Butterflies in Maine Monarchs The colorful and common Monarchs range throughout the United States, including all of Maine, especially in rural areas with fields thick with milkweed. Wingspan ranges from 3½ to 4 inches. As forests reclaim abandoned farms and the remaining cropland displaces milkweed and similar plants, this butterfly has become less abundant in…
Dragonflies and Damselflies General Description Dragonflies and damselflies are scientifically classified under the order Odonata. These medium to large insects have body lengths ranging from just over half an inch to just under five inches. They are often seen flying rapidly over streams and lakes, or through gardens at dusk, often following regular flight paths…
is the science of managing forest resources for human benefit. Maine has had a long history of using forest resources and an equally long history of controversy over whether proper management of those resources has been adequate.
Also see: Browntail Moth. Deer ticks are small, about 1/8 of an inch. They may reach 1/2 inch if swelled with blood. Lyme Disease Lyme disease is caused by a bacterium transmitted to a person through the bite of an infected deer tick. (Actually not an insect but, with eight legs, an arachnid.) Symptoms include the…
According to the Maine Forest Service the browntail moth was accidentally introduced into Somerville, Massachusetts from Europe in 1897. By 1913, the insect had spread to all New England states, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Populations of this pest slowly decreased due to natural controls until the 1960s, when browntail moth was limited to Cape…
As I turned out the light in my office, a small wink of another light flickered back at me. This firefly is a Maine native. Strangely, these “flies” are actually flying beetles. They use their lighting abilities in summer to attract mates by mixing certain chemicals in their bodies. Fireflies in some other states have…
The Western Conifer Seed Bug is a type of leaf-footed bug, about 3/4 inch from head to tail, that feeds on seeds of trees, especially pine. It is not a destructive pest in the home, but is a nuisance. It finds its way into homes during the end of summer and early fall looking for a place…
Dr. Edith Marion Patch taught entomology at the University of Maine and served as director of entomology at the Maine Agricultural Experiment Station from 1903- 1937. Patch was the first woman to head a state agricultural experiment station department and was honored for her scholarship and educational leadership in 1930 by being elected president of…