Diario del proyecto Global Pollinator Watch Harris Cnty P4 CCSC 2024

October's gorgeous weather made for super fun and diverse pollinator survey walks. Even though the scheduled "rambles" are done for October, don't let that stop you from going outside. We need your continued observations to track local pollinator species diversity and their interactions with flowering plants and host plants. If you don't want to travel far to practice your nature observation skills or wish to log a backyard journal, you might consider joining us in November to learn how to make your yard more attractive to pollinating insects. Just in time for fall plantings, we'll discuss tree and plant selections, habitat maintenance strategies for specific insect groups, host plants vs. nectar plantings and more. We'll wrap up the "class" with a pollinator survey outdoors.
Falling for Trees, Spring Ready for Bees:
Tue. 11/5/2025 at 11 am at Kleb Woods Nature Center

Mon. 11/11/2025 at noon at Katherine Tyra Branch Library (Bear Creek)
Wed. 11/13/2025 at 10 am at John Paul Landing Environmental Education Center

Couldn't have asked for better weather that day. Insects were alive at Spring Creek Park in the northern Harris County Precinct 4 area. The park is mostly forested, so the trail we "rambled" on is mostly shaded. Pollinator and overall insect activity was concentrated at the sunny patches where fallen trees let in the gorgeous sunshine. A total of 11 different iNaturalist observations were made, of which 7 were of the taxon groups of interest to the project. The Eight-spotted flea beetle, with its black and white dotted elytra and bright red legs, was our favorite followed closely by an elegant and slender Yellow-legged Mud Dauber that was observed hunting for prey.
Up next is the Mysterious Migrations workshop on Oct 14. at Tyra Branch Library, Oct. 15. at Kleb Woods Park and Oct. 16. at John Paul Landing Park. Join us at one (or all) to discover what makes migrating insects succeed in their long treks across the land.

It was a breezy but warm day at John Paul Landing Park, on the western area of Harris County P4. A dazzling array of dragonflies were riding the brisk winds, making us wish that today's topic was them. The pollinating insects were a little harder to spot among the trails near the environmental education center, but we did manage to find several different bees, including tiny Lasioglossum sweat bees, American bumble bees and one honey bee. A group of southern paper wasps clung to a giant ragweed leaf, holding on to each other and the leaf in defense of getting blown in the winds. Orange sulphur butterflies visited annual sunflowers and common buckeyes hovered low right atop the height of the grasses. While the pollinating insect group showing was less than hoped, other insects and spiders made up for them. We ended up with a group of mystery bug nymphs on a gaura gall (id pending) and watched in awe as a Carolina mantis caught and started to feed on a very much alive and struggling cicada.
Getting ready for the next Ramble on October 8, at Spring Creek Park in northern Harris County, starting at 10:30 a.m. Meet at the Spring Creek Trailhead. Folks, come join us!

The Pollinator Ramble at Terry Hershey Park (THP) started at Molly Prior Memorial Orchard, with the most observations taken at a gorgeously blooming Cassia alata, Candlestick Senna. Large Root Weevils hid among the flower petals, Picture-Winged Flies sunbathed and Eastern Carpenter Bees collected nectar. Headed down the THP Hike and Bike Trail toward Eldridge Parkway only Lantana camera was in bloom, which a tail-less Long-tailed Skipper and an elegant Red&Black Mason Wasp visited. Late Boneset, Eupatorium serotinum attracted honey bees, Mexican boarded Plant Bugs, gorgeous Alianthus Webworm Moths and tiny sweat bees in Lasioglossum complex. We found several aquatic milkweed in full bloom close to the bayou's banks, though only red imported fire ants were seen roaming among the elegant white flowers. While we saw many insects active, we managed to capture a total of 14 iNaturalist observations of which 11 were of pollinators! Join us next time at John Paul Landing Environmental Education Center on Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2024 @ 10:30am and at Spring Creek Park on Tuesday, Oct. 08, 2024 @ 10:30 am, and help increase the observations!

Story here: https://phys.org/news/2024-09-wasp-species.html