Mary Anne, what substrate are your Cliff Swallows nesting on?
Re moth plants, oaks are good, many trees/forests are amazing, flowering
shrubs are amazing, but some moths are fairly specific to plant hosts, so
for moth diversity, plant diversity is beneficial.
Matt
On Thu, Jul 4, 2019, 18:09 Mary Anne Brown <majbrown54@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
According to Doug Tallamy’s research #1 are native oaks! He has complied a
comprehensive list.
MA
Sent from my iPhone
On Jul 4, 2019, at 11:30 AM, Francis Eatherington <
francis@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
What “native host plants” are important for moth food?
francis
On Jul 4, 2019, at 8:59 AM, Mary Anne Brown <majbrown54@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Good to hear from you Janice!
The lack of moth food is seriously affecting the babies. Doug Tallamy
studied this & explains it by his research into how native host plants
are being replaced w/ exotics in most yards & gardens. But it’s
surprisingly affecting birds on country properties as well.
Mary Anne
Sent from my iPhone
On Jul 3, 2019, at 2:03 PM, Gayner, Elizabeth <egayner@xxxxxxx> wrote:
I have been banding birds at the same site for 20 years on Canyon
Mountain. The last couple of years have had low numbers of birds with
virtually no young of the year. This year so far has been super low...
lowest yet. Adult birds not even in breeding condition and low on fat
reserves (based on general observation). We too have noticed the lack of
insects... silk moth caterpillars especially used to fill the trees. It
dawned on us today while out there... we haven't seen the caterpillars the
last couple of years. And we are not even getting eaten up by mosquitoes
and no-seeums like we used to... which, though we are not complaining about
it in terms of their being a nuisance, but it is a concern in terms of food
sources for the birds.
*Liz*
*Elizabeth I. Gayner*
*Lead Wildlife Biologist - Swiftwater Field Office*
*OR/WA BLM Peregrine Falcon Technical Coordinator*
Bureau of Land Management - Roseburg District Office
Phone: (541) 464-3381; egayner@xxxxxxx
On Wed, Jul 3, 2019 at 1:33 PM Mary Anne Brown <majbrown54@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
Our cliff swallow's nest have been falling this year & the insect/food
supply is weak, over the last 10 years the small moths are virtually gone.
This years crop is not promising...anyone else experiencing that?
Mary Anne
