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Hexagenia , the Golden Mayfly. by Jenny Molloy (September 1993) Who starts life buried in a silty stream bottom, and ends it in an ephemeral, winged flight of fancy? Why, Hexagenia of course! Hexagenia , sometimes called the Golden mayfly, is quite abundant in the waters of the Augusta Creek watershed. It is one of at least 23 species of mayflies known from Augusta Creek, and quite a few more inhabit the lakes and wetlands in the drainage. Mayflies spend most of their lives as aquatic insects. As a nymph, or juvenile insect, Hexagenia constructs a U-shaped burrow in silty stream or lake bottoms. It continuously undulates very large, feathery-looking gills to keep water moving through the tube-like burrow. In this way it can obtain oxygen and food without exposing itself to predators. This is a very different lifestyle from most of our local mayflies, who hang out on the bottoms of rocks during the day, and forage on algae nocturnally when they are least likely to be spotted by insectivorous fish. Hexagenia is also much larger than the average mayfly, and makes a particularly appealing morsel for any fish lucky enough to find one. If you have ever heard a fly fisher referring to the "Hex Hatch", you can be sure that he or she is referring to the hatching of Hexagenia . After a year in the stream as an egg and then a nymph, Hexagenia emerges, or undergoes metamorphosis, into an adult mayfly. Mayfly swarms are quite common in late summer, as the large, Golden mayflies leave the water and make the transition to a terrestrial life. They generally live only a few days as adults, just long enough to mate and for the female to return to the stream to oviposit, or lay eggs. Hence the origin of the name for the mayfly order, Ephemeroptera, indicating an ephemeral existence. In fact, because they live for such a short time as adults, they generally do not even have the mouthparts necessary for eating. However, they function at least as a one-sided link in the terrestrial food chain, as adult mayflies make very tasty morsels for birds and bats. So instead of thinking of silty areas in lakes and streams as useless muck, keep in mind that it's the nursery for a very important component of aquatic and terrestrial food webs, and an interesting animal in it's own right: the Hexagenia mayfly!

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The Massasauga Rattlesnake. by Jenny Molloy March 1994 Perhaps one of the most under appreciated residents of the Augusta Creek watershed is the Eastern Massasauga rattlesnake. Michigan is home to 17 species of snake, but the Massasauga is the only venomous one. It is a medium sized snake, reaching 2 to 3 feet in length, with a heavy body and a narrow neck, and of course a segmented rattle at the end of it's tail. It is usually gray or grayish brown with dark blotches down the side and back; the belly is black. At a glance, this snake could be confused with the Northern water snake which is more common, somewhat more aggressive, inhabits similar habitat, but is not poisonous. Massassaugas inhabit some of the wetland areas in the Augusta Creek drainage, although they may occasionally be found upland in the summer. They feed primarily on frogs and rodents. In the winter they most likely hibernate in crayfish burrows, which are plentiful along Augusta Creek. The Massasauga bears it's young live, instead of laying eggs like some snakes. Mother Massasaugas usually give birth to 8 to 15 baby snakes at a time, generally in late summer. These snakes are not confrontational, and tend to retreat from disturbances. For this reason bites from Massasaugas are uncommon. However, they may strike when surprised or attacked, so never force a confrontation with a Massasauga, and be wary in the marshy areas they tend to inhabit. Because of it's relatively small size (compared to it's southern and western relatives), and short fangs, a bite from a Massasauga is rarely fatal. However, it still presents a danger to young children or persons in ill health, so all bites should receive immediate medical attention. Massasaugas are considered a special concern species in the state of Michigan, because of declining populations. They have a federal ranking of C2, meaning that they may be sufficiently imperiled to be ranked endangered or threatened, but that not enough information is available to make this assignment. As with most species at risk, habitat loss has played a large role in the decline of the Massasauga rattler. Because of the reaction of many people to snakes, especially poisonous ones, it has also been deliberately eradicated. Although it may be hard to muster a great deal of fondness for this critter, killing it is a bit extreme. This snake is an integral component of the Augusta Creek ecosystem, and presents little threat to humans. In addition, it's special status makes conservation of the Massasauga imperative. We should note that shooting any snake is illegal in Michigan. Instead, from a safe distance learn to appreciate the Massasauga. As always, should you choose to live or roam in wetland areas, you should be prepared to live with all of the organisms who are naive to the ecosystem. Because of it's shy nature it is unlikely to give you any trouble, and it would undoubtedly appreciate having the favor returned. For more information on the Massasauga and other local snakes check out "Michigan Snakes, A Field Guide and Pocket Reference", or other books about snakes at your library or nature center. The Kellogg Bird Sanctuary book store has this and other interesting books on wildlife. A Massasauga photo(75K) - published under Natural Resources/Reptiles/Lizards and Snakes.

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The Great Blue Heron by Richard Chamberlin October 1994 One can almost imagine a Pterodactyl passing overhead, as in Jurassic Park when one sees a Great Blue Heron fly over Augusta Creek. Slow wing beats, neck bent back, legs trailing behind, and it's large size are characteristics of this common creature in the Augusta Creek watershed. The male and female are similar in appearance - the feathers with a bluish cast and a darker head with a white crown. The bird's nesting behavior is not often witnessed since they nest in small, concentrated colonies in isolated areas. There is a colony (rookery) of Herons in the Augusta Creek watershed, southeast of the corner of B Avenue and 45th Street in Ross Township of Kalamazoo County, Michigan, approximately 5.6 kilometers east of Michigan State University's Kellogg Biological Station. The colony is situated in the tops of trees on an island of high ground in the midst of the wetland complex. Herons often nest in trees on islands or in trees with water around the base, possibly for added protection from ground predators, such as raccoons. Colonies should be visited with care and only so long as no disturbance of the birds results. Upon arrival at a rookery in spring, the birds do not start nest building right away, but remain perched in the trees, preening, resting and making trips to feeding spots. A few days later they start to claim nest sites and defend them against intrusion from other herons. Sticks a foot or more long are gathered from the ground, from trees and form old nests. The male generally brings the material to the female, who greets him with the Stretch-display, then she takes the stick and places it in the nest. When birds are using a nest form a previous year, they just renovate it with a few new sticks. Whether the nest is old or new, the birds line it with finer twigs, grasses and leaves. The B Avenue rookery size has fluctuated widely over the years. Ice storms and/or wind storms can uproot or damage trees holding nest sites. Also the Heron's droppings are extremely caustic and themselves can eventually cause the death of nesting trees. The B Avenue rookery appears to be diminishing in size now because of these factors, but new sites are sure to be colonized by the bids. Ironically one prospective site is near Glasby Lake, close by the construction site of the new Southwest Barry County sewage treatment plant. Normally 3 - 5 bluish green eggs are laid per nest. The male and female alternate incubation duties over the 28 day incubation period. The young hatch over a period of up to seven days. This means that there can be large discrepancies among the sizes of the young. In many cases one or more members of a brood do not survive. The ones that die are most often the smallest ones, those that hatched later than the others. When feeding the young the parents at first stand on the side of the nest then begin to regurgitate and carefully place bits of food into the mouths of the young. As the young get older they become more active and begin to make their incessant "kak-kak-kak" calls when they see the parents in the vicinity. The young leave the nest when they are seven to eight weeks old, at which time they are about the size of the parents. The young remain with the parents for two to three weeks after leaving the nest and are fed by them during this time. After this they go off on their own and feed in areas with other young. After breeding and when the young can fly, great blue herons may disperse in all directions, with the young birds traveling the farthest in many cases. At this time, late summer, they may even move into areas where they are never seen at any other time of the year. Following a few weeks of feeding in these new areas, the birds start to migrate south. Fall migration occurs from mid-September through October. The birds migrate singly or in small flocks, from a few to a dozen or more, mainly during daylight. In the winter, Great Blue herons may join other local herons as they go to a communal roost, flying there each night and then flying away every day to favored feeding sites. Spring migration starts in March. So if you are walking along Augusta Creek in spring you may see a dinosaur-like bird overhead. Enjoy the sight, and you won't even have to worry about Velociraptors either. Editors note: In flight the Great Blue may be confused with the sandhill crane, another large bird with trailing legs that is common in the Augusta Creek area. Upon closer observation of the head and neck region, the neck of the Great Blue can be seen to make an S shape, while the sandhill crane's neck is held stretched forward.

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Blue skies, blue waters,and bluebirds... by Dick Chamberlin March 1995 There is no more welcome sign of Spring than early March when male bluebirds arrive to stake out nesting territories. Sites occur near open land where birds can perch and gather insects. Territories may be from two to twenty-five acres and may contain many nest holes, even though the birds use only one. Bluebirds do not usually nest closer than three hundred feet from each other. Bluebird behavior during the first few days on the territory may be erratic. They may show up for a few hours in the morning, feed, visit nest holes, and then leave for the rest of the day. When they return they readily nest in bluebird houses. The proper size hole (1-1.5 inch diameter) keeps out starlings, but bluebirds may suffer competition from swallows and other similar birds. The female selects the final site. Several weeks may go by between site selection and nest building. The nest is a loose structure of dried grasses and weeds. A lining is made of finer grasses, horsehair or feathers. Female bluebirds incubate 3-6 speckled eggs for approximately 13-15 days. Both parents help feed the young. Young will leave the nest when they are about 20 days old. A second brood is started soon after. Sometimes a third brood is started if weather conditions are favorable. Nest failure mostly follows bad weather or predation by raccoons and other mammals, snakes, house wrens or house sparrows. Properly constructed and placed blue bird houses can greatly reduce this risk. Bluebird populations were dangerously low just a few years ago due to the introduction of the European house sparrow (1851) and starling (1890). Both birds are aggressive competitors for nest holes needed by bluebirds. In addition, traditional bluebird nest sites, such as old apple orchards and tree holes along field edges, became more scarce as land was cleared for developments and larger farm operations. Fortunately, bluebird populations are now on the upswing. Nesting boxes are being installed all across the country, however more are needed. This is an area where you can still make a valuable contribution toward the conservation of this beautiful bird. Few birds have captured the hearts of so many, in terms of physical beauty and endearing tameness. A few bluebirds may over winter in the Augusta Creek area, but most migrate to the southeastern United States, Mexico and Central America. Migration occurs in October and November, and the birds generally travel in small or large flocks. Unfortunately their departure can leave you feeling . . . BLUE.

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Facts about bats. by Martha Gesmundo March 1995 A single, big brown bat can eat 3,000 to 7,000 mosquitoes each night and live up to 19 years. For the past 50 years residents of Chautauqua, New York, a summer resort town, have reported great success in mosquito control by encouraging bats to live in their town as a successful and preferable alternative to pesticides. In Europe, where bats are fully protected, people build bat houses much like we build martin houses. The most likely occupants of bat houses in Michigan are the big brown bat and little brown bat. Since bats are such an important form of natural control for insects pests like mosquitoes, it is in our own best interest to perpetuate them. Some little known facts about the little known bat: The world's smallest mammal the bumblebee bat of Thailand, weighs less than a penny. Flying foxes, the bats of the Old World tropics, have wingspans of up to six feet. Bats are not blind and many have excellent vision. Bats with rabies, unlike dogs, cats and foxes, do not become aggressive. Bats from temperate regions travel less than 300 miles to find a suitable cave or abandoned mine and remain for up to six months. Bats are the slowest reproducing mammals on earth. On average, mother bats rear only one young per year and are devoted parents. Seeds dropped by bats account for up to 95 percent of tropical forest regrowth on cleared land. Bats eat numerous agricultural pests including corn borers, grain and cutworm moths, potato beetles and grasshoppers. Reference: Tuttle, Merlin T., America's Neighborhood Bats, 1988.

 

Creature Feature

Home About ACWA Watershed Report Natural Resources Info Directory

The Chorus Frog Hexagenia , the Golden Mayfly. The Massasauga Rattlesnake. The Great Blue Heron. Blue skies, blue waters, bluebirds... Facts about bats. See also Meet Augusta Creek for an overview of the history and ecology of the Creek.

For more information write to Augusta Creek Watershed Association, P.O. Box 181, Hickory Corners, Michigan 49060
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