bubbles. With fewer bubbles and crystal edges, light penetrates deeper without bouncing--it becomes more transparent. This is how snowfall in the mountains becomes the hard, blue ice of glaciers.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">When snow falls on pavement, it compacts much faster under the weight of shoes and tires. When first compacted, it still appears white from light scattered in all directions. Each tiny crystal or bubble acts like a mirror, but they are pointing in all directions.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Hard-packed snow isn't very slippery because the surface is still rough. It isn't fully hard, so shoes or tires can get a grip on it.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">How does packed snow change to black ice?</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">With time, the crystals continue to grow in size and bond to one another. With all the crystals touching and fewer air bubbles, light rays penetrate deeper and don't bounce back to you. It's more transparent, looks darker. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Big, hard crystals of ice are smoother and more slippery. Eventually the mass of interlocking crystals becomes quite hard, so shoes and tires can't get a good grip. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">If packed snow melts briefly, water penetrates remaining air spaces and refreezes, making the packed mass harder, the surface much smoother.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">The smooth, transparent, hard ice is now what people call "black ice." Like a mirror, its smooth surface reflects light in one direction. If the sun reflects your way, you see bright reflections. If another way, it looks very dark. It's also dark because you can see partway through to the dark pavement. Dark ice is what people call "black ice."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Why is ice slippery?</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Some scientists say ice skates are slippery because intense pressure from the narrow blade turns the top layer of ice molecules to liquid. So you are skating on water! The warmer the ice, the more easily this thin layer of slippery liquid forms. When ice gets to -70 F, skates and sleds no longer slide.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you add water to black ice, it gets <u>super slippery</u>! Very dangerous--especially if it occurs in unpredictable patches, or invisible patches covered with a dusting of new snow.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Years ago, I worked at an office with a long driveway. The drive was nearly level, but had a slight dip down in the middle. It was winter--the driveway had been covered with packed snow that wasn't slippery. One day it began to drizzle rain with the temperature right at freezing. Reports of slippery roads led the boss to send us home at noon.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">It was extremely slippery! When I got to the bottom of the shallow dip, my car couldn't climb the slightest incline. Several people tried to push my car, but the pavement was so slippery their shoes couldn't get a purchase--they couldn't apply any force. They could barely stand without falling down. Eventually we scattered some sand under the tires and that did the trick.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
Black ice this slippery is quite rare. It can only form at temperatures near freezing. The water comes from either rain or melting snow and ice. Beware of rain on packed snow or ice!! As temperatures drop well below freezing, black ice becomes less slippery.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">The importance of clearing packed snow</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b>
When ice freezes on a lake, it forms black ice right away. It looks very dark and it's very smooth and slippery. You can see through the ice towards the bottom--explaining why it looks dark. Gradually the ice turns lighter as snow falls and bonds to the surface, making it less transparent.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Black ice can form directly when freezing rain hits pavement chilled to below freezing--similar to ice freezing on a pond.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Most of the time, black ice forms from packed snow. If the temperature hovers around freezing, this greatly speeds the process as meltwater fills pores in packed snow, then freezes again. This refreezing also bonds the ice to the pavement.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Soon after if forms, packed snow is easy to remove from pavement. A sharp shovel or even a broom removes it easily. Once the packed snow begins to bond with pavement, you can still remove it with an ice scraper.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you remove most of the packed snow, sunlight can penetrate to heat the pavement. Then the remaining packed snow will evaporate without needing to melt first. Evaporation happens in 1-2 sunny days--a bit slower on cloudy days. It even happens at temperatures below 0 F.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you use snowplows or snow blowers to remove snow--remember, they usually leave a layer of packed snow. This has to be removed by a sharp plow blade or by a hand scraper. People ofter rely on de-icer to remove this packed snow--but the thicker the layer, the less effective the salt. Packed snow leads to overuse of salt or to hard ice. Sometimes if the area isn't large, or the snow isn't deep, you can get ice-free pavement faster by hand-shoveling with a snow-plow type shovel.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><u>If you have ice firmly bonded to pavement, you are in trouble</u>. The next snowfall will be harder to remove from the rough, icy surface underneath. New snow will bond more quickly to existing ice. The ice grows thicker with each snowfall.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">How to remove black ice</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b>
Black ice (or packed snow) reflects the sun. It won't absorb solar energy so it can't evaporate. It may remain a hazard all winter.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you decide to live with the ice, you can sprinkle it with sand. This works very well to improve traction, and dark sand absorbs a little heat from the sun. But the bumpiness of uneven ice can be annoying.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">You could apply de-icing salt. This works by breaking the bond of the ice to the pavement, so you have to follow salt by chipping the ice with a scraper. It's unlikely the salt will melt all the ice in a thick layer, because as the ice melts, it dilutes the salt.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you use de-icing salt, pay attention to temperature. Rock salt (NaCl) works poorly at temperatures under 15 F. Calcium chloride (CaCl2) works to well below zero because it releases heat as it melts, but it's more expensive. After salting, wait half an hour to an hour before chipping.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Deicing salt harms waterways, rusts cars, and damages concrete.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEwKi1CIuhN6Jtb3ny7KRuMxGlcJZ9yrhRwjl-XDwYlG1E4Iq9xsbXf7oYu6Uub9C2kUKPHWlJ3c7andktYtXm8fHK1ke4duA_JoSsZOiOnwZCQWL0ULb_5UUl5LK8kgS8rq5i9F9SE6g/s1600/31597631190_3984ae8e7d_k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEwKi1CIuhN6Jtb3ny7KRuMxGlcJZ9yrhRwjl-XDwYlG1E4Iq9xsbXf7oYu6Uub9C2kUKPHWlJ3c7andktYtXm8fHK1ke4duA_JoSsZOiOnwZCQWL0ULb_5UUl5LK8kgS8rq5i9F9SE6g/s320/31597631190_3984ae8e7d_k.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Dangerous damage to concrete from salt in the Dane Cty parking ramp, Madison, WI.</span></i></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you use salt regularly, eventually your sidewalk becomes so rough that it's much harder to remove packed snow and ice. Using salt isn't necessary--it only makes your job harder over time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">At colder temperatures, your can chip ice with an ice scraper. but this is slow and difficult. If temperatures rise toward freezing with strong sun, it gets easy to chip the ice--a little meltwater forms under the ice, temporarily breaking the bond.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Now you can chip off large chunks of ice, starting at the edge of the mass. If you push them away from the main ice mass, they melt or evaporate quickly. Chip a little each day in the early afternoon. It's best to remove chipped ice with a shovel--but if you don't have time to remove it, chunks of ice will still melt or evaporate faster. Soon the ice will be gone without using salt.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Usually on warm days, water evaporates as the ice melts. After sundown, any remaining meltwater will refreeze, forming a slippery spot. One way to prevent pooling of water is to shovel all the way to the grass bordering the pavement. Water will then drain into the soil.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><u>If it rains on packed snow or black ice, you have to act fast!</u> Rainwater under the ice breaks the bond with the pavement--now you can easily chip the ice. But if you allow the ice to freeze again, it will be more slippery and bonded than ever.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"># # #</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://icyroadsafety.com/faq.shtml" target="_blank">Link to a wonderful website</a> about black ice.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Jj5jk-Y_cA" target="_blank">Link to viral video</a> of bus sliding on ice. It's every one's nightmare, but streets this slippery are rare.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">A <a href="http://www.mtlblog.com/2016/12/the-reason-why-stm-buses-crashed-into-cars-downtown-montreal-yesterday/#" target="_blank">news story</a> attributed it to "black ice," but doesn't say how it formed. I'd guess it resulted from snow falling as temperatures dropped from above to below freezing. At first falling snow melted, then the water froze--but was hidden by the accumulation of more snow. Beware of these conditions. Monitor the temperature displayed in your car.</span></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8347870157748991974.post-60927781538843182822016-12-14T01:04:00.000-06:002016-12-20T23:29:16.933-06:00How to prevent sidewalk ice--without salt<div>
<span style="color: #fce5cd;">.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Use the sun instead of salt!</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Key ideas</b>...</span></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Prevent packing during snowfall by clearing a narrow lane--people walk there, preventing packing elsewhere.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Clear to full width by noon of the day following snowfall.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Scrape remaining packed snow so light gets through to the pavement.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Let the sun evaporate the rest (ice can evaporate without melting).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Touch up daily--before leaving for work.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Removing packed snow prevents ice</b></span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Packed snow gradually becomes black ice. One cause is the pounding of traffic. More important are freeze-thaw cycles, when temperatures hover around the freezing point. Take advantage of thaws to chip any remaining packed snow or ice. Early afternoon is the best time to use an ice scraper.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Touch up frequently, when snow drifts onto the pavement or when pedestrians track it in. Touch up prevents packing, and it prevents meltwater that could re-freeze to create slippery spots. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Widen the cleared area till you can see the edge of the sidewalk. This allows meltwater to sink into the ground.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Watch the remaining snow evaporate! An example...</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b>
After the storm, temperatures rapidly dropped to from the twenties to -10 F. Despite temps way below freezing, sunlight penetrated remaining snow to evaporate the remainder over several days.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTmKSJ9tac8imvQb8f5VIvpazeN6SBeEyk0lG-0GmwcjdkLFcvSXiEA56FOviS5ywZw1tynNlvf3oSQc1sB9PAsORiBAizMS3zSzdZLd5i36xA6bgTCg589PV0Mi3b29MML3ib_I47PbE/s400/Dec+17+1334+midres.jpg" width="400" /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Above: Dec 17, 1:34 pm. In foreground, snow just removed. Some packed snow where people walked couldn't be removed by the scraper shovel.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfTX25KoOXL25vsHYXK1QgmyxBeINLJCMKND8LUhHML1Z2JRSk2zaH5mGfyEH3BFWJbk79Swo4qOQjZqFiO6CA7veyceCa3lRZixSv8ydHJNf2HFEo0QZXvKb7Rf6dSZkyzKIp-zNXm0M/s1600/Dec+18+1300+midres.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfTX25KoOXL25vsHYXK1QgmyxBeINLJCMKND8LUhHML1Z2JRSk2zaH5mGfyEH3BFWJbk79Swo4qOQjZqFiO6CA7veyceCa3lRZixSv8ydHJNf2HFEo0QZXvKb7Rf6dSZkyzKIp-zNXm0M/s400/Dec+18+1300+midres.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Dec 18, 1:00 pm. Sidewalk touched up and area made wider. Neighbor's walk in rear was not scraped clean--snow was packed by a snow blower and there was salt remaining from the previous storm.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWAGUBa8RkoSS5DnB6gmysAGdHJbVU8UyqVcjBaFmUKtSazs4r18JIiz5voAZqcyW-sTNp5KNMxBi6JlXEV7zrVU0Duuewwu4KqylreefpNYKlRFbBgix20xawY70HJt-YHcEqyIVwzio/s400/Dec+18+1527+midres.jpg" width="400" /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Same day, 2.5 hours later. Some snow gone.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8p9-qODxGvn48Vq1Z0JMdmmHULrUW_0zqgdKs9TdXVEvdtEU0ttrV4jXzHzNRUkoUGFZ2pDNY1-WtGyTkSPeqKKn1E351TNpSVvtdR8HDJSQmIuywDm-j16K7_n7N3O6-2U8Fhwy_pP0/s400/Dec+19+1049+midres.jpg" width="400" /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Dec. 19, 10:49 am. Most remaining snow has evaporated. Temp -5 F.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTSzBkAHr1afX_m7AIKvM4y3te-O22Epg2OJN4mAbE6X6qAf22CXS0kgH6EJFk4wl9rQIU8BReT2UoFmTNd3i8ndjH58p_diqevSqYQHRM0Pzprid5_JuuS_WCAR-4cBKhRQjwS7o-LWo/s400/31768578895_55bdd28dd6_k.jpg" width="400" /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Dec 20, 12:42 pm. Temps rising towards freezing. Sidewalk completely clear. Notice--in the rear the remaining salt has had little effect.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8347870157748991974.post-16363854995730230412016-12-10T23:40:00.004-06:002016-12-10T23:40:29.511-06:00Clear sidewalk snow without salt<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
<b>Prevent snow from packing down...</b></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
because packed snow turns to hard ice in a few days.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
Snow blowers make things worse, because they leave a layer of packed snow.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px;">
Use a shovel with a sharp edge (or an ice scraper) to remove packed snow. The sooner you remove it, the less the ice sticks to pavement.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoiPl9tHjFlV1_tguLApeF9ZVK9d6_UhZ5h6B4dm-wtZAtYJc9ociPRmvwmWAXNPPd5j4uucqEpioiuxQO_Ga3iLUrNDmd579gC3xnIjwadrbp9nuh5nJpa2cGfx79vFsPzyE_tC5PQCo/s1600/Shovel+with+solar+power+DBSh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoiPl9tHjFlV1_tguLApeF9ZVK9d6_UhZ5h6B4dm-wtZAtYJc9ociPRmvwmWAXNPPd5j4uucqEpioiuxQO_Ga3iLUrNDmd579gC3xnIjwadrbp9nuh5nJpa2cGfx79vFsPzyE_tC5PQCo/s400/Shovel+with+solar+power+DBSh.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px;">
Shovel a narrow lane as soon as you can. People will walk there, and won't pack snow on the unshoveled portion.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
<b>Now use solar power to melt the rest!</b> </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
To disappear, ice (or packed snow) does not need to melt. It can go directly from solid to water vapor, even at temperatures below zero! It's called "sublimation."</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
Ice does require energy to vanish without melting. You have to scrape the snow thin enough so light energy will penetrate to the pavement. Even with thin clouds on cold days, enough sunlight penetrates to make a difference. The ice will disappear in a few days, depending on temperature and sun. Touch it up before you leave for work... the sun will do the rest.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
To prevent icy patches from forming when it warms up, clear to the edge of the sidewalk between snowfalls. This way, any meltwater sinks into the ground at the pavement's edge. You don't get icy puddles on the sidewalk.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
With more pavement exposed, the sidewalk area gets warmer, helping to prevent new ice--and the next snowfall is easier if the whole sidewalk has been cleared.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
<b>Prioritize</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
You have to clear your sidewalk, but you don't have to shovel your driveway, at least not right away.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
Work in stages to avoid fatigue, resting between. First the central strip of the sidewalk. Then scrape packed snow. Then enlarge the width of the path. Finally, clear to the grass and chip any remaining ice.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
Check the weather report. If it's going to warm up, no worry to clear snow. If a long period of cold weather is coming, be careful to prevent packed snow. Salt doesn't melt ice at temperatures below about 15F, but the sun does!</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
Even on hills or steps, you don't need salt. Sand works very well. You can find it in city barrels at street corners. You can buy Yaktrax to make your shoes slip-proof.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
Hope this helps! HAPPY SOLAR SHOVELING !</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8347870157748991974.post-55693867645354956102016-09-29T20:05:00.003-05:002016-09-29T20:05:45.855-05:00Lecture by top expert on monarch butterflies<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdqs7vBu0cc0qOefYFRFMgsxeF1Gihw21WRfFUz38nzpnYkkUuNQzhOjzu1M9ZnveCL0RcWRW9x8KK5X0-Pyr4p-jg3oXNsvEGPb04q_DElLO06MKdPaRl11ExkXZohens3WUOwpLKeY8/s1600/SWBA+Oberhauser+talk.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdqs7vBu0cc0qOefYFRFMgsxeF1Gihw21WRfFUz38nzpnYkkUuNQzhOjzu1M9ZnveCL0RcWRW9x8KK5X0-Pyr4p-jg3oXNsvEGPb04q_DElLO06MKdPaRl11ExkXZohens3WUOwpLKeY8/s1600/SWBA+Oberhauser+talk.JPG" /></a>MONARCH BUTTERFLIES: DECLINING NUMBERS FOR AN ICONIC INSECT</div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">A lecture by Dr. Karen Oberhauser.</span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">October 18, 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m. at the UW Arboretum Visitor Center, 1207 Seminole Highway.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">"Oberhauser, one of the nation's top monarch conservation<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><br />biologists, will describe the amazing biology of migratory monarch<br />populations, and the work of citizens and scientists in<br />documenting monarch numbers at all stages of their migratory<br />cycle."</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
<i style="font-family: inherit;">Sponsored by the Madison Audubon Society & the WI Chapter of the Society for Conservation Biology.</i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8347870157748991974.post-70913037375473652152016-01-27T03:44:00.001-06:002016-01-27T03:47:09.621-06:00Does road salt make winter driving safer?<span style="color: #fff2cc;">.</span><br />
Given the lack of progress since Madison first tried to reduce road salt use, it's time to look for new ways of viewing the problem.<br />
<br />
As soon as a conversation about salt begins, the subject of winter road safety comes up. Road safety seems to override any other argument.<br />
<br />
But does salt really make winter driving safer? We can refine this question to ask... "Do the obvious safety benefits of salt outweigh the enormous economic and environmental damage caused by salt?"<br />
<br />
"Outweigh" implies that we have to measure--to quantify--both the <i>benefits</i> and <i>costs</i> of salt.<br />
<br />
An obvious starter... Are there any highway accidents actually <u>caused</u> by salt?<br />
<br />
<b>A bridge collapses</b><br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>The answer is yes. The St. Anthony Falls Bridge (I-35W) in Minneapolis collapsed in 2007, killing 13 and injuring 145. The primary cause found was a design flaw which weakened the bridge. A secondary cause was loading the bridge with construction equipment.<br />
<br />
De-icing solutions applied to the bridge were also implicated. After experimenting with highly corrosive magnesium chloride, they settled on an automatic system for spraying potassium acetate,"...which may have contributed to the collapse of the 35W bridge by corroding the structural supports." "In 1990, the federal government gave the I-35W bridge a rating of "structurally deficient," citing significant corrosion in its bearings." At that time, the bridge was only 23 years old. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I-35W_Mississippi_River_bridge" target="_blank">Source</a><br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/35544042@N06/7587960942/in/album-72157630607863086/" target="_blank">Bridge in Chicago</a></i></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju6clL80zQ0wv9lt8DTM8UZD7V0PBAqa-YMpGWZ-evp2EULSvdsnC4xSnMzqAJpsMMwYMxXSGvfryemhcuh48s4omYnETGm7D9MtwBEGxCx8-0JlCLVHFks91qic4K07YuFUmsAqPD4kw/s1600/7587960942_d65beb322c_k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju6clL80zQ0wv9lt8DTM8UZD7V0PBAqa-YMpGWZ-evp2EULSvdsnC4xSnMzqAJpsMMwYMxXSGvfryemhcuh48s4omYnETGm7D9MtwBEGxCx8-0JlCLVHFks91qic4K07YuFUmsAqPD4kw/s200/7587960942_d65beb322c_k.jpg" width="200" /></a>In Madison, we have more parking ramps than bridges. If the concrete cracks, salt dripping from wheels can penetrate to the reinforcing rods. If those rust, the ramp could collapse. Imagine all those autos, flat as a pancake.<br />
<br />
<b>Corrosion causes traffic accidents</b><br />
<br />
About 20 years ago, I had to junk a car because of severe rust. The hood kept popping up--due to a defective latch, I thought. When I took it in to have the latch fixed, the mechanic said the real cause was the chassis rusting loose from the front wheels. The whole car was settling down--causing the engine to push up against the hood. He said the car would soon drop completely onto the front wheels, causing the steering to suddenly lock. I hadn't realized I was so close to a serious accident--caught just in time.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcos8M9hqBWzNWu3ZJkNK1r7P5vB4c2znB4U0WWEFdkHrlgSjCeDykizhCzVBfE6MYidPgQfEiB8inIoR45nOCMne5sbcSyBmqUYYSqN4Y6nKd7sQy_VemvLbtPk5O9UuVqQdTDluwPV0/s1600/15083693633_1fb01c4335_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcos8M9hqBWzNWu3ZJkNK1r7P5vB4c2znB4U0WWEFdkHrlgSjCeDykizhCzVBfE6MYidPgQfEiB8inIoR45nOCMne5sbcSyBmqUYYSqN4Y6nKd7sQy_VemvLbtPk5O9UuVqQdTDluwPV0/s200/15083693633_1fb01c4335_b.jpg" width="200" /></a>A year ago, I saw an accident in Madison probably caused by corrosion. On Midvale Blvd, the fuel tank on a semi truck broke loose, dragging the tank and spilling fuel for a half mile along the street. If this had happened at 75 mph, sparks from the dragging tank could have ignited the fuel. <a href="http://machinedesign.com/archive/news-about-road-salt-worse-we-thought" target="_blank">Salt corrodes gas tanks.</a> Salt gets under the tank attachment strap, making it hard to wash off.<br />
<br />
Was this accident caused by poor maintenance, driver error, or corrosion due to salt?<br />
<br />
<b>Causality issues</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Even after long analysis of the bridge failure, it's hard to say how much of it was due to corrosion from de-icing compounds. There was a tendency to downplay the record of inadequate inspection of the bridge. It was easy to blame the designer for the design flaw, because that had happened long ago.<br />
<br />
An engineer would say contributing causes are just that--one of the causes. How much blame to assign to the salt isn't an exact science.<br />
<br />
When a driver spins off the road because the road hasn't been cleared of ice--do you blame to the driver for going too fast, or do you blame the City for failing to clear the ice? The driver would like to blame the City. It's really a question of commonly accepted views of responsibility. Since salting began in the early 1950s, responsibility for safe winter driving has been gradually shifting to government. <br />
<br />
In conclusion, since salt is so often a contributing factor, it doesn't get its real share of blame for accidents and environmental damage. When the police investigate an accident, they aren't going to say "this was due 60% to corrosion from to salt. At best they'll call it "mechanical failure."<br />
<br />
Although the poisoning of Flint's water supply is in the news, you won't hear in many news stories that <a href="http://www.saveourstream.blogspot.com/2016/01/blog-post.html" target="_blank">road salt played a role</a> in corroding the pipes, releasing the lead. <br />
<br />
But when it snows and roads aren't cleared fast enough, you hear a lot of complaints. People can see the snow--the corrosion is nearly invisible.<br />
<br />
<u>Salt isn't as safe as we thought.</u><br />
<u><br /></u>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
# # #</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/35544042@N06/albums/72157630607863086" target="_blank">Photos</a>: Corrosion of Chicago's bridges</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/35544042@N06/albums/72157648707009150" target="_blank">Photos:</a> Fuel spill from dragging fuel tank on Midvale Ave.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8347870157748991974.post-11177101237497637772016-01-26T01:33:00.000-06:002016-01-27T00:42:34.259-06:00How road salt led to poisoned water in Flint, MI<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It's time to recognize that spreading too much salt in Madison could have dangerous and unforeseen consequences.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In Flint, MI, road salt played a role in poisoning the public water supply. When Flint switched the source of its water from Lake Huron to the Flint River, salt in the city's water soared from from 11.4 mg/l to 92 mg/l. Salt in the river came largely from overuse of de-icing salt on roads.</span><br />
<div style="font-size: 13.3333px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 13.3333px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Salt (chloride) is extremely corrosive. It caused Flint's lead pipes to corrode, releasing lead that can cause brain damage in children. At the home of Lee-Ann Walters and her 3-year-old son, average lead levels were measured at 2,000 ppb, sometimes exceeding the EPA criterion for "toxic waste."</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 13.3333px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 13.3333px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Despite the increase in salt, the city did not add a corrosion inhibitor* to the water as many cities do. So both iron and lead pipes corroded, resulting in lead poisoning of many children.</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 13.3333px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 13.3333px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><b>Could Flint's poisoned water happen here?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Our situation is different, because Madison has replaced all its lead plumbing. But three of Madion's shallower wells are becoming contaminated with salt (up to 37 mg/l in 2013). The level of chloride in Lake Wingra is 130 mg/l and headed upward. MG&E has been pumping millions of gallons of salty water into the ground with the <a href="http://greenermadison.blogspot.com/p/odana-controversy.html" target="_blank">Odana Project</a>.</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 13.3333px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 13.3333px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Even without lead pipes, chloride in city water can cause big problems. The chloride corrodes iron pipes and water mains. Flint has reported increased leaks--the corrosive water will cost millions of dollars in damage to pipes. And when iron pipes corrode, they use up chlorine added to the water to kill bacteria. That's why Flint had bacteria in their water--chlorine was rapidly used up after leaving the wells, leaving the water reaching consumers unprotected.</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 13.3333px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Madison's older water mains can rust from the inside <i>and</i> the outside. Chloride in both tap water and groundwater has been steadily increasing. Madison needs to replace half of its 400 miles of pipe. By 2020, the annual cost of replacing or relining Madison's water pipes will be $12.7 million.</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 13.3333px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 13.3333px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">While the US does not consider chloride to be a pollutant, Canada does consider it "toxic," based on potential damage to the environment. How long before Madison's salt reaches crisis levels? We already know salt causes billions of dollars in property damage, rusting autos, corroding bridges, and weakened parking ramps. Now Flint demonstrates salt can have dire and unpredictable health consequences. Our leaders should lead by taking decisive action to limit salt. </span></div>
<div style="font-size: 13.3333px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 13.3333px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><b>Sources</b></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 13.3333px;">
<a href="http://flintwaterstudy.org/tag/drinking-water/"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">How corrosion of iron pipes reduces chlorine</span></a></div>
<div style="font-size: 13.3333px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jan/18/michigan-flint-river-epa-lead-contamination-mdeq-pollutants-water-safety-health">Details on effects of salt on Flint's tap water</a></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 13.3333px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.cityofmadison.com/sites/default/files/city-of-madison/water-utility/documents/AnnualWaterQuality.pdf" target="_blank">Chloride in Madison's tapwater</a> See p. 3. The median level of chloride in Madison's wells is 24 mg/l, ranging from 2.2 to 106 (2013).</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 13.3333px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 13.3333px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">* A corrosion inhibitor has been rejected by Madison's Water Utility, because it contains phosphorus which would also harm our lakes and streams.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8347870157748991974.post-81825031441119947042016-01-08T15:27:00.000-06:002016-01-08T15:27:13.476-06:00Monarchs threatened by climate change in their wintering areas<span style="color: #fff2cc;">.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwMc8blSaPUc7Vwwcvpc9exhYPS_Gvf25ED3BzGvBEAvHOuS8PeNeIoVwFZai_N7Tve6hcgr7BgdBuvRZ8-Q8ohx714FjKOwmgv0dRdKimmX9f3YMcmx700Wlc6j_uKboLK_IGnLAbBhs/s1600/16753240341_710245f959_k.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwMc8blSaPUc7Vwwcvpc9exhYPS_Gvf25ED3BzGvBEAvHOuS8PeNeIoVwFZai_N7Tve6hcgr7BgdBuvRZ8-Q8ohx714FjKOwmgv0dRdKimmX9f3YMcmx700Wlc6j_uKboLK_IGnLAbBhs/s400/16753240341_710245f959_k.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
Monarch butterflies roost in huge numbers during the winter only in oyamel fur trees in the mountains of central Mexico. The fur's dense foliage provides insulation from freezing temperatures. And unlike other trees, monarchs can easily cling to the fir's tiny needles with their claws.<br />
<br />
But as temperatures rise with global warming, oyamel furs won't be able to survive where they are growing now. People will have to plant the oyamels at higher elevations, so the butterfly reserves will be ready for changed conditions.<br />
<br />
That's just what Mexican conservationists are planning for now.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://e360.yale.edu/feature/to_protect_monarch_butterfly_a_plan_to_save_the_sacred_firs/2942/" target="_blank">Find out more here</a>.<br />
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/35544042@N06/albums/72157662012680396" target="_blank">Photos of my trip to the wintering areas in 2015.</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8347870157748991974.post-14420247176824581042015-03-25T00:00:00.001-05:002017-01-04T16:36:45.416-06:00Viewing the monarchs wintering in Mexico<i><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Here's a brief report of my March trip to the monarch butterfly wintering grounds. The link to Lake Wingra is that monarchs are a charismatic species that people are concerned about. Any activities that help monarchs are also likely to help our watershed.</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Goals for the trip were to see the butterflies, and to locate some schools nearby who want to exchange letters or art with schools in our watershed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMi1PhZMJscMSmRNe5-AhxDJzvHjXwDSynOEgkRJcVyJTCBlYrndlr8rJukUSLl2nTFRCbEi4TatcOPOee4sfs0R4Y5IcDf8evJ5ov4jEh_Yxo5tmOsa8fgxWDztdEZSpDHcFaCnmblFc/s1600/16753240341_710245f959_k+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMi1PhZMJscMSmRNe5-AhxDJzvHjXwDSynOEgkRJcVyJTCBlYrndlr8rJukUSLl2nTFRCbEi4TatcOPOee4sfs0R4Y5IcDf8evJ5ov4jEh_Yxo5tmOsa8fgxWDztdEZSpDHcFaCnmblFc/s1600/16753240341_710245f959_k+(1).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: small;">Monarchs wintering in the Cerro Pelon reserve.<br /><i>Click on photos to enlarge</i>.</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"></b><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<b style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Logistics</b><br />
<div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I visited the butterfly area between March 2 and March 4, 2015. This is a good time to visit, because the large number of tourists is tapering off (especially if you visit on a weekday), and the butterflies are becoming more active. Weather is pleasant--around 65-70 F during the day.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The trip was inexpensive. Airfare was only $342 round trip, Chicago to Mexico City. From there I took a 3.25 hour bus ride to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angangueo" target="_blank">Angangueo</a>, the town nearest the butterfly reserves. Decent hotels ranged from $17 to $52 a night. I ordered a gourmet dinner, served outside under 400-year-old stone arches in Morelia, for $14 (including two margaritas).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Although there are about 8 different locations with butterflies, only three are reasonably accessible <i>(map below)</i>. I visited the Cerro Pelon and El Rosario reserves. After seeing the butterflies, I went for 4 days to the wonderful colonial city of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morelia" target="_blank">Morelia</a> <i>(photo below)</i>, then for 3 days to Mexico City.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgftOT41HZR1jG1w6xiIrV91MnNh7uCZSxKjfjEuoic9Asa5gNCpOSAnsoh9ZD-24_pVMXnnPvbD5WJbXot3zKBdHbphEodrxoyrp1BRmGEYRvnjM_w0xTICgWBB_arkU1VlAHdI8SGiYA/s1600/16736698759_1f8ab8d862_k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgftOT41HZR1jG1w6xiIrV91MnNh7uCZSxKjfjEuoic9Asa5gNCpOSAnsoh9ZD-24_pVMXnnPvbD5WJbXot3zKBdHbphEodrxoyrp1BRmGEYRvnjM_w0xTICgWBB_arkU1VlAHdI8SGiYA/s1600/16736698759_1f8ab8d862_k.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Travel in the butterfly region of the state of Michoacan is as safe as visiting a popular tourist area in the US.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<b style="font-family: inherit;">The Reserves</b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The Mexican federal government has established a large protected reserve that includes all the wintering areas. That is surrounded by a buffer zone where some economic activities are allowed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In practice, the reserve does not completely protect the butterflies, with trees being cut here and there, sometimes right next to where the butterflies are wintering. There is poor coordination between branches of the government. For example, the reserve is federal, but the rangers are paid by the state park system. I was told the one thing that would most increase protection for butterflies would be more rangers, with longer hours. They work only 9-5, while most tree-cutting takes place at night.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The butterflies cluster densely in only about 6 fur trees in each of the reserves I visited--at about 9,500 feet. They are truly an amazing sight--one of the great wildlife spectacles of the world. It's very peaceful--as if a field full of flowers took wing before you. When something disturbs them and they burst into the air, in the near-silence you can hear something like the hiss of a light rain--thousands of butterfly wings brushing against twigs or other monarchs. During the day, they fly out to nectar among the many flowers surrounding their roosting trees.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Exchanges between schools in Madison and Mexico</b></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnnkVFNTuHqvat0DkI5k-yVrC7hkhdYToxM3tqV0RClMtcoA1-P2MwvqKGa7VCpc8ONCWXiNBswrtUjgh6_Xkblv65ULRdzTaTTKfeGq_zEaUyEb6qTamJ9IIVE8_o8jCTmbBFii896no/s1600/DSC03154+Angangueo+elementary+school+lores.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnnkVFNTuHqvat0DkI5k-yVrC7hkhdYToxM3tqV0RClMtcoA1-P2MwvqKGa7VCpc8ONCWXiNBswrtUjgh6_Xkblv65ULRdzTaTTKfeGq_zEaUyEb6qTamJ9IIVE8_o8jCTmbBFii896no/s1600/DSC03154+Angangueo+elementary+school+lores.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Estela Romero, right, with teacher.</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Exchanges will generate publicity and provide and added dimension to FoLW's work with schools. In the town of Angangueo, I was lucky to run into Estella Romero who speaks excellent English, works in the mayor's office, and has contact with schools (as a former teacher).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">She took me to one elementary school, where the two teachers were enthusiastic about an exchange.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXU2MGD6SwtSBk7gmO-JE0QR5ImCtTgfBO15tkA49iYUVDidPOHVTUpt0bOomUYV_0cV1_IDm2zvrMjvNUt2whCJUxPz5jy6OPPV9-qWHckhTL4N5IElh1pZMOuXYbY61hGfh4jNc8yzE/s1600/16705403307_3c6c3d8c89_k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXU2MGD6SwtSBk7gmO-JE0QR5ImCtTgfBO15tkA49iYUVDidPOHVTUpt0bOomUYV_0cV1_IDm2zvrMjvNUt2whCJUxPz5jy6OPPV9-qWHckhTL4N5IElh1pZMOuXYbY61hGfh4jNc8yzE/s1600/16705403307_3c6c3d8c89_k.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Next, we visited an environmental center, which could provide support to the teachers.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Rt3_JTv1g2HhQbnvPikQfaqxW1SEsXYMHNuyvxzF_2EmJ-6yA7nZ_8qN4Bc6HW2U1VmD-6cUvuqiIk5bTRlsQxDhmLBwFoZRGM5vi3hoIkeVIkOFURY0rbf-Cw4JoZTZ1ufpIB_uWY8/s1600/DSC04318+MDB+compress+Macheros.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Rt3_JTv1g2HhQbnvPikQfaqxW1SEsXYMHNuyvxzF_2EmJ-6yA7nZ_8qN4Bc6HW2U1VmD-6cUvuqiIk5bTRlsQxDhmLBwFoZRGM5vi3hoIkeVIkOFURY0rbf-Cw4JoZTZ1ufpIB_uWY8/s1600/DSC04318+MDB+compress+Macheros.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> A few days later, I visited a second elementary school in the village of Macheros. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">The two teachers were enthusiastic about exchange.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhY_0bGEwXzgDRg2xYIhJDzxESfh1jsQf3Q-37_YHth8SeZlIYWgFkb3KB_nuD9uDyRW8D292MU6VPZGAhJ4pvGtx1sUMO4IHgS7bqivc2RXeXDJPTFaSryOSPOJ3Vy1zBq0eR8XuzBY8/s1600/DSC04565+CMDB+Macheros+School+compr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhY_0bGEwXzgDRg2xYIhJDzxESfh1jsQf3Q-37_YHth8SeZlIYWgFkb3KB_nuD9uDyRW8D292MU6VPZGAhJ4pvGtx1sUMO4IHgS7bqivc2RXeXDJPTFaSryOSPOJ3Vy1zBq0eR8XuzBY8/s1600/DSC04565+CMDB+Macheros+School+compr.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The children produced letters and drawings for me to take home.</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Back in Madison, several teachers have expressed an interest in the exchanges. Problems with translation of the letters I received should be minimal, because Thoreau, Midvale, and Lincoln schools are all bilingual.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We have yet to work out details of the exchange. Internet and Skype won't work as an exchange medium, because only one of the two schools has internet, which is extremely slow. Only one of the two schools has enough computers for the students (above photo). The other school has just one computer.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Letters are always popular. Artwork has an added advantage, because it can be displayed--and the display creates self-explanatory, enduring publicity. Since the majority of Mexican children have access to cell phones, photos could also be exchanged (via mailed SDHC memory cards).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">What messages should be promoted with the exchange, besides friendship? No doubt, the monarch life cycle, and what children are doing to help them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHEAwO1Wu7w18VeqyJn0a0YbB_Aub9ca9SJIN08GPT96WPeOMu0MTqsfN7261lSTELKMDj5Rwc7GIztVnLSWU-qRxBQF8A_NX4sxz5Re3CwtZsGQ-pGtXzWW3UqCg18PZn4sxzpuxCs7E/s1600/Angangueo-Michoacan-Mexico-2010-flood+from+book+buddies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHEAwO1Wu7w18VeqyJn0a0YbB_Aub9ca9SJIN08GPT96WPeOMu0MTqsfN7261lSTELKMDj5Rwc7GIztVnLSWU-qRxBQF8A_NX4sxz5Re3CwtZsGQ-pGtXzWW3UqCg18PZn4sxzpuxCs7E/s1600/Angangueo-Michoacan-Mexico-2010-flood+from+book+buddies.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">Watershed issues are another potential subject. </span>The town is situated in a mountain valley with steep sides.<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> In 2010, Angangueo suffered a devastating flood, killing at least thirty and making 1,000 homeless.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The flood was a consequence of <a href="http://international-programs.forestry.oregonstate.edu/sites/ip/files/seminars/Final_presentation-Mexico2.pdf" target="_blank">deforestation</a> and building on the steep hillsides--things which also threaten the monarchs. Plans were made to build and relocate people to a safer town, but residents objected and the plans were canceled. </span><a href="http://bookbuddies3.blogspot.com/2013/01/fb-ch-4-mexico_13.html" target="_blank">Photo source</a>.<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4MsnG53imAw8-r8pUmfHo1fb2P9jVaY-gL1vKH8pEztBgdNdhdMWLuVoM2Wh_XoXSHR5-BLCJszcOsUwPlIfz4E3kEO2jOdc0JYGOEh7IvL_1dQFstXqKw5IwvqOepHo-9prspeFhj_Q/s1600/9152380310_4913dc8fab_k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4MsnG53imAw8-r8pUmfHo1fb2P9jVaY-gL1vKH8pEztBgdNdhdMWLuVoM2Wh_XoXSHR5-BLCJszcOsUwPlIfz4E3kEO2jOdc0JYGOEh7IvL_1dQFstXqKw5IwvqOepHo-9prspeFhj_Q/s1600/9152380310_4913dc8fab_k.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">The lake Wingra Watershed also has flooding several times a year. While our floods aren't as devastating, they do stimulate huge public investments in stormwater projects. Watershed restoration could be a less expensive way to reduce flooding, while providing additional benefits such as wildlife habitat.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"># # #</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Map of three accessible butterfly areas</b></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYoPK1uJbzX3aRia0S4qn3oMiPosjtWeSuTKd373dWTAX-SQDuiBYM1849aosFOCc4kF8AopPzaLezqYt12ME-y4lHA2rpv5IbSUe7apHA9SyZvDhOHARQRHbhFKwjQedYmgi1wnIu04U/s1600/Map+of+butterfly+reserves+captions.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYoPK1uJbzX3aRia0S4qn3oMiPosjtWeSuTKd373dWTAX-SQDuiBYM1849aosFOCc4kF8AopPzaLezqYt12ME-y4lHA2rpv5IbSUe7apHA9SyZvDhOHARQRHbhFKwjQedYmgi1wnIu04U/s1600/Map+of+butterfly+reserves+captions.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The map is 150 miles wide. Three butterfly areas are shown with X: Sierra Chincua, El Rosario, & Cerro Pelon, top to bottom. Cities/towns are show with circles: Angangueo, Zitacuaro, & Macheros from top down. Dark green areas are forested mountains.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Below, I've listed contact information</b>...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Facilitator/translator in Angangueo</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Works in Mayor's Office, private English instructor, interested in Monarchs.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Her house was damaged by the big flood in 1010.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ma. Estela Romero Vazquez</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Calle Nacional #9</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Centro, Angangueo, Mexico</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Turquesa121@hotmail.com</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Altenare</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">A sustainable and traditional agriculture center in Angangueo; a resource for schools.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Fundraiser: M. en C. Guadalupe del Rio Pesado (She lives in Mexico City)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Caravaggio No. 24, Col. Nonoalco Mixcoac;</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Deleg. Benito Juarez; Mexico D.F. C.P. 03700, Mexico</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">(55) 55-63-7100</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">alterna5@prodigy.net.mx; www.alternare.org</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The guides I photographed were Marcelina Cruz Rivera and Xochitl Velazquez Alcantar.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>MonarchWatch.org</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Debbie Jackson, Conservation Specialist, Educational programs for Ages 9-94</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">debbieamj@monarchwatch.org 248-459-1399</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">www.monarchwatch.org/cs</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Elementary School in Macheros</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Close to the Cerro Pelon reserve.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Teacher who lives in Zitacuaro and receives mail there:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ma. Teresa Garcia Bautista (grades 4-6)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2a. Cda. de Degollado Ote. No 27</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Col. Heroes Ferrocarrileros</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Zitacuaro Michoacan C.P. 61508</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Mexico</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The other teacher (who lives at the school) is Mtra. Janeth Castro Hernandez (grades 1-3).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This school has internet but it's extremely slow. Only one computer works.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Elementary School in Angangueo</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Lupita Montoya teaches the 5th grade computer class. They have about 15 working computers but no internet.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Lupis_MD4@hotmail.com</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Hotels</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><u>Mexico City</u> near Zocalo. Inexpensive but good. You can take the subway from the airport, and walk only 4 blocks to the hotel.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Isabel La Catolica#63, Colonia Centro, Mexico D.F. 06000</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">011-52 (55) 5518-1213 al 17. hisabel@prodigy.net.mx 011 is access code, 52 is country, 55 is Mexico City area , second 55 is a coincidence.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">www.hotel-isabel.com.mx</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><u>Macheros</u> near Cerro Pelon</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Excellent, middle price range, excellent location in tiny town, provides tours to Cerro Pelon and other sanctuaries.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">JM's Butterfly B&B</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Macheros 51030, Donato Guerra, Mexico</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">726-596-3117; cell (01) 715-112-5499</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Joel@jmbutterflybnb.com</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><u>Angangueo</u> about a mile down from the main plaza:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Mid range but excellent, conveniently located in nice town.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Plaza Don Gabino Hotel</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Morelos 147, Angangueo 61411, Mexico</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">hotelplazagabino@hotmail.com 11 52 715 156 0322</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g1219619-d1739242-Reviews-Plaza_Don_Gabino_Hotel-Angangueo_Central_Mexico_and_Gulf_Coast.html</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><u>Morelia</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Inexpensive but excellent; about 4 blocks from downtown main square.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Hostal Allende, www.hjostelallende.com.mx</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Allende 843</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Morelia, Mexico</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">(443)-312-2246</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Recommended guides</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Oscar Reyes 715-127-2308 or 7308, driver in Angangueo, speaks English</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Maria del Carmen Perfecto Garcia (does not speak English but very good, has good stories)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Other resources </b>(recommended by Debbie)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Chip's blogs</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Monarchjointventure.org</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">journeynorth.org</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Monarchwatch.org</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Milkweeds, monarchs, and more. By Ba Rea, Karen Oberhauser & Michael Quinn.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">School exchanges--"The symbolic monarchs are in Mexico!"</span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8347870157748991974.post-81443027740218159792015-02-24T23:01:00.002-06:002015-02-24T23:07:01.943-06:00Obama reveals plan to save Monarch Butterflies from extinction<span style="color: #fff2cc;">.</span><br />
Two million dollars are targeted to grow milkweed and other food plants along the Monarch's migration route. <a href="http://www.alternet.org/environment/obama-launches-plan-save-monarch-butterfly" target="_blank">Read more</a>.<br />
<br />
An official petition has been launched to have Monarchs classified as an endangered species.<br />
<br />
<b>Increase in winter population</b><br />
<br />
"The number of monarchs overwintering in Mexico has increased from last year's record low but the population remains 80% below the historic average.<br />
<br />
This year's population contains 57 million monarchs compared to a long-term average of 300 million and a peak of 1 billion. The clustering butterflies cover less than 3 acres of forest compared to a peak of 51 acres in 1996 and an average of 15 acres.<br />
<br />
Half of this year's butterflies are residing in only one of the 12 traditional sites, the El Rosario sanctuary." <a href="https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forums/americas-mexico/topics/morelia-as-a-base-for-visiting-cerro-pellon" target="_blank">Source</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8347870157748991974.post-59228275098020104342015-02-17T22:47:00.000-06:002015-07-26T17:54:42.631-05:00How to raise monarch butterflies from the egg<span style="color: #fff2cc;">.</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEnRqi-zojulGON6ZoCxfXDxZ_IlQFPCUaaOtZk6y_684reIBpNeEPSwYYdFqOrKbqn-CY8HJ3CY3N8ngoMCD3greuIw6khazvmZyTBDoWOV0twTXwXWCRS9fAvvPIcWgBACJB4J-EI_k/s1600/15951257194_9c89df394c_k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEnRqi-zojulGON6ZoCxfXDxZ_IlQFPCUaaOtZk6y_684reIBpNeEPSwYYdFqOrKbqn-CY8HJ3CY3N8ngoMCD3greuIw6khazvmZyTBDoWOV0twTXwXWCRS9fAvvPIcWgBACJB4J-EI_k/s1600/15951257194_9c89df394c_k.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Look for eggs in a large garden </span><span style="font-size: small;">where you see lots of monarchs.</span></i><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Click on photos to enlarge.</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The purpose of raising monarchs...<br />
<ul>
<li>Boost populations, since there is very high mortality of caterpillars in the wild.</li>
<li>Teach people about the miraculous life cycle of butterflies</li>
<li>Provide chrysalises to classrooms, where children can view butterflies emerging. Once people have seen the amazing life cycle of monarchs, they can't help but want to work for preservation of habitat.</li>
<li>Raising monarchs is an opportunity for children to learn firsthand many details about biology and husbandry, along with responsibility and perseverance.</li>
</ul>
<b>Supplies needed</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Hand lens--about 10X or 20X--to confirm you have monarch egg, and to see black head that indicates egg is ready to hatch.</li>
<li>Nearby supply of several large wild plants--to feed caterpillars</li>
<li>X-Acto knife--handy for cutting ends off leaves or plants you have placed in water, so they will continue to take up water. Also handy for cutting a small square from the leaf, with the egg on the square.</li>
<li>Nail scissors--handy for cutting the eggs from the leaf, or for cutting stalks of milkweed for food.</li>
<li>Glue, such as for plastic airplane models--to fasten chrysalis to a matchstick, for pinning to your Butterfly tent</li>
<li>Plant mister</li>
<li>Bleach (chlorine)--for disinfecting (use 1 parts bleach with 9 parts water)</li>
<li>Plastic containers with lids--to hold milkweed leaves or upper stems of whole plants</li>
<li>Paper towel--cut a tiny strip, and use this to transfer freshly hatched caterpillar from ice cube tray to a fresh leaf.</li>
<li>Ice cube tray (white plastic)--place your leaf squares with eggs into the tray, one egg per compartment.</li>
<li>Optional: mesh container--where adults can emerge <a href="http://www.amazon.com/GrillPro-80100-Food-Umbrella/dp/B000VE4LS2/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1437948272&sr=8-14&keywords=mesh+food+tent" target="_blank">Example</a></li>
</ul>
<b>Cautions</b><br />
<br />
There's a fair amount of work involved. The Friends of Lake Wingra will make it easier by showing you how--and in some cases, finding eggs and milkweed plants for food.<br />
<br />
At all stages, you need to avoid spreading the parasitic disease known as OE. It's a protozoan parasite carried by 6% of monarchs. When an infected female lays an egg, a few of the spores are spread from her wings onto the egg, so the caterpillar becomes infected. That caterpillar can spread it to other caterpillars. Or, you could spread it with your hands, or by the brush you use to transfer caterpillars from plant to plant.<br />
<br />
The OE parasite is harmless to humans, but it weakens the butterflies, so they are less able to migrate. Some biologists believe this is why migration benefits monarchs. The infected butterflies are unable to complete migration, so the overwintering adults--the ones that start the next generation--are infection-free.<br />
<br />
You can spot some infected caterpillars because they have a "dirty" appearance, with the stripes less crisp-looking. Or, the chrysalis may look dirty, or the emerging butterfly may appear somewhat deformed.<br />
<br />
A monarch female lays over 700 eggs on average, yet only two need to survive to reproduce. So a lot of mortality at each stage is expected and normal. Don't feel bad if one of your caterpillars dies. It's probably not your fault, and if the egg had hatched in the wild, its chances of survival would have been worse. There are hordes of predatory insects, spiders, and birds that would love to dine on a juicy caterpillar, even if it's somewhat poisonous. Amazingly, some of the predators have ways to deal with the poisons. Some birds will remove the wings of an adult monarch they have caught, because most of the toxins are stored in the wings.<br />
<br />
It takes over a month--depending on temperature--from egg-laying to emergence of the adult. So time your monarch project accordingly. You don't want your vacation to occur at the wrong time, or the butterflies to emerge after classes end for the summer vacation.<br />
<br />
The monarchs you raise aren't your pets. Raising a caterpillar is a serious contract you are making with a species in trouble. In exchange for its freedom, you are promising to help that individual, and to help the species. So take your role seriously.<br />
<br />
<b>Finding eggs</b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT9SoTZkNJzm4pQws3QDxZklU5XprEzxEsDljhic6KNDh1Up6JJR99I_lccOapwHxuzXMpXxx4Ly3_vpZN6QMA87YdCOpPi1Zr559kfBRRpPsYjPcu5KZfaZrqAuNkmUFQncuAvPKSV54/s1600/DSC09960+C8x8MSh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT9SoTZkNJzm4pQws3QDxZklU5XprEzxEsDljhic6KNDh1Up6JJR99I_lccOapwHxuzXMpXxx4Ly3_vpZN6QMA87YdCOpPi1Zr559kfBRRpPsYjPcu5KZfaZrqAuNkmUFQncuAvPKSV54/s1600/DSC09960+C8x8MSh.jpg" width="200" /></a><b><br /></b>
Once you see adults in your area, it may be possible to find eggs, about the size of the head of a pin.<br />
<br />
Eggs are creamy to yellow in color, slightly translucent, and have a distinctive ribbed structure you can see with a hand lens. The eggs are laid on the underside of leaves, usually one to a plant (but sometimes you can find more). Sometimes you can find eggs on seed pods. Eggs are laid only on a plant in the milkweed genus, including common milkweed, butterfly weed, and swamp milkweed. If you find one egg, then check other plants nearby to find more.<br />
<br />
I was lucky to find several eggs on common milkweed in a county park in June. But it's much more likely to find eggs if you go to a large garden with many flowers, where you can see many monarch adults flitting about. Then examine the underside of leaves of any milkweed plant there.<br />
<br />
Look for eggs on taller milkweed plants along the edge of a garden or prairie, or along a lakeshore or stream border. Borders tend to concentrate the laying females. Eggs become more common as the summer progresses.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGHolh0PG3_qmYL0TuYElLbcv1ScSqxWUUWUWQtx6ZcZc5NzdcU4caLoo7raEbc6GNgUfJZJIdTVIE97e_xu4qzQROueRUzl8Cx1TCmZ5uBIcqjHUxK98vOvPvOZA1qk4IAuwGCsdWAGo/s1600/DSC09933+nectaring+C8x10M+20SatSh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGHolh0PG3_qmYL0TuYElLbcv1ScSqxWUUWUWQtx6ZcZc5NzdcU4caLoo7raEbc6GNgUfJZJIdTVIE97e_xu4qzQROueRUzl8Cx1TCmZ5uBIcqjHUxK98vOvPvOZA1qk4IAuwGCsdWAGo/s1600/DSC09933+nectaring+C8x10M+20SatSh.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Monarch nectaring at top of plants.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
If a monarch adult is on the top of the plant where flowers are, then they are nectaring (feeding).<br />
<br />
But if they land lower in the foliage, then they are probably laying. They will alternate between nectaring and laying. Laying takes just a minute. The female arches her abdomen under the leaf to deposit the egg. You could quickly mark that leaf, then follow her about to wait for her next egg. If you aren't quick enough to mark the leaf, then remember that area, and search all milkweeds in the area.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbOv_LA05SU9tqZAm7epzfS89PJuUgn-MylWK9uKflTljkQu8KuKSMryV4AQW4hH5ir2FkcZ8OzV-Cid_elDNGmRPMeD-s9KadBQbXVyo_dk5PGD70vHm21L2ttj3FZklIABdNa-d_pDc/s1600/DSC09942+female+laying+egg+clear+C8x8MD+20SatSh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbOv_LA05SU9tqZAm7epzfS89PJuUgn-MylWK9uKflTljkQu8KuKSMryV4AQW4hH5ir2FkcZ8OzV-Cid_elDNGmRPMeD-s9KadBQbXVyo_dk5PGD70vHm21L2ttj3FZklIABdNa-d_pDc/s1600/DSC09942+female+laying+egg+clear+C8x8MD+20SatSh.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female laying down in the foliage.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbeAurE3_xM2DHO6tI65Wjs1wY57GeqHFovFXDxEMyS5s4aWxHZKnFMUAH7mC5pE3NJ9nuGSTKcA82hYvW1FlUznI9qbnBTGoul60IiWe9_3_Xk_1QnQRNf_2v3Hg1hVZKqkTYqGP-YAs/s1600/DSC02938+MC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbeAurE3_xM2DHO6tI65Wjs1wY57GeqHFovFXDxEMyS5s4aWxHZKnFMUAH7mC5pE3NJ9nuGSTKcA82hYvW1FlUznI9qbnBTGoul60IiWe9_3_Xk_1QnQRNf_2v3Hg1hVZKqkTYqGP-YAs/s1600/DSC02938+MC.jpg" width="200" /></a>When you find eggs, how do you get them home? If you go out waking, it's handy to carry a small container. <br />
<br />
I use little metal jars intended for tea samples, with holes in the screw-on lid. When you find an egg, you can tear off a small portion of the leaf with the egg attached, and put it in the jar. I have also put many leaves with eggs attached in the ample breast pocket of my expedition shirt. If you don't hug anyone, the eggs will be OK if you go straight home. The pocket is good because in that location, the eggs won't overheat; beware of leaving eggs in direct sun or in hot cars.<br />
<br />
<b>Incubating the eggs</b><br />
<b><br /></b>Cut the eggs from the leaf with nail scissors or an X-Acto knife--so the egg is in the middle of a tiny square of leaf. Place the egg on its square into one compartment of an ice cube tray. We don't leave the eggs on the leaf you find them on because that original leaf will dry out before the egg hatches.<br />
<br />
The eggs hatch after about 5 days. At first the egg looks creamy and uniform. About 12-24 hours before hatching, the top of the egg (away from the leaf surface) turns dark or black-- that's the black head of the caterpillar visible through the transparent egg shell. When you see black, that's time to transfer the square of leaf to a small, fresh milkweed leaf. That way, the egg hatches on a fresh leaf, and you don't have to transfer the caterpillar yourself.<br />
<br />
If the egg hatches in the ice cube tray, it's easy to see the tiny caterpillar because the tray is white. Transfer the tiny caterpillar carefully with a strip of paper towel. Usually, if you put the paper strip under the front of the caterpillar, he will instantly attach a strand of silk to the paper. Then you can lift him by the silk and move him to the fresh leaf.<br />
<br />
When the egg hatches, a very tiny caterpillar emerges--hard to see without a hand lens. It first may eat the egg shell, then it wanders off a short distance, and may begin to eat the leaf it is on.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs8aeXoQDTqjLhFvWctI5-fG9bemACveuFLaiFtYJEY4YGYsIASRoK7aGKN_KfchMyJHMow39frOnGlU0CFBNRV25EVGnillD8y8whPNWPaGwYioLBY-zA0BmcKMyZ7rU31zFbgMKha7o/s1600/DSC00057+MAcolCD+DB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs8aeXoQDTqjLhFvWctI5-fG9bemACveuFLaiFtYJEY4YGYsIASRoK7aGKN_KfchMyJHMow39frOnGlU0CFBNRV25EVGnillD8y8whPNWPaGwYioLBY-zA0BmcKMyZ7rU31zFbgMKha7o/s1600/DSC00057+MAcolCD+DB.jpg" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Transfer the caterpillar<br />
to a fresh leaf with a brush<br />
or piece of paper towel.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Feeding the caterpillars</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Keep your caterpillars on a table top that is otherwise empty. That way, you can easily spot escaping larvae.<br />
<br />
Keep providing fresh food, keep the container clean, mist daily, and regularly check for wandering caterpillars (or chrysalises).<br />
<br />
At first, the little caterpillars don't seem to eat much--just tiny little holes. But as they grow, they eventually eat a great deal every day.<br />
<br />
Give the caterpillars fresh leaves about every other day, or as soon as the leaf wilts. Never allow them to remain on dried-out leaves.<br />
<br />
You can place a number of newly-hatched caterpillars on one leaf. As they grow, they will need bigger leaves, and food more often.<br />
<br />
Once they get larger, give them the top half or top third of an entire plant. A portion of plant will resist drying out, and you won't have to waste time transferring caterpillars from one plant to another. If you bring in a large stem, look for and remove any spiders or insects.<br />
<br />
To transfer a caterpillar, use of small strip of paper towel. If this isn't working, you can cut off a portion of the old leaf, and transfer this with the caterpillar to the new leaf.<br />
<br />
Keep the water in your containers fresh. To prolong life of a leaf or stem of milkweed, cut the stem end once a day.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja-RZ_TooGQsuvxaZwkeYyIinviWt8kSqjXQ50F1bs78-yRbH1lneNhwo-PUGc1Mf6INtBlekCwujvPBQ0O_hHXApcVi8MJy2QQgmyb1tPYYhyes1uZTEuHs1SRid6j19qGVx7pu8qeow/s1600/DSC07967+CDB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja-RZ_TooGQsuvxaZwkeYyIinviWt8kSqjXQ50F1bs78-yRbH1lneNhwo-PUGc1Mf6INtBlekCwujvPBQ0O_hHXApcVi8MJy2QQgmyb1tPYYhyes1uZTEuHs1SRid6j19qGVx7pu8qeow/s1600/DSC07967+CDB.jpg" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Large caterpillars<br />
can eat a whole leaf in a few hours.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Caterpillar excrement is called frass. <br />
It consists of small, dry pellets--black or dark green. The frass is odorless and harmless, but large caterpillars can produce a great deal. To keep your house clean, place newspapers under the plant. Then using scotch tape, turn up the edge of the newspaper to make a little fence on four sides. This keeps the round frass from rolling away onto the floor. Or, you can just vacuum the area twice a day.<br />
<br />
If you are raising the caterpillars in a container, empty it out every day or so, as frass accumulates.<br />
<br />
In the wild, the caterpillars would get the water they need from milkweed sap, or from dew and rain. You should mist their food once a day. If their food plants are wilted, or the humidity in your house is low, then you may need to mist them more often.<br />
<br />
Caterpillars prefer some species of milkweed over others. Some people say they prefer swamp (purple) milkweed.<br />
<br />
<b>Behavior of caterpillars</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
It's surprisingly complex.<br />
<br />
Larvae, even tiny ones, have a safety line--a tiny silk thread spun from their rear end. If they get knocked off a leaf, they are still safely tethered to their food plant. Sometimes you can use the silk thread to pick them up safely with a brush.<br />
<br />
The larvae don't seem to mind the presence of others nearby, and the big ones won't eat the little ones. They even seemed to get used to my presence. While eating or moving about, they may become motionless when you enter the room--responding to the vibrations of your footfall.<br />
<br />
They prefer the undersides of leaves, where they are hidden from predators, and safe from the drying effects of sun, or from rain and wind.<br />
<br />
Caterpillars tend to eat in a little circle, with themselves in the middle. It's said that this way, they cut off the area where they are feeding from the flow of sap. The milkweed sap is sticky and rubber like, as a defense against monarchs, and also a bit toxic even to the caterpillars. To for them, the less sap the better. Large caterpillars may also nip the base of the leaf to stop the flow of sap, so that it hangs down.<br />
<br />
Each caterpillar has several rhythms of activity, and they don't seem to be synchronized with the day-night cycle. A caterpillar will eat steadily for some hours, then rest. Then eat again. After a while, they become inactive for about a day, in preparation for molting--shedding of their skin. First the head capsule drops off, then it wriggles out of the old skin over several hours. Then it will rest after shedding. Then the whole cycle of resting and eating, then resting to molt, happens again. They molt 5 times.<br />
<br />
The reason I mention rhythms is that you may think your caterpillar is sick. It might even drop off the plant during an inactive period. If you disturb it, it will move slightly, but it won't eat. Be patient, and probably it will resume eating soon.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfv-RYBT-JBMv2RpgID-a0y2UyBx_yMEXGbIYD_rYwZdLxWHK1ApTH89K9Oo28K4FjJLqYZeF6RYSgxpUglbdyPXOPX1UaFNRcqJOHxOyQvNdENMER9pm313Yrq70gat_wvTpvLgY9RNs/s1600/DSC07968+C.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfv-RYBT-JBMv2RpgID-a0y2UyBx_yMEXGbIYD_rYwZdLxWHK1ApTH89K9Oo28K4FjJLqYZeF6RYSgxpUglbdyPXOPX1UaFNRcqJOHxOyQvNdENMER9pm313Yrq70gat_wvTpvLgY9RNs/s1600/DSC07968+C.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The last larval stage may start to wander.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
When your caterpillar is in its last skin (instar), it gets cranky and unpredictable, like a teenager. Now it may leave the plant and wander off some distance. You replace it on the plant, but it wanders off again. It can cross a while room in a short time. Is it tired of your lodgings? No--it's just looking for a good place to molt into the chrysalis. After all, it's going to be "sleeping" in the chrysalis for about 10 days, completely defenseless, and mostly unable to move. So it's urgently looking for a very safe place.<br />
<br />
Now's the biggest crisis in your rearing job. The caterpillar may completely disappear. When you walk into the room, watch your step, so you don't squash it. Check especially under tables or counters, or in the drapes. If you are very thorough, you'll probably find it 6-10' from where it was feeding.<br />
<br />
To avoid wandering, place large caterpillars on a milkweed stem with many leaves, in a container with slippery sides. Don't let the milkweed leaves touch the wall. With these precautions, your caterpillar will probably form the chrysalis on the milkweed plant. Using a 10-gallon aquarium with a lid is another way to keep them from wandering.<br />
<br />
You know for sure the caterpillar is ready to form the chrysalis when it begins to hang from it's tail end in a "J" shape. It spins a slender stalk of silk, attached to the under surface of a counter, or to the twig. Inside the J-shaped caterpillar, the chrysalis, and even some of the adult structures, are already forming. Within a day or so, it will shed the last caterpillar skin and reveal the chrysalis.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEgxgqWbkvAd6ASLEEc1DT55t-LylEYPFQz0YPNNeDMfGtnY-8-SUWUpu7OeyFPR0VPWl1PtSy_oEOQmt0qHa1io_X0ze5wneVLHUuPUke2t1iEMdExQsaggkoqKUBxnl4JoN11zBDAzo/s1600/DSC00479+CvMDBSh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEgxgqWbkvAd6ASLEEc1DT55t-LylEYPFQz0YPNNeDMfGtnY-8-SUWUpu7OeyFPR0VPWl1PtSy_oEOQmt0qHa1io_X0ze5wneVLHUuPUke2t1iEMdExQsaggkoqKUBxnl4JoN11zBDAzo/s1600/DSC00479+CvMDBSh.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Chrysalis attached by a new stalk to plastic lid.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This shedding process is amazing. You would think that the stalk of silk the caterpillar is hanging from is the future stalk for the chrysalis--but this isn't the case. When the chrysalis had nearly wriggled free from the hanging caterpillar skin, it makes a sudden move--dont' miss it! The chrysalis removes its tail from the hanging skin and suddenly stabs the tail onto the surface above. Apparently this stalk-like tail of the chrysalis has some natural glue, so it sticks fast after one or more pokes. Now the chrysalis is hanging from a new stalk, and the old silk stalk of the caterpillar, along with the old skin, drops to the ground.<br />
<br />
If the chrysalis (also called the pupa) attaches to a kitchen counter, you do not have to remove the counter and cart it off to school. Instead, gently cut the stalk of the chrysalis, keeping the stalk as long as possible. You can handle the chrysalis gently (if it has hardened for a day). Observe sterile conditions.<br />
<br />
Use a tiny drop of plastic airplane glue or a piece of thread to attach the chrysalis stalk to a match stick. Then, pin the match stick to the roof of your butterfly tent. Or, you could use a 10 gallon aquarium with lid.<br />
<br />
The butterfly can even emerge when the chrysalis is lying on a flat surface, provided there is something nearby the newly emerged butterfly can climb up. It can only unfold and dry it's wings when it is hanging upside down with enough space.<br />
<br />
The chrysalis undergoes many visible changes during the 9-14 days before the adult emerges. The caterpillar flesh inside the shell is becoming completely reorganized. You can see the chrysalis slowly changing shape, and the wing cases enlarging. A little necklace of silvery beads grows around the chrysalis. These are the metabolic wastes of the pupa being deposited close to the shell of the chrysalis. A few days before the butterfly emerges, you can see the orange of the wings growing brighter. The wings get fairly bright and obvious a few hours before emergence.<br />
<br />
<b>Emerging from the chrysalis</b><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZsnxsnoJmJzpBIXzPUrrE4Wece3lITBHudccdvklAR0-Z8u402-7CkFh-_q-l98lZr-3gF85T-j8RG44N3C26-PjymSnNvpRrC1F6jPUjyK6rl87PSSne9BYBXcQXKR1gPaYBPh_CTPw/s1600/DSC00300+DB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZsnxsnoJmJzpBIXzPUrrE4Wece3lITBHudccdvklAR0-Z8u402-7CkFh-_q-l98lZr-3gF85T-j8RG44N3C26-PjymSnNvpRrC1F6jPUjyK6rl87PSSne9BYBXcQXKR1gPaYBPh_CTPw/s1600/DSC00300+DB.jpg" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Caterpillars packed for school</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
This is the payoff of all your work, so try not to miss it!<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<br /></div>
Butterflies tend to emerge mid-morning. The process takes about 15 minutes (with several hours for the wings to expand and harden). Everything must happen just right. Your job--very important--is to provide a rough surface that the butterfly can grasp with its claws as soon as it emerges. If the chrysalis stalk is attached to a twig, that's fine. But if the stalk of the chrysalis is attached to something slippery, the butterfly will fall to the bottom of the container, and its wings will be forever warped.<br />
<br />
The chrysalis splits, and the adult begins to wriggle out and expand. It must hang freely down from the lid or twig, while it's wings first expand with blood, and then while the wings harden. Do not handle or disturb the new butterfly for many hours while the wings harden. Once they are hard, you may move the butterfly by gently clasping the folded wings with your thumb and forefinger.<br />
<br />
If you don't want to use your fingers, remember that the adult has two large claws on each leg. You can hook those claws with a twig or Q-tip, and lift it to place it somewhere safer.<br />
<br />
The butterfly can be placed in a small mesh enclosure made for butterflies or for dirty laundry--they are available on the internet. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/GrillPro-80100-Food-Umbrella/dp/B000VE4LS2/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1437948272&sr=8-14&keywords=mesh+food+tent" target="_blank">Example 1</a>. <a href="http://www.homedepot.com/p/PicnicPal-36-in-x-22-in-x-25-in-Food-Protecting-Tent-PP-100/205666464" target="_blank">Example 2.</a><br />
<br />
<b>Releasing the adult</b><br />
<br />
You can feed the butterfly for several days with honey--1 part honey to 9 parts water. Moisten a bit of sponge or a Q-tip with the sugary solution. The butterfly has taste receptors in its front legs. So if you hold the Q-tip up in front of the butterfly, and encourage it to put its feet on the Q-tip, it should soon uncoil its proboscis and sip the nectar.<br />
<br />
It's best to release the adult in the morning of the day after emergence. It shouldn't be too cold--temperature above 55 F and wind less than 15 mph. If during fall, mid-morning might be a good time. Watch to see which direction it flies. Mine immediately headed south!<br />
<br />
If you keep the adult for several days, you will notice at first that it stays quietly where it emerged. Butterflies are cold blooded, so their activity is determined by temperature. As the day progresses, it warms up. It may begin to move its wings, which helps it to warm up more. Suddenly, it will launch itself toward a window. From there it may fall to the ground. So be careful where you walk. If you plan to keep it a day or so till the weather improves, place it back on a plant where it can hang for the night.<br />
<br />
If your adult cannot fly, it may simply be that temperatures are too cool. Or, it's wings may have become warped during emergence--especially if it fell down or had too little space to expand. It may be weakened by the OE parasite. If your butterfly cannot fly, that's sad. I would then feed it for as long as it lasts. For me, that was about a week. Learn all you can about its behavior. Remember, that's the bargain you made. Treat it the best you can, and teach others about its miraculous life. The life of one single individual isn't what's most important. <br />
<br />
Take in the wonder of its existence--the incredibly complex and fragile life cycle--and resolve to teach about monarchs and to improve their habitat.<br />
<br />
<b>Frequently asked questions</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<i style="font-weight: bold;">My butterfly never emerged from the chrysalis. </i><br />
<br />
If temperatures are low, it may take up to two weeks for the butterfly to emerge from the chrysalis. Freezing (or direct sun with elevated temperatures) will kill the chrysalis. If your caterpillar was weakened by the OE parasite (or another disease), it may not emerge, or will emerge deformed. If the food quality was low (leaves late in season or dried out), that could weaken the caterpillar.<br />
<br />
<i><b>My large caterpillar looks sick--dark and limp and inactive.</b></i><br />
Don't worry. Your caterpillar may be ready to form the "J," then the chrysalis. This is normal. If dark and limp, and if the antennae are crooked, and if he is wiggling, he may be about to shed the last caterpillar skin to form the chrysalis. Watch carefully--it only takes about a minute. Smaller caterpillars are also inactive before an after molting--shedding their skins.<br />
<i><br /></i>
<b><i>My caterpillar left his food and is wandering.</i></b><br />
At any stage, wandering is a sign that (1) your food is unsatisfactory, probably dried out or dirty, or (2) the caterpillar is getting ready to shed his skin. Before shedding, smaller caterpillars don't go far, perhaps just to the side of the vase holding the food. But just before they form the "J," caterpillars get VERY restless. If they have an easy way to escape, they probably will. You need to watch them at this time. The wandering phase only lasts a few hours. It's a good time to give them fresh food, to make sure it's not bad food that's causing the wandering.<br />
<br />
<i><b>My egg hatched, but the tiny caterpillar disappeared.</b></i><br />
Hatching (and just before the J) is the trickiest time of rearing, so be careful. Possible causes of disappeared hatchlings:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>There are predators about at night: ants, spiders, or wasps. Eliminate predators from food plants. Keep your caterpillars indoors.</li>
<li>The caterpillars wander and get lost in clutter. Check eggs frequently for the blackhead stage, and transfer them before or soon after hatching to a fresh leaf. Use a white ice cube tray where hatchlings are easy to see. Place the tray at the top of a tall, clear drinking glass. Check under the table.</li>
<li>Small caterpillars may wander from one vase (or food leaf) to another. </li>
</ul>
<div>
<b><i>My caterpillar don't do anything.</i></b></div>
<div>
This is normal. Mostly, they just eat, excrete, rest, and change their skins. But if you watch them more closely, they have surprisingly complex behavior. There are several cycles of resting and eating for each instar (an instar is a stage of the caterpillar's life, separated by changing the skin). There are 5 instars.</div>
<br />
<br />
<b><i>Can I change from one type of food plant to another?</i></b><br />
Monarch larvae eat ONLY plants in the milkweed genus. However, if they are started on one species of milkweed, they will eat another species. They may not prefer the new food, but they will adjust. Changing food species could be one cause of "wandering" caterpillars.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Can I hatch adult butterflies in the same enclosure where the caterpillars are fed?</i></b><br />
This is not a good idea, because some of the emerging butterflies may be infected with the OE parasite, even if they look healthy. These butterflies will be loaded with OE spores, and spread them to the caterpillars. You should sterilize your hands with hand sanitizer after you handle butterflies, before you touch anything the caterpillars use. If you are not careful, all you butterflies could become infected. They might then be too weak to complete the migration.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8347870157748991974.post-30028303208103638562015-02-17T15:13:00.001-06:002015-02-17T16:17:00.335-06:00Earth Leadership Program for kids<div style="text-align: right;">
<i><span style="background-color: white;"></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i><span style="color: #fff2cc;">.</span></i></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://mail.aol.com/webmail/getPart?uid=31947232&partId=1.2.2&saveAs=14777060690_1e7dd4fbb6_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="14777060690_1e7dd4fbb6_b.jpg" border="0" class="AOLInlineImage" height="200" id="TIE.402593" src="https://mail.aol.com/webmail/getPart?uid=31947232&partId=1.2.2&saveAs=14777060690_1e7dd4fbb6_b.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 102, 204); margin-top: 5px; vertical-align: middle;" title="14777060690_1e7dd4fbb6_b.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i style="text-align: right;">Female monarch laying eggs at </i><i style="text-align: right;">Thoreau School.</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">For two years, the Friends of Lake Wingra (FoLW) has been working with elementary schools.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">First we provided caterpillars from a biological supply company to demonstrate the butterfly life cycle.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Then we provided monarch chrysalises ourselves, to reduce costs and help rescue the monarchs.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">In a new program for elementary schools, selected students--the Earth Leaders--will raise monarch caterpillars and teach other students about the life cycle.</span></div>
<a name='more'></a><b style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Purpose</span></b><br />
<div style="background-color: white;">
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Develop leadership and self-confidence in the student leader.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Develop biological knowledge and skills in the student leader.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Provide monarch caterpillars to classrooms at no cost.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Demonstrate the wonders of metamorphosis to classes.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Help with monarch recovery.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Steps in the program </span></b><br />
<div align="left" class="envelope" style="float: right;">
</div>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">FoLW distributes potted milkweed plants, with tiny caterpillars, to participating students in August.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">The student cares for growing caterpillars, starting one month before school opens in fall.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Student provides chrysalises to classrooms (next younger grade). Parent helps find participating teachers.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Student speaks and demonstrates about emerging butterflies.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Student supervises release of butterflies.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Student participates in exchange of artwork & photos with children who live where the butterflies overwinter.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Student participates in sale of milkweed plants to parents the following spring.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">FoLW provides help as needed. The last three steps are optional.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
If you would like your child to participate, contact David Thompson, 692-5467, info@lakewingra.org</span></div>
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: right;">
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQnmUvCaoAmMW-SNZEae3MXUpEVvhXj5yLR9_LVNsWjzLPDv678bGqr8OkB2M5Q0QiXI0NnDaDe3VkITO_dD44ITQQyElt7goruDQ-6NUl_nF6JLJjYCHpbpst-a04tVtfJGd2xsemrw0/s1600/15941731304_a4111aa30c_k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQnmUvCaoAmMW-SNZEae3MXUpEVvhXj5yLR9_LVNsWjzLPDv678bGqr8OkB2M5Q0QiXI0NnDaDe3VkITO_dD44ITQQyElt7goruDQ-6NUl_nF6JLJjYCHpbpst-a04tVtfJGd2xsemrw0/s1600/15941731304_a4111aa30c_k.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Monarch eggs, each on a leaf fragment, lined up in a plastic "incubator box." We'll provide the eggs.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ7Bn6Ev6czG_d5SRjt8kS020SnaiEiaITJ4l5-mvMEO89gFUnesHFsXfsh4N_uIXPlM1QD0bV5u1NozYoLZozPSD1QeqYsZrjI27uoQzpeMjfCV57Mj-fZNNXY1WNPN5xSQSwHlWNqQQ/s1600/16538168986_3e0cab6b26_k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ7Bn6Ev6czG_d5SRjt8kS020SnaiEiaITJ4l5-mvMEO89gFUnesHFsXfsh4N_uIXPlM1QD0bV5u1NozYoLZozPSD1QeqYsZrjI27uoQzpeMjfCV57Mj-fZNNXY1WNPN5xSQSwHlWNqQQ/s1600/16538168986_3e0cab6b26_k.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Caterpillars, nearly full size, after transfer to fresh common milkweed plants. Plants are kept in a sunny spot indoors, where the monarchs are safe from predators.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8347870157748991974.post-39633770841835056292015-01-29T21:07:00.000-06:002015-01-29T22:46:09.087-06:00Harmful deicer promoted in local stores by false ads<span style="color: #fff2cc;">.</span><br />
Today I received an email advertising "Safe Step Sure Paws Ice Melt from Ace Hardware." <span style="text-align: center;">The ad says... </span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-center;">*Salt free </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-center;">*Safe for pets and skin, non- irritating </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-center;">*Non-toxic </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-center;">*Safe on lawns, shrubs and vegetation </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-center;">*Safe for the environment."</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-center;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Salt has killed the shrubs in Ace's own parking lot.</span></i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZIthJHjd6lDNIxpkCXrzFHZYbyrmV5grTXPuxUmYg9N6V1sio77WUcu0M8mQoodxsOn07WxEywO0Am25IgFXtpdAapy9ksdB9pUB8qQEo5VLiC5-6f3EleaV77ugCw1moCdruGqEEF2k/s1600/7925699322_e302be54bd_k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZIthJHjd6lDNIxpkCXrzFHZYbyrmV5grTXPuxUmYg9N6V1sio77WUcu0M8mQoodxsOn07WxEywO0Am25IgFXtpdAapy9ksdB9pUB8qQEo5VLiC5-6f3EleaV77ugCw1moCdruGqEEF2k/s1600/7925699322_e302be54bd_k.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
Every one of these statements is false.<br />
<b style="font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></b>
<b style="font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The truth about this deicer</span></b><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<ul>
<li><u>No Salt?</u> It's about half common salt (sodium chloride) and half magnesium chloride. Both are considered salts.</li>
<li><u>Safe on plants?</u> The two salts are known to degrade soil and kill many plants in your yard. Just look at the sidewalks near shopping centers and schools (<i>photo below)</i>. You'll see a strip of dead grass on either side.</li>
<li><u>Safe for the environment</u>? Both contain chloride, which is increasing every year in our lakes and drinking water. Chloride is known to be lethal to fish and the small things they eat--though some species are more sensitive than others.</li>
<li><u>Non-irritating</u>? The <a href="http://www.capitalsupply.com/Safe%20Step%20Ice%20Melter%20%28English%29.pdf" target="_blank">data sheet</a> for this product says: " <u><span style="color: #990000;">Caution. Eye and skin irritant</span></u>." Symptoms may include <span style="color: #990000;">redness, edema, drying, defatting, and cracking of the skin</span>. Symptoms of overexposure may be<span style="color: #990000;"> headache, dizziness, tiredness, nausea, and vomiting</span>.</li>
<li><u>Safe for pets</u>? We've all seen our pets licking their feet after they come in from a walk.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<b>The final insult</b></div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
The third ingredient, <a href="http://www.anachemia.com/msds/english/5996.pdf" target="_blank">glucopyranoside</a>, may be present up to 1%. This also may be an eye and skin irritant, and harmful to aquatic life. "The toxicity of this substance has not been fully investigated."</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Get free ice-melting instead</b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>If you use a sharp snow shovel, and get most of the snow off as soon as it falls, the remainder will evaporate, and you won't get ice.</li>
<li>If ice does develop, use an ice chopper tool.</li>
<li>Or, use free sand supplied by the City around town in the blue barrels. The sand contains 15% salt.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTSCSrzKyYRhkWWg0a5OJu1CZhbM63g68UvqgdqnuAfunkwkEoXfFDroodgSbnE6H2cZA-c5uBaoHtbjA8qnJPtLW4c9aLzZVmqexaCJiG1Nn3Y2rxj1CPGcjFAeupGyFM2aO1m8ork90/s1600/7925680530_133a581155_k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTSCSrzKyYRhkWWg0a5OJu1CZhbM63g68UvqgdqnuAfunkwkEoXfFDroodgSbnE6H2cZA-c5uBaoHtbjA8qnJPtLW4c9aLzZVmqexaCJiG1Nn3Y2rxj1CPGcjFAeupGyFM2aO1m8ork90/s1600/7925680530_133a581155_k.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8347870157748991974.post-79119753302643582752015-01-27T22:05:00.000-06:002015-01-27T22:46:11.002-06:00Citizen action is the key to counter global warming<div style="text-align: right;">
<i>Indianapolis</i><span style="color: #fff2cc;">.</span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD58Cu2cPr8ELqhzB1JWw6vnE7alIpoVwXJrutXFmkq07FKioWIzFTwIFk_GDrf50fwp3Ykbhb1vLGbBhwOEuoiP6Z5hgsrf1y5eKV0mRH5GZQpibFTEu4WKZ6ZjcH3fapq3gHZsugSMQ/s1600/15297768530_437d1df50d_k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD58Cu2cPr8ELqhzB1JWw6vnE7alIpoVwXJrutXFmkq07FKioWIzFTwIFk_GDrf50fwp3Ykbhb1vLGbBhwOEuoiP6Z5hgsrf1y5eKV0mRH5GZQpibFTEu4WKZ6ZjcH3fapq3gHZsugSMQ/s1600/15297768530_437d1df50d_k.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a>NY Times blogger Andrew Revkin makes some <a href="http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/01/27/a-climate-hawk-separates-energy-thought-experiments-from-road-maps/?mabReward=R1&module=WelcomeBackModal&contentCollection=Opinion&region=FixedCenter&action=click&src=recg&pgtype=article" target="_blank">fascinating points</a>.<br />
<br />
He considers the controversial assertion by "turncoat" environmentalists that "<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/06/national/06enviro.html" target="_blank">the environmental movement is dead.</a>" There's no denying that after the great recession, support for environmental projects is down, and we're facing a congress more hostile to the environment than any since 1970.<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Given this hostile environment, we need to give careful though to what will motivate the public.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
Revkin says it's important to avoid rosy predictions--because converting to renewable energy won't be easy.<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<br /></div>
We need to distinguish between "thought experiments" that are overly optimistic, and the practical road maps for how we'll actually get to a sustainable future.<br />
<br />
Revkin concludes his article by saying: ..."We need...realistic thinking about the social and political buy-in necessary to drive wholesale energy transformation."<br />
<br />
Here's my take on how to generate that <u><b>buy in</b></u>. While the scientists do their research, engineers draw their plans, and politicians dither, <u>citizens</u> need to take individual action.<br />
<br />
Let's encourage citizens to change unsustainable habits, undertake green projects in their yards and neighborhoods, educate children, and begin to transform things they can influence directly and locally. Engage that American "can-do" and optimism.<br />
<br />
Much of the impulse to de-carbonize must come from the grass roots. This is where the "social and political will" can be found.<br />
<br />
That's why <a href="http://www.lakewingra.org/" target="_blank">The Friends of Lake Wingra</a> is about to announce an important new Watershed Outreach Program. The future IS in your hands.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8347870157748991974.post-88680326054687661442015-01-06T12:02:00.001-06:002015-01-06T12:02:55.437-06:00 Support for the idea of global warming<span style="color: #fce5cd;">..</span><br />
In areas with the warmer color, there are more people who believe global warming is a threat.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyh1TAF1fTwxDfMjJD4Dz4cBxk806l9vufLPghzUOh5c56MASEW6-rggs5vRuUOUqWIsHKudPcxDUdH4GCummMpsTbSbJ9BeXp4K3eiWd_Rk0chJ-BVecFZLNg7ZSW5r8YMrjb4g6W4f8/s1600/SupportForGlobalWarming.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyh1TAF1fTwxDfMjJD4Dz4cBxk806l9vufLPghzUOh5c56MASEW6-rggs5vRuUOUqWIsHKudPcxDUdH4GCummMpsTbSbJ9BeXp4K3eiWd_Rk0chJ-BVecFZLNg7ZSW5r8YMrjb4g6W4f8/s1600/SupportForGlobalWarming.JPG" height="215" width="400" /></a></div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
Results displayed by congressional districts. The map shows results from 1,277,597 users of <a href="http://isidewith.com/">iSideWith.com</a> since Jun 2013 for the question "Is Global Warming a threat to the environment?"<br />
Yes or no response.<br />
<br />
This map is based on a relative strength color scale to make it easier to see areas of support vs opposition. Red represents areas where the highest percentage of users answered "Yes" compared to Violet areas where the highest percentage of users answered "No."<br />
<br />
At the <a href="http://www.isidewith.com/map/4Z3/support-for-global-warming" target="_blank">iSideWith website</a>, you can zoom in on various regions to get more detail.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8347870157748991974.post-63107804834830739142014-11-09T18:04:00.000-06:002014-11-09T18:04:52.358-06:00Kick the salt habit--for the sake of our lakes<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">.</span></i><br />
<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">by Jim Baumann and David Thompson</i><br />
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr9pGVuK_7YiirOKCvW-9_a-wNzAqbnxzEgukhyXKJHy9bTzxffkiumDO-u0a6QLkuoJuOVqlyeijN3qJWIUAWKT1aTCrN6NgcKrZvp6TvgGpAUuk2fxuMyvcaw9mzVJJFBMZGRl4U-pM/s1600/5588107034_3d361bfdb3_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr9pGVuK_7YiirOKCvW-9_a-wNzAqbnxzEgukhyXKJHy9bTzxffkiumDO-u0a6QLkuoJuOVqlyeijN3qJWIUAWKT1aTCrN6NgcKrZvp6TvgGpAUuk2fxuMyvcaw9mzVJJFBMZGRl4U-pM/s1600/5588107034_3d361bfdb3_b.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Madison’s waterways are clearly impacted by winter salt use. Steadily increasing levels of chlorides from deicers have been found in all of Madison's Lakes, and in our wells.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Odana Pond, at the western end of the Lake Wingra watershed, is listed as an impaired water due to very high chloride levels. Most of the salt is from highways, streets and parking lots, but home use also contributes.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Vultures feast on carp at Odana Pond--></i></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<b><a name='more'></a><br /></b></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<b>All deicers are bad for the environment</b></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
We checked the formulas for most deicer salts now available in Madison. All are harmful to the lakes, your garden, and concrete; Most contain chloride. Some, like <i>Pet Safe</i> or <i>Ace Ice Melter</i>, even contain urea, a fertilizer. Urea causes growth of toxic algae in the lakes.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
The claims on the labels, like "safe for the environment" or "safe for concrete," are false. So if you have ice on a slope, we recommend spreading sand.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you must use deicer, consider these ways to reduce the quantity...</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<ul>
<li>Limit use to no more than one pound of salt (NaCl) per 200 square feet of ice.</li>
<li>A heaping 12 ounce cup should be enough for a 60 foot icy sidewalk</li>
<li>A hand-held spreader helps you spread the salt evenly.</li>
<li>More salt does not mean more melting.</li>
<li>Salt will not work when the temperature is 15° F or lower.</li>
<li>If salt is visible on dry pavement, sweep up the extra salt for future use.</li>
<li>After March 1, most snow will melt within a few hours of falling.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<b>Let the sun do your work</b></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white;">
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Consider using the sun to remove ice on your sidewalk. Few people realize that ice evaporates directly to water vapor, even when temperatures are well below zero. It’s called “sublimation.“</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You can speed sublimation by keeping your sidewalk shoveled. Even if there is a thin layer of snow or ice remaining on the pavement, the sun will penetrate, heat the pavement underneath, and cause the overlying ice to sublimate. If you sweep away a fresh dusting of snow, or chop some of the ice, the sun heats the spot of bare pavement, causing the surrounding ice to evaporate even faster. Sublimation </span>works even when it’s cloudy or really cold.</div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
If you read the labels on deicer sacks, they instruct you to shovel snow first, and to remove any slush that forms. The same method applies if you are using the sun to do your work. So why not just forget the salt?</div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So touch up yo</span>ur sidewalk before you go to work, and let the sun do the rest of the work.</div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<b>Dealing with thick ice</b></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
Ice forms when you don't remove all the snow--as happens with some snow blowers. Another cause is when people walk on the snow, before you remove it. The best defense against ice is to remove all the snow before people walk on it</div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
It usually takes a few days for the remaining snow to turn to ice. During that time, you can easily chip off the packed snow with an ice scraper. Once the pavement is mostly bare, the sun will do the rest.</div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
If you have a patch of very slick ice, it may be a sign that runoff is pooling on your sidewalk--trapped by the higher turf on either side. The best remedy is to build a small rain garden next to the problem area.</div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
Note: the sand that the City provides in barrels around town is 15% salt.</div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<b>Salt--not worth the harm</b></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
Salt does work faster than relying on the sun. But salt is useless when temperatures are low. And when you consider the harm, it simply isn't worth the faster melting.</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Bad for the lakes.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Bad for our drinking water.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Some salt mixes contain toxic additives</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Salt tracks into your house.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Kills grass and gardens nearby, causing erosion.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Causes concrete and masonry to decay (below).</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGRXCJbQycXdHKertYxE361vfsQDR33zXwUpQZZgLrGQ3TGSeK7OrGbSAWPslBKfpnCfPBA8LVO6Qiteq7W3Tydfs7CFyO6b31Xpye-rpxXfKQXxUTmzM7Z4mTzr1oRZ1ctD5-rj48xno/s1600/Salt+damage+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGRXCJbQycXdHKertYxE361vfsQDR33zXwUpQZZgLrGQ3TGSeK7OrGbSAWPslBKfpnCfPBA8LVO6Qiteq7W3Tydfs7CFyO6b31Xpye-rpxXfKQXxUTmzM7Z4mTzr1oRZ1ctD5-rj48xno/s1600/Salt+damage+2.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8347870157748991974.post-57378910048475817732014-11-07T17:07:00.002-06:002014-11-20T23:34:02.567-06:00Adopt-a-Spot: A system for rain garden maintenance<span style="color: #fff2cc;">.</span><br />
Maintenance of rain gardens is vital. If they aren't maintained and attractive, there will become eyesores, discouraging future garden construction.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyOM1eNP8ygvJnF-B8SlEFGGUG2OSe59pMRDpCezDbBYvMHgNVhJmmhWX9pRk_YsrnRXFh2jXefErb2O3TYCY_dfd4LOc62i9Jc2s7vDdRiBqvECBDYCXqpwSDw9_FeAJIXE08k19joVU/s1600/%23MG_2656+CM+21Sat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyOM1eNP8ygvJnF-B8SlEFGGUG2OSe59pMRDpCezDbBYvMHgNVhJmmhWX9pRk_YsrnRXFh2jXefErb2O3TYCY_dfd4LOc62i9Jc2s7vDdRiBqvECBDYCXqpwSDw9_FeAJIXE08k19joVU/s1600/%23MG_2656+CM+21Sat.jpg" height="160" width="200" /></a>Some rain gardens will cease to function if they<i> </i>become damaged or clogged with debris. City-built gardens on Keyes St. usually have clogged inlets. A large rain garden on the Edgewood College campus has an eroded berm, reducing its capacity by half <i>(right).</i><br />
<br />
Orange Schroeder has a City-built rain garden on the terrace in front of her house. About two years ago in June, she asked me to help her identify which plants in the garden were weeds. There were several look-alike species I couldn't identify. I took samples to a botanist Ph.D., but he couldn't identify them without flowers. Since we didn't know what species were planted, I was stumped. To pull or not to pull....<br />
<br />
A record of what had been planted, and where, would have helped. What's needed is a database on all rain gardens in Madison with these basic facts recorded, plus who is responsible for maintenance.<br />
<br />
<b>Adopt-a-spot in Lansing, MI</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
When it comes to rain gardens downtown, the capital of Michigan is far ahead of Madison. Lansing has 55 large rain gardens not far from the capitol building, plus 170 flower gardens. The rain gardens are large and well-engineered--with an attractive iron fence.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5v3dG-ZpViMlA8DSlzO80EY59F569140Mhky0M9adbC-ILzrbCZObhLeCU90zv0BVY3RhQ7R1a6KEB_kVZUGo3wllXB8QS2W0DL7BFUSDcJZsxA5upXl18xrQ4kcgj9rV-91jhxDw8ps/s1600/9427994968_eaa7dd53e3_k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5v3dG-ZpViMlA8DSlzO80EY59F569140Mhky0M9adbC-ILzrbCZObhLeCU90zv0BVY3RhQ7R1a6KEB_kVZUGo3wllXB8QS2W0DL7BFUSDcJZsxA5upXl18xrQ4kcgj9rV-91jhxDw8ps/s1600/9427994968_eaa7dd53e3_k.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<a name='more'></a>"The rain gardens were built in 2008 with $1 million in grant money. ...The city does 'infrequent' maintenance, but it does replant flowers twice every year in the spring and fall. <a href="http://www.downtownlansing.org/" target="_blank">Downtown Lansing Inc.</a> is in charge of overseeing maintenance of the rain gardens, which is done mostly by volunteers. It trains volunteers on how to clean the basins."<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzMVhrMO85HSPVrFTldgRvMRnoP3amw9BXbi8JTSyqjmSgj892kjGRVD-Da2VMlIALwQ0fOJJFx3CA826-CQ3GbprfIIl-g76tt3Vz6BH61ukhZ2p8J8qdhv3qRixCqpKlVtuRR9248gg/s1600/9427989698_fcab052be6_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzMVhrMO85HSPVrFTldgRvMRnoP3amw9BXbi8JTSyqjmSgj892kjGRVD-Da2VMlIALwQ0fOJJFx3CA826-CQ3GbprfIIl-g76tt3Vz6BH61ukhZ2p8J8qdhv3qRixCqpKlVtuRR9248gg/s1600/9427989698_fcab052be6_o.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a>"Troy Anderson has been the part-time <b>adopt-a-spot</b> coordinator since May. Adopt-a-spot is a program in which individuals, businesses and organizations can adopt rain gardens and be responsible for maintaining them."<br />
<br />
"Routine maintenance includes removing trash, pulling weeds, watering, replanting, mulching and trimming, Anderson said in an email. But if it’s not done by volunteers, the responsibility falls on him. He's still out every week getting his hands dirty in the gardens."<br />
<br />
"Anderson said there are 65 volunteer groups that help with maintenance. He said so far this season, 170 volunteer hours have been logged and 3,400 gallons of trash have been removed. Anderson said it’s recommended that groups who adopt rain gardens perform maintenance every other week, but there’s no required time commitment." <a href="http://www.lansingcitypulse.com/lansing/article-9129-reining-in-the-rain-gardens.html" target="_blank">Source</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEBmFhI8F9n-9BSqKsmqDc8LbLu0h8mKMx98_KkzFPmw_VxeYWQwxCba72K6pfXIAEzZluld6JkmBWCmYTmBmdYCcYngYmXakM-WEMmZDRf1rst52_J0dPCEtIe20JgMJFLx8bsrO8Ork/s1600/9425230051_c413ae5dc4_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEBmFhI8F9n-9BSqKsmqDc8LbLu0h8mKMx98_KkzFPmw_VxeYWQwxCba72K6pfXIAEzZluld6JkmBWCmYTmBmdYCcYngYmXakM-WEMmZDRf1rst52_J0dPCEtIe20JgMJFLx8bsrO8Ork/s1600/9425230051_c413ae5dc4_o.jpg" height="320" width="256" /></a>There have been some problems with Adopt-a-spot. One bank has failed to properly maintain the gardens it adopted. Several business owners have been forced to fish trash from the gardens out front, and find it difficult to climb over the fence without a key for access. These owners feel the City should be responsible for maintenance.<br />
<br />
When I photographed the gardens in the summer of 2013, I found the native plants flourishing, with little trash visible in the basins. <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/35544042@N06/sets/72157634905500187/" target="_blank">More photos.</a><br />
<br />
<b>Maintenance in Madison</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
When the City resurfaces a street, they will share costs of rain garden construction with residents. But the residents must maintain the gardens. <br />
<br />
The gardens along Adams Street, built as a community effort organized by FOLW, are maintained by adjacent residents.<br />
<br />
The Friends of Lake Wingra has a grants program, providing funds to schools, churches, and community centers on the West Side to build rain gardens, but maintenance adds a layer of responsibility that may discourage potential grantees.<br />
<br />
<b>Jim Baumann's views</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Jim--a board member of the Friends of Lake Wingra--maintains the large rain garden below the parking lot at Odana Golf: "I'm not sure how many homeowners have interest in maintenance. More and more I see lawn services providing mowing and the homeowner does next to no maintenance."<br />
<br />
"For rain gardens on commercial sites, again I think that there are some that will pay to have rain gardens maintained and others that will do absolutely no maintenance. For example, the ...rain gardens on the Smart Motors property have had zero maintenance. Given the current state of maintenance of park property (parks can't do everything that they used to do) I don't see rain gardens maintained on park property."<br />
<br />
"Some will argue that groups, such as FoLW, can do the maintenance. The South West Bike Path is an example. More than 10 years ago well intended groups and individuals called for sustainable native species to be planted along the path and that they would provide the maintenance needed. Today there are a few 'restored prairie areas' that are well maintained by volunteer neighborhood groups. But the bulk of the maintenance (or lack of maintenance) is provided by the city."<br />
<br />
"Part of the solution... is to broaden our tools to include other infiltration practices -- even ones that can be mowed. I'd rather have the colorful plantings and the deep roots, but if the option is a mowed infiltration area (even oversized) or nothing, I'm for the mowed infiltration area."<br />
<br />
"Thought should also be given to use of the storm water utility fees to hire maintenance services. I presume that this would be limited to rain gardens and other practices on public lands or public rights of way."<br />
<br />
<b>Nik Simonson's response </b><i>(updated 11/20/14)</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
The clear place for you to begin is by working through the Madison Area Municipal Stormwater Partnership. You’d need to research how to utilize MAMSWAP (and specifically the funding contributed by the city of Madison) for the “Adopt-a-Spot” program ---Could this be an extension of the “Don’t Leaf Your Lakes Campaign?” You’d have to check with the new coordinator in 2015.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8347870157748991974.post-7129371973765256092014-10-30T17:03:00.000-05:002014-10-30T17:04:14.376-05:00Lake Wingra--a summary of key concepts<span style="color: #fff2cc;">.</span><br />
<b>Goals</b>. The Friends of Lake Wingra (FOLW) and the community have <u>identified four goals</u> for the future: Clean, clear water; restored springflow; abundant native plants and animals; and promoting stewardship and enjoyment. All our educational efforts should seek to clarify and expand on these four goals.<br />
<br />
<b>Watershed</b>. <u>The health of the lake is dependent on the health of the watershed</u>. The two biggest threats to the watershed are disruption of the natural cycles of water (lack of infiltration) and nutrients (leaves, fertilizer, erosion).<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<b>A consistent effort.</b> <u>Restoration of the watershed will require</u> progressive healing, in a multitude of small places over many decades. It will require a community-wide effort, involving the City, business, schools, and private citizens. What you do at home makes a big difference. Citizens can keep leaves out of the street (and recycle them), redirect down spouts onto their gardens, and build rain gardens wherever they can.<br />
<br />
<u><b>Why</b> restore the health of the lake and watershed</u>? The benefits will be many, including improved recreation, beauty, lifestyle, community health, and property values. Improved free services from the environment mean lower taxes. Less flooding.<br />
<br />
<b>Change</b>. Both the lake and the watershed have been <u>profoundly changed by settlement</u>. The watershed has been paved, with reduction in infiltration, and introduction of pollutants. The lake itself has been changed by increase in stormwater, dredging, a dam, and introduction of exotic species. The balance of species has changed dramatically.<br />
<br />
<b>Phosphorus</b>. "In Lake Wingra, algae growth depends on phosphorus. One pound of phosphorus entering the lake can produce up to 500 pounds of algae! Common sources of phosphorus include fertilizers, eroded topsoil, decaying leaves, and goose and pet feces. Excessive phosphorus encourages blue-green algae that can be toxic to fish, pets and people."<br />
<br />
<b>Groundwater is essential</b>. Groundwater--from seepage or springs--contributes 35% of the lake's water. It used to be much more--only about 8 of 30 former springs remain, and their flow is reduced. Groundwater is vital because it is extremely clean, and its cool temperature helps keep the lake cool, with more dissolved O2.<br />
<br />
<b>Diversity.</b> We can't expect to eliminate all aquatic plants--but we should strive for diversity, without dominance of Eurasian water-milfoil. We should manage the lake for the overall health of the ecosystem--not just for human convenience.<br />
<br />
<b>Carp</b>. The common carp is a messy bottom-feeder that uproots aquatic plants, churns up sediment, clouds the water and degrades the health of the entire lake. Pilot projects (exclusion area, and netting in the whole lake) demonstrated that if carp are greatly reduced in the lake, water quality improves. It is not possible to eliminate all carp. Netting of carp several years ago has greatly improved water clarity--which in turn has caused changes in aquatic plant growth. These changes demonstrate that the lake is a very complex system--not everything is predictable. Time for a little humility.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
# # #</div>
<br />
Source: Boiled down from the <a href="http://clean-water.uwex.edu/pubs/pdf/WingraVision.pdf" target="_blank">classic booklet on Lake Wingra</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8347870157748991974.post-82325511492682130062014-10-07T01:25:00.000-05:002015-04-14T15:22:22.901-05:00The Lake Wingra Watershed--A Field Trip<span style="color: #fff2cc;">.</span><br />
To fit within 2.5 hours, we will focus on...<br />
<ul>
<li>A healthy natural waterway</li>
<li>Stormwater channels of various kinds, including one badly deteriorated, and a stormwater basin</li>
<li>A sick urban stream</li>
<li>Rain gardens</li>
</ul>
...stopping at five locations shown on the map...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjLQ7kKqEjGJ3OJD41EdXw6_BaVzL55B7bjxp7apfkEe1extDscmJnuf3Amd_LhUJe4xWz48xBfEAG9sRQIKNvACaPM4zJ8YnYspDEcB6Faqdx_EIoZR_PDMpFHV9fZnzSRkKaR1eEipU/s1600/Wingra+Watershed+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjLQ7kKqEjGJ3OJD41EdXw6_BaVzL55B7bjxp7apfkEe1extDscmJnuf3Amd_LhUJe4xWz48xBfEAG9sRQIKNvACaPM4zJ8YnYspDEcB6Faqdx_EIoZR_PDMpFHV9fZnzSRkKaR1eEipU/s1600/Wingra+Watershed+1.JPG" height="240" width="400" /></a></div>
<b></b>AK = Toki Shool<br />
WP = Westmorland Park (lunch stop)<br />
Samp = water sampling location at Wingra Park<br />
----- = route of water from Odana Pond to Lake Wingra<br />
<a name='more'></a><b><br /></b>
<b>Concepts to define and discuss</b><i></i><br />
Groundwater, groundwater flow<br />
filtering water<br />
Ice age--ended about 15,000 years ago.<br />
Rain gardens--one form of "green infrastructure"<br />
Infiltration<br />
Wetlands<br />
Seepage lakes<br />
Habitat<br />
Stormwater and runoff<br />
Impervious surfaces<br />
Stormwater structures: outlets/inlets, flume, channel, swale, sediment pond="grey infrastructure."<br />
Springs<br />
The water cycle<br />
The "land ethic" of Aldo Leopold<br />
<br />
<b>Stop 1:</b> <b>UW Arboretum Curtis Prairie</b>, accessed from Seminole Highway. Stop at the parking lot at the Administration Bldg.<br />
<br />
We'll walk to a shallow wetland channel in the middle of the prairie. This is the headwaters of a creek that enters Lake Wingra from the south shore.<br />
<br />
On the way to the wetland, we'll stop to pour water onto three surfaces, to see how readily it sinks in...<br />
<ul>
<li>Packed turf, where many people walk</li>
<li>Normal turf, like your lawn</li>
<li>Prairie vegetation with no traffic</li>
</ul>
<div>
<ol>
<li>How many seconds does it take for water to sink in at each test area?</li>
<li>Where is infiltration the fastest? Why?</li>
<li>Where is infiltration the slowest? Why?</li>
</ol>
</div>
<div>
At the wetland, no water is visible now, but the area is wet enough that a boardwalk has been built to ensure dry feet. Students will see short but dense vegetation, and no signs of erosion. Imagine this spot during a heavy rainstorm. Flowing water will encounter thousands of stems that will act like a filter. If this area floods a foot deep, it will store a lot of water. The current will be very slow.<br />
<br />
1. Where is the water here coming from, just upstream?<br />
2. Can this area store flood water?<br />
3. Are there obstacles to flow, to slow the water?<br />
4. Can you see any erosion or other damage?<br />
5. Is there any evidence how high the water floods?<br />
6. Any signs of animal life?<br />
<br />
<b>Stop 2: Stormwater flume leading from Westgate to Odana Pond. </b>Stop near corner of Dearholt Rd and Milward Dr.<br />
<br />
You can see a lot of debris and litter coming from the nearby shopping center. What other kinds of pollution are in the runoff, besides litter?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR8u3BYQOugtGlNZ7kjJFtjmC31hWkbcwEA1BUcM5Jjb8QsbEw1fzbhfdMBr3jUOGiFdWTIgl1bOFUd85nedLd0ANMpfmlt-0DVvhK3d6tW8qQptsGD0Knnc0QK4eJdGYyDx9hJwJ8YdE/s1600/5587350706_16a2a31951_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR8u3BYQOugtGlNZ7kjJFtjmC31hWkbcwEA1BUcM5Jjb8QsbEw1fzbhfdMBr3jUOGiFdWTIgl1bOFUd85nedLd0ANMpfmlt-0DVvhK3d6tW8qQptsGD0Knnc0QK4eJdGYyDx9hJwJ8YdE/s1600/5587350706_16a2a31951_b.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
You can see that the concrete bottom of the flume is coming apart. Fast-flowing water scours the earth from under the cracks, undermining the flume, causing more cracking and damage. Soil is eroded, and moves to the pond, filling it in and carrying nutrients.<br />
<br />
Do you see any signs of wildlife? What kinds do you think live here?<br />
<br />
Conclusions: This flume is a source of phosporus and sediment. Stormwater pipes, flumes, and ponds are expensive. They have to be rebuilt every 30 to 100 years. This is called "grey infrastructure," as opposed to "green infrastructure."<br />
<br />
1. Where does the water come from, just upstream?<br />
2. What kind of damage or erosion do you see? What caused it?<br />
3. Is there evidence of flooding? How high?<br />
4. Do you see evidence of wildlife?<br />
5. What other problems do you see?<br />
<br />
<b>Stop 3: </b> <b>Overlook of Odana Pond, from Odana Rd. </b><i>We don't leave the bus.</i><br />
<br />
This pond is part of the same wetland as Orchard Ride Valley Park, that was cut in two when the Beltline was built.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip2zFpRVu5gngbJi8A_ALRBCT5FBLJEEgUjpMdV35ldYSmgxtaKNT24W2FOQ60WWcVt9HPG5kiEFrhAK1ug5rHevFTBgPAHmP1BnKn3iRLaBUHPLzUpA8c7jCUQW4Eeb6VY26b2bGFhsY/s1600/CraigWilsonOdanaPond.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip2zFpRVu5gngbJi8A_ALRBCT5FBLJEEgUjpMdV35ldYSmgxtaKNT24W2FOQ60WWcVt9HPG5kiEFrhAK1ug5rHevFTBgPAHmP1BnKn3iRLaBUHPLzUpA8c7jCUQW4Eeb6VY26b2bGFhsY/s1600/CraigWilsonOdanaPond.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
The pond is about 1,500 feet long by 700n feet wide. Now the pond doesn't change much in level, because the level is controlled by a dam at the east end.<br />
<br />
A hundred years ago, the pond was more of a wetland, probably with vegetation like cattails across most of the surface. Without the dam, the water level must have changed a lot. It may have become almost dry during droughts (except perhaps for a small pond in the center), becoming a large pond during wet years.<br />
<br />
Much of the central portion of the golf course must have been marshy. When the snow first melts, you can still see large areas of standing water on the golf green.<br />
<br />
The water rose and fell because there was no outlet. Those hills to the east are sand dunes left over from glacial times.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglAbjXih20ytu1jNL2mlgrShqrJOH3Rgsu9NQMJIE65dM7U60pbgF2e5M8Sle44WTrxXGweVXiDZIdU0P8_0G7XX5gMkB1DlmEfCrYamxuaiM6Jpk227x8rHJoermU2psNfIuModBs8rE/s1600/8254226094_da9f389722_k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglAbjXih20ytu1jNL2mlgrShqrJOH3Rgsu9NQMJIE65dM7U60pbgF2e5M8Sle44WTrxXGweVXiDZIdU0P8_0G7XX5gMkB1DlmEfCrYamxuaiM6Jpk227x8rHJoermU2psNfIuModBs8rE/s1600/8254226094_da9f389722_k.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>During recent construction, you could see a deep sand deposit at the corner of Segoe and Odana roads.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
Sand drained out of the glacier in meltwater streams, then blew about. Probably there was never a large lake here, because water could easily seep through the sandy hills--they made a very leaky dam. This golf course was--in effect--a huge rain garden.<br />
<br />
Odana Pond flows to a second pond. There is a second dam controlling the level of the second pond. If you follow a ditch draining the second pond, you come to... a pipe!<br />
<br />
The golfers didn't like having the course flooded from time to time... so they asked City engineers to create an outlet.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik9Bav3IQEb7Pk0oUdDYXrb68XbjioyTI91OI_xUWWgRyYYgK1sv8x0HepR6lkiCSIVn-7PDvS62RjJXQTIVWgaYuuhcoVJrirCn8aFxRltiiOfDOQFnqxSXItEktff67x-_svTVy6TBE/s1600/8046149443_e9024a32d1_k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik9Bav3IQEb7Pk0oUdDYXrb68XbjioyTI91OI_xUWWgRyYYgK1sv8x0HepR6lkiCSIVn-7PDvS62RjJXQTIVWgaYuuhcoVJrirCn8aFxRltiiOfDOQFnqxSXItEktff67x-_svTVy6TBE/s1600/8046149443_e9024a32d1_k.jpg" height="267" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>To get the water to go under those hills to the east, they had to dig a very deep trench and lay a stormwater pipe in it.</i></div>
<br />
The pipe connects to a long ditch that runs along the side of the southwest bikeway--which used to be a railroad track.<br />
<br />
What kind of wildlife do you think live in or around these ponds?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAvqv6wj8pMGxpUPBFh_57LVJntcFiwoKKYUwBS2TcFxVQ3C9JtNDhIClqb4c0kqkDtzGj6RMiBDNbGMoYCr6tRWyojGByxHMDGuF6JAhd7fDBeZfpKbbBxVabZ99fVXC4LKGsEGPmIzc/s1600/FK33+B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAvqv6wj8pMGxpUPBFh_57LVJntcFiwoKKYUwBS2TcFxVQ3C9JtNDhIClqb4c0kqkDtzGj6RMiBDNbGMoYCr6tRWyojGByxHMDGuF6JAhd7fDBeZfpKbbBxVabZ99fVXC4LKGsEGPmIzc/s1600/FK33+B.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Odana Pond can get very salty in March, when the snow first melts.</i></div>
<br />
Conclusions: May changes have occurred here over the last hundred years. There's been a major change in the way floodwaters and groundwaters flow here. With the Odana Project, millions of dollars have been spent to do what the environment once did for free--replenish the groundwater.<br />
<br />
<b>Stop 4:</b> <b>Intersection of bikeway and Midvale Blvd.</b><br />
<br />
Here on the west side of Midvale, the stormwater channel comes to an end. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOGNGOEg5YneJRKNLjsqXGYQ3-5daMtmlmxKksDTR2FKCLZp_ZZP25IoOYvZ-b8gtxVwDwkiOzKLj0JYnhgQG9-l5I7Gmaa-_DLeylHWmEC_O5Ld95pFW4g0JiyBXg-XkYHFlwLbYiPJs/s1600/7389352886_132114aa61_k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOGNGOEg5YneJRKNLjsqXGYQ3-5daMtmlmxKksDTR2FKCLZp_ZZP25IoOYvZ-b8gtxVwDwkiOzKLj0JYnhgQG9-l5I7Gmaa-_DLeylHWmEC_O5Ld95pFW4g0JiyBXg-XkYHFlwLbYiPJs/s1600/7389352886_132114aa61_k.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></div>
<i>You can see the sides are covered with "riprap," which is an armor of stone to prevent erosion.</i><br />
<br />
During big rainstorms, this channel fills entirely, almost to the top. It could be designed to store even more floodwaters.<br />
<br />
Notice the native prairie plantings. What else could be done to this ditch to slow floodwaters?<br />
<br />
What animals do you think live here or use this area?<br />
<br />
Lessons: Large ditches are a cheaper alternative to stormwater pipes. They provide more storage, and more habitat. But they require more land, and aren't very good habitat.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Stop 5. Rain gardens at Thoreau School </b><i>Stop on Nakoma Rd. The bus will met us on Manitou Way, a hundred yards S of Nakoma Rd.</i><br />
<b><br /></b>
There are two large rain gardens here, built in 2012 and 2013. They absorb runoff from the sidewalk, the school's roof and the paved playground. All this runoff was eroding a large gully, as the water ran rapidly downhill to the park.<br />
<b><br /></b>
The lower of the two gardens was difficult to build, because of snowplow damage, shade, a steep slope, and large volumes of water. There is so much runoff here that the strategy is to build the gardens as large as possible.<br />
<br />
1. What differences do you see between the two rain gardens? What could explain these differences?<br />
2. Where does the water for these gardens come from?<br />
<br />
<i>We walk to the next two stations...</i><br />
<br />
<b>Nakoma Creek--a sick urban stream</b><br />
<br />
There are severe floods here, as often as four times a year when there's heavy rain. The opening at the bottom of Chippewa Drive becomes clogged with debris. The channel overflows across the street, and runs down the street and through the garden at Thoreau School.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwPU6hriTB-J7pKZYQkhpG7TCf-w7S6DeIQRCTcS0A5BCWRGfP7Qzpj3qvmmfcaOXg96LXh5Q6ht37RU0_B8oNxH0Wmlavto99e4uTkVYA5nSfYeZ_fwW_jkoqX4rvyMyBOJqa0Je3WXo/s1600/nakoma+creek+flood+lowres.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwPU6hriTB-J7pKZYQkhpG7TCf-w7S6DeIQRCTcS0A5BCWRGfP7Qzpj3qvmmfcaOXg96LXh5Q6ht37RU0_B8oNxH0Wmlavto99e4uTkVYA5nSfYeZ_fwW_jkoqX4rvyMyBOJqa0Je3WXo/s1600/nakoma+creek+flood+lowres.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a>Walk into Nakoma Park where a large pipe emerges to form Nakoma Creek. This creek runs open to the sky for only about a block. During floods, much water runs very fast over the ground. You can see the scour marks (pits of eroded earth).<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i>An absolute torrent of whitewater comes out this pipe during storms.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i><br /></i></div>
You can see that the pipe has shifted, and is being undermined, like the flume we saw at the pond.<br />
<br />
Much erosion is being caused along the shore further down, especially along the north bank and hill.<br />
<br />
The beautiful stone stairway is being undermined. It is shifting and cracking.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB6itHHrHJ7xg320LeqdEp4v58mdl3FWVwL9x4CdKHpLDYtMfEc5PB-giNDFJsTH9X8XpdLdYq4Dx2kdXbbQJlk9klIAjOywkETc0LR1zTgI3NSXGP3yDjkGWyM_TqUMXCFRiUq_GDk0U/s1600/9150102329_c7daa94701_k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB6itHHrHJ7xg320LeqdEp4v58mdl3FWVwL9x4CdKHpLDYtMfEc5PB-giNDFJsTH9X8XpdLdYq4Dx2kdXbbQJlk9klIAjOywkETc0LR1zTgI3NSXGP3yDjkGWyM_TqUMXCFRiUq_GDk0U/s1600/9150102329_c7daa94701_k.jpg" height="132" width="200" /></a></div>
Floodwaters go across Nakoma Rd., slowing or stopping traffic. The waters flow very fast, and are very smelly.<br />
<br />
Conclusions: At this lower level in the watershed, flooding becomes severe, because the Nakoma area is hilly, and rain runs off rapidly. <br />
<br />
There's a lot of erosion occurring. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi534C0Lq2Khp69YrDGoJOtW8QuSyDaHlzzoFCSzAUx2MXkRu4MCxUY9Al-yl2gAgrvC_JCSzdyQvTco6hoI4ariazVPiugb9AXwKy3AgWJLoSZEDC-jfIzQGmsj4DLffvVljkC_uqzrgQ/s1600/7429695574_14a49d6280_k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi534C0Lq2Khp69YrDGoJOtW8QuSyDaHlzzoFCSzAUx2MXkRu4MCxUY9Al-yl2gAgrvC_JCSzdyQvTco6hoI4ariazVPiugb9AXwKy3AgWJLoSZEDC-jfIzQGmsj4DLffvVljkC_uqzrgQ/s1600/7429695574_14a49d6280_k.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a></div>
Several dump trucks full of soil may be washed away in a single storm. The soil particles could carry a lot of phosphorus to Lake Wingra, alongwith lots of debris.<br />
<br />
Nakoma Creek is a good example of an "urban stream." It's a torrent during a storm, and dry a few days after rain. This isn't good for wildlife, because wildlife and wetland plants need constant wet conditions.<br />
<br />
Actually, this creek may flow for a week after a storm, although it's not much more than a trickle. That's because the three ponds at Odana store a lot of floodwater. They slowly release some of that water to this creek. But they don't store anywhere near as much as the ground and the sandy hills could, if there were no pipe through the ancient sand dunes.<br />
<br />
During a flood, Manitou Way becomes knee-deep in swift water. The homes are nearly flooded.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVuU27V28RO1kOtmvqc_e9yCoiOl93oz8fd_2GzyIT-o3iQ1PeZJyA64dVl4clBP43gIOqfXIZZK7x6DeaGO98Aiqcce4siv70h24q0DqcJVxFBwJdg_q6iRSmlu5fPCD7mBC3A9dF808/s1600/9152280956_9b57393dae_k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVuU27V28RO1kOtmvqc_e9yCoiOl93oz8fd_2GzyIT-o3iQ1PeZJyA64dVl4clBP43gIOqfXIZZK7x6DeaGO98Aiqcce4siv70h24q0DqcJVxFBwJdg_q6iRSmlu5fPCD7mBC3A9dF808/s1600/9152280956_9b57393dae_k.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
1. What signs of damage do you see in the park and streambed? What are the causes?<br />
2. What kinds of animals might live here? Did you see any signs?<br />
3. Why is this stream "sick?" List several causes.<br />
4. What do you see that could slow floodwaters? Comparison to Curtis Prairie?<br />
5. Why is flooding here a problem?<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Secret Pond: A stormwater pond visible from Manitou Way</b><br />
<br />
Water flowing through the pipe under Nakoma Rd and Manitou Way dumps out into "Secret Pond."<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoxZ4lfOMb2r4Np9HalaNIvQPgAVBEF0LOmkGlw_6cnCyvYdROU-Y0EyXxYtCe3bRM8jz8UoAY8nB5GuOdV0Dm3LopkygBPDogZJtmLI9Uuy6dnH7Ez_Hqr9qlisrkG8GZ3q2xh9YsgGU/s1600/9152290560_7dcf4eb00d_k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoxZ4lfOMb2r4Np9HalaNIvQPgAVBEF0LOmkGlw_6cnCyvYdROU-Y0EyXxYtCe3bRM8jz8UoAY8nB5GuOdV0Dm3LopkygBPDogZJtmLI9Uuy6dnH7Ez_Hqr9qlisrkG8GZ3q2xh9YsgGU/s1600/9152290560_7dcf4eb00d_k.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
The pond was rebuilt a few years ago, after the earlier version filled in with sediment after about 75? years. It was so full that Nakoma Creek was dumping sediment directly into the marshes around Lake Wingra.<br />
<br />
The pond was built large enough so the fast-flowing stormwater has a chance to slow down. When the water slows, the sediment has a chance to settle out to the bottom. The cleaner water leaves the pond by that channel towards the arboretum and Lake Wingra.<br />
<br />
The City is concerned that despite several (how many?) ponds like these around lake Wingra, still too much phosphorus is getting into the Lake.<br />
<br />
So the City is planning a test, in the next pond to the east, to take the phosphorus out by chemical means, a method called "alum treatment." That makes the phosphorus stick together like a scum, and sink to the bottom. Alum treatment is expensive, and has to be repeated.<br />
<br />
The City has to do something to reduce phosphorus flowing to the lake, because of standards set by the EPA. Alum treatments is one of several different methods they could use.<br />
<br />
What other things could the City do to prevent phosphorus and other pollutants from getting to Lake Wingra?<br />
<br />
Conclusions: Stormwater ponds are very effective at catching sediment, debris, and litter. But they are expensive and use a lot of land. They don't catch all the phosphorus, and they aren't very good habitat. They have to be dredged and maintained.<br />
<br />
Overall: Bit by bit, people have made huge changes in our landscape over the last 160 years since Madison was founded. The changes have had a huge effect on how water flows through the environment. These changes in flow and land use are one of the main causes of problems in our lakes.<br />
<br />
1. What are two purposes of this sediment pond?<br />
2. Is this pond good habitat? What wildlife might live here or use it?<br />
<div>
3. Is this pond good for recreation?</div>
4. What slows the floodwaters here?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig-aF180WgQ3gwkz-tETzoylrtHEO6Lj03sxvd-nQxbieYQnF_czUlWeHYWfToHqGZMw0Xo5LyCr3QAyBWXK2BmV-X-pagJRw77df_7JXSpQD7YdsBx4RKRZcXtDUIsxxfk74S1qUfW-U/s1600/Lake+Wingra+Watershed+Boundary.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig-aF180WgQ3gwkz-tETzoylrtHEO6Lj03sxvd-nQxbieYQnF_czUlWeHYWfToHqGZMw0Xo5LyCr3QAyBWXK2BmV-X-pagJRw77df_7JXSpQD7YdsBx4RKRZcXtDUIsxxfk74S1qUfW-U/s1600/Lake+Wingra+Watershed+Boundary.JPG" height="270" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
# # #</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
Link to <a href="http://www.cityofmadison.com/planning/comprehensiveplan/dplan/v1/chapter10/v1c10_2.pdf" target="_blank">stormwater map</a> of Madison.</div>
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8347870157748991974.post-81938805394644614522014-10-04T01:34:00.000-05:002014-10-04T02:02:25.752-05:00Lincoln Elementary School is a leader in outdoor education<span style="color: #fff2cc;">.</span><br />
Recently, the Friends of Lake Wingra met with Clare Seguin, a Lincoln science teacher who is interested in applying for a grant from FOLW.<br />
<br />
The grant would cover expenses for installation of a rain garden--mostly for plants purchased wholesale from Agrecol, Inc. Up to <a href="http://www.lakewingra.org/2015-stormwater-managment-grants" target="_blank">$4,000 in funds are available</a> from FOLW, with an application deadline of Jan. 5, 2015.<br />
<br />
Clare said she could incorporate rain garden construction into her classes. Students would put the plants in the ground.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEileOvJnS4G30lqNSug4Zy3JWaNbZke2jm-8I_7fe8XVXet9sTEOe-i1cz-p2vmwPDpmfzuDwUyCD5Kjch0TvwJ8TLnUnVJrbDadAibP63wP52nlQ6RSI1VypbK1m92VL6Y-Mi4_zLkQgk/s1600/DSC00160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEileOvJnS4G30lqNSug4Zy3JWaNbZke2jm-8I_7fe8XVXet9sTEOe-i1cz-p2vmwPDpmfzuDwUyCD5Kjch0TvwJ8TLnUnVJrbDadAibP63wP52nlQ6RSI1VypbK1m92VL6Y-Mi4_zLkQgk/s1600/DSC00160.JPG" height="200" width="160" /></a>We discussed how a rain garden with native plants could introduce students to concepts of biodiversity. Students can use inexpensive cameras to "capture" insects visiting fall flowers in the garden. Then they can make scrapbooks of insect photos, and look up life-cycle details on the internet.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>Through this exercise, kids would learn about the diversity of life, details of natural history, photography, and computers (while downloading and cropping the photos).<br />
<br />
In the new butterfly garden at Thoreau School, <br />
<a href="http://lincoln%20school%20is%20a%20leader/" target="_blank">kids found 8 species of pollinators</a> when they visited the garden.<br />
<br />
Teachers are extremely busy! So Clare is looking for citizen volunteers or parents to help weed and water the garden after planting--especially during the summer. Contact <a href="https://lincoln.madison.k12.wi.us/" target="_blank">Lincoln School</a> or myself* if you can help! Without volunteers, this outdoor learning experience may not be possible for the kids.<br />
<b><br /></b>
Lincoln is a leader among Madison's schools** in outdoor learning and in watershed awareness. Hamilton Middle, Thoreau Elementary, and Midvale Elementary schools also have excellent programs. But the majority of schools in the Wingra watershed have not participated in the FOLW grant program, or in the <a href="http://uwarboretum.org/eps/" target="_blank">Earth Partnership for Schools program</a>.<br />
<br />
We've discovered that outdoor programs develop from the grass roots on up. Interested parents or teachers have to take the initiative. So if you are a parent--find a teacher to work with--and contact me.* We'll explain the grant program, and help you with your application.<br />
<br />
It's possible to start with a very small program, work it into the curriculum, then add a little more to the garden each year.<br />
<br />
<b>Outdoor learning at Lincoln</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjapwHlfvky8F3fqBurzFyE92EPHJVggYibdJF8S9YamTEaM1yXjYE4RTacyjO-S6kgUurnO6LEFukSPozbKNfRclj1zPAIy5ay_9W4uRTckS2HTev_-jrWPyi-YbWVkQGk1IHUn7NYFCA/s1600/DSC00474.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjapwHlfvky8F3fqBurzFyE92EPHJVggYibdJF8S9YamTEaM1yXjYE4RTacyjO-S6kgUurnO6LEFukSPozbKNfRclj1zPAIy5ay_9W4uRTckS2HTev_-jrWPyi-YbWVkQGk1IHUn7NYFCA/s1600/DSC00474.JPG" height="155" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>The school has a beautiful little patio with native plants around it.</i><i>.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDaMm-Gxei4BxiD7LBUHbobJkXYAyWgSwmHWAmNbDfiR143g1SizZfgCvhjJTg0vejRZ55x6-73YRrWOceyzPTkfQHeuTsLTNVKCTcTseCuvqCw4BqpJIvlKf7603uX9Za7DeuB7rPHRQ/s1600/DSC00452.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDaMm-Gxei4BxiD7LBUHbobJkXYAyWgSwmHWAmNbDfiR143g1SizZfgCvhjJTg0vejRZ55x6-73YRrWOceyzPTkfQHeuTsLTNVKCTcTseCuvqCw4BqpJIvlKf7603uX9Za7DeuB7rPHRQ/s1600/DSC00452.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i> Lincoln just held a festival kicking off their new Outdoor Classroom Shelter.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhKkVLf6XAu4FOWKqIZzENnh2bs3U60DZdrr3jH5m8Iy5aP1oJsoSAE_vYiCqcdCYGNslDqLhjwgkNybVePXuOk3U-devO8KhlJzYbwmfEVeEuei3We7CDHnb1ccGDBvnDcnBaoKIwUQI/s1600/DSC00457.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhKkVLf6XAu4FOWKqIZzENnh2bs3U60DZdrr3jH5m8Iy5aP1oJsoSAE_vYiCqcdCYGNslDqLhjwgkNybVePXuOk3U-devO8KhlJzYbwmfEVeEuei3We7CDHnb1ccGDBvnDcnBaoKIwUQI/s1600/DSC00457.JPG" height="230" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Plan showing new natural features & the Outdoor Classroom Shelter.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTPnBBXw_0LMhH7RIwm7MbKO8jkjlzpWM7eoSswXPSV93e4faHV3Ufb8Or39nkaZ6aAN5AyEyN6RamCdCS-wr6H34gjbxW62eKwgLWUf8X4a_a3PQ9NVv1esx2PcOlQ0Te6NjmTC-x2XI/s1600/DSC00461.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTPnBBXw_0LMhH7RIwm7MbKO8jkjlzpWM7eoSswXPSV93e4faHV3Ufb8Or39nkaZ6aAN5AyEyN6RamCdCS-wr6H34gjbxW62eKwgLWUf8X4a_a3PQ9NVv1esx2PcOlQ0Te6NjmTC-x2XI/s1600/DSC00461.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Large community gardens are located next to the school, showing children where food comes from.</i></div>
<b><br /></b>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibfroV39pVwG14fkBH4nk6dSo7uhILvrzu9b3D_QuLAPgRW9pef1GfdVg20FEXpTYv_-G-eYjvMAQLFltwSiYIxx7LyKVb0GJ1KoOeKm_WRe9WmYETFnI5MPyOTsuhHqpkbHqZgA7ejrg/s1600/DSC07836.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibfroV39pVwG14fkBH4nk6dSo7uhILvrzu9b3D_QuLAPgRW9pef1GfdVg20FEXpTYv_-G-eYjvMAQLFltwSiYIxx7LyKVb0GJ1KoOeKm_WRe9WmYETFnI5MPyOTsuhHqpkbHqZgA7ejrg/s1600/DSC07836.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Probable location of the new rain garden, just outside Clare's classroom.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
A rain garden here will help reduce this flooding, and may reduce ice on the playground during winter.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<b>Improving student health</b><br />
<br />
A rain garden with native plants can also make the schools more attractive and healthy.<br />
<br />
Scientific studies are showing that when kids are exposed to rich biodiversity, they are less likely to develop debilitating asthma.<br />
<br />
Somehow, the great variety of "good" microbes "trains" the the child's immune system to work better--not to over-react to ordinary things like pollen in the environment.<br />
<br />
Native plants and animals they attract help to create this rich environment of "friendly microbes." In addition, native plants can reduce dust and purify pollutants on school grounds.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
# # #</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>* David Thompson, 608-233-9589.</i><br />
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>** I surveyed schools on Madison's west side for "watershed awareness" and outdoor gardens. So there may be schools with good programs on the east side.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<a href="http://raingardens.blogspot.com/2013/11/akira-toki-school-stormwater-problems.html" target="_blank">Rain garden planned for Akira Toki Middle School</a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8347870157748991974.post-53542687155872104972014-10-03T15:29:00.001-05:002014-10-03T15:29:21.783-05:00Plans for harvest of aquatic weeds in Vilas Lagoon<span style="color: #fff2cc;">.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQN4QmNEzhaiHodR4PoUPcCr6J7s1TM7hWun6_bwZfNDhsyqveII94uKaiL3F1u6JYKMmujJ7fYho5fxRNA6LReKYeoPFQVkIbHptWoKieClaJmFchp7OakkvPO3f54UWnjGkPBJKDcm8/s1600/2014+Harvest+plan+for+Vilas+Park+Lagoon.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQN4QmNEzhaiHodR4PoUPcCr6J7s1TM7hWun6_bwZfNDhsyqveII94uKaiL3F1u6JYKMmujJ7fYho5fxRNA6LReKYeoPFQVkIbHptWoKieClaJmFchp7OakkvPO3f54UWnjGkPBJKDcm8/s1600/2014+Harvest+plan+for+Vilas+Park+Lagoon.JPG" height="262" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Dane County Parks will be doing their last harvest in the Vilas Lagoon starting the week of Sept. 29, or the following week. The harvesting will be to vegetation in preparation for the winter recreation season.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a name='more'></a></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO5gij6tNvGlL4BjiB04icBLIaUVct8b4I5OvImr7XE6ye-sfR4woSo2AmhjvQ80ZpFYOL51pgBxDKisTeVRqbngb_Tl756KbaNFMY2D2VpnVNzQhEyrO5a6II0JbOQ3rL8djSMzxnOSo/s1600/10581541136_74ee40d226_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO5gij6tNvGlL4BjiB04icBLIaUVct8b4I5OvImr7XE6ye-sfR4woSo2AmhjvQ80ZpFYOL51pgBxDKisTeVRqbngb_Tl756KbaNFMY2D2VpnVNzQhEyrO5a6II0JbOQ3rL8djSMzxnOSo/s1600/10581541136_74ee40d226_b.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
In the past, the Friends of Lake Wingra raised questions about the severe disturbance of the bottom caused by weed cutting machines.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The response has been that weed cutting is necessary to make the ice suitable for skating, and that skating has priority because of it's long tradition at the park.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO5gij6tNvGlL4BjiB04icBLIaUVct8b4I5OvImr7XE6ye-sfR4woSo2AmhjvQ80ZpFYOL51pgBxDKisTeVRqbngb_Tl756KbaNFMY2D2VpnVNzQhEyrO5a6II0JbOQ3rL8djSMzxnOSo/s1600/10581541136_74ee40d226_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><br /></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8347870157748991974.post-77283083105252857882014-09-25T01:15:00.001-05:002014-09-26T16:57:51.656-05:00Volunteers to Raise Monarch Butterflies for Schools<span style="color: #fff2cc;">.</span><br />
<b><span style="color: #38761d;"><u>Volunteers needed!</u></span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #274e13;"><br /></span></b>
The monarch's numbers are in steep decline--we can't save them unless children know about their amazing metamorphosis and migrations!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju1V0kGkFcRrcnicd15s_hLjTt7KAJSM6yjqhaT4qBgAZ9dAt1CfDDp33NvVqwjmvQIsJsAIP8ZvXlceCmH9dAMOaZTOe2-6-11-X3O90aJIZalOIHM4kWgQBV-64vBvqxjH0WFzmhERE/s1600/DSC00058+C8x10MAcolD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju1V0kGkFcRrcnicd15s_hLjTt7KAJSM6yjqhaT4qBgAZ9dAt1CfDDp33NvVqwjmvQIsJsAIP8ZvXlceCmH9dAMOaZTOe2-6-11-X3O90aJIZalOIHM4kWgQBV-64vBvqxjH0WFzmhERE/s1600/DSC00058+C8x10MAcolD.jpg" height="160" width="200" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i>A butterfly ranch in my kitchen -></i></div>
<br />
So the Friends of Lake Wingra has a program to raise Monarch Butterflies for schools.<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
We've worked out a method, delivering 13 large caterpillars and chrysalises to Thoreau Elementary School. With your help, we can supply more classes.<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<br /></div>
The second grade classes at Thoreau School were very excited. Rapt with attention, the kids asked many smart questions. Some of the kids are already experienced raising unusual pets--and a number of them begged me to give them monarch eggs. One gave me a "thank you" hug when we were done.<br />
<br />
Here's what's involved. You can participate in the whole process, or just one of step. We can train you. Contact David Thompson at 233-9589.<br />
<a name='more'></a><b><br /></b>
<b>Finding eggs</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
This is the hardest step. In Madison, WI, you can find eggs from May through September. Find eggs about 4 weeks before they are needed--finding eggs in August and September is ideal for fall classes.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjON-Ocf1ZTHW7wEz5bBf-yQPCtOROqYVXYmh4NOnWmDNYq3g5lU-633jmkJ1tkkdjvXQT7U79J4rXkHZdrp-46o9Uv903PNjDvHpBvwNYzJ6ofkeLSHi_8CIUYVNmr-ohysSbgJ8ZHeC4/s1600/DSC09991CM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjON-Ocf1ZTHW7wEz5bBf-yQPCtOROqYVXYmh4NOnWmDNYq3g5lU-633jmkJ1tkkdjvXQT7U79J4rXkHZdrp-46o9Uv903PNjDvHpBvwNYzJ6ofkeLSHi_8CIUYVNmr-ohysSbgJ8ZHeC4/s1600/DSC09991CM.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Adults nectaring at a botanical garden.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>When you find many adults, they may be laying nearby.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Click on photos to enlarge.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
Find a large garden where many monarch adults are feeding. Then locate a milkweed plant. That's any plant in the genus <i>Asclepias, </i>such as common milkweed, butterfly weed, or marsh milkweed. Look for eggs on the food plants not far from where the adults are nectaring. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT9SoTZkNJzm4pQws3QDxZklU5XprEzxEsDljhic6KNDh1Up6JJR99I_lccOapwHxuzXMpXxx4Ly3_vpZN6QMA87YdCOpPi1Zr559kfBRRpPsYjPcu5KZfaZrqAuNkmUFQncuAvPKSV54/s1600/DSC09960+C8x8MSh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT9SoTZkNJzm4pQws3QDxZklU5XprEzxEsDljhic6KNDh1Up6JJR99I_lccOapwHxuzXMpXxx4Ly3_vpZN6QMA87YdCOpPi1Zr559kfBRRpPsYjPcu5KZfaZrqAuNkmUFQncuAvPKSV54/s1600/DSC09960+C8x8MSh.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a>The eggs are about the size of the head of a pin. They are <u>very</u> distinctive--round, ridged, and colored from white to light cream to yellow. At first, you may confuse the eggs with tiny droplets of coagulated sap on the common milkweed, but these sap droplets are less regular and not so yellowish. <br />
<br />
The eggs tend to be located on the top half of the plant.<br />
<br />
Usually there is only one egg per plant, but I have found up to 4 eggs per leaf, and 6 eggs per plant.<br />
<br />
The eggs are nearly always attached on the underside of leaves, but you may find them on top, or on unripe seed pods (September). It may help to bring a magnifying glass. Eggs are <br />
<br />
If you are looking in a garden, your best bet may be to think like a Monarch: What is the most conspicuous and easily reached food plant from where you are nectaring? This may be near the top of a plant, perhaps on a plant hanging conspicuously over a pathway. If you find one egg, look for more on nearby food plants or similar locations.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbOv_LA05SU9tqZAm7epzfS89PJuUgn-MylWK9uKflTljkQu8KuKSMryV4AQW4hH5ir2FkcZ8OzV-Cid_elDNGmRPMeD-s9KadBQbXVyo_dk5PGD70vHm21L2ttj3FZklIABdNa-d_pDc/s1600/DSC09942+female+laying+egg+clear+C8x8MD+20SatSh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbOv_LA05SU9tqZAm7epzfS89PJuUgn-MylWK9uKflTljkQu8KuKSMryV4AQW4hH5ir2FkcZ8OzV-Cid_elDNGmRPMeD-s9KadBQbXVyo_dk5PGD70vHm21L2ttj3FZklIABdNa-d_pDc/s1600/DSC09942+female+laying+egg+clear+C8x8MD+20SatSh.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a>Another method is to wait in a garden and look for females laying eggs. It takes just a few seconds to lay an egg; she curls the end of her abdomen under a leaf to place the egg. They are laying eggs if they are flitting from plant to plant, <u>but not always landing on the flowers</u>. She may alternate between nectaring and laying eggs. You might carry some marking tape, to mark where she may have laid an egg as you follow her about, so you can come back later to collect them.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i> Mating pair: The male (wilh wings spread) shows a dark spot on each hind wing; the females have no spot.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLFTCpkYVBeE9N4UPWXYQUiQ39-ehaj_lb01qQzlwwOEKEG_e_9ZadhfwlsJIG6WoFkl8x9CN79hNMdtqLjbQS4gdy8XuxjWtW-Ln0AABQeEbGbA1xRq6yq7K4Qkvoxd8bSYFnQez6n3M/s1600/DSC00005+C8x10M+SatSh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLFTCpkYVBeE9N4UPWXYQUiQ39-ehaj_lb01qQzlwwOEKEG_e_9ZadhfwlsJIG6WoFkl8x9CN79hNMdtqLjbQS4gdy8XuxjWtW-Ln0AABQeEbGbA1xRq6yq7K4Qkvoxd8bSYFnQez6n3M/s1600/DSC00005+C8x10M+SatSh.jpg" height="256" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Another strategy is to simply examine food plants, looking for eggs--but only if you have seen monarchs in the area. When I tried this approach in May, I had to examine about 20 common milkweeds for each egg I found.<br />
<br />
When you find an egg, you can tear off part of the leaf, and place it gently in a loose chest pocket until you get home. The eggs are somewhat sturdy and don't fall off the leaf. Keeping them in your pocket assures you won't leave them in a hot car--yikes!<br />
<br />
Keep a magnifying glass and small container for eggs in your car, in case you pass a garden or see monarchs.<br />
<br />
Here's a method I haven't tried that could be very productive. If you observe a female laying eggs, catch her with a butterfly net and place her in a mesh enclosure with a large milkweed cutting. She will lay many eggs on the plant.<br />
<br />
<b>Hatching the egg</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
For raising small caterpillars, I use small, transparent plastic containers with lids. For example, Trader Joe's cookie containers, or date containers. You might try the salad containers you get at the salad bar. Puncture a large number of small air holes in the lid.<br />
<br />
Using scissors, cut a small square of leaf with the egg in the middle, and transfer it to a plastic box, egg side up, using tweezers. I arrange up to 20 eggs in rows in the box. Then, several times a day, I can scan down the row of leaf squares, using a flashlight to aid my vision, and look for newly hatched caterpillars. They are very tiny! The eggs take 5 days to hatch. Chances are, you found a freshly laid egg. (Eggs don't seem to last long in the wild before they are eaten.)<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIiu2bJB5HphM619dMZ-DLCSCS76PCQanI-q4QmzjQz-7hSrDFUBh3OEuMg3ONpZv5QDk9sgARwOb_BJIKR6SU3T8zeD4G8oHALYSxtRMoIOnSvlM-hd1zOngEEEo-cVMse9aNivMM-K4/s1600/DSC00057+MAcolCD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIiu2bJB5HphM619dMZ-DLCSCS76PCQanI-q4QmzjQz-7hSrDFUBh3OEuMg3ONpZv5QDk9sgARwOb_BJIKR6SU3T8zeD4G8oHALYSxtRMoIOnSvlM-hd1zOngEEEo-cVMse9aNivMM-K4/s1600/DSC00057+MAcolCD.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a>When you find a caterpillar, transfer it with a very fine watercolor brush <i>(right)</i> to a fresh leaf in a new plastic box (also with holes in the lid.) You can put 5-10 first instar caterpillars on one leaf, since they don't eat much at first. Be very gentile. Try lifting the caterpillar by its rear end first--they spin a strand of silk, and this may attach to your brush.<br />
<br />
<b>Feeding the small caterpillars</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Since the tiny caterpillars don't eat much at first, your challenge is keeping the food leaves from drying out. You could change the leaves often, but then it's time consuming transferring the tiny caterpillars to the new leaves. What I did was to place a small wad of paper towel around the stalk of the leaf, held on with a twistie or small rubber band. I kept the wad wet with drops of water several times a day. This extended the life of the leaf to 2 or 3 days. They prefer smaller, younger leaves, especially when the caterpillars are small.<br />
<br />
If the leaves dry out, the caterpillars won't get enough water with their food. That's one reason I leave a top on my caterpillar boxes--to keep the humidity high. If you suspect dryness is a problem, you can mist the leaf once or twice a day while they are feeding. I have seen them apparently drinking water from droplets. But you don't want to encourage growth of mold.<br />
<br />
I place a twig under each leaf, to give the caterpillars room to get under the leaf, where they like to hide while eating.<br />
<br />
Every time you add a new leaf, clean out the frazz (excrement pellets), and wash out the box. Sanitation is important, since a few of the larvae may carry disease which could spread to the others. (But it's not a danger to humans.) If one caterpillar looks consistently sick or dies, quarantine it.<br />
<br />
Keep track of how many eggs or caterpillars die. More than 50% of my eggs lived to form a chrysalis. About 20% of the eggs failed to hatch, perhaps because they dried out. Some of the small caterpillars failed to grow much, and eventually died. Sometimes larger caterpillars escape. They may simply disappear, or you may step on them as they cross the floor.<br />
<br />
So expect some mortality--it's very high in the wild. But if you have high mortality, you may be feeding the wrong plant, or they are drying out, or there's a disease problem (and you need to rear them separately).<br />
<br />
But don't confuse "illness" with dormancy. The caterpillars will rest and become very inactive for about a day when they are preparing to molt (and just after). Sometimes they just rest after eating a lot. For example, they may run out of food and then you give them a new leaf. They gorge on the new leaf for half a day, then rest for half a day.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO6u_SRxOG7Pyk4DzRfKSDFzb3OxgJbdV6r2eZQdesm26BOepy3ckhbIFNCArzMnCCIHw_TakNOjDmhVATQJGNV3wypGMos3cmr7w9iu0ybBjmvvI92ekzC7ZYPqKJWsydbyDbBbgycDE/s1600/DSC07969.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO6u_SRxOG7Pyk4DzRfKSDFzb3OxgJbdV6r2eZQdesm26BOepy3ckhbIFNCArzMnCCIHw_TakNOjDmhVATQJGNV3wypGMos3cmr7w9iu0ybBjmvvI92ekzC7ZYPqKJWsydbyDbBbgycDE/s1600/DSC07969.JPG" height="133" width="200" /></a>The caterpillars often wander when preparing to molt. <br />
If you see them trying to climb the side of their box, or otherwise trying to "escape," it may simply be a sign they are looking for a good place to molt (or to form the chrysalis).<br />
<br />
Or, wandering may be a sign that their food isn't right (dried out, or the wrong plant). You can test the "thirsty" theory by misting them.<br />
<br />
<b>Feeding larger caterpillars</b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMYuoQpp4f-_EGBv0PDMCkfsUlIeTEYnhj-HGmJnM-vFnpIiXF_m-u2_9q4wkTHeqQRdCKJTistras4x3-DWGdT4686N2HXzmy7RnMc3YIUNUteEmzPCokMiNcEHn1cbFzuT3jFh2_QeA/s1600/DSC07965.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMYuoQpp4f-_EGBv0PDMCkfsUlIeTEYnhj-HGmJnM-vFnpIiXF_m-u2_9q4wkTHeqQRdCKJTistras4x3-DWGdT4686N2HXzmy7RnMc3YIUNUteEmzPCokMiNcEHn1cbFzuT3jFh2_QeA/s1600/DSC07965.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i>Large caterpillars can eat many leaves a day, depending on the size of the leaf.</i></div>
<br />
So if you have a number of caterpillars, it will save you a lot of time to cut an entire plant, and put it in a heavy vase with water. Then transfer all the caterpillars to the cut plant. Place the vase over a large piece of brown paper (with the edges bent up) to catch the frazz. A common milkweed plant, when placed in a vase, will last 2-3 days.<br />
<br />
Be sure you cover the vase opening with plastic wrap, holding it in place with an elastic band. Poke a hole in the wrap, then push the milkweed's stem through the hole and into the vase. This assures the caterpillars won't drown.<br />
<br />
After about 2 weeks, when the caterpillars are 1.5-2" long, they are ready to form the chrysalis. At this time, they are especially likely to wander--perhaps climbing down the stem, down the vase, and across your kitchen floor. If you place the vase on a table, there's a good chance a wandering caterpillar will form its chrysalis under the table. About two thirds of my caterpillars formed chrysalises in the cut food plant; the other third wandered.<br />
<br />
Just before they form a chrysalis, they hang from under a table or leaf in a "J" shape, attached by a little pad of silk. The "J" stage lasts 1-2 days. Next, you transfer the "J" or chrysalis to a plastic box, in preparation for transport to the classroom. Cut off a small piece of the leaf the chrysalis is hanging from, then tape that piece to the underside of the lid of the plastic box (away from the edges of the container--the butterfly needs space to emerge).<br />
<br />
If the chrysalis forms on the underside of a table, you can transfer it by tying a piece of thread around the stalk of the chrysalis, then cutting the base of the stalk, so the chrysalis is now hanging from the thread.<br />
<br />
Once in the "J" or chrysalis, there is no need to feed the monarchs any more. But you should protect them from disturbance, direct sunlight, heat, or freezing temperatures. Record on a sticky note when each chrysalis forms--so you can give each class several chrysalises that will emerge <u>on different days</u>.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>The classroom</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTtFe13zbLwT2BuqX8xNQxbVNonMsQb2o7R9SPQJuFjZdEeDwKFOGS7Ga7VmWfqkZ-K0aSvsuX8RurOgALUVPoGh8z81IiQxw-rgqc_iC0e8CmjeYKY2ugfEdOtv3WJeGFhkj-G0UV47U/s1600/15325113936_a16371e5af_k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTtFe13zbLwT2BuqX8xNQxbVNonMsQb2o7R9SPQJuFjZdEeDwKFOGS7Ga7VmWfqkZ-K0aSvsuX8RurOgALUVPoGh8z81IiQxw-rgqc_iC0e8CmjeYKY2ugfEdOtv3WJeGFhkj-G0UV47U/s1600/15325113936_a16371e5af_k.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Plastic bin ready for transport to school:</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Chrysalises are taped to inside the lids of individual plastic containers.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>On the milkweed stalk are several "J" caterpillars.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Labels indicate when emergence is expected.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
We haven't worked out firm details for classrooms yet.<br />
<br />
When I distributed large caterpillars and chrysalises to second grade classes, the teachers wanted me to talk to the kids for 10-20 minutes, and answer their questions.<br />
<br />
If you distribute caterpillars, this raises the issue of feeding them many leaves daily. I am not sure that younger kids or busy teachers are up to this, or know where to get the leaves. I have heard of previous attempts resulting in dead caterpillars or chrysalises. I have helped the feeding process by bringing a cut common milkweed to to the school's office each day.<br />
<br />
Probably the biggest challenge is making sure the class actually sees the adult emerge from the chrysalis. <u>This is the goal of the whole exercise</u>! I suggest that several of the more observant children be tasked with watching for when the chrysalis shell goes transparent--when you can see the orange and black wings inside. This means the adult will emerge the following day--possibly around mid morning.<br />
<br />
The chrysalis should be checked first thing in the morning, and several times during the day--especially after lunch.<br />
<br />
However, it's possible the butterfly could emerge in the evening or during the weekend. For that reason, I give each class at least three chrysalises--ones that formed on different days.<br />
<br />
I'm wondering what's the best method for giving the class a good view of emergence. After 3-4 hours of expanding the wings and hardening the exoskeleton, the butterfly is ready to fly off. You don't want it to get loose in the classroom. <br />
<br />
On the other hand, you want all the kids to be able to see CLEARLY what's happening.<br />
<br />
Normally, the chrysalis is placed in a small flight enclosure made of mesh. Ones made for this purpose can be purchased, or you can use some kind of dirty laundry container, or even an old aquarium.<br />
<br />
What would be ideal would be to take the lid of the box the chrysalis is attached to, and suspend it above children's eye level with tape, out in the open, from something like a tripod or lamp stand. This way, the children can surround the emerging butterfly and see it clearly.<br />
<br />
The teacher has to judge when the butterfly has finished hardening its wings, and put it back in an enclosure before it flies away. However, the overall process takes several hours, so there should be time for children to safely see the early part of emergence, CLOSE UP!<br />
<br />
If the adult butterfly isn't released right away, it should be fed with sugar water from a small piece of sponge, or perhaps a hummingbird feeder. I recommend immediate release if the weather is good, since we're trying to save monarchs.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_P2kX6a1okZ8cxEtMeoQJV9XLsXitKbrYVMt3bHQ-g8cue5DZZLnGJsLCyoR9swj_ocNwdu9ZuawStY26Jh_wpvztZMea2LHAgiyPILZXz01SZwZpGTVQgMbF71mHbzU-73_1AOcuJus/s1600/574591_cmg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_P2kX6a1okZ8cxEtMeoQJV9XLsXitKbrYVMt3bHQ-g8cue5DZZLnGJsLCyoR9swj_ocNwdu9ZuawStY26Jh_wpvztZMea2LHAgiyPILZXz01SZwZpGTVQgMbF71mHbzU-73_1AOcuJus/s1600/574591_cmg.jpg" /></a><br />
<b>Resources</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
There are many curriculum materials available on the web.<br />
Most important for schools would be either a poster on the life cycle of the monarch, or a mesh enclosure for the butterfly.<br />
<br />
<b>Materials for the whole process</b><br />
<br />
Containers--small, transparent plastic, with lid. Enough for each caterpillar.<br />
Access to food plants nearby<br />
Brush, very fine, for transferring caterpillars<br />
Tweezers<br />
Magnifying glass, pocket (10X or more)<br />
Small flashlight<br />
Scissors (for cutting plant stalks, cutting leaves, or cutting squares out of leaves)<br />
Vase (heavy, so it won't tip over with large milkweed)<br />
Plastic wrap, rubber bands<br />
Table for your menagerie (optional)<br />
Mister for houseplants (optional)<br />
Colored marking tape (optional)<br />
Large plastic bin for transporting materials to school (optional)<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8347870157748991974.post-74687321379381140832014-09-22T16:06:00.003-05:002014-10-06T17:21:15.312-05:00Thoreau butterfly garden is attracting lots of pollinators<span style="color: #fff2cc;">.</span><br />
Today, the butterfly garden at Thoreau School was glorious. The New England aster was in bloom with deep purple flowers that attracted nine or more species of insects. The various bees, flies, and butterflies are feeding on nectar--and in the process pollinating the flowers. A good deal for both.<br />
<br />
The Thoreau Butterfly Garden was funded with a <a href="http://www.lakewingra.org/2015-stormwater-managment-grants" target="_blank">grant from </a><a href="http://www.lakewingra.org/2015-stormwater-managment-grants" target="_blank">The Friends of Lake Wingra</a><b>.</b><br />
<br />
The garden is a wonderful example of <b>biodiversity</b>. One seldom sees such variety of colorful insects in one spot. You don't have to be concerned with tedious identification. It's a pleasure to just observe, note the differences, and see how many different kinds you can find.<br />
<br />
Let's take a look at what's there. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7OrGyDnQ40pZSLOgI4w2LEA18rmAfQn3nf2xSP82M0lyr2hTrWh71t4oDL5N33kSCUY_Bk-oKQPFV533WhlCABhGtyxggMsMJECyYr6_1SDMAWxI5gI9teTpTmUj7Z9IWRTvdzp0dutY/s1600/DSC00160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7OrGyDnQ40pZSLOgI4w2LEA18rmAfQn3nf2xSP82M0lyr2hTrWh71t4oDL5N33kSCUY_Bk-oKQPFV533WhlCABhGtyxggMsMJECyYr6_1SDMAWxI5gI9teTpTmUj7Z9IWRTvdzp0dutY/s1600/DSC00160.JPG" height="400" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This <u>hoverfly</u> is nearly as big as a bumble bee. You can tell it's a fly because it has only two pairs of wings, and huge eyes. With black and yellow stripes, it gains protection from predators by looking like a bee. Tentative identification: <a href="https://bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio210/s2012/chang_kayi/habitat.htm" target="_blank">Flower Fly</a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNjDEslx3pczRqZ_GsXi4q4-FDSeLjw6biiapLrB2oIuYBVGoN1fPov3lxqlSQhmiNtdwOX1cLVu2e5aqCmhqgxEgZbqyzh1LsIgGhhK0K0iu_GsiZjqbDZCfhZHyMe3eAuLeF3pHvDnI/s1600/DSC00182+CMDSh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<a name='more'></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNjDEslx3pczRqZ_GsXi4q4-FDSeLjw6biiapLrB2oIuYBVGoN1fPov3lxqlSQhmiNtdwOX1cLVu2e5aqCmhqgxEgZbqyzh1LsIgGhhK0K0iu_GsiZjqbDZCfhZHyMe3eAuLeF3pHvDnI/s1600/DSC00182+CMDSh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNjDEslx3pczRqZ_GsXi4q4-FDSeLjw6biiapLrB2oIuYBVGoN1fPov3lxqlSQhmiNtdwOX1cLVu2e5aqCmhqgxEgZbqyzh1LsIgGhhK0K0iu_GsiZjqbDZCfhZHyMe3eAuLeF3pHvDnI/s1600/DSC00182+CMDSh.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a><br />
Three hoverflies. The one in the middle is hovering like a helicopter.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsAYTIQyV-MtzHz7CJygoBH6SnvvSY146cFIiEIuMxiWK18ytBnp8D2dRo0R33XVyUY_x6Fu24zD4iBIwXtSr4WoldOfPQgbYn50ql68unkidKa4yKbc_AwPXtUGwKGEUiCISxYdv3U1s/s1600/DSC00331.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsAYTIQyV-MtzHz7CJygoBH6SnvvSY146cFIiEIuMxiWK18ytBnp8D2dRo0R33XVyUY_x6Fu24zD4iBIwXtSr4WoldOfPQgbYn50ql68unkidKa4yKbc_AwPXtUGwKGEUiCISxYdv3U1s/s1600/DSC00331.JPG" height="318" width="400" /></a></div>
Here's another kind of hoverfly, with different markings.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv_zlVcmmALDHXeESadAfkVefG1QAK3e5gPPoHC0FOKRbSgExfUD0jdfmnOKLmHOWT4INjpfbnpGhuXEMU9ppYN-glRoXB9dLQpypudx9fvhJ7JMSDMRh0K_DnNWuxIr3BftIiE2tUrcw/s1600/DSC00333.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv_zlVcmmALDHXeESadAfkVefG1QAK3e5gPPoHC0FOKRbSgExfUD0jdfmnOKLmHOWT4INjpfbnpGhuXEMU9ppYN-glRoXB9dLQpypudx9fvhJ7JMSDMRh0K_DnNWuxIr3BftIiE2tUrcw/s1600/DSC00333.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Here's a beautiful, shiny green bee. It's not a honeybee that lives in colonies. Instead it's a wild bee, probably one that lives alone. There are a large number of wild solitary bees--very important for pollinating crops.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWmy7Do-UyizFN2NBmxYIe0tYtGxkZUZ63lBWWDH8QLGzt_nVr33PIoObpGobAF5k0SpNT8YUhX_l0Uz9IjHu2wJJBMCSDkdIoCxJQi72gpHRr1D5OpWsIxT0WgMJYHEFvfmB_ESvA3h0/s1600/DSC00328.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWmy7Do-UyizFN2NBmxYIe0tYtGxkZUZ63lBWWDH8QLGzt_nVr33PIoObpGobAF5k0SpNT8YUhX_l0Uz9IjHu2wJJBMCSDkdIoCxJQi72gpHRr1D5OpWsIxT0WgMJYHEFvfmB_ESvA3h0/s1600/DSC00328.JPG" height="318" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Here's another shiny green bee--but you can see that it's abdomen has stripes, while to one in the earlier photo had a green abdomen. So this one is a different species of wild bee.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFTEl2DTwZOI2HiiJmwmg5QMMXLc7KOOjwKLW1PerTKuSu6sxNw02NSHIabzyQarivNEdtRy6lxZVkikWYw-IyQVcCV0yANA0aPJbum8X54zSGa-WYzJ480pDI3YDzD08vLzzHlBLKpLA/s1600/DSC00317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFTEl2DTwZOI2HiiJmwmg5QMMXLc7KOOjwKLW1PerTKuSu6sxNw02NSHIabzyQarivNEdtRy6lxZVkikWYw-IyQVcCV0yANA0aPJbum8X54zSGa-WYzJ480pDI3YDzD08vLzzHlBLKpLA/s1600/DSC00317.JPG" height="318" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
A third kind of wild bee--this one without any green.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilteLGN8W7hh7_qbmlWYk00pFIz4GSz6b327wzSKk_6DGm6r4KWohD_rx7XNLK8-QKljpprJ8GVUjZNWFLAj0qKPNfa8fCKDQzWr3nXe9OjTD4BB-0Kc92jrR2z_3peonAzkxCjcut2bc/s1600/DSC00343.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilteLGN8W7hh7_qbmlWYk00pFIz4GSz6b327wzSKk_6DGm6r4KWohD_rx7XNLK8-QKljpprJ8GVUjZNWFLAj0qKPNfa8fCKDQzWr3nXe9OjTD4BB-0Kc92jrR2z_3peonAzkxCjcut2bc/s1600/DSC00343.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Size comparison--more bees. Upper left is a honey bee. The wild green bee below it is about the same size. In the lower center is a much larger bumble bee.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8LeKndv9UUIOiSbfeEGBz7sprNfNr8HM2H1tf_3WPzVkWyPxqtW5EkxUTiT-3rgkzMKvl8rHrvlkPCvk21zG4xxAKaiilFXuB7c3e8e8HimaQkuth5JRy3okyqZ-DzBdOQCEpmB6T52c/s1600/DSC00340.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8LeKndv9UUIOiSbfeEGBz7sprNfNr8HM2H1tf_3WPzVkWyPxqtW5EkxUTiT-3rgkzMKvl8rHrvlkPCvk21zG4xxAKaiilFXuB7c3e8e8HimaQkuth5JRy3okyqZ-DzBdOQCEpmB6T52c/s1600/DSC00340.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
There was one small butterfly.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM8q0Vdi8wieTva1F4URE6CXpQlaexuvm6XHi6eUKhD_MES_Oiz83dU_0DONEwCN7YWc0BYxvIYkNo-vK9cs3cqxKkglFk_3MauEkSWHRLHTws2ZYpHxXixBqZB0Np4NCs3z150zRTy0A/s1600/DSC00316.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM8q0Vdi8wieTva1F4URE6CXpQlaexuvm6XHi6eUKhD_MES_Oiz83dU_0DONEwCN7YWc0BYxvIYkNo-vK9cs3cqxKkglFk_3MauEkSWHRLHTws2ZYpHxXixBqZB0Np4NCs3z150zRTy0A/s1600/DSC00316.JPG" height="320" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Meanwhile, waiting to eat unwary bees was a large crab spider, hidden in plain sight. Can you find it?* (Click the photo to enlarge.) These spiders are named for the "crab-like" way their legs are arranged--like a trap to snap shut on their prey. They are ambush predators.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b>Our biodiversity tally today on just one kind of flower...</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
2 species of hoverfly</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
3 species of wild bee</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
honey bee</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
bumble bee</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
butterfly</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
crab spider</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
If you examined other kinds of flowers, searched longer, or visited at a different time of day, you'd find many more species.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
# # #</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
* The crab spider is hiding in the center of the flower in the upper right. Most crab spiders are colored like the flowers they inhabit.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoverfly" target="_blank">More on hoverflies.</a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>More info on threats to pollinators...</b></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">1. </span><a href="http://www.webaction.org/site/R?i=vUqNWF3wWW7JqmMK_FccLA" style="background-color: white; color: #416e9e; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Syngenta asks EPA to raise tolerance level for 'bee-killing' chemical</a><span style="background-color: white;">, Greenwire, September 5, 2014 </span><br style="background-color: white;" /><br style="background-color: white;" /><a href="http://www.webaction.org/site/R?i=cXWSh26U7yT8W-MEjSYlIA" style="background-color: white; color: #416e9e; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Proposed Rules, Federal Register</a><span style="background-color: white;"> [PDF], General Accounting Office, September 5, 2014 </span><br style="background-color: white;" /><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">2. </span><a href="http://www.webaction.org/site/R?i=CBs2rFgjfuEXKiKVZmEYcg" style="background-color: white; color: #416e9e; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Insecticides put world food supplies at risk, say scientists</a><span style="background-color: white;">, The Guardian, June 23, 2014 </span><br style="background-color: white;" /><br style="background-color: white;" /><a href="http://www.webaction.org/site/R?i=UCpYbvjOBg4wqBMDg2wp3Q" style="background-color: white; color: #416e9e; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Bee Deaths Prompt Calls for U.S. to Ban Some Pesticides</a><span style="background-color: white;">, Bloomberg, May 14, 2014 </span><br style="background-color: white;" /><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">3. Ibid. </span><br style="background-color: white;" /><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">4. </span><a href="http://www.webaction.org/site/R?i=U3btD8uivS0rtlGOU84M4g" style="background-color: white; color: #416e9e; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Pesticides Behind Bee Collapse Should Be Banned</a><span style="background-color: white;">, Natural Resources Defense Council, July 7, 2014 </span><br style="background-color: white;" /><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">5. </span><a href="http://www.webaction.org/site/R?i=HApDf4uT_4s8eTSHwJ2oJg" style="background-color: white; color: #416e9e; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Bee die-offs: New tests find bee-killing pesticides in 'bee-friendly' plants from garden centers nationwide</a><span style="background-color: white;">, Friends of the Earth, August 14, 2013</span><img alt="" src="http://www.webaction.org/site/PixelServer?j=8zmEfSr24m2ZiTIcugMUuA" height="1" style="background-color: white;" width="1" /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">6. </span></span>UNEP Emerging Issues: <a href="http://www.unep.org/dewa/Portals/67/pdf/Global_Bee_Colony_Disorder_and_Threats_insect_pollinators.pdf" target="_blank">Global Honey Bee Colony Disorder and Other Threats to Insect Pollinators</a>. 2010.<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> </span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8347870157748991974.post-51857573745373908572014-09-15T11:52:00.000-05:002014-09-15T16:59:47.843-05:00Reconstruction scheduled for Monroe Street<span style="color: #fff2cc;">..</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The City has rescheduled reconstruction of Monroe St, to 2015. Budgetary issues caused the delays.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">There have been two sessions in which the public was invited to make suggestions for the project. During the first, I suggested that the City adopt a design goal of not exporting stormwater to the lake for storms up to a selected intensity (let's say a two-year storm).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Such a goal would be easier to achieve if the City (or FoLLW) also adopted a program to </span>encourage<span style="font-family: inherit;"> better handling of stormwater on private properties nearby. For example, if more people disconnected their downspouts from their driveways (and the street), then the Monroe Street project wouldn't need to handle as much stormwater.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">During the second pubic meeting about Monroe Street, in which City staff summarized input from the first meeting, there was no mention either of adopting a stormwater export standard, or of a program to encourage better infiltration on private property.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">The "Green Street" pilot program dropped</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">A green street seeks to reduce stormwater runoff and associated pollutants, bring natural elements into streets, and improve access for pedestrians and bicycles. A new green street program can create a standard for a neighborhood, generating pride. Since Monroe street is a <i>gateway neighborhood</i> to the City </span><span style="background-color: white;">for a large number of commuters and visitors, it</span><span style="background-color: white;"> sets the tone for <i>all</i> of Madison.</span></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">When the Friends of Lake Wingra was holding regular meetings with City Engineering in 2012, the engineers mentioned Monroe Street as a possible prototype "green street" in Madison. This means Monroe Street would gain state-of-the-art features to filter, store, and infiltrate stormwater, in ways that make the area more inviting.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYgXL6V22YAfSKDpnKc2-cT_ZZrSoRxa9qahqPa2_Cki3GMPMJjGyhDFdkOAu4tSYG6ftyRsnCI545J57JJGY8bGlD8DOQvzbMq6SZIeNHwMkB_FhqAnHhxG7gFIQhjNjSP7ValmuGSE4/s1600/SiskiyouStreetKevinRobertPerry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYgXL6V22YAfSKDpnKc2-cT_ZZrSoRxa9qahqPa2_Cki3GMPMJjGyhDFdkOAu4tSYG6ftyRsnCI545J57JJGY8bGlD8DOQvzbMq6SZIeNHwMkB_FhqAnHhxG7gFIQhjNjSP7ValmuGSE4/s400/SiskiyouStreetKevinRobertPerry.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Stormwater curb extension in Portland, OR</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></i></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Not only would <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_infrastructure" target="_blank">green infrastructure</a> features protect the lake, but they would enhance the gateway neighborhoods which already have outstanding green features, including the lake, the Edgewood Campus, Arboretum, parks, the Zoo, bikeway, and golf courses. The neighborhood has been a leader in the construction of <a href="http://www.cityofmadison.com/engineering/stormwater/raingardens/adamsstreetraingardens.cfm" target="_blank">rain gardens</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: inherit;">Now is the time for neighborhoods--leaders, citizens, and associations--to begin talking about how we can make Commonwealth and Monroe streets something to make the neighborhood shine. Let's recognize this neighborhood for the extraordinary gem that it is, and rebuild the streets to fit that standard.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: inherit;">Streets are not only ways to get <i>somewhere else</i>. They are places where we spend time and experience life in the neighborhood.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: inherit;">Monroe Street is narrow, with high traffic. So it's going to take commitment, vision, and real determination--to achieve green infrastructure for that location.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: inherit;">But I believe it's possible. Below, I present several new designs that should be considered...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span> <b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Stormwater curb extensions</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br />
</b> These infiltrate runoff from the street--building a rain garden where several parking places formerly existed. These could be built on side streets to Monroe, such as Woodrow and Terry. The terraces on these streets could also be used for large rain gardens.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB2dDCJldD-f6Ebyog9cf35NHav8_cwS99r5HlQOiDr96x2hTFqpjyA9cCyHubROfhW-5ldNabx6reeHa8emEuZU5cTbi1aqJ_NSU1ZSelR6LYK32ALyUUBOURDpQPxWN6dEqCbr5eEQc/s1600/SiskiyouStreetGreenProject.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB2dDCJldD-f6Ebyog9cf35NHav8_cwS99r5HlQOiDr96x2hTFqpjyA9cCyHubROfhW-5ldNabx6reeHa8emEuZU5cTbi1aqJ_NSU1ZSelR6LYK32ALyUUBOURDpQPxWN6dEqCbr5eEQc/s400/SiskiyouStreetGreenProject.jpg" height="232" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Click to enlarge. <a href="http://www.artfulrainwaterdesign.net/projects/show/34/" target="_blank">More info.</a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/52919708@N00/3568366177/" target="_blank">More photos</a>.</span></i></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></i></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Underground injection drywells for stormwater</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br />
</b> Portland has 9,000 of these Underground Injection Controls, or UICs. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br />
</b> Where space is tight, as along Monroe Street, here's a way to get runoff into the ground. These large structures work during heavy storms when rain gardens and other stormwater structures are overwhelmed. They can save money by making larger pipes unnecessary.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV4uhoVrVu4UrwWXJYTT1CYINf1h2duutca0_yGS-j1TCxK9gK2T0iQe2qxCany3qs0XEkt8W48WEfCbtpNVW_LQX2PztwEQ9WKYcBC_iPyIPHH9RN9gLHvU8srM8s862u7AJUvnH9jn4/s1600/Underground+Injection+Control+Program+Portland.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV4uhoVrVu4UrwWXJYTT1CYINf1h2duutca0_yGS-j1TCxK9gK2T0iQe2qxCany3qs0XEkt8W48WEfCbtpNVW_LQX2PztwEQ9WKYcBC_iPyIPHH9RN9gLHvU8srM8s862u7AJUvnH9jn4/s640/Underground+Injection+Control+Program+Portland.gif" height="640" width="440" /><i></i></span></a><i><a href="http://www.portlandonline.com/bes/index.cfm?c=48213" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Source</span></a></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Erosion control DURING reconstruction</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Monroe St. is close to Lake Wingra, so we hope the City will plan for rigorous erosion control, to avoid sediment spills like those from the 2010 resurfacing of Edgewood Av (<i>below</i>).</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVX7U67joDXXZf8Zf5PIb4v2VNqCnv8lE4rh9d7Tof2pTPb81e0yc1hH5DByrW1zcKhJY6vSvi4EcUlcoxULADVSPfD_yfkP4Yw7QdefpZWw_RghKXq353HI1evbgxryQf-WF2dERorj4/s1600/Picture016+MD+byJamieSaul.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVX7U67joDXXZf8Zf5PIb4v2VNqCnv8lE4rh9d7Tof2pTPb81e0yc1hH5DByrW1zcKhJY6vSvi4EcUlcoxULADVSPfD_yfkP4Yw7QdefpZWw_RghKXq353HI1evbgxryQf-WF2dERorj4/s400/Picture016+MD+byJamieSaul.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"># # #</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.portlandonline.com/shared/cfm/image.cfm?id=185817" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Portland's Green Streets Master Plan</span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.epa.gov/owow_keep/podcasts/greenstreetsusa.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Green street initiatives around the US</span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8347870157748991974.post-41972031728257358382014-08-18T19:32:00.003-05:002014-08-20T00:32:20.525-05:00Monarch butterfly lays eggs in new butterfly garden<span style="color: #fff2cc;">.</span><br />
The new butterfly garden at Thoreau School, funded by Friends of Lake Wingra, is a success!<br />
<br />
On August 18, I dropped by the garden and was delighted to see a colorful monarch waltzing around the garden--surprised since I have seen so few this summer.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTmZRSFSEs7r4vFiTYdDQK6hgJNEADaJ_g065Z7KH7uTUUQD_u2ujj2J2NDO80lCRkm4H8v3DaY_45nDoVAiEn2_WB59ywMvncIpHOaUawQlAjxhoKYiUNXGCl0Ar1kb7cbZCX3beH1so/s1600/14777068420_f7f630dde4_k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTmZRSFSEs7r4vFiTYdDQK6hgJNEADaJ_g065Z7KH7uTUUQD_u2ujj2J2NDO80lCRkm4H8v3DaY_45nDoVAiEn2_WB59ywMvncIpHOaUawQlAjxhoKYiUNXGCl0Ar1kb7cbZCX3beH1so/s1600/14777068420_f7f630dde4_k.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Overview of the butterfly garden, surrounded by a black silt sock.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-style: italic;">Thoreau School is in the rear.</span></div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The female flitted around in wide circles, as if searching for the scent of a milkweed plant--since I doubt if their eyes are good enough to recognize various milkweed species.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivSoA1eYVIYVrxr44JstQiOCTIfqrvvAqPpUVBhjKkUXFI2z2WmkdTErGjtflhuN6DjePN5StjJ76DNeIwztAQqDDQM4ti8bJ9fQS-lezMbCtQOZlRFrTgjdCBJ16I-O0eGGAXfQ-3Qrc/s1600/DSC09935+female+flying+wings+down++clear+C8x12M+20SatSh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivSoA1eYVIYVrxr44JstQiOCTIfqrvvAqPpUVBhjKkUXFI2z2WmkdTErGjtflhuN6DjePN5StjJ76DNeIwztAQqDDQM4ti8bJ9fQS-lezMbCtQOZlRFrTgjdCBJ16I-O0eGGAXfQ-3Qrc/s1600/DSC09935+female+flying+wings+down++clear+C8x12M+20SatSh.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>Flying over marsh milkweed.</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>The hind wings are tucked down i</i><i>n the center </i><i>to form a vertical stabilizer, like the tail of an airplane.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I ran to get my camera from two blocks away. When I came back, she was still flitting around. She flew almost out of sight, then came back. She rejected the colorful garden of a house across the street--milkweed is the only food for monarch caterpillars.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Suddenly, she veered and landed on a marsh milkweed, down low among the foliage. Soon I could see her abdomen bent sharply downward, touching the surface of a leaf <i>(photo below)</i>.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj12v2Dfb7AIBYMqkjfqRRYGQFAAS0JYFf5OCTUVSv9D_D4m0aZrRv-dZ-1WBByx5xugcuMvexbor7AAxbCRm_KglnKAZ2UJWboc9pkfUF0MyG6SkSO_pEtmS6NFvwIHXSgh91jCfRdkiI/s1600/DSC09941+female+laying+egg+clear+C8x8MD+20SatSh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj12v2Dfb7AIBYMqkjfqRRYGQFAAS0JYFf5OCTUVSv9D_D4m0aZrRv-dZ-1WBByx5xugcuMvexbor7AAxbCRm_KglnKAZ2UJWboc9pkfUF0MyG6SkSO_pEtmS6NFvwIHXSgh91jCfRdkiI/s1600/DSC09941+female+laying+egg+clear+C8x8MD+20SatSh.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>The egg is a tiny, light-green ball at the tip of her abdomen.</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>It's the size of the head of a pin, about 1 mm.</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>Click on photo to enlarge.</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfqL2CupFCQZLcYMReFPE3HOLJBGYDoOhnK8jwOwxP91KK9bfKjqzWYLbufkO-MQLKbemFxEgFhUGmz9N99_rW8TCTjV-9IPa7DNcA_dRTq3s8_xFKCu_l7g0EnQzv1X8sW9wP9K6gjHQ/s1600/DSC09942+female+laying+egg+clear+C8x8MD+20SatSh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfqL2CupFCQZLcYMReFPE3HOLJBGYDoOhnK8jwOwxP91KK9bfKjqzWYLbufkO-MQLKbemFxEgFhUGmz9N99_rW8TCTjV-9IPa7DNcA_dRTq3s8_xFKCu_l7g0EnQzv1X8sW9wP9K6gjHQ/s1600/DSC09942+female+laying+egg+clear+C8x8MD+20SatSh.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>Almost finished! In this view, you can't see the egg.</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>Note the coiled tongue (proboscus).</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Between sessions down in the foliage, the female flew around and landed on flowers to "nectar"--that's when they use their long, coiled tongue to sip sugary nectar from flowers for energy.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnamMhN_SqGBzoUdWHooeBdSXBIFSOYVEULRVuykg0QxZ1O-tBLahM7nLkaZpIlVWhDkStI19sSOVHtheMhp7kSnxy6YO0VOPJPD0eZXZHocaO5H0AQkjL3dlRRNDPyxicTzSQBN61EGA/s1600/DSC09933+nectaring+C8x10M+20SatSh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnamMhN_SqGBzoUdWHooeBdSXBIFSOYVEULRVuykg0QxZ1O-tBLahM7nLkaZpIlVWhDkStI19sSOVHtheMhp7kSnxy6YO0VOPJPD0eZXZHocaO5H0AQkjL3dlRRNDPyxicTzSQBN61EGA/s1600/DSC09933+nectaring+C8x10M+20SatSh.jpg" height="318" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>You can see her bent tongue to the left of her head.</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
She probably laid several eggs on different* marsh milkweed plants. When I searched where I had seen her, I quickly found one egg sitting on the top side of a leaf. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I gently removed the leaf, since I didn't think the egg was safe from predators or the sun where it was laid. All the other monarch eggs I've found have been on the underside of leaves, and caterpillars always go to the underside to feed.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMEo_-EDUKFfaIkIilVMe706u_QEetqZ_xOSBSTix7giJ7FOwleG8RlSx9wFJX5n3oVX8VLufNVblQby8NSNI0W5Ow6tVEJYgU6E9H6hxSBYnrVkZfD17uOY4kRPE66ouYx6f3Q2fksSs/s1600/DSC09960+C8x8MSh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMEo_-EDUKFfaIkIilVMe706u_QEetqZ_xOSBSTix7giJ7FOwleG8RlSx9wFJX5n3oVX8VLufNVblQby8NSNI0W5Ow6tVEJYgU6E9H6hxSBYnrVkZfD17uOY4kRPE66ouYx6f3Q2fksSs/s1600/DSC09960+C8x8MSh.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>The egg is white or pale green, the size of the head of a pin, and with distinctive fluted ridges.</i></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I took the egg home and placed it in a bowl, with a few drops of water, and covered with plastic (with holes) to keep humidity high. I anticipate hatching in 5-10 days. Then I'll offer the caterpillar to teachers at the school to raise, or place the caterpillar back in the garden.</div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b>What I learned</b></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
If you see a Monarch down in the foliage of a milkweed, they may be laying an egg!</div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It's curious that she only nectared and laid eggs on marsh milkweed, even though there were many butterfly weed plants and flowers. These are also milkweed--and suitable food for larvae. Perhaps she preferred marsh milkweed because she spent her "caterpillarhood" on this species.</div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
# # #</div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b>Acknowledgements</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
In addition to funding from Friends of Lake Wingra, the following people were involved in planning, construction, and maintenance of the new garden...<br />
<ul>
<li>Thoreau PTO </li>
<li>Thoreau School </li>
<li>Karen Faller</li>
<li>David Thompson </li>
<li>Steve Glass </li>
<li>Marta Sells </li>
<li>Laura Flinchbaugh (& Charlotte)</li>
<li>Larry Dooley</li>
<li>Abby Kwapil-Matzke (& Noah)</li>
<li>Jason DuRocher</li>
<li>Betsy Parker</li>
<li>Lauren Ott</li>
</ul>
<i>* They lay their 200 eggs on different individual plants. That's because the caterpillars eat a huge amount--two on one plant might run out of leaves to eat. And the marsh milkweed leaves are much smaller than common milkweed leaves.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/35544042@N06/sets/72157646196255840/" target="_blank">More photos</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://texasbutterflyranch.com/2014/07/29/2014-monarch-butterfly-migration-worst-in-history-or-a-hopeful-rebound/" target="_blank">Article</a> on the 2014 migration north--somewhat better than last year.<br />
<br />
How to raise monarchs: <a href="http://www.monarchwatch.org/rear/" target="_blank">Link 1</a>. <a href="http://texasbutterflyranch.com/2013/04/05/how-to-raise-monarch-butterflies-at-home/" target="_blank">Link 2</a>.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8347870157748991974.post-54840529177627875242014-07-28T15:56:00.002-05:002014-07-28T16:25:07.500-05:00Insects as pets<span style="color: #fff2cc;">.</span><br />
Not many people keep insects as pets nowadays, although the ancient Chinese kept crickets in little cages, to hear them sing.<br />
<br />
Over the years, I've kept about 20 different species as pets, but George the monarch caterpillar was my first insect.<br />
<br />
When I was a college student, I had a pet tarantula. (Spiders are much different from insects.) While I was driving on a back road at Stanford, I saw him crossing the pavement and took him home to my dorm.<br />
<br />
Having no other handy cage, I put him in my empty waste basket. There he sat for several months. When I entered the room, he'd feel my vibrations and scuttle around the bottom of the basket. I imagined it was a dance of joy at my homecoming, like Fido's greeting. Perhaps not.<br />
<br />
I'd toss in a few flies or a big bug every day or so, which he happily ate. But after several months, he died--probably from starvation or dehydration. His communication skills were poor, so he couldn't communicate what he needed (as if I was listening). <br />
<br />
<b>Pros and cons of insect pets</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Caterpillars are very different from kitties and doggies. <br />
<br />
<u>Advantages</u><br />
<ul>
<li>No neurotic behaviors or misbehavior. Never chew on your shoes.</li>
<li>Don't run off (at least not fast)</li>
<li>Food is inexpensive.</li>
<li>No need for vaccinations or license.</li>
<li>Expands your mind. Teaches about metamorphosis.</li>
<li>Insect metamorphosis puts human puberty in perspective.</li>
<li>You get three pets for the price of one. Caterpillar, chrysalis, and butterfly.<a name='more'></a></li>
</ul>
<div>
<u>Disadvantages</u></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Easy to squish if you're not careful. </li>
<li>Therefore, not good for small children.</li>
<li>Not cute or cuddly (depending on your definition).</li>
<li>Poor communication skills. Don't lick your face or wag tails.</li>
<li>Won't catch a frisbee, not even a small one. Don't learn tricks. ZERO tricks.</li>
<li>Can't be housebroken. (But their dry frass is easy to clean up.)</li>
</ul>
<div>
<b>What if your dog had the metamorphosis lifestyle</b></div>
</div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
Imagine that through bio-engineering, Monsanto comes out with a "three-in-one" pet, also known as the "<span style="color: blue;">BirdDog<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(TM)</span></span>." </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It has a life cycle something like a monarch butterfly. Of course, you're skeptical at first. You're a traditional dog lover. But the kids saw an advertisement on TV, and there's no denying them. You give in, reasoning that: "At least it starts out like a dog."</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
True. Down at the pet store, after swiping your credit card, the man with a nervous tic gives you a 50 lb bag of puppy chow, with a tiny egg in a special container on top of the bag. It looks like a sparrow egg--the <span style="color: blue;">BirdDog<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(TM)</span></span> egg.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
After a few days, the egg has hatched. The pieces of shell are there, and a small hole chewed in the bag underneath the shell.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The kids are anxious to see, so you open the bag, and look in with a flashlight. Inside is a tiny little puppy--smaller than a mouse--chewing incessantly on the pellets inside. He pays no attention to you--just keeps on eating. "Don't play with him, kids. He's too tiny. You might hurt him."</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
After a few days, the puppy is now the size of a rat--but he keeps on eating. So the kids can see, you put him in a plastic wash tub, and pour the food around him. He just keeps eating. Now he's the size of a hamster. Now a Mexican chihuahua.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Rover is kind of cute, but not much fun. The kids are losing interest. They try to cuddle him, but he keeps dropping large pellets of frass into the folds of their clothes. "Yuck!"</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Every day, the puppy turns brown pellets of dry food into piles of smaller brown frass. You dump out the frass, and pour in more food. That's easy enough.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
You're starting to look forward to the big change, the metamorphosis. This particular kind of patented <span style="color: blue;">BirdDog<span style="font-size: xx-small;">TM</span></span> is going to change into a scarlet macaw, you've been assured by the man with the nervous tic. But you're not exactly sure when or how this is going to happen.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
A feeling of suspense starts to build in the house. The kids come home from school and poke the puppy, who is now large and bloated. They're looking for any unusual change.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Finally, after coming home from the movies on a Friday night, the puppy is gone!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
You look all around, under the sofa and chairs, till finally someone thinks to look up. There he is! A big brown sack hanging motionless from the ceiling in the corner of the family room. The brown sack sways a little whenever you call his name. Again suspense. What next?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Five days later, when you get up in the morning, the sack is moving. The side splits, and you can see bright red bulging out. Soon a red wing pops out. A scarlet macaw emerges, though looking wet and shriveled. Over the next hour, you watch in amazement as the wings of the bright red bird slowly expand. He begins to slowly fan his wings, drying them off. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Finally, when one of the kids approaches to poke him, he suddenly flies off with a screech so loud your heart stops! He flies into the glass of the patio door, thumps loudly, and falls to the floor, motionless.<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i>Below: The author with Rover.</i></div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGmX-YalRlISY3y9m4zvFglVk10kflEUJFbAJDPHdUhBzuvyMlDbrlnEjoN0jXgt4U_ttT027FVZC0StKp2QtwsyNWvECLbzxlmpkTTQMFyDfTvLVi59A3vNh0NlmoxSkbO73NLClXVE4/s1600/14767783961_1090efbd28_k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGmX-YalRlISY3y9m4zvFglVk10kflEUJFbAJDPHdUhBzuvyMlDbrlnEjoN0jXgt4U_ttT027FVZC0StKp2QtwsyNWvECLbzxlmpkTTQMFyDfTvLVi59A3vNh0NlmoxSkbO73NLClXVE4/s1600/14767783961_1090efbd28_k.jpg" height="320" width="256" /></a>Soon, he comes to and walks restlessly around the floor, screeching. Now the name "Rover" doesn't seem <br />
so appropriate. He's pretty, but not the placid creature you had before.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
You feed him on piles of overripe bananas you get on sale, but all he does is flap incessantly at the southern windows of your house, knocking over the African violets lined up there.<br />
<br />
The kids have stopped paying any attention--they wanted a dog.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Reluctantly--because it's hard to let go of something you've cared for--you decide you'll have to release him. All he wants is to fly south to Mexico, to roost for the winter in the tall mountain pines of Michoacan.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So with a tear in your eye, you tie to his leg a message in Spanish that came with the bag of puppy chow: "Greetings from the US." You go outside, and toss Rover into the air. He flies two circles around your house, then turns south and disappears.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If only raising kids were that easy. Now there's a project for Monsanto.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0