Insect Ecology @ Au Sable - spring 2024

The penultimate insect ecology excursion during May session at Au Sable was to Deadman’s Hill by the Jordan River in Elmira, Michigan. Together with Dr, Hoekman and my fellow students I walked a 3.1-mile trail through upland forest and riparian habitat. Early on we encountered a groundwater spring and took the opportunity to collect insects. There was an abundance of Equisetum , Clintonia borealis , Polygala paucifolia and young maple seedlings in the vicinity. After a few minutes of exploration, we headed uphill and into the forest. It was noticeably young, which was not surprising given the logging history of the land. Maple, aspen, and beech trees dominated, with the occasional shagbark hickory making an appearance. Throughout the hike we had noticed what appeared to be the larvae of some species in the family Lasiocampidae, which are commonly called “lappet moths” or “tent caterpillars”. These particular caterpillars however, did not seem to have built any tents, which struck us ...

Water Strider. Jack Pot.              The day was sunny and bright and to find our destination, the lake, we had to drive down a long, dirt road to get there. Perhaps one could get lost? The aesthetics were pleasing, and different types of vegetation surrounded the lake. We armed up with our lifejackets and jumped into our canoes. We paddled around the banks of the lake to look for any insects flying about or perhaps hopping around in the water. Lilypads were gravitating towards the side of the lake and close to the banks, and there was a loon in her nest. A particular insect caught my sight as it was jumping around in the water by the bank. I quickly grabbed the insect with my net, and the first thing I noticed was its long legs; I guessed that it was a Water Strider. I thought "jackpot," because I knew it was from the order Hemiptera, and I lacked families in that order for my collection. From then on, Eden and I were meticul...

Squish squish is the sound of our waders as we attempt to pick up our sinking boots while trail-blazing deeper through the dense sphagnum of Bear Lake Bog. The day is hot and we can clearly hear the flies swarming around our ears. Each step poses the question of whether or not our feet will be able to be extracted from the deep seeded vegetation.   Everyone is desperate for new orders of insects and throwing ourselves in futile attempts to catch dragonflies. Meanwhile, I spot an unusual looking plant and creep closer to peer into the tropical and foreign looking petals. Simultaneously, an innocent fly also approaches the enticing flower. As it perches on the exotic petals, it falls in and in an instant, is swallowed by the plant. I waited several seconds to see if the fly would re-emerge but my waiting was in vain. I began searching for answers about this strange vegetation in Bear Lake Bog.    https://ustgreenhouse.wordpress.com/pitcher-plant/ Pitcher’s ...

Taken with my Samsung On Tuesday May 22 nd our insect ecology class went to a bog called Bear Lake Bog. This bog is located only a few yards off of bear lake road. All of us wearing waders walked out on the bog which we were able to do this not because the water was shallow but because of the sphagnum moss. This vegetation is very thick, especially closer to the shoreline of the lake. Bogs are acidic which is how sphagnum moss is able to grow in this type of water. A bog forms over many years as decaying plants form into peat which is where vegetation such as sphagnum moss originates. Bogs are primarily in northern colder climates such as Siberia which is where the largest wetland consisting of bogs is located (Nat Geo). There are different types of bogs including blanket, quaking, and string bogs. The bog we went to was a quaking bog because the thick vegetation bounces when people or animals walk on them which is why this type of bog is called a quaking bog.    ...

            A picture of a wetland bog from the Northern Hemisphere Source: https://infograph.venngage.com/p/176597/bog-biome               From lakeside dunes to old-growth white pine forests, Michigan is enriched with unique ecosystems. Although many of which have been claimed by society for agricultural and suburban means, portions of conserved land have been reserved for public recreation and admiration of wilderness. Wetland bogs are microcosms that serve as host to many unique organisms. While they used to be much more prevalent in the United States, they are still an important ecosystem in the US. This blog will expound on our class’s excursion to a bog named Bear Lake Bog.             Bear Lake Bog is located about six miles south of Au Sable campus and is found between the East Lakes and Bear Lake. We visited this bog on May 22, 2018. We broug...