Thoughts of Spring

[Merrymeeting]

The good news is the WeirsCam is covered with male mosquito bodies today. Must be getting warm enough.

The bad news is the WeirsCam is covered with male mosquito bodies today. Here they come!

While it would help the mosquitos and black flies too much, I sure would like to see a day long, soaking rain come through. Merrymeeting Lake still has not risen an inch since Ice-out.

I drove south to MA today. It's always interesting to see what a difference 50-100 miles makes. Once into MA you see green lawns, flowering trees, leaves coming out, etc. While it's starting in the Lakes Region, still not quite there.

While I know someone reported them during the early warm spell, still waiting to hear my favorite and sure sign of Spring...peepers!

[Jonas Pilot]

My "peppers" don't come out 'til summer!

[Belmont Resident]

We got a hard freeze here in Belmont this morning.
Bad thing about this weather is that back when it was really hot I noticed the hornets were out. Then it got really cold again and I've not seen any since.
I wonder if they got killed off or went back into hiding.
As much as I hate them and kill many when working on houses, we need them to pollinate the flowers.

[Jonas Pilot]

One again a poster has got me "a thinkin". If you have a curious mind about nature there is no end to the info you can find. I thought this was pretty interesting. The list came from this web site.

http://www.wasps-hornets.info/index.htm

Did You Know?
Did you know the following facts about wasps - hornets?

Fact One - Wasps are not bees.

Fact Two - Wasps can create a nest out of wood or mud where bees make their nests from honey.

Fact Three - Wasps are most aggressive from August to October.

Fact Four - They eat insects, food and rubbish.

Fact Five - Wasps become inactive at night.

Fact Six - They are normally found in their nest.

Fact Seven - They are very sensitive to light.

Fact Eight - They eat caterpillars.

Fact Nine - Male wasps don't have a stinger.

Fact Ten - Females have the stinger and it is also their sex organ.

Fact Eleven - Females protect the nest.

Fact Twelve - Not all female wasps are fertile.

[Belmont Resident]

One again a poster has got me "a thinkin". If you have a curious mind about nature there is no end to the info you can find. I thought this was pretty interesting. The list came from this web site.

http://www.wasps-hornets.info/index.htm

Did You Know?
Did you know the following facts about wasps - hornets?

Fact One - Wasps are not bees.

Fact Two - Wasps can create a nest out of wood or mud where bees make their nests from honey.

Fact Three - Wasps are most aggressive from August to October.

Fact Four - They eat insects, food and rubbish.

Fact Five - Wasps become inactive at night.

Fact Six - They are normally found in their nest.

Fact Seven - They are very sensitive to light.

Fact Eight - They eat caterpillars.

Fact Nine - Male wasps don't have a stinger.

Fact Ten - Females have the stinger and it is also their sex organ.

Fact Eleven - Females protect the nest.

Fact Twelve - Not all female wasps are fertile.

Do they play a part in pollinating flowers?
No mention of it.
Also what do we have here? Most of the hornets I see have nests similar to the ones I’ve always associated with bees.
I always see these black wasps carrying these little green what look like grasshoppers to their nests which usually are in the ground of inside rock walls.
Good info, thanks for sharing.
I hate to kill them but I hate getting stung even less.

[Merrymeeting]

My list is complete. Heard the peepers last night.:D

[tis]

I could be wrong, but I always thought it was only the bees that pollinated the flowers. I don't know what the other ones are good for!!! :laugh:
My mother always said to leave the bees alone, they won't hurt you and we need them for the pollination.