Horned Poppy: Invasive Plant Found and Removed!

This is an invasive plant, Horned Poppy. Thanks to Kelly Omand of the Nantucket Conservation Foundation it was identified here at the field station and removed by the field station Jr Rangers.   

Description of Horned Poppy: Several branched stems grow from a rosette of leaves. The crinkly, gray-green leaves also appear on the stems and below each flower. The golden-yellow flowers are open and about 2 inches in diameter. Occasionally, there are orange or red flowers. The roots of the horned poppy are poisonous.

Seabeach Knotweed: A Plant of Special Concern

Seabeach Knotweed  (a plant of special concern) has been discovered here at the field station. In this photo, Jr. Ranger Isobel Mackinnon helps with placing markers for the GIS class from UMass. Boston so they (UMass. students) can take bearings and create an accurate map using global positioning satellite technology.  The biggest challenge for this plant is often "dune nourishment" efforts to save coastal barriers, loss of the plant (being covered over) is but one instance of what is called unintended consequences.


Threatened and Endangered Information:
Polygonum glaucum Nutt.
This plant is listed by the U.S. federal government or a state. Common names are from state and federal lists. Click on a place name to get a complete protected plant list for that location.

Connecticut:
seabeach knotweed		Special Concern
Maryland:
seaside knotweed		Endangered
Massachusetts:
sea-beach knotweed		Special Concern
New Jersey:
sea-beach knotweed		Endangered
New York:
seabeach knotweed		Rare
Rhode Island:
seabeach knotweed		Threatened

Summer Flounder

Paralichthys dentatus (Linnaeus, 1766), also called a Fluke (fish pictured here), is a member of the left-eyed flounder family Paralichthyidae. There are typically 5 to 14 ocellated (eye-like) spots on the body. Like most members of the left-eye flounders they can change the color and pattern of their dark side to match the surrounding bottom, and are also capable of rapidly burrowing into muddy or sandy bottoms. The teeth are quite sharp and well developed on both upper and lower jaws. The average Summer flounder reaches sexual maturity at 2 years and weighs 1 to 3 pounds, typically 15 to 20 inches in length. Though they may grow as large as 26 pounds and live up to 20 years with females making up the largest and oldest specimens. Adults are highly predatory and considered mostly piscivorous, (fish eating) often laying buried with only their head exposed to ambush prey which includes sand lance, menhaden, atlantic silverside, mummichog killifish, small bluefish, porgies, squid, shrimp, and crabs. but not Jr Rangers;) While primarily considered a bottom fish they are rapid swimmers over short distances and can become very aggressive feeding actively at mid depths, even chasing prey to the surface. While walking from the beach into Folgers Marsh Mookie, Caroline, and I found summer flounder, all about this size in the creek leading into the marsh. 

Fiddler Crabs In The Lab

Thomas Glover set up an aquarium for some Fiddler Crabs last week.

An Experiment on Tuesday's Nature Walk

The Deer Flies were out and bothersome today.  We told our visitors that all scientific reports suggest that Deer Flies prefer the color blue for some reason.  So we put cups covered in a sticky substance 1 red, 1 blue, on top of two of our friends and took a walk.  Boy the stories they'll have when they get home!  As usual, blue was the clear winner and no humans were hurt in the course of this experiment. On a related note, Jane (red hat) proved to be a world class mosquito magnet.

  

Ox-Eye Daisy: Chrysanthemum Leucanthemum A report by Gigi Glover

The Ox-Eye Daisy is a perennial flower which means it has a life cycle that lasts more than two years/ two years or more. The name “Ox-Eye” was a flattering name lovingly given to Hera, the Olympian Queen of the gods in Greek mythology.  The name was later given to this pretty daisy. The first Christians dedicated this flower to Mary Magdalen, the Christian who found Jesus’ tomb empty, which is where the name “Maudlin Daisy” came from and the name “Dun Daisy” arose from the flower being connected with the god of thunder. Celtic stories said that daisies were the ghosts of children who had died while they were being born.  Other names for Ox-Eye Daisies are Daisy, Ox-Eye, White Ox-Eye, Dog Daisy, Goldens, Marguerite, Moon Daisy, Maudlin Daisy, Field Daisy, Dun Daisy, Butter Daisy, and Horse Daisy. Ox-Eye Daisy is edible and medicinal. Young spring shoots are edible, and chopped very finely and lightly sprinkled on a salad is said to be very strong and bitter. The whole plant, especially the flowers, when used as a medicinal herb are used when controlling spasms, coughing, inducing sweat, it is also used in tonic water, and in tea, soothing nerves, and used when healing. It has most of the same properties as Chamomile. This information is from http://www.naturesherbal.com/Ox_Eye_Daisy.htm.

One of the inhabitants of the fresh water pond here at the field station is the snapping turtle that Caroline Richards wrote about earlier this summer.  

Bio inventory continues

This year the Jr. Rangers have begun a bio inventory of the life of the freshwater pond here at the field station.  Here's a picture of the Pumpkin Seed (a type of sun fish, in the same family as the large mouth bass) just discovered this morning by Thomas Glover.

Wednesday Family Nature Walk 8/3/2011

Moth Mullien

Moth Mullien

Here's a link from Ohio State University that will provide you some information about this beautiful but invasive plant.  I find it of interest because it only flowers every other year.

http://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/weedguide/singlerecord.asp?id=760

Photo by - Lila Head

A Special Thank You

This past Wednesday yours truly (Len Germinara) was called to jury duty.  As we provide a guided Family Nature Walk every Wednesday from 1-3 the challenge would be to have someone here to meet, greet, and walk with our visitors.  I sent a request to all of our Jr. Rangers for help and the crew stepped up BIG TIME!  Thank you Mia, Caillean, Caroline, Lila, and David for being there when we needed your help, you Rock!  As it turns out the jury pool was released early and I was able get back for the walk and it was a great walk! You are fun and intelligent people and it's an honor to work with you all.

Women in Science Lecture Series: Anamarija Frankic

Time	Friday, August 5 · 7:00pm - 10:00pm
Location	UMass Boston Nantucket Field Station
Created By	Nantucket Field Station

From Biomimicry to Fishery Policy, How Science works in the Real World

Friday night at 7:00 pm.
Free, open to the public. Free refreshments
call 508-228-5268 for more information

Anamarija Frankic (Assistant Professor, EEOS) has been working for more than 25 years in the field of integrated ecosystem management and stewardship. Her interest is in innovative educational, research, and outreach methodologies to help solve environmental issues in situ, right here and now.

http://blog-aauw.org/2011/​08/03/meet-anamarija-frank​ic/

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