84-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, April 8, 2000
Zeke and Salty Brehen’s garden offers butterflies large
beautiful butterfly bushes, joe pye weeds, zebra grass,
variegated miscanthus and lotus plants.
Monarch
(Continued from Page 82)
get tired of watching them.
When they can fly, they fly to the
window If it’s warm and not
windy, I put them on my hand,
open the window, and let them
fly away”
Butterflies hatched from July
through the end of August gen
erally stay to lay more eggs and
then die The butterflies
released from the end of August
through October are genetically
marked or born to migrate.
Butterflies west of the Rocky
Mountains spend the winter in
California while butterflies east
of the Rocky Mountains migrate
up to 2,200 miles to Mexico. The
Brehm’s stick a tiny 1/4-inch
wing tag, or sticker, from the
University of Kansas on their
later releases.
“We keep a log of our releas
es. We keep track of the sex of
the butterfly, temperature, and
wind conditions.”
The wing tag lists an abbrevi
ated address for the University
AVltfOl
For The Control Of
• Starlings • Pigeons
• Sparrows • Crows
Avilrol Is A Pesticide For
Control of Pest Birds
*295“
+6.00 Shipping
• Restricted use pesticide
must have current
applicators license
Blain Supply
Rt. 1, Box 117 H
Blain, PA 17006
(717) 536-3861
of Kansas. Anyone finding a
dead monarch with a wing tag
should mail the butterfly to the
entomology department. This
helps scientists keep track of
migratory paths. The butterflies
overwinter and are studied by
scientists at a protected
monarch reserve area in El
Rosario, Mexico. Sally said over
200 tagged monarchs make it to
Mexico, but none of their mon
archs have made it.
Sally and Zeke became inter
ested in raising butterflies five
years ago. They attended semi
nars offered by the entomology
department at Penn State.
“Zeke is an environmentalist
for the Department of
Environmental Protection.
When most women get flowers
from their husbands, I might get
a beautiful, brightly colored bee
tle! But I’ve always been inter
ested in nature. Each year we
plant a new host plant to attract
a new type of butterfly.”
For more information about
raising butterflies, contact the
North American Butterfly
Association with chapters in
Harrisburg and at Penn State.
Landscaping To Attract Birds
UNIVERSITY PARK
(Centre Co.)-Most homeowners
can attract a few birds to their
property simply by hanging out
a bird feeder, but a wildlife spe
cialist and a horticultural
researcher in Penn State’s Col
lege of Agricultural Sciences say
people fond of these flying visi
tors can customize their land
scape to attract a variety of
birds.
“The best way to attract birds
to your home is to think like a
bird,” says Margaret Britting
ham, associate professor of wild
life resources in the School of
Forest Resources. “Consider
what the birds need and then see
if your property meets those
needs.”
Consider the following fac
tors:
•Food. Birds will visit a house
with just a feeder, but a wider
variety of birds will appear if a
mix of feeders and fruit-bearing
plants is available. “Limiting
use of insecticides also is import
ant because most birds feed on
insects during breeding season,”
Brittingham says.
•Cover. Trees, shrubs and
other plants offer cover from
predators and the elements.
Brittingham recommends using
plantings of various sizes.
“Birds divide their habitat verti
cally,” she says. “Some bird spe
cies occupy only the shrub layer,
while others are found only in
tree tops.”
•Nesting Sites. Certain bird
species require specialized areas
to nest, such as tall grasses or ev
ergreens.
•Water Source. A birdbath or
simple ceramic dish filled with
water can serve as an excellent
water source. Brittingham says
songbirds are attracted by the
sound of running water, so
homeowners might consider in
stalling a re-circulating water
fall or fountain.
Robert Snyder, research sup
port assistant in horticulture
and an avid birder, recommends
that homeowners offer a variety
of plants to prospective winged
visitors.
•Fruiting Plants. Snyder
points out that small trees and
shrubs are excellent sources of
low- to mid-canopy cover.
Plants that provide food in
summer months include service-
Consider incorporating these features
isic needs:
tm
berry, dogwood, elderberry and
common spicebush. Food
sources in fall and winter in
clude honeysuckle, fruiting cra
bapple varieties and common
winterberry, a native holly.
“Many of the berries produced
by these plants are brilliantly
colored and can provide a bit of
color in the winter months,”
Snyder says.
•Evergreens. Snyder says ev
ergreen trees and shrubs provide
cover for birds year round and,
when planted together, can act
as a windbreak for birds. Ever
green cones can be a source of
food as well, particularly for
winter finches and crossbills.
•Native Shrubs. Snyder says
native shrubs that bear fruits
preferred by birds in the wild
can be used to landscape mar
ginal areas. He says alders and
hawthorns can tolerate poorly
drained areas, and brambles
such as dewberry, raspberry and
blackberry will grow in poor, dry
soils. “There are several catalog
suppliers that carry native
plants,” Snyder says. “Larger
nurseries or garden centers may
stock them as well.”
•Grasses. Several game birds,
sandpipers and songbird species
are ground-nesting, requiring
long grasses or meadow-like
conditions. “Allow grasses to
grow up along fencerows or
drainages, or plant a corner of
the property with native grasses
to make a meadow,” Snyder
suggests.
•Pile Things Up. Snyder says
some birds like to nest in brush,
rock or wood piles. “Be sure to
put the pile in an area where it
looks unobtrusive and will not
It’s important to fill out your Census form...
Here are a few . |
of the places RHiSSk JM
you can go for help. WmllMt//>r>J m
Crtspus Attacks March ls*&
Community Csnter April t 4
407 Howard Ave., Lancaster
Oak Bottom Village
123 Groffdale Dr.
Quarryville
Water Street March 27*
Rescue Mission April 14
210 S. Prince St, Lancaster
Lancaster Job Cntr.
60 West Walnut St.
Lancaster
Lancaster Co, Library March 27 -
125 N, Duke SI. April 14
Lancaster
Trinity Lutheran
Church
31 S. Duke St., Lancaster
Steinman , March 2? *
Boya/Qlrls Club April 14
333 Oauphin St. Lancaster
I anca|ter&iai-pimq
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Water
attract wild animals such as
skunks near your house,” he
says.
•Vines. Vines such as trumpet
creeper, American bittersweet
and wild grape can conceal piles
and provide additional cover
and food for birds. Vining plants
that attract hummingbirds in
clude runner bean, morning
glory and Virginia creeper.
Snyder suggests hanging twine
down from a tree or feeder and
training vines to climb the
lengths.
•Flowers. Brittingham says
hummingbirds are attracted to
the color red. Beebalm, cardinal
lobelia and columbine are just
three of the many plants that
can attract hummingbirds.
A fact sheet, “Pennsylvania
Wildlife #2-Attracting Wildlife:
Sources of Assistance,” lists
sources for additional tips on at
tracting wildlife. Single copies
are available free of charge by
contacting your county Penn
State Cooperative Extension
office, or by calling the College
of Agricultural Sciences Publi
cations Distribution Center at
(814)865-6713.
March 27 -
April 14
March 27 - Mon. - Fri.
April 14 ' 10-4:30
March 27 -
April 14
1 E. Mam St., Ephrata PA 17522
at
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3 Soureot
Provide.
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Mon. - Fn
12 - 4
Moo. * Fri
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Mon.-Fit
9-5:30
Sat 10-4
Mon. - Fn
12-4
Mon, * Fri.
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