Friends of Merrymeeting Bay to host insect walk in Bowdoinham July 15

Friends of Merrymeeting Bay will host amateur naturalist and entomologist Cathy Reynolds who will lead a late afternoon insect walk at 5 p.m. Saturday, July 15, in Bowdoinham.

Merrymeeting Bay is internationally recognized for its unique tidal freshwater ecosystem and is surrounded by a diversity of habitats including a variety of forest types, fields, agricultural and horticultural landscapes. Critical to the health of all these habitats and sometimes also posing threats, are bugs, according to a news release from Ed Friedman, coordinator, with Friends of Merrymeeting Bay.

While trees dominate in their contribution to forest biomass, much of our local landscapes are fields in varying stages, from actively hayed to somewhere on the spectrum of ecological succession back to forest. Native insects contribute a dominant slice biodiversity in all of these ecotypes. Insects act as pollinators and seed spreaders as well as predator and prey. They aid in wood and forest floor decomposition, recycling nutrients critical to the health of forests and grasslands. Unfortunately we are in the midst of a major global insect decline (75% in Germany) likely to dramatically affect our ecosystem integrity.

Non-native invasive insects harm forests through “piercing-sucking,” defoliating, wood boring, and disease-spreading, according to the Maine Forest Service.

Bowdoinham and other midcoast residents are among those experiencing health issues the past few years because of the browntail moth invasion. In addition to severe rashes and respiratory issues in humans, browntail causes major tree defoliation and threatens coastal property values. It is a parasite of hardwoods such as apple and oak.

A new threat to Maine transported from Asia on wooden pallets, crates and spools, the Emerald Ash Borer is a metallic green beetle that has killed 50 million trees since 2002 and has the potential to wipe out all species of ash tree in Maine. Ash is important to Maine for its use in furniture-making, indigenous basket-weaving, sports equipment, tools, and more.

Reynolds has a special interest in pollinators and has especially studied invasive forest insects. Reynolds is a local bee keeper, and coordinates the livestock area at the popular Common Ground Fair. The site for Saturday’s outing features a good deal of edge habitat bordering a wide variety of landscapes so should offer an interesting diversity of insects.

Participants should wear sturdy shoes and be cognizant of ticks. The walk will occur rain or shine. For directions and to register, call Friedman at 207-666-3372.

The FOMB Summer Outside! Series is the warm weather counterpart to FOMB’s popular Winter Speaker Series. Events are usually free and are open to the public. Registration is required.

FOMB’s next outing will be an intertidal mud plant walk with Barbara Vickery at 9 a.m. on July 21 in Bowdoinham; register with Friedman.

To receive more information about FOMB’s programs, call Friedman. The full Summer Outside! series is on the web at friendsofmerrymeetingbay.org.