📜 EwA Week Highlights: Bumble Bees & Inosculated Trees

[Mike McGlathery]

EwA Highlights September 15, 2024 Hello everyone!  Thanks for reading the September 15th EwA Highlights. It feels good to be back with some more recent observations! Let’s see what people shared on iNat this week. 📸 Deana spotted this very cool American beech (Fagus grandifolia) tree that seems to have undergone inosculation, a phenomenon in which two trees form a sort of natural graft. If two tree grow so close together that the friction between them abrades the bark, they can fuse in this way. It’s a fascinating process, and one that makes for some pretty interesting looking trees. EwA iNaturalist Record (© Deana Tempest Thomas · North Scituate, RI · Sept. 14, 2024)  Claire observed this elm calligrapher beetle (Calligrapha scalaris) on Saturday. The genus Calligrapha includes over 100 species, both agricultural pests and species that have been used as biological controls for invasive species. Whether using their powers in cooperation with, opposed to, or totally unrelated to the efforts of humans, these beetles sure are good at eating plant tissue. EwA iNaturalist Record (© Claire O’Neill · Stoneham, MA · Sept. 14, 2024)  EwA’s most-observed species this week was—you guessed it—the common eastern bumble bee (Bombus impatiens). It feels like fall is around the corner, but you’ll find these guys buzzing around in the goldenrod even on crisp mornings in October. Kristian observed this one on Saturday. EwA iNaturalist Record (© Kristian Demary · Arlington, MA · Sept. 14, 2024)  📊 Thanks to everyone for your great biodiversity records this week, totaling 717 observations of 376 distinct species. If you’re curious about the records from this week that have been validated by the iNat community so far, you can find them » here. 🏆 Running tally: To date, we have recorded 207,620 observations of 11,578 distinct species! Check out our EwA umbrella project, see the details per site/observer, and more » here. 📅 EwA Upcoming Public Events Ewa Field Events » Check the EwA Summer [ Event details and registration » ] Don’t miss some great opportunities to follow the rhythm of the season in our local habitats and in the local wildlife! Space is limited for all our field events. Wildlife ethics is important to us and we seek to avoid putting the pressure on natural habitats which large gatherings unavoidably do. We are asking our audience to register-and-commit (or cancel when you know you can’t come) to avoid no-shows. EwA Fieldwork (and Resources) It’s a great time to join our monitoring programs. Check EwA’s Volunteer Program Calendar 📅  to know when things happen. And if a session is of interest to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to get the rendezvous location. 📅 EwA Sites Map | 🌱 Site Protocols and Guides · Field Rosters · Field Notes » All here! | ℹ️ More about EwA’s Citizen Science Program » Here ❓ Do you have any questions? Don’t be shy. Just email me or reply to this thread.  That’s all for this week—hope you have a good one! -Mike