Summer 2020 Banter

[LibertyBell]

On 7/13/2020 at 2:09 PM, Juliancolton said:

Fireflies are definitely facing existential threats from multiple directions, although I think year-to-year variations can be attributed more to microclimates than overall population health. This has been the best firefly season of my life up here in the hinterlands. They came early (first sighted on May 25th) and are still going berserk every night as we head deep into July. 

Weirdest thing, I saw fireflies flashing throughout the night even as it was raining during Fay.

 

[LibertyBell]

On 7/12/2020 at 7:57 PM, etudiant said:

Bugs on the windshield is a pretty reliable way to estimate whether insect numbers are up, down or steady.

As your experience confirms, they are down sharply, which probably also helps explain why bird populations have dropped by 30-80% depending on the species over the past 50 years.

I think the development and widespread use of broad spectrum insecticides is a plausible driver of this decline. We are probably damaging our ecosystem, for very short term benefits.

honey bee population is down 44% from last year to this year, from a big queen bee die off during the summer.

honey bees are responsible for over one third of pollination.

[LibertyBell]

It was in the news last night that Nassau County is being plagued by a rat infestation....I guess I wasn't the only one lol.

Luckily my problems are (knock on wood) solved because I listened to people who told me to find all the holes that were larger than 1/4 inch and plug them all up.

My biting/stinging bug problem seems to have resolved itself too- haven't seen anything since I got back to Long Island, except when I was in the bathroom last night and I saw this giant (2 inch long) waterbug....or metallic black beetle.....whatever it was had a really strong shell and both crawls and flies, I wasn't able to catch it but it went down the drain (on its own) in my bathroom sink and I plugged up the drain after that to make sure it doesn't come back out.  How long can those things live inside the pipes (or will it come up again from there or some other drain?)

 

[stemwinder]

3 hours ago, forkyfork said:

the chipmunks are insane this year. probably because last year was a mast year and winter was mild

The owls must be happy too!  

[LibertyBell]

13 minutes ago, stemwinder said:

The owls must be happy too!  

so are vultures unfortunately.  I've seen half a dozen of them in my trees, just sitting there, ominously, when I'm pruning my plants.  Made a lot of noise to make them leave but they just keep coming back.  This is the first year I've seen this happen.

 

[Stormlover74]

47 minutes ago, LibertyBell said:

I really want to see it.  I hope it gets higher up in the sky before it fades.  One of my favorite memories with my father is seeing Hale Bopp back in 1997.  He's gone now but seeing this comet is something that'd make me feel closer to him.

I'm hoping to see it either this week or next, I've been looking for it every night....the deadline is July 22nd, after that it's going to get dimmer as it recedes from Earth.

I'm wondering if I should scan the skies with my binos first and if I can find it that way, then look for it with my eyes.

 

According to this each night it gets a little higher

 

 

 

[LibertyBell]

right under the Big Dipper!  excellent!

Lee Goldberg just said July 14-19

 

 

just under the big dipper....I wonder why he didn't mention that it would be closest on July 23rd so should probably be easier to see by then.

 

[etudiant]

3 hours ago, LibertyBell said:

so are vultures unfortunately.  I've seen half a dozen of them in my trees, just sitting there, ominously, when I'm pruning my plants.  Made a lot of noise to make them leave but they just keep coming back.  This is the first year I've seen this happen.

 

Vultures are harmless, they get a bad rap even though they really are nature's recycling squad.

They don't kill anything, just dispose of the remains. The chipmunks have nothing to worry about from them. 

Your vultures may be roosting in your trees to catch some rays or perhaps to sleep.  Also, they much prefer to avoid flapping their wings, they'd rather glide and soar, so perching up high saves them the effort of climbing back up. Turkey Vultures are actually pretty snazzy, red face and all.

Your 2" insect was probably a waterbug ( really a large species of roach), as you suspected. They are pretty hardy, able to navigate drains with ease, so plugging one drain is no cure. They are not as abundant here as further south, so with luck you won't see another.

[LibertyBell]

4 minutes ago, etudiant said:

Vultures are harmless, they get a bad rap even though they really are nature's recycling squad.

They don't kill anything, just dispose of the remains. The chipmunks have nothing to worry about from them. 

Your vultures may be roosting in your trees to catch some rays or perhaps to sleep.  Also, they much prefer to avoid flapping their wings, they'd rather glide and soar, so perching up high saves them the effort of climbing back up. Turkey Vultures are actually pretty snazzy, red face and all.

Your 2" insect was probably a waterbug ( really a large species of roach), as you suspected. They are pretty hardy, able to navigate drains with ease, so plugging one drain is no cure. They are not as abundant here as further south, so with luck you won't see another.

I certainly hope so.....do you think they are the source for this weird long loud hissing sound I hear during the day (and also sometimes at night?)  I thought it was coming from outside, but sometimes it seems very nearby.

I cant stand waterbugs, I thought they were limited to tropical climates.  One time I was vacationing in Mexico and I woke up to something biting me on the neck and it was a flying waterbug (or cockroach as you said).  It was HUGE.

The thing I saw last night-- I thought it was a beetle because I was trying to smash it with my hand (with gloves on of course) but it kept getting away, and I've only known beetles in the insect world to have a shell hard enough to withstand the full weight of a human.  Are you saying it can come up from a different drain?

 

 

[Stormlover74]

International space Station also visible tonight around 10pm

[LibertyBell]

2 minutes ago, Stormlover74 said:

International space Station also visible tonight around 10pm

and the triplet of Mars Jupiter and Saturn later on at night!

If you've got a very long zoom lens you can capture the structure of the ISS!

 

 

[etudiant]

A waterbug really is tough, they need to be stepped on with a hard shoe to dispatch them, but that is not recommended, as their fluids will attract others.   Our NYC version is mostly tan, rather than black, pretty wide and quite flat.

There are beetles that are 2" long and black, mostly wood borers, including the invasive and very unwanted Asian Long Horned Beetle (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_long-horned_beetle ), but they usually are slow to fly.

Vultures do sometimes make hissing noises when interacting comfortably, although it is usually described as 'soft' rather than loud. Cornell E-bird has a free app caller Merlin, which allows you to download a bird sound and their computer will try to identify it. Perhaps your birds will become part of the data base.

[Juliancolton]

9 hours ago, LibertyBell said:

Weirdest thing, I saw fireflies flashing throughout the night even as it was raining during Fay.

Yeah! I noticed the same thing. It was weird. They're brazen this year. 

9 hours ago, LibertyBell said:

Julian, how many degrees above the horizon would you say it was?  NW sky right?  moon= half degree.  10 degrees = holding your fist at arm's length.

also mind sharing exposure settings- effective focal length, shutter speed, iso, aperture, etc?

It was in the NE. I could check Stellarium in a bit and let you know precisely, but I'm reasonably sure it was around 7° based on what I recall from pre-planning this week. 

The deets:

D750 + 105mm f/2.8D, ISO 1250 at f/2.8 for 30 seconds. Vixen Polarie used to track the stars. 

[Rtd208]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2020/07/14/noaa-app-mping-suspended/?fbclid=IwAR2hAb91K6T5Dk6MRCM28Qp6kjXFu0ajP06XJTO462fz4GiZHkRUx9cwlsc

[uncle W]

4 minutes ago, Rtd208 said:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2020/07/14/noaa-app-mping-suspended/?fbclid=IwAR2hAb91K6T5Dk6MRCM28Qp6kjXFu0ajP06XJTO462fz4GiZHkRUx9cwlsc

fake news writing about fake news lol...people have nothing else to do while sitting home hiding in the basement...

[rclab]

1 hour ago, uncle W said:

fake news writing about fake news lol...people have nothing else to do while sitting home hiding in the basement...

They have to come out eventually, Unc. Then it will be the Pipers turn at bat. As always .....

[doncat]

Was nice to see the "Lil League" on the field last evening.

[ForestHillWx]

On 7/14/2020 at 2:25 PM, LibertyBell said:

honey bee population is down 44% from last year to this year, from a big queen bee die off during the summer.

honey bees are responsible for over one third of pollination.

Where is this stat from? Just curious  

 

 

[LibertyBell]

20 hours ago, ForestHillWx said:

Where is this stat from? Just curious  

 

 

was mentioned on TWC when they interviewed a beekeeper

 

[LibertyBell]

On 7/15/2020 at 12:03 AM, Juliancolton said:

Yeah! I noticed the same thing. It was weird. They're brazen this year. 

It was in the NE. I could check Stellarium in a bit and let you know precisely, but I'm reasonably sure it was around 7° based on what I recall from pre-planning this week. 

The deets:

D750 + 105mm f/2.8D, ISO 1250 at f/2.8 for 30 seconds. Vixen Polarie used to track the stars. 

thanks JC!  I was wondering if I should wait until it's a bit higher in the sky, but I want it to be brighter than Mag 4, so I guess July 23rd is the best time to see it (both Mag 3 and higher in the sky)

Either way, starting this weekend, our skies look to cooperate!

 

[LibertyBell]

On 7/14/2020 at 7:34 PM, etudiant said:

A waterbug really is tough, they need to be stepped on with a hard shoe to dispatch them, but that is not recommended, as their fluids will attract others.   Our NYC version is mostly tan, rather than black, pretty wide and quite flat.

There are beetles that are 2" long and black, mostly wood borers, including the invasive and very unwanted Asian Long Horned Beetle (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_long-horned_beetle ), but they usually are slow to fly.

Vultures do sometimes make hissing noises when interacting comfortably, although it is usually described as 'soft' rather than loud. Cornell E-bird has a free app caller Merlin, which allows you to download a bird sound and their computer will try to identify it. Perhaps your birds will become part of the data base.

glad I dont have THAT!  mine was just plain metallic shiny black, only flew a few inches lol.  I haven't seen it any more.

I was thinking the hissing was some kind of exotic insect (or snake?!), but that's in my Long Island home.  The vultures are what I saw in my vacation spot in the Poconos.

 

[LibertyBell]

On 7/14/2020 at 7:34 PM, etudiant said:

A waterbug really is tough, they need to be stepped on with a hard shoe to dispatch them, but that is not recommended, as their fluids will attract others.   Our NYC version is mostly tan, rather than black, pretty wide and quite flat.

There are beetles that are 2" long and black, mostly wood borers, including the invasive and very unwanted Asian Long Horned Beetle (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_long-horned_beetle ), but they usually are slow to fly.

Vultures do sometimes make hissing noises when interacting comfortably, although it is usually described as 'soft' rather than loud. Cornell E-bird has a free app caller Merlin, which allows you to download a bird sound and their computer will try to identify it. Perhaps your birds will become part of the data base.

lol here's something funny.....I actually played some common bird sounds I hear on my iPad and I heard those birds calling back from my yard......one was a Grosbeak and the other was an Oriole.

 

[stemwinder]

5 hours ago, LibertyBell said:

lol here's something funny.....I actually played some common bird sounds I hear on my iPad and I heard those birds calling back from my yard......one was a Grosbeak and the other was an Oriole.

 

That is entirely believable.  I've imitated birds and occasionally they've looked into my Apt to check it out.  Then: Oh! it's that joker!  and fly away.

BTW, heard my first katydid tonight.  Seems a bit early for them, but the times are crazy.

[ForestHillWx]

10 hours ago, LibertyBell said:

was mentioned on TWC when they interviewed a beekeeper

 

My own losses were roughly 30% last year; but its due to varroa mites. Every beekeeper has to deal with it. I had just never heard of a queen bee die off  

Something to keep in mind is that honeybees are a non-native species to the Americans. Agreed they are vital for pollination of many crops used, but as important (if not more so) are native bees i.e. bumbles. Everyone should buy houses for them for their own yards.

Personally, in my opinion one of the biggest culprits are manicured lawns. I seed clover in my yard as hit helps with nitrogen fixation and drought tolerance (not to mention my bees love it), but my wife doesn't like it and is concerened my kids will get stung with increased bee presence. Fair points. 

[rclab]

2 hours ago, ForestHillWx said:

My own losses were roughly 30% last year; but its due to varroa mites. Every beekeeper has to deal with it. I had just never heard of a queen bee die off  

Something to keep in mind is that honeybees are a non-native species to the Americans. Agreed they are vital for pollination of many crops used, but as important (if not more so) are native bees i.e. bumbles. Everyone should buy houses for them for their own yards.

Personally, in my opinion one of the biggest culprits are manicured lawns. I seed clover in my yard as hit helps with nitrogen fixation and drought tolerance (not to mention my bees love it), but my wife doesn't like it and is concerened my kids will get stung with increased bee presence. Fair points. 

FHW, I remember seeing bumble bees in the postage stamp as early as April. I enjoyed watching their precise but seemingly leisurely flights. I haven’t observed one for several years. Bees as a whole are also missing this year. The mosquito, the flying version of cockroaches are already in unending control of our lowers urban atmosphere. Other than the occasional flying whine, before my attempted slap, the postage stamp remains silent. As always ....

 

 

[Juliancolton]

14 hours ago, LibertyBell said:

thanks JC!  I was wondering if I should wait until it's a bit higher in the sky, but I want it to be brighter than Mag 4, so I guess July 23rd is the best time to see it (both Mag 3 and higher in the sky)

Either way, starting this weekend, our skies look to cooperate!

Of course.

I wouldn't be wasting any time though. Someone notched a mag +3.0 estimate last night so it's fading pretty quickly now (you can keep tabs here). I'm optimistic that we'll clear out enough tonight for a good look at it.

[Juliancolton]

9 hours ago, Juliancolton said:

Of course.

I wouldn't be wasting any time though. Someone notched a mag +3.0 estimate last night so it's fading pretty quickly now (you can keep tabs here). I'm optimistic that we'll clear out enough tonight for a good look at it.

Update... new estimates tonight in Europe as dim as +3.4. Going, going...

[gravitylover]

21 hours ago, Juliancolton said:

Update... new estimates tonight in Europe as dim as +3.4. Going, going...

So it looks like clear and dry(ish) for this evening,  where is it in the sky and what time do I need to be out looking? 

[etudiant]

If you get a clear view to the west, this sky map should help:  

 

Sadly here in Manhattan, clear skies are not common. I've failed to see it thus far, despite several attempts.

[etudiant]

Happy to say the sky tonight was clear enough to get a good view of Neowise. It did not disappoint, big tail, both long and wide, best comet ever for me.