Chipmunks and June Beetles


Townsend’s chipmunk 
in Haller Lake neighborhood


We spied this little guy in our yard eating vine maple winged seeds, and Bob got some photos with his Nikon. It's a Townsend's chipmunk, the first time we've seen one in our yard in 45 years, although we did see one in a yard about a block away some years ago. We live near Northacres Park but have never seen one there. Very exciting! I posted this on Pacific Northwest Plants & Wildlife Facebook group and a couple of people have seen them in the area, e.g., Shoreline near Central Market and in Carkeek Park. If any of you have seen chipmunks in your Haller Lake yards, or Northacres Park, let me know!

 
Carolyn Crockett, Haller Lake Community Club Parks Committee; photos by Bob Brooks

 

 

 

 

Ten-lined June beetle

This male ten-lined June beetle, also known as a junebug or watermelon beetle, was crawling on the sidewalk near the P-patch, this was the closest photo I was able to take before he flew away. They make a hissing sound when disturbed, which resembles the hissing of a bat. The male's distinctive lamellate antennae are used to detect the pheromones of females.  They can be an agricultural pest because their larvae feed on plant roots and can weaken or kill plants.

Peter Wolfram-Aduan

 


 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Posts

Junction Point Homeless Shelter Off 128th Street

Image
 I was able to tour the Catholic Community Services Homeless Shelter, Junction Point, last week.  This shelter is located at 1132 N 128th St. near Stone Way and 128th St.  There shelter is a series of small, individual building for the residents that look something like "tiny homes".   I met up with Sharonda Duncan, Division Director within CSS Homeless Services.  She manages 4 of CCS's shelters around Seattle.  This shelter became active last June.  It has capacity for 49 individuals, men or women who are 50 years old or older.  The shelter is currently at full capacity. The shelter does utilize volunteers from the community.  They can use help with their plants/gardening and putting together hygiene packs and move out packs for the residents.  If you are interested, you can visit the shelter and ring the door bell. This is a shelter that moved from the old Junction Point location along Elliot Avenue.  The Elliot avenue shelte...
Read more

Green Tips From The Community - November 2024

  Let’s build soil! This time of year gives us a great opportunity to build our soil. If you haven’t picked up your leaves yet, please consider using them. Also, how about woodchips in your yard? Nature is amazing at building healthy soil if we get out of the way and let it. Healthy soil is rich in nutrients and does a get job managing water.    It helps grow happy plants and creates an ecosystem system within its self. Here are a few ways you can help nature build your soil…. Leaves - if you still have leaves on the ground, leave them. You can put them under your trees and shrubs, in your home composter, turn them in your garden bed or spread a layer of them on your garden paths and top them with arborist woodchips. These lovely leaves are great at making soil! Arborist woodchips - woodchips are excellent at building healthy soil. I say arborist woodchips because woodchips you buy at the store generally aren’t great soil builders. Reason… arborist chips come untreated, s...
Read more

From The Archives - December 2024

As a teen floating around the Lake on my all wood paddleboard I made in the 1960s, I couldn’t help but notice the many flowering lily beds tucked on shorelines.  The bright green pads fashioned as designer plates looked stunning against multi- colored full-open flowers.  Add blue dragonflies whizzing about to get the full effect.  R. C. Byers, an early Haller Lake pioneer dating to 1910s, was known as the “lily man” not to mention he built his own cabin, cleared land, and replanted trees, shrubs and…25 varieties of lilies.  A story appeared in Sunset magazine “The Lily Grower of Haller Lake” claiming his status.  Our own Shawn MacPherson’s aunt, Anne Segale, told her local kids would sell Mr. Byers lilies at Pike Place Market. Today many Lake homeowners have the coveted lilies, well, perhaps some are coveted. They spread from Byers's shore front to around the Lake over 100 years.  It’s a tedious job to clear lilies. I’m told people spend several sessio...
Read more

Baldwin School Report

  I interviewed Guillermo Covajal, social worker at Baldwin.  Twenty elementary schools are considered for closure in SSD for 2025-26.  In any case, the new and large Baldwin will take on twice their number of students.  Not a done deal yet, but Broadview looks to close sending their staff and students to JB.  District officials will speak at Baldwin on October7, at 6:30 under the topic “Well Resourced Schools.”  With the huge school deficit, the meeting will cover cost saving measures. We’re off to a good start with 3rd grade science.  Our overarching theme is saving orangutans from lost habitat due to palm oil production.  Students look at three islands as refuge.  They study the landscape, collect climate data and do weather experiments. Randy Baldwin Liaison
Read more