Season Watch Newsletter: 7/14/2023

It’s mid-summer in good ol’ Mni Sota! (Did you know that “Minnesota” is an anglicized version of “Mni Sota Wakace,” a Dakota phrase meaning “Land where the water reflects the sky"?) This week brings reports of baby loon chicks learning to dive, a debate over the diet of snapping turtles, and a deep dive into monarch butterfly conservation!

FEATURE: Monarch butterfly migration, population decline

Anyone else have treasured memories of raising hungry monarch caterpillars? After a week or two of milkweed harvesting, there was the exciting wait as the chrysalis turned from green to black. This was followed by a few anxious days of checking every few hours to make sure you didn't miss the emergence of the butterfly. If you timed it right, your (im)patience was rewarded by the incredible sight of those vibrant wings slowly unfurling. Then, the first flight: a triumphant sight tempered by the departure of a little critter you'd been caring for for weeks.

Unfortunately, this incredible process is becoming more rare as monarch populations experience a steep decline. Wendy Caldwell, Executive Director of the Monarch Joint Venture partnership, joined Heidi Holtan and John Latimer for the July installment of Mark Jacobs’ "Decline of Native Pollinators" series. I learned a lot from this one, including why their seasonal migrations make monarch butterflies a great "canary in the coal mine" indicator the health for other pollinator populations. Enjoy!

Listen in!

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STUDENT AND LISTENER CONTRIBUTIONS

This week, we debate if a snapping turtle would kill an adult Canada Goose, admire monarch butterflies in the egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, and adult stages, and debate the merits of county fair food. We also learn why groups of loons hang out together over the summer.

Hear their voices!

JOHN LATIMER'S WEEKLY REPORT

John was on vacation last week, meaning he spent a bunch of time outside and didn't even take notes. On his return, he made up for it with a two-and-a-half hour jaunt through his phenology walk, where he found a Veery nest, newly blooming wildflowers, and an abundance of berries!

Listen to John's report!

Come learn to observe phenology with us!

8/11/23: Phenology in the Classroom. Lac qui Parle Valley High School. RSVP to smitchell@kaxe.org

More dates and locations will be announced. Desperate to get in on the fun? Send me an email, and we'll set up a zoom meeting!

Support Season Watch here!

SARAH'S RECOMMENDATION

Go learn some tree species, my friends! There will be a quiz later*. Luckily, this guy makes it easy to learn!

Enjoy!

*The quiz is life, life is the quiz.

~~Tiny hiss noodle~~ Baby plains hognose snake (Heterodon nasicus). Lakota: zuzechablashka.

Bonus fact: Hognose snakes will roll over and 'play dead' when threatened. If you turn them right-side up, they will insist that they are dead and roll right back over.

Let's all proceed to plant some milkweed!

Northern Community Radio

KAXE/KBXE

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Funding for this project was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR). The Trust Fund is a permanent fund constitutionally established by the citizens of Minnesota to assist in the protection, conservation, preservation, and enhancement of the state’s air, water, land, fish, wildlife, and other natural resources.