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Texas Master Naturalist, Elm Fork Chapter Newsletter Page 1
‘HOPPERS
July 2012
Volume 12 Issue 7
Special points of interest:
SWAt
Rob’s Ramblings
Beat the Heat
In this issue:
SWAt Team 2
Rob’s Rambling 4
Announcements 4
Junior Master Naturalist 5
Speaker Bio 6
Newest Family Member 6
When It’s 114 7
Field Notes in Focus 8
Who we are 9
TEXAS MASTER NATURALIST ELM FORK CHAPTER
Texas AgriLIFE Extension
AgriLIFE Extension Service
Elm Fork Chapter
Newsletter
TM
by Buddy Cole — Honorary Texas Master Naturalist,
Elm Fork Chapter, Class of 2001
FFor over a month now our
region has been experiencing
a huge crop and garden dam-
aging invasion of grasshop-
pers devouring everything in
their path. A beautiful field
of corn between Tioga and
Gunter was there one day
and nothing but stalks the
next and a farmer 6 miles
west of Krum was plowing a field where
millet only grew a couple of inches due
to lack of rain which the 'hoppers ate to
the ground. He was plowing the field up
and said he got dizzy from seeing the
huge clouds and waves of 'hoppers ris-
ing in front of his tractor. I had similar
comments from a lady near Justin and
another in the Mustang community east
of Aubrey. Another lady said some
county roads had so many 'hoppers on
them it was like driving on Rice Krisp-
ies snap, crackle and pop. A pest control
man said he's been very busy spraying
customers’ ornamentals and trees to kill
the pests.
TThere are several spe-
cies of grasshoppers in
Texas and about 1000
species
nationwide but this pre-
sent pest is the common
Differential grasshop-
per, Melanoplus differ-
entialis, a member of the
order Orthoptera. It's
usually just called the "yellow"
grasshopper since it is mostly yellow
but can be a little brownish or olive
yellow. It's about 1.75 inches long,
winged and can fly well but is not
migratory in the true sense but does
quickly move from a field they've
devoured to a fresh, green one. They
do occur all over the U.S. They have
brown eyes and two short antennae.
The powerful hind legs have a saw-
tooth edge on the lower (tibia) leg
and black V or chevron shaped
markings on the larger upper (femur)
leg.
Photo—courtesy
Buddy Cole
Field Notes
Grasshopper Invasion
Who We Are
Texas Master Naturalist, Elm Fork Chapter Newsletter Page 2
TThe life cycle is egg, nymph and adult. A female inserts her ovipositor at the rear end of the
abdomen into soft soil and deposits several pods or sacs about an inch long down to an inch
or so deep in the ground. Each pod contains from 1 to 3 dozen eggs. They overwinter this
way and emerge in spring, going through 5 or 6 Instars to reach adult size in 45 to 60 days.
Some small Instars may be off yellow or black in color. There is one generation per year.
MMild winters with no extended very cold makes for large hatches such as we have now. I think it was the summer of 2001 when we
had this same situation and one day an unusual high north wind swept over the area and hordes of Differentials took flight out over
Lake Ray Roberts. They covered the standing dead timber in the lake, the water and fishermen's boats even sticking to anglers shirts
and hats. Catfish rose in large numbers to graciously accept this manna from Heaven.
FFishermen just cut off their lures, tied on a hook, plucked a ' hopper off their shirt, stuck it on the hook and cast out. Fish fry num-
bers were caught! Anglers do catch gallon milk jugs full of ' hoppers and freeze for future use.
Some resort to running across a field with a minnow seine to really gather larger numbers. You
might try that and remember by doing so the cantaloupes and okra you save might be your
own!
We are pleased and honored to have Buddy Cole on
the Newsletter Team and look forward to hearing
from him again and again. Thanks, Buddy.
Grasshopper laying eggs —
photo Buddy Cole
We have successfully completed the
fourth annual training of teachers in
which the SWAt (Science With Attitude!) team pre-
sented activities, gardening, planting and habitat
methods to teachers interested in teaching these
methods to their classrooms. During the 3 day
workshop (June 18,19,20) teachers were shown
how, with their guidance and help, schools can
install and maintain their very own Outdoor Habi-
tat and Learning Center on their campuses.
Th e SWAt team,
comprised of
Janet Laminack, Cheryl
Kesterson and Susan
Kilpatrick along with her daughters, Shelby, Lau-
ren and Kaitlin, and a cadre of other volunteers
from the Master Gardeners and Master Natural-
ists of Denton County, utilized the three action
packed days to instill confidence and knowledge
into teachers who previously had no idea on how
to go about planning, installing or using an Out-
door Learning Center. During the workshop,
teachers learned how and when to plant, how to
design habitat and vegetable garden space,
which plants are most successful in a school Out-
door Learning Area, and, most importantly, how
the area can be incorporated into their curricu-
lum.
The SWAt team did it again!
From Cheryl Kesterson
Public domain photo
Texas Master Naturalist, Elm Fork Chapter Newsletter Page 3
It is widely understood that in today's society, children have few opportunities to explore the natural world or even
know where their food comes from. Research has shown that children who gain a hands on understanding of the
natural world through planting, whether vegetable gardens and /or native plants, gain a better understanding of the in-
terconnection within all habitats and learn how it can and will impact their lives now and in the future. In addition, their
test scores increase, their social skills improve, and they are more likely to become better citizens in their adult lives. By
utilizing a natural habitat and garden area outside their classroom walls, much can be accomplished and promoted for a
better tomorrow to come from today's youth. With the help of volunteers from the Denton County Agrilife Extension Agen-
cy, Master Naturalists and Master Gardeners, the seeds for a brighter future are being planted today, one child at a
time.
SWAT team — cont’d Photos courtesy
Cheryl Kesterson
Texas Master Naturalist, Elm Fork Chapter Newsletter Page 4
ROB’S RAMBLINGS—JULY 2012
T he year is half gone. We’ve had great pro-
grams at our monthly meetings plus addition-
al AT opportunities including field trips. The
rest of the year has a great lineup of program speakers and
AT events as well.
N ext month’s meeting is our most important of
the year as we invite prospective members to
attend our Roundup on Thursday, August 16th,
in the Copeland Center. It is a great opportunity to tell them
who we are and what we do. Invite a friend or neighbor who
might be interested in attending our 2012 class and becom-
ing a member. Offer to
bring them to the meeting.
B e an ambassador at the meeting. Welcome
the visitors, tell them what you do within the
chapter, show them the various project and
other displays, introduce them to other members, answer
their questions and encourage them to sign up for the
class.
H ope you are planning to attend
the 2012 State Conference to
be held near Navasota, October
26-28. We hope to have a large contingent of our
members attending. A regional conference of
chapters in our area is scheduled for April 12-14,
2013. Planning is underway and volunteers are
needed to help with the planning, organizing, and
running the conference. More details will be
forthcoming in the next months. Meanwhile,
mark your calendar.
B e careful when working outdoors!
Rob Roy, President
“Head ‘em up”— clip art
Dear friends,
Cara, the Crested Caracara that has lived with Doris Mager for
30 years has passed on. Doris has received permission to
mount Cara so that she can still contribute to raptor education,
and she is currently applying donations toward this cause in
memory of Cara. If you would like to send a card or note to
Doris you should mail it to Doris Mager, 132 Autumn Lane,
Clyde, NC 28721.
Special Message from Susan Pohlen:
Cara—photo ourtesy
Alex Lieban
FROM THE BULLETIN
BOARD — INFORMATION
AND OPPORTUNITIES
Texas Master Naturalist, Elm Fork Chapter Newsletter Page 5
If you have an idea for, or information about a speaker,
please send your suggestions, with all contact infor-
mation, to Peg La Point, programs chairperson.
[email protected] 891-4984
Contact Information Changes
If you have any changes in your contact information (name,
address, telephone number or numbers, and/or email ad-
dress) you want the chapter and members to know about
please send the changes to:
Monica Chaffin [email protected]; Donna Wolfe
[email protected]; & Susan Pohlen
September 12 Field Trip: Guided tour of Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center. (Limit: 20 people. Cost: $6.00 per per-son). For more information, please con-tact Peg La Point:
[email protected] 891-4984
Jonah Bradshaw is the first Elm Fork Chapter
Junior Master Naturalist. Jonah completed his 16 hours of training during the June summer program held at Clear Creek. He completed his 8 hours of service at Hickory Creek park on Lake Lewisville.
His grandparents are park hosts at Hickory Creek and he was spending time with them at the park. He picked up trash and planted wildflowers at the park.
Jan Hodson
Junior Master Naturalist Jonah Bradshaw with Jan Hodson
I would like to send a well deserved “thank you” to every-one who helped with the first Junior Master Naturalist summer program. I could not have done it without you.
Rosemary Carrizales Susan Pohlen Marian Kester Theresa Page Claire Kamego
I would also like to thank Chris Stogsdill who has helped me time and time again with the monthly JMN programs.
And a big “thank you” to Tracy Durmick and Denton Parks and Recreation for assisting with our mission to educate the public.
Jan Hodson
Texas Master Naturalist, Elm Fork Chapter Newsletter Page 6
MY NEWEST FAMILY MEMBER—Dorothy Thetford (Class 2001)
W ell, here I go again! Only one out of four eggs hatched from my second nesting of Bluebirds in June. Can any of my Master Naturalist birding friends tell me why this happened? Seems like it may have something to do with fertilization? eh? And is one out of 4 a common ratio?
A nd, I have another puzzle to solve. I watched and
photographed the skinny, lone, naked baby for 4-5 days as it
lay across the remaining three, unhatched eggs while wonder-
ing if I should remove the unhatched eggs so the baby would
have more space. Then, as if by magic, the unhatched eggs
disappeared. No, I didn't do it. Can someone please tell me
how that happened without leaving any signs of shells or egg
yolk or feathers or damage or anything? I can't imagine how a
parent bird could have maneuvered each large egg up the
depth of the bluebirdbox wall, and then gotten it through the
entrance hole alongside its own body. I think I need a Bluebird
101 course, or maybe a little help from my friends, please mail
to: [email protected].
From eggs to feathers
Photos — D. Thetford
Grow your knowledge!
ave you ever wanted to learn
more about historic trees?
Who better to teach you than a
member of the Dallas Historic
Tree Coalition? Whether it is the cherry tree cut
down by George Washington or a big old tree in
your neighborhood, we are all connected to his-
tory through the trees that surround us.
“What is a Historic Tree” is the title of this month’s presen-
tation at the Elm Fork Master Naturalist meeting on July 19, at
9:00am, at the Steven E. Copeland Government Center, 1400
FM 424 in Cross Roads, Texas. Arborist and horticulturist, Bill
Seaman will discuss what makes a tree historic and how to
find the historic trees in your community. Mr. Seaman is a
founding member and past-president of the Dallas Historic
Tree Coalition, a citizens group dedicated to finding and recog-
nizing the historically important trees in Texas. He, like all the
members of the coalition, is an advocate for trees and the ur-
ban forest.
July Regular Meeting July 19, 2012
Texas Master Naturalist, Elm Fork Chapter Newsletter Page 7
. . .theretherethere can still be life on the outside; it does not mean that we are all banished into the deep
confines of our living rooms. We as Master Naturalists are used to sweating a little; it is part of
what makes most of us tick.. Under normal circumstances our bodies will sweat and the evapora-
tion will keep us cool. However the extreme heat and high humidity will slow this process and our body has to
work even harder than normal to stay cool. Summertime activities must be balanced with measures that help
your body cool to prevent heat-related illness.
WeWeWe all know to stay hydrated, do not wait until you are thirsty to drink. (If your Doctor limits the amount of
water you drink please ask him or her how much you should drink when the weather is hot.)
Here Here Here are a few reminders to help keep us safe in the coming months of summer.
1. Plan changes in your daily activities to avoid strenuous work during the warmest part of the day. Also
avoid working in the direct sun.
2. Wear loose-fitting, lightweight clothes of light colors, they will reflect away the sun's rays more than
dark colors, which absorb the sun's rays.
3. Protect your face and head by wearing a wide-brimmed hat.
4. Use the buddy system, don't go it alone. Have a friend with you when you must be outdoors working
or playing. The heat can impair your judgment.
5. Eat small meals and eat more often, avoid hot or heavy foods. You body will thank you.
6. Replace the minerals and salt you sweat out. Sports drinks are helpful, if you want to avoid the sugar try
8. Remember to look out for you neighbors and animals during the heat.
9. Taking medications or medical conditions may cause poor blood circulation or reduce your ability to toler-
ate heat. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are unsure about your medications and the heat.
BeingBeingBeing prepared for the heat will help. Above all, take the heat seriously, and do not ignore danger signs like nau-
sea, dizziness and fatigue; seek medical help at once. Heat exhaustion is a feeling of fatigue and can occur when
your body loses too much salt and water as the result of heavy perspiration. It is fairly common and can happen
to anyone in hot condition.
While While While heat exhaustion is not particularly dangerous in itself, it is temporarily debilitating and can progress to
potentially fatal heat stroke if not treated promptly.
When it hits 114 . . .
From Laurie Hemming
7. Take frequent breaks, especially in a cool area or to drink fluids.
Pedialite.
Texas Master Naturalist, Elm Fork Chapter Newsletter Page 8
“FIELD NOTES IN FOCUS”
Featuring Master Naturalist photographers—flora and fauna as you see them
BARRED OWLET — from the gallery of Susan Pohlen
For information on owls and to hear owl sounds, go to Cornell Lab of Ornithology at:
www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/barred_owl/id
Texas Master Naturalist, Elm Fork Chapter Newsletter Page 9
We’re on the Web
TEXAS MASTER NATURALIST
ELM FORK CHAPTER
Texas AgriLIFE Extension
306 North Loop 288, Suite 222
Denton, TX 76209-4887
Education, Conservation, Preservation, Restoration
www.txmn.org/elmfork
OUR MISSION . . .
“to develop a corps of well-informed volunteers who
provide education, outreach, and service dedicated to
the beneficial management of natural resources and
natural areas within our community”
Monthly Chapter Meetings
9:30 a.m. preceded by a social time at 9:00 a.m. on the
third Thursday of each month.
Chapter meetings are open to the public.
Next meeting: July 19, 2012 — What is a historic tree?
Arborist and horticulturist, Bill Seaman, speaker
Location: Steven E. Copeland Govern-
ment Center, 1400 FM 424, Cross Roads,
TX 76227
http://dentoncounty.com/Locations/
GetLocationMap.asp?BCode=51
Board Meetings
The Board meets each second Thursday of the month
at 9:30 a.m., Denton County AgriLIFE Extension Office.
The Board last met July12, 2012. Next meeting is
August 9, 2012
Board meetings are open to members.
Members of the Board
PRESIDENT—Rob Roy
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT—George Kragle
VICE-PRESIDENT—Susan Pohlen
SECRETARY—Diane Kohlhase
TREASURER—Kay Crowe
CLASS REPRESENTATIVE—Dale Meyer
MEMBER-at-LARGE—Doug Chadwick
COMMITTEES:
Communications:
ADVISORS:
Janet Laminack, Extension Agent
Patrick Schutz, TP&W
Newsletter—Wanda Odum (chair rotation
with Sharon Barr & Monica Chaffin)
Projects: Marian Kester
Publicity: Jan Deatherage
Training: Van Elliott
August 16, 2012 General Meeting –
Annual Membership Roundup
Photo—Susan
Pohlen
Red-shouldered
hawk
