Nature Chilliwack

Too close and the parents fly, leaving the young vulnerable to predators.

As you hit the water this July, remember to keep an eye out for waterbirds like loons and grebes. Waterbirds rely on our lakes and rivers to survive, but they can be vulnerable to disturbance from power boats and paddlers.

When you spot a waterbird, please steer clear and slow down! Learn more at birdscanada.org/loons

National Moth week July 20-28. See how many moth pictures you can get up on iNaturalist.

Did you know? Moths are ecologically important and fascinating creatures that play an important role in conservation. 🦋

Moths are underappreciated and hard workers that pollinate—like this hummingbird clearwing moth photographed by Amanda Nelson in B.C.—control invasive species and are an important food source for many wildlife species.

Globally, insect populations are in steep decline and moths are no exception. July 20-28 is —follow along as we share why moths are such an important part of our ecosystems and what you can do help support them.

Good thing cooler, more normal temperatures are on the way.

Noticing the amount of feeders I need to fill daily is dropping. Many hummers have left already for the alpines.

In their 3,900-mile trip from as far south as Mexico, north to Alaska, and back, rufous hummingbirds let the flowers along the Pacific flyway be their guide. To feed their tiny engines (height: 3", weight: 3.5 g) rufous hummingbirds visit up to 5,000 flowers each day. Talk about flower power! They even transfer pollen picked up from flowers and help those plants reproduce. 🌼

These hummingbirds are finishing their time up north nesting and feeding on salmonberries, fireweed, and other native flowers. Soon it will be time to head south, following the mountains out of the state and working toward later blooming alpine florals in the Rockies.

Read more about these fast and furiously beautiful flyers at the link in the comments.🔗⬇️

📷 Peter Pearsall/USFWS

Have you noticed fewer butterflies and bumblebees this year?

Butterfly sightings in Metro Vancouver plummet They're a friendly staple of warm, sunny weather and a valuable pollinator. But researchers are concerned that dozens of butterflies are missing in Metro Van...

More good news on conservation efforts.

Club members started monitoring bat species in our area in 2023 and are continuing in 2024. From Chilliwack to Harrison and Hope, club members have been recording bat species in various areas. Nature Chilliwack has coordinated and is financially supporting the Chilliwack Museum to bring in the Kelowna travelling display, Bats: out of the Darkness. Look for the display coming October 31 to Chilliwack. For a sneak peak of the display see https://www.kelownamuseums.ca/exhibits/bats-out-of-the-darkness/

Last night club members were invited to a visual treat, viewing 295 bats leaving one section of a local building. In BC, the most common species that nest in buildings includes the Little Brown Myotis, the Yuma Myotis, and the Big Brown Bat. All of these species were recorded with an Echo Meter which measures their echolocation call in a visual spectrogram. California Myotis, Silver-haired Bat, Western Small-footed Myotis, Long-legged Myotis, Long-eared Myotis, and Northern Myotis were also recorded. These species will use buildings but are not found as often in building roost types.

In the photo below you can see where the siding boards are worn by bats entering and leaving the space behind the wooden siding. The second photo of bat guano under the roost entrance illustrates just how many bats are using this isolated section of the building. Apparently high in nitrogen, guano is great for the garden.

So Kudos to the land owners who are happy to have bats on their property to assist with insect control and to promote backyard biodiversity!

This White-lined Sphinx moth was feeding on the garden flowers late in the evening. Put my finger out and it landed on it while it fed on a flower. Then a hummingbird flew over and chased it away.

Show me what that tongue do 👀

Did you know that most moths don't eat? Most don't even have mouth parts! That's not the case for the white-lined sphinx moth - they use their long tongue to sip nectar from a variety of flowers.

📷 Courtney Celley/USFWS

Have a great time at the Pacific Agri-Research Centre open house this coming Saturday, July 20th. Its worth checking out. Also don't miss the arboretum tours!

In British Columbia? You’re invited to the Agassiz Research and Development Centre’s Open House! Drop by to meet our scientists and learn about our world-class Canadian agricultural research on soil health, crop production, pest management and more on Saturday, July 20, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. local time: https://ow.ly/psnu50SuFzN

A stroll through my wildflower gardens (BC's Wild Heritage Plants) looking at what native plants are blooming now.

Birds need clean water to drink and bathe in, especially during these days of extreme heat, but pollinators and other insects also need water, so please provide a shallow source of clean water for these little guys. Fill a plate or shallow dish with clean, round gravel and keep it moist, out of hot sunlight, and near flowering plants.

A big thank you to club members throughout the province that help out with COSEWIC updates.

The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) has released their May species at risk updates for 12 species. 5 of these species occur in B.C, and include the Salish Sucker (Endangered), Pine Broomrape (Endangered), Long-billed Curlew (Threatened), Rough-leaved Aster (Threatened), and Pacific Sandpirate (Special Concern).

Community naturalists such as our network of clubs play an integral role in monitoring and conserving species at risk. It is our sincere hope that we be able to continue to support species at risk recovery and the protection of species which form the natural heritage of all communities who are privileged to call these places home.

For more information see the COSEWIC Press Release at: https://www.cosewic.ca/index.php/en/news-and-events/press-release-may-2024.html

Bats, rats, fish, bivalves, and butterflies are just as important for ecosystems as apex predators. Even the smallest creatures can have a major impact.

https://nautil.us/the-big-impact-small-creatures-can-make-418219/?utm_source=fb-naut&utm_medium=organic-social

The Fraser River Estuary KBA is among Canada's most crucial ecosystems for migrant and wintering waterbirds✨

It hosts globally and nationally significant populations of fifteen species, such as American Wigeon, Northern Pintail, Mallard, Brant, and Snow Goose 🪿

Taking action to protect and conserve this KBA is more important now than ever, as developments threaten this critical habitat.

BC Nature Nature Conservancy of Canada / Conservation de la nature Canada Birds Canada NatureServe

With heavy rains, one wonders how a native queen bee that is overwintering underground survives. Watch the short video below from the Weather Network.

Researchers discover queen bees have a secret superpower - The Weather Network Bumblebees face a lot of threats to their survival. So, researchers were pretty excited to discover that some queen bees could survive underwater! Making these pollinators even more amazing!

Many should be decommissioned asap

Canada has enough logging roads to circle Earth 37 times! It’s no surprise that this vast amount of road is damaging forests across Canada in more ways than one: https://ow.ly/vpQG50SvAbX

NRDC

This time of year, if you walk by our native snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus), you will notice it is usually buzzing with pollinators (native bees, bumble bees, flower flies and wasps). The reason it's abuzz is that it is in the favored Honeysuckle family (Caprifoliaceae) and is a great nectar producer. Its other wildlife values include food for several bird species which depend on its white winter berries, cover and browse for ungulates.

Have you ever looked closely at the amazing tiny flowers? Once you do look, you will want to ask WHY are the petals so hairy? Well, inside the flower you will find a stigma and 5 stamens with pollen like a normal flower. However densely packed hairs found at the base of the corolla (i.e. on the lower inner surface of the petal throat) spill out of the flower. As it turns out, Snowberry evolved these dense floral hairs to protect its reproductive organs from robbers such as florivores (eg. birds that like to nibble on flowers) and created an obstacle course for nectar-thieves like ants trying to access the nectar. Thus through the evolution of hairy petals, Snowberry controls natural selection of its flower visitors, precluding insects from plundering its nectar and irritating nibblers so brave as to eat one of its cute little flowers.

Snowberry is thought to have arrived in the New World (N. America) from Asia around 12-25 million years ago. Although a plant may appear to be stationary and boring, just think what struggles and evolution it went through in order to control the selection of who visits its nectar. Amazed yet?

Happy ! Today we are sharing fun facts about a bird you’re probably familiar with if you are located in western Canada - the Bushtit!

Did you know?

Bushtits reach the northern limit of their range in southwestern BC in Canada, and can be found as far south as Guatamala!

Bushtits are not migratory, but in winter they become gregarious and travel in tight social flocks that move around together looking for food.

Bushtits can be sexed in the field! Males have a dark eye, and females have a white iris.

Bushtits are the only North American representative of a family of many found mostly in Eurasia.

Head to our Story to see these birds in action!

Photo: Wendy Frey

What do swallowtail butterflies, polyphemus moths & wood frogs have in common? They all hibernate in leaf litter over the winter! When leaves are raked/removed, it decreases local populations of insects + amphibians: https://ow.ly/xQ9A50QgQSw

Here's a chance to recognize the calls of our local owls as they are often heard more than seen.

Whoooo's That? Learn Our Local Owl Calls Hoo hoo-hoo! Did you just hear an owl?! Listening to their night calls is the best way to enjoy the magic of owls in the fall and winter. Even if you never see them, their calls will let you know they are near. Why do owls hoot? Why do you talk? Or laugh? Or growl? Owls need to get their point acros...

Now you can see why birds migrate across the gulf islands.

How's that for perspective?