Watch for wildlife

Editorial - The Regional: April 2012

Record setting temps in mid-March, robins in the yard, early blooms in the garden, swarms of mosquito lurking at dusk… it’s been a precedent setting few weeks where the weather is concerned! The early onset of warm temperatures has Mother Nature thoroughly confused this year.  Temperatures were record-breaking through much of March, cooling off and becoming more seasonal as we approached April and these rapid fluctuations have had a profound effect on nature all around us. 

Whether all the erratic weather of late is a sign of the “greenhouse effect” as we are hearing from some sources, or whether it is simply a one-time anomaly, one thing is certain… we can expect this winter’s early warm spell to have some effect on many things this coming year. 

For instance, an Eastern Pine Elfin butterfly was seen at the Visitor’s Centre in Algonquin Park in mid-March. The poor creature would have over-wintered as a pupae only to emerge much too early as an adult due to the warm weather. This is only one example of one of the types of early spring happenings the warm spell has caused.  In this case the results will be devastating, as the butterfly has emerged before his food source has become available. Experts say this could potentially wipe out an entire generation of Eastern Pine Elfin butterflies in the park.  It’s reasonable to assume that other butterfly and insect species - as well as flora and fauna - will suffer the same effect.

Maple Syrup is a local product that has been drastically affected by this spring’s warm temperatures.  Producers across the province are reporting that their 2012 season was short and sweet (pun intended) and sap collection was about 40% of what is typical. Jennifer Roberts of Duffy’s Lane Maple told us their tree’s stopped producing quite early - even before their usual tapping date. 

All this uncertainty means we should take a few things into consideration. Mosquito’s have already hatched, so we’ll need to be diligent about removing standing water from our properties starting now. We’ll all have to be watchful for turtles crossing the road in rural areas and for deer and other wildlife who may be more interested in a “early spring frolic” than they are in looking both ways before crossing the roads.

Gardens are also blooming much earlier than usual.  A word of caution to the novice gardener – don’t mistake the warm temperatures s for carte blanche to get an early start on pruning or to clear all your protective mulch and leaves from the flower beds just yet.  We could still be in for a return of the big chill, so it is probably wise to leave your beds protected until the date you would normally do your big spring yard opening.

Spring conditions can cause wet areas to be very dangerous.  A quick warning to parents – make sure the kids are warned to stay clear of ponds, streams and other sources of water.  Enjoy the early warm temperatures while they are here, but don’t let your guard down… as we all know, Mother Nature is unpredictable and winter conditions could still make a surprise return visit!

In the Regional this month: Did you ever wonder about what’s in a name?  Deb Robertson has and explores the topic this month.  David Mielke reviews OneNote, Justin Popovic invites us to claim our self-confidence and Stan Cameron brings us news about school happenings in the area. The Motts provide us with two views on how media coverage of sensational murder trials is handled, we learn a bit about nutrition for kids from Dr. Katie McKeown, and you can check out another great recipe in Granny’s Kitchen and find out what’s happening locally from Community Matters.  All this plus the usual area news and information waits inside our April issue. 

Happy Easter from all of us here at The Regional!