Devastation


Posted by ADKShooter on Wed Jun 15, 2022 6:16 pm

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Image
Nikon D850, Nikon 500mm F5.6 pf
ISO 800, 1/1,000s, F6.3

Hopefully this is not just seen as a nice image of a male Indigo Bunting with a caterpillar. During this Spring season in the area around the southern Adirondack region and surrounding areas I have been alarmed at the devastation of specific deciduous trees being caused by the legion of tent caterpillars. In addition, White Pine Trees seem to all have a yellowish look instead of their nice soft green.  There are apparently several infestations affecting them as well. Very concerning to me as it should be to all who care about the health of the ecosystem.

This image is just a small example of how many of the trees look like skeletons of themselves as a result of the overabundance of tent caterpillars I have observed.

Please click for higher resolution.

Update: I now believe I was incorrect as to the ID of the caterpillars. After further investigation, I believe it's an infestation of Spongy Moths.  Same result.  From what I saw today it appears that the Aspen trees are the most affected.   Warren  


Last edited by ADKShooter on Thu Jun 16, 2022 4:06 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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by Karl Egressy on Wed Jun 15, 2022 6:46 pm
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Beautiful bird and sad news. I have been seeing dying and dead trees all over the places I have been going to birding and photography and I don't know why.
 

by gregc on Wed Jun 15, 2022 8:36 pm
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Nice capture of the bunting, interesting, sad story.
 

by Axel Hildebrandt on Wed Jun 15, 2022 8:58 pm
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Great alert pose and good-looking specimen, Warren. The caterpillar story is really disturbing, I haven't seen anything like this around here...yet.
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by david fletcher on Thu Jun 16, 2022 2:01 am
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Super shot of the Bunting, but so scary and sad re the devastation caused by the caterpillars.
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by Carol Clarke on Thu Jun 16, 2022 4:54 am
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Very worrying, Warren. Its bad enough when this happens in just odd years of infestation, but it sounds like its getting a lot worse than that.

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by Cynthia Crawford on Sat Jun 18, 2022 6:00 am
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Scary story, Warren. So many threats to trees these days. Around here the emerald ash borer is on it's way to devastate all our ash trees. Not here yet, but it will be. All our beech are blistered....maple are suffering..:(

Beautiful Indigo, anyway....
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