NEBRASKAland Magazine is dedicated to outstanding photography and informative writing with an engaging mix of articles and photos highlighting Nebraska’s outdoor activities, parklands, wildlife, history and people.
Issue link: http://mag.outdoornebraska.gov/i/1040966
NEBRASKAland Visitor Last issue's winner of the Visitor drawing was Butch Gathye of Gretna, who found the minute pirate bug on page 11. Readers are encouraged to contact NEBRASKAland within 10 days after this issue's publication with the correct page number and name of this issue's "Visitor" – a critter found in Nebraska. We will then gather the correct entries and draw one to win a NEBRASKAland mug. To enter each month, write: NEBRASKAland Visitor 2200 North 33rd Street Lincoln, NE 68503 Or e-mail: Tim.Reigert@Nebraska. gov with "Visitor" in the subject line of the message. HINT: This issue's visitor is not on page 7, 13, or 17. The minute pirate bug (Orius sp.) is a very small, oval-shaped insect, approximately 1/8-inch in length and black with white markings. It is a predaceous insect, feeding on thrips, aphids, small caterpillars and even insect eggs. The minute pirate bug can be found across the state on flowers and foliage from spring through fall, waiting for prey. Occasionally these ferocious predators even bite humans, inserting their piercing, sucking mouth part right into our skin! The bite can be very painful, but the insect injects no venom, spreads no disease, and does not feed on our blood. Injury is minor, and usually no worse than a mosquito bite. Because the minute pirate bug is a beneficial insect, and as no practical control measures exist, attempts to manage the insect are not recommended. Special thanks to Julie Van Meter, State Entomologist, Nebraska Department of Agriculture. UNL Hunting Equipment Rental By Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley The University of Nebraska- Lincoln is now offering hunting equipment rentals at its Outdoor Adventure Center to any registered student on campus. In addition to bike, hike, camping, climbing and paddling gear, student hunters can now rent pop-up blinds, layout blinds, turkey decoy or waterfowl decoy combinations from the university for a small fee: $3 per day or $6 per weekend (3 days). The equipment is available through a grant partnership between the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) and the Cabela's Outdoor Fund. Micaela Rahe, an R3 (Recruitment, Retention and Reactivation) coordinator with NWTF and the Nebraska Game and Parks said, "We had two focus groups with college students in the spring of 2018, and one of the barriers they noted to participating in hunting and shooting sports in college was gear cost and storage." While rentals are currently only available to UNL students, coordinators are considering options to expand availability to the public. Rahe recommends following the Collegiate Hunters of Nebraska on Facebook for more information on collegiate hunting and shooting sport opportunities. ■ By Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley Jerrod Burke, Nebraska Game and Parks Commissioner from 2005-2015, has been elected to Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever's National Board of Directors. Composed of 17 members, the board meets quarterly and oversees the operation of Pheasants Forever, Inc. and Quail Forever. A devoted landowner, farmer and hunter, Burke has had a long and fruitful relationship with "The Habitat Organization." His family farm was homesteaded in 1888, and since then, the Burke family has continued a tradition of integrating agriculture with land stewardship and wildlife habitat conservation. Farming alongside his father, brother, and more recently, his son, Logan, Burke's partnership with Pheasants Forever has not only allowed them to pursue diverse habitat projects on their 4,500- acre property, but also help bring attention to nearby public lands for improvement. The family's efforts have been recognized by the Nebraska Pheasants Forever 3 Million Acre Award. With this "dream-come- true" appointment on the PF Board, Burke's partnership with the organization has come full circle. ■ Burke Named to National Pheasants Forever Board PHOTO BY JEFF KURRUS PHOTO BY JEFF KURRUS PHOTO BY JEFF KURRUS NOVEMBER 2018 • NEBRASKAland 17