Summer

There is a cardinal at my feeder that has gone bald. It doesn't have feathers on the top of its head. What causes this?

This often happens in late summer. The cardinal is infected by a tiny Arachnid called a mite. This species of mites feeds on feathers and fragments of feathers and skin. Feather mites cluster externally on the head, around the eyes and neck of a bird. They damage the head feathers, but as cooler weather approaches and the cardinal molts, new feathers will grow in.

I saw a raccoon during the day that was acting strange. It was coughing and seemed to be disoriented. It seems sick. What should I do?

The raccoon you saw may have distemper, a highly contagious disease of carnivores (meat-eating animals), including unvaccinated cats and dogs. This virus is more widespread and causes more deaths in younger animals than in adults and occurs most often in spring and summer. The distemper virus is in the feces and urine of infected individuals and usually enters another animal through inhalation, eventually entering the blood stream. Symptoms of an animal that may have distemper include some or all of the following: abnormal behavior, apparent lack of fear, eye and/or nasal discharge, aggressiveness, disorientation, lack of alertness, convulsive movements of the head and paws, and aimless wandering. Other diseases such as rabies and poisonings may mimic symptoms of distemper. Although distemper cannot be transmitted to humans, do not approach this animal. Contact your county animal control officer as soon as possible.  The Clermont County Humane Society can be reached at (513) 732-8854.  The Ohio Department of Nature Resources Wildlife Division can be reached at 1-800-WILDLIFE.

Why do fireflies flash?

Like bird songs and insect and frog calls, the flashes produced by fireflies are signals that help adults attract mates. Light production is the result of a chemical reaction that takes place in specialized light-organs located at the tip of the abdomen. Each firefly species produces its own unique pattern of light emissions that can vary in color (green, yellow, bluish, or orange), length of flashes, and interval between flashes. The habitats in which they flash are also species specific, as are the time of night they “call.”

Around dusk, males usually take to the air and fly, flashing their species specific signals for the benefit of females that are perched on vegetation below. Although they have wings and can fly, females usually just sit motionless on vegetation. When they spy a male of their own species, they reciprocate by flashing back the same signal. After 5 to 10 reciprocal exchanges, the male lands adjacent to the female, and mating takes place.

Not all members of the firefly family produce light, and in some species, even the eggs and non-reproductive grub-like immature stages luminesce. In other species, females are wingless, resemble immatures, but produce light. The females of some species are predaceous and exploit the tendency of males to respond to their calls. These females mimic the flash patterns of other firefly species and lure in unsuspecting males that are eager to mate. Instead the females capture the males as prey. These insects are known as the “femmes fatales” of the insect world.

Firefly abundance varies from year to year and is believed to be a result of moisture levels during their development; the moister it is, the more fireflies emerge as adults. Sadly, fireflies are no longer as abundant as they once were, most likely due to habitat destruction and the overuse of pesticides.

For the record, these insects, which are also known as lightning bugs, are neither “bugs” nor “flies;” rather they are soft-bodied beetles about three-quarters of an inch long with blackish wings. In North America, they occur only east of the Rockies.

In mid to late summer, my allergies act up every year. I notice that goldenrod is often beginning to bloom when this occurs. Could I be allergic to goldenrod, and should I have someone cut it down if it is growing on my property?

If a plant has showy colorful flowers, it attracts insects such as butterflies, honey bees, beetles, wasps, or even hummingbirds to pollinate its flowers. The pollen of these flowers is heavy and sticky and is not carried on the wind. This means that woodland spring wildflowers (phlox, bloodroot, and trillium), summer field flowers (daisies, black-eyed Susans, and chicory), and late summer/fall flowers (goldenrods, sunflowers, and asters) do not cause allergic reactions.

While these wildflowers are blooming, there are often other sources of pollen produced by less obvious plants. The colorful flowering plants often get blamed while the inconspicuous offenders go unnoticed. Beginning in early spring with elm trees, an almost continuous series of trees sheds copious amounts of wind-blown pollen which can trigger allergic reactions. Then pines, oaks, hickories, and walnut trees release large amounts of pollen into the air. In mid to late summer, just before goldenrod begins to bloom, ragweed comes into flower. The inconspicuous male flowers release clouds of wind-blown pollen to reach female flowers which are tucked down into the leaf axils.

Enjoy the colorful wildflowers along with the butterflies, honey bees, and hummingbirds. These showy flowers are not the source of pollen-induced allergic reactions.

There are raised mole tunnels in my yard. What are the moles doing and should I be concerned?

Moles are insect-eating mammals that spend most of their time underground traveling in runways and searching for grubs and worms. They help aerate soil and provide oxygen and drainage for lawns while eliminating pesky grubs. If your lawn turns yellow near the tunnels, chances are that voles have moved into the runways. Voles look like mice and eat vegetation, including grass roots.

If the grass around the tunnels is green, there is no need to be concerned ... the moles will not damage your lawn.

Nonetheless, some people do not like the appearance of the tunnels or are worried about twisting an ankle in the soft soil near them. If you do not want to share your yard with moles, combine 1/8 cup of castor oil with one gallon of warm water and add a few drops of dish detergent to help mix the solution. After watering your lawn or following a rain, sprinkle or spray this liquid on the tunnels. Many garden catalogues sell a similar but more expensive version of this brew. Moles hate the odor and will usually burrow away to a neighbor’s yard for sanctuary (and the grubs and larvae will return to yours).

Do bats really get tangled in people’s hair? Should I be afraid of them?

Bats use a sophisticated sound-based sensory system called echolocation to travel, avoid obstacles, and find food at night. This “radar” system allows them to locate objects as thin as a human hair in total darkness. Bats are also more afraid of people than we are of them, which makes sense given the size difference between bats and humans. Consequently, they avoid people and do not fly in people’s hair.

Bats perform a great service by consuming their entire weight in insects every night it is warm enough for them to feed. Their prey include economically important insect pests like June beetles, stink bugs, cucumber beetles, and many species of moths -- the larvae (caterpillars) of which feed on corn. Bats can sometimes enter people’s houses. Never pick up a bat as it will bite in self defense and could transmit disease. If a bat enters a building, open all windows and doors and let it fly out. Large colonies that have become established in people’s houses can be removed by following some simple steps at the right time of the year. For more information, visit www.ohiobats.org.

A cardinal repeatedly flies into my window. It is very annoying and I'm afraid it will injure itself. Why is it doing this?

Throughout their breeding season, which may be from early spring until fall, birds defend a territory for nesting. The males chase away other males of their species. A male cardinal sees his reflection in the window, thinks it is another male, and tries to chase it away. He probably will not injure himself, but it can be annoying. Try covering the outside of the window with newspapers for a few days. You want to eliminate the reflection, and so the cover must be on the outside. If it is attacking a window that you can't reach on the outside, try hanging moving objects on the inside of the window. If that doesn't work, just be patient. Eventually the cardinal will calm down when it is busy helping its mate care for young.