The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutJune 10, 2004 - On locust and luna moths The Suffolk Times • June 10, 2004 � O�� an una mo s �, , ,,,� ,, ,, �, , �Y '� „a,r� �,,�,��;�,�;�',��N��„�,�'m��,//��,, �� /�� ;��1�� l h � � ,l�%"" '�m ��1% �� '�iui'� l�� H � il ii i�//N � ��1� ��r� �/ � � /��i� " � �nn ��7H��,� �/ir�/ Kl, �^ r,;✓ i ��y�, "��"�`�N�,�„� �i "' N, � i �': d ya � i,�.,.,� �� // u �'y,Yi�M � i l�N 61�1 "�a " il,A '� nu 'r v,/, �r � �� n i��drT o� � s , �, /�",� �;; �. � � a-%'"� � � . ; ;�F, � �, � ,�� . . . � :I�M sx . yg� '�I��, �l11�4 I l .,�5{' ' ... r ' // /� � . �'� ':l�ll�'�Nl�lN. l� . i �l/fH N I � 11� p J�l�✓ 4 G� ��G N�'li ii v Y� 'r g � �'� � �'�� llll��!��i � ' �ddl,�uv ri+ 4 i � �i �� ur �� .;4 ri ✓ln�.. � ll��ll '�j �''� r��. , ; y� l�l�h „, r�p m � . yih��m��ll fl i��Y��ti � �r i�hd�N�, r �h� �� l�� i I i�Wi�M�l ^ai�� '�� i�d�/illlm��s74�k��, �l"� �u� "(l�� „l, ��r/�/��1� �� r .>�� „r ; � i/i�h u{r✓j,l i�H i��j Iiine:;/Roview��Iu�lus I�y I'��wl encl[3arharn S��ntlnnh�irqh Once devastated by blanket spraying, the luna moth (left) has once again appeared in our woods. IYs one of the many silk moths. Do you know there was a time when silk moths were raised in hope of creating a new industry in this coun- try? Evidently it failed. Ftight: Quite similar in flower and seedpod to our black locusts that we see blossoming every- where alon the hi hwa s, this handsome ink flower rows on more of a shrub thaYs known as the ink or bristl locust. HAVE You rvoTice�all the white- Often we sce individual black locust blossomed trees along Che highways trecs lhat arc not too straight,maybc recently?These are black locust trees, oddly shaped. But if these trees are one of the last trees to blossom in the cared for they'll grow straight and springtime.Their clusters of creamy strong.The wood is probably one of' white flowers resemble the blossoms the most lasting woods we have.It of the wisteria.This fast-growing tree resists decay and therefore finds its is what we call an invader;in other use where it has to be placed in the words,the tree moves in where open ground.Many a fence has been made land is left fallow and where it can get of locust wood and many a summer full sun.Come fall they will produce a cottage has been built on locust posts. long seedpod that will shower its We have seen so much of this fragrant seeds to the white blossom recently that I think wc ��G V S wind.Often should declare a"week of the locust automobiles and blossom.'� �jy even people Even though this tree is an invader unknowingly of open space and quite a difficult tree �QTV RE � pick up some of to remove from the land because of its by PeUI these seeds as spreading roots,it does have a good Stoutenburgh they travel along side:It adds nitrogen to the soiL It's only to drop difficult to find mature trees,as the thcm off at some distant point,where oncs we see are ustiially invaders of thcy will Lake hold. thc past 30 or 40 years,yet there are some that are over 100 ycars old. wcck to wl�ere 1 remcmb�red sceing Tl�crc was a young man we knew this special locust.Sure enou h,there g who was interested in moths and who it was,still growing and spreading. wanted to see if there were moths that �' � '�� ' ��` "' ��"�''� °�� '��o [�� That's one of the characteristics of ivc, throu�h Smithtown ycars ago, locust trees.This one in articular had escaped the deluge of spray.He had a �,�rc, was a row ol huge,two-fooc- runners and sprouts with clum s of unique method of testing for their sur- ��ck locust trees that lined Route 2_5. pink blossoms in all their lo pSo I vival.He brought a female luna moth %i�ie of you might possibly remem- went back and did a little ges arch and �n a cage and put it in our woods, �r them.I wonder if progress has found out that,yes,there was a bush telling us that if there were a male <cn them down by now. locust with a pink tlower.In one book luna moth around anywhere within a "or t lose o you w Zo ave wor<cc it's called a rose-flowerin locust but in mile and the wind was just right,we'd �?ting or trimming Iocust trees in the g have one clinging to the cage the next Peterson's"Field Guide to Trees and morning.This sounded a little bizarre � ��>e of getting rid of them,you have Shrubs"it's called bristly locust.IY's a to me but,with tongue in cheek,we ��r<>bably run across the treacherous plant of the mountains of Virginia, said we'd check it out and let him thorns.They can be quite menacing Tcnnessee,Georgia and Alabama and and,witllout gloves,you're bound to has spread sporadically as far narth as know. find your hands bleeding.One thing Connecticut.T'his is the onl onc I'vc BY nO�'You know the end of the about locust is,if you have to cut this Y 51c>�'Y�W� W�nt down the next morning ever seen,but,with your �o sce•the female in her wood,it's best to cut it when it's help,maybe I can locatc some others.If an of� � thlnk we cage and,lo and beholci, green;oncc it becomes dry and hard it Y there was a male plays havoc with your chain saw or ax. You readers out therc Sh0u0d deC�a!'Q � auached to Che side of When finally cut and dried,however, know where a shrublikc `week of the the cage trying to get to it proves to be one of the best woods ��>cust with bristly sten�s � his lady fair.And so this for burning you can find.By the way, �i��c� �i beautiful clustcr��I ��Cu�t ��OSSOIiI. dodt try to nail into it once it has p��ik t7owers grows,gct in provcd that luna moths touch with me.I think lhc interc5tin�t f�<�� n�e back after dried out and become hard;it's almost �, ma��y yeais�>f being absent. impossible. part of this little story is that (or all 'C'oday we do.spraying with a much Our early settlers were not familiar th�sc years the one I found has been more critical eye.Unless it's aimed at with this tree,for it's believed to have growing,blossoming,seeding and run- one specific insect and ouly at that been a tree of Yhe Appalachian region. i�ing its roots out with new little bristly one,spraying is usually denied. As man spread over the countryside, locust plants for all these years.Pretty They're finding out that in the world the tree came with him.Some locust remarkable,I call it. we live in everything has its placc,and trces that grew straight were used for Let's switch from locust trees to by"blanket spraying"to get rid of one masts and booms 1'or ships.Those spe- luna moths.This is one of our silk- insect you do a great deal of harm to a cial trees were known as"shipmast �'�'orm moths.We recently had one visit number of insects that do all kinds of locust"trees back in the 1930s.Once us at night. Our son came to paint the good. again,they could be counted on for living room and brought some bright Each year we get reports of this their strength and durability. lights so he could see better.Since all beautiful luna moth t7utteriiig around Back in the '40s,we lived in an arca the drapes were down,the bright porch lights,lighted windows or some whcre 95% of the houses were sum- lights shone outside.They attracted all otlier source of light.What it's all mer cottages and I had the whole arca kinds of interesting insects,amongst about is the meeting of male and to myself to wander around in.I was them the large,beautiful,pale green, fcmale moths to produce eggs far the vaguely interested in trees and plants ��-tailed luna moth with its wing coming generation.Once the eggs are and was always trying to find the fiist �Xp�nse that ranges from 3 3/4 to 5 1/2 hatched on an oak or hickory tree,the new lady slipper of the year or wherc ��"'�1eS• caterpillars will feast and grow and,as the best arbutus grew or where jack- �'�e told this story before,but I the summer wears on,they'll mature in-thc-pulpit could be found.Then one think it's so interesting that I'm going and spin a cocoon to stay in for the day I 1'ound a pink 11owering bush that to tell it again.In the wisdom of'igno- winter.Then,the miracle oP miracles looked]ike a locust along the side of rance,there was a time when the happens in the spring,as it did this the road. county sprayed to eradicate the s �YP Y year,when our luna moth went Wondering if it st�ill grew therc, moth that was devastating our woods. through metamorphosis from caterpil- [3arbara and I drovc down just this �ey sprayed everything and there- lar to beautiful moth.We hope one oi' fore killed everything,not only gypsy these be�utiful,pale grcen moths will moths but all tllc olhcr insccts that arc visit you on your lightcd porch or din_ bciiel�ici<il to man anci bcast alikc. in�>room window. Kcep watching. �