Tuesday, August 21, 2012

State forestry and environmental officials want photos of invasive insects

New Hampshire welcomes a lot of visitors in the summer, but there are a few they don’t want to see cross the border.

And officials are hoping anyone who spots these unwanted guests snaps a photo and sends it in.

At the top of the wanted list are the Asian longhorned beetle and the emerald ash borer.

Neither destructive insect has been found in New Hampshire, but forestry and environmental officials are on the lookout for a potential invasion — and they want residents to do the same.

There’s a website, nhbugs.org, where residents can upload photos of suspicious insects. Experts will identify the bug in question and post the more interesting photos on the website. There already are dozens of photos up, many of an Asian longhorned beetle lookalike — the white spotted sawyer beetle, harmless and present throughout the Granite State.

The Asian longhorned beetle, commonly known as ALB, was found in Worcester, Mass., in 2008 and in Boston in 2010. It has the potential to decimate hardwood forests and maple trees are high on the list of susceptible trees.

The insect could cost the country 30 percent of its hardwood trees — some 1.2 billion trees, according to the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

New Hampshire has 2.5 million acres of northern hardwoods — birch, beech and maple trees, according to Fred Borman, a forestry educator with the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension office in Brentwood.

The emerald ash borer is equally unwelcome. It is only interested in ash trees and has killed millions of those trees in the Midwest.

There was a report earlier this year of a small population of emerald ash borer on the east side of the Hudson River in New York, Borman said.

“It’s a matter of time. The emerald ash borer has a much faster spread rate than ALB,” he said. “Adult females tend to stay on same tree until the tree dies, about five to seven years. Emerald ash borers, both male and female, are very food fliers and they will travel up to 2,000 feet to find a new host. ALB are lay fliers.”

There’s a third insect that concerns forestry experts — the hemlock woolly adelgid, but it’s already here.

“We’re at a point where we’re monitoring it; we can’t control it,” Borman said. “We hope for a really cold January.”

August is a particularly active time for ALB and they might be found in an unlikely spot — swimming pool filters.

After ALB was discovered in Worcester, a public swimming pool worker told experts he had been collecting the nasty beetle for years in the pool filters.

Education and awareness are key to combatting these unwanted insects, according to Karen Bennett, a forestry specialist with UNH Cooperative Extension.

“Look at your trees all the time, year round. Be skeptical, if the tree doesn’t look good, ask someone,” Bennett said. “We really try, through the website, to make it easy for people. Take pictures of suspected .insects. We have an entomologist who looks at everything and gets back to folks.”

Adult insects would be active now through the end of August, she said, and if they’re here, they’d be flying.

“I have reason no reason to think they are, and no reason to think they aren’t,” Bennett said. “We really don’t know and that’s part of the frustrating thing.”

But experts do know the hemlock woolly adelgid is here and spreading through Southern New Hampshire.

“Extreme cold keeps them under control; it definitely depresses the population,” Bennett said. “This past winter was anything but.”

Asked to rank the unwanted insects, Bennett said, “They’re all pretty bad, as far as I’m concerned.”

“Anybody interested in white ash would rank emerald ash borer as the worst threat because you have dead trees in a short period of time,” she said. “But, in the overall scheme of things, ash is a pretty small percentage of our forest. I personally think the emerald ash borer is potentially worse than hemlock woolly adelgid or ALB.”

But all non-native insects are cause for grave concern, she said, because they don’t have natural predators.

So, experts are counting on the public to remain vigilant and help them keep tabs on the state’s insect population.



What to look for:


Asian longhorned beetle:
It's large, between 0.75 and 1.25 inches long. It has very long black and white antennae. The beetle's body is glossy black with irregular white spots.

Emerald ash borer:
The metallic green adult beetle is about an inch long. Its body is bullet shaped.
 

Hemlock woolly adelgid:
The adult adelgid is reddish-purple and only about 1/32 of an inch long. It's usually recognized by the dry, white woolly substance it secretes. The mass is usually found at the base of needles and resembles the tip of a cotton swab.





A morning walk on the Windham NH Rail Trail

It was a great morning for a walk! I decided that the Cocker needed some exercise so she could shed some of her hair in the outdoors instead of in the livingroom.

At the beginning of our walk at 8:05am it was a cool 67 degree's and not a soul was on the trail. As we began our walk onto the trail it was evident the birds had been fluttering about undisturbed and uninterested in us adventuring in there playground.

Within minutes of the walk we were greeted by a pair of Downy Woodpeckers that were working on there tactical maneuvers diving through the woods from tree to tree chasing each other as if they were synchronized swimming. More likely it was a parent teaching it's young.

Further along the trail we passed through a section of the old railroad bed that had been cut through the ledge with great walls of rock on both sides of us. This area normally has water dripping from the stone and moss growing on the walls, but today they were only damp at best.

Signs of fall are already becoming evident as the leaves are beginning to fall and turn yellow and brown. Wear-as it has been so dry this summer it would lead one to believe the fall colors this year are going to be short lived as most are falling without any color.

The chipmunks and squirrels appear to be preparing for the coming months, as they are darting in and out of the trail collecting the acorns that are dropping from the trees.  It may just be my imagination but wildlife seems to be desensitized to human interaction.  They have no fear anymore of us and almost seem to be daring us to try and bother them.

At about the halfway point of our trip this morning as shown on the map below there are bodies of water on both sides of the trail.  Once again the telltale signs of a dry summer have become terribly obvious as the lily pads are choking out each other attempting to stay wet in the vanishing water.  The levels are down a good 12-16 inches below the normal levels this time of year.  The frogs are plentiful and everywhere in the shallows of the two ponds, and jumping from lily pad to lily pad without falling through due to the density of the pads.  In some areas the pads are so thick that they are pushing each other up out of the water.



Even with the drought conditions on the water the area was bustling with life.  While on site today there were a number of Belted Kingfisher's, Great Blue Heron, and Swallow's galore.  The Kingfisher's were scanning the ponds for small fish and the Heron's would call out to each other occasionally.

I was quite surprised that I did not see any snakes along the banks today sunning but it was a bit early and the sun wasn't very high in the sky.  Being cold blooded they lay in the sun to soak up warmth usually in the height of the sun.

There was no sign of the hawks that frequent the area, but that is probably why so many chipmunks could be seen.  They tend to stay in there boroughs when they sense they could be somebody's lunch.

There is always something to see along the trail, it is paved and is very accessible for bikes, wheelchairs, roller-blading, jogging, dog walking, and just plain walking.  More information can be found at:  windhamrailtrail.org

The Rail Trail PDF can be found at this link: Trail Map

Get out and enjoy the weather while there is still time.  Fall will be here soon then old man winter will be knocking on our door.

Have fun!
- Dave


View Windham Trail in a larger map


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Sunday, August 19, 2012

Great Falls Balloon Festival begins (Video Update)



LEWISTON, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- The 20th annual Great Falls Balloon Festival takes flight this weekend. The first balloons lifted off Friday morning.

The festival runs through Sunday, with balloon launches scheduled every day at 6 AM and 6 PM, weather permitting.

The theme of this year's parade is "Celebrating 20 Years of Flight".
It will be held Saturday at 11am. The one-mile parade route goes from Spring Street at the Auburn Public Library, down Court Street across the Longley Bridge, onto Lincoln Street.

The main launch site for the festival is Simard-Payne Memorial Park (formerly Railroad Park), off Oxford Street in Lewiston.

From Points North
Take the Maine Turnpike (I-95) to Exit 80, Lewiston. At the light, turn left and follow ME-196 W/Lisbon Street downtown (about 2.5 mi.). At the intersection of Lisbon Street and Main, turn left. At the next light, turn left onto Lincoln Street. Simard-Payne Memorial Park is located off Oxford Street, one block over from Lincoln.

From Points South
Take the Maine Turnpike (I-95) to Exit 75, Auburn. At the light, turn left and follow US-202/ME-4/ME-100/Auburn (Washington Street and Minot Avenue) for about 4.75 mi., to the intersection with Court Street. Turn right onto Court Street. Cross the bridge into Lewiston. Take the first right onto Lincoln Street. Simard-Payne Memorial Park is located off Oxford Street, one block over from Lincoln.


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Moose viewing hotspots added to NH itineraries

LANCASTER, N.H. (AP) — An organization that promotes northern New Hampshire activities has added a new moose viewing itinerary to its website.

Highlighted roadways for viewing are in Pittsburg, Errol, Gorham, Twin Mountain and Bretton Woods.

The New Hampshire Grand site advises when to set out to see moose and what environments best attract them. It also has information on the 21st annual North Country Moose Festival taking place Aug. 24-26 in Colebrook and the neighboring towns of Pittsburg, West Stewartstown and Errol in New Hampshire, and just across the Connecticut River in Canaan, Vt.

The itinerary can be found on http://www.nhgrand.com.

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Maine TV game wardens to appear at state game park

GRAY, Maine (AP) — Some of the Maine game wardens featured on the Animal Planet TV show North Woods Law will meet with the public this week at the Maine Wildlife Park in Gray.

State game officials say the event will take place Thursday afternoon. Officials have received a lot of requests for the event from parents of children who watch the Discovery cable TV program.

Visitors will have the chance to meet several of the featured game wardens and a couple of their K9s to learn more about them and their job.

There will be special items for children as well as the opportunity to get autographs and photographs with the wardens.

There is no extra fee for this event, but regular park admission will apply.

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Friday, August 17, 2012

Maine Turnpike toll increase is approved eff. Nov. 1

PORTLAND, Maine — Motorists traveling the full length of the Maine Turnpike will pay 40 percent more, with cash increases of 50 cents to a dollar at three toll plazas, under a plan approved Thursday by the turnpike's board.

The plan, effective Nov. 1, increases cash tolls by $1 at the York toll plaza and by 50 cents at toll plazas in West Gardiner and New Gloucester. Also, there are 50-cent increases for northbound traffic entering in Wells and southbound traffic entering in Gray. Maine E-ZPass rates will increase 1 cent per mile.

Under the new rates, the cost of traveling the entire turnpike from York to Augusta will increase from $5 to $7.

The president of the Maine Motor Transport Association said he was confident that the toll increase was necessary.


The rate increase will bring in an additional $21.1 million in annual revenue, helping to cover the turnpike's operating budget, maintenance and long-term debt service.

Director Peter Mills said that even with the increase, the Maine Turnpike remains among the bottom 20 percent among U.S. toll roads for cost. And it seems inexpensive compared to $12 to get under the Hudson River in New York and a proposed $14 toll for a new Tappan Zee Bridge outside New York.

"You're still getting a bargain for driving 109 miles in Maine," he said.

Critics pointed to inequities of Maine's toll system, where motorists can pay vastly different rates per mile depending on where they get on and off the highway.

Turnpike officials say E-ZPass electronic payments are more equitable because they're billed per mile up, allowing for potential savings over flat rates paid at toll plazas.

The board on Thursday directed the turnpike to take steps to make it easier for Maine motorists to participate in the electronic tolling system, which is in use in 14 states.

Already, the turnpike has reduced the cost of the transponder device from $25 to $10. And the turnpike is considering selling transponders at AAA branches and allowing online activation instead of the current system of mailing in E-ZPass applications to the turnpike headquarters, Mills said.

Mills predicted that within 10 to 20 years the Maine Turnpike will exclusively use electronic tolling. At present, 62 percent of Maine Turnpike revenues come from E-ZPass users; of that total 38 percent comes from Maine motorists and 24 percent comes from out-of-staters, he said.

The last toll increase was in February 2009. When the new toll rates go into effect, the cash cost for drivers will be $3 in York, $2.25 in New Gloucester and $1.75 in West Gardiner. Tolls will increase to $1.50 for northbound traffic entering in Wells and southbound traffic entering in Gray.

FULL STORY: CBS News http://ow.ly/d31jf

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2012-2013 N.H. WATERFOWL HUNTING SEASONS SET

CONCORD, N.H. -- The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department has set final season dates and bag limits for the 2012-2013 waterfowl hunting season. After considering comments from sportsmen at the August public meeting, New Hampshire’s proposed waterfowl season is much like last year’s, with a 60-day duck season with a 6-bird daily limit, and a 60-day Canada goose season with a 2-bird daily limit.

Fish and Game will continue split seasons for both ducks and Canada geese in the inland and coastal zones to allow early and late hunting opportunities. This year, there will also be a straight season in the new Northern Zone, where marshes and ponds tend to freeze over earlier than in areas south of the White Mountains. A map of the state's waterfowl zones can be viewed at http://www.huntnh.com/Hunting/Hunt_species/hunt_waterfowl.htm.

Following are the seasons for each zone:

    * The Inland Zone waterfowl season will open on October 2 and run through November 4; then reopen November 21 through December 16, 2012.

    * The Coastal Zone waterfowl season will open on October 3 and run through October 14; then reopen November 21 through January 7, 2013.

    * The Northern Zone waterfowl season will open on October 2 and run straight through November 30, 2012.

To hunt waterfowl in New Hampshire, you must have a New Hampshire hunting license, a New Hampshire Migratory Waterfowl License and a federal duck stamp. You also are required by federal law to register for the National Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program (HIP). Separate HIP permits are needed in each state you hunt. Licensed hunters should call 1-800-207-6183, or go to http://www.huntnh.com and click on "Buy a License Online"; you can receive a permit number at this site (there is no charge). Write the permit number on your hunting license. Each year, a random selection of hunters is asked to complete a voluntary harvest survey.

Hunters are asked to report all banded birds using the toll-free phone number, 1-800-327-BAND or go to http://www.reportband.gov.

For more information on waterfowl hunting in New Hampshire, visit http://www.huntnh.com/Hunting/Hunt_species/hunt_waterfowl.htm.