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/736554
Last issue's winner of the Visitor drawing was Mike Carlson of Wausa, Nebraska, who found the snowberry clearwing moth on page 74. 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 pages 8, 17, 19, or 21. The snowberry clearwing moth (Hemaris diffinis) is native to Nebraska and much of the U.S. east of the continental divide. It is a medium-sized moth, with a wingspan of 1.5-2 inches, and is related to the whitelined sphinx and tomato hornworm moth. It is often confused for a bumblebee or hummingbird due to its black and yellow coloration and ability to hover over flowers while feeding. Adult moths feed on a variety of flowers, unfurling their long proboscis to get to the nectar deep in a flower. The caterpillars are more host specific, feeding on dogbane, snowberry and honeysuckle. Caterpillars are typically pale green with a "horn" at the end of their bodies, similar to other hornworm caterpillars. However, snowberry clearwing caterpillars do little damage and are not considered pests. NOVEMBER 2016 • NEBRASKAland 21 Special thanks to Julie Van Meter, State Entomologist, Nebraska Department of Agriculture. Hawk Migration Paula Hoppe, Certified Master Naturalist The cool, gray skies of autumn carry the familiar sight of ducks and geese, arrayed across the firmament in vast, undulant squadrons. The calls of veteran birds leading the young of the year on their first trip toward southern horizons reminds us of the approaching winter. However, there is another migration underway that isn't as familiar. Raptors – including eagles, hawks, falcons, and vultures, among others – also move southward through the state as the days shorten. Turkey vultures may begin heading south as early as August, with peak migration occurring in October. Swainson's hawks, with their brown bibs and white throat patches, can often be seen soaring in circles, or "kettling" over fields from mid-September through October. Keen hunters, they scour the ground in search of small mammals and insects as they refuel on their way to Argentina. It is not uncommon to se e them sitting on the ground. Broad-winged hawks are small, compact raptors. Look for a short, narrow tail and stocky, pointed wings. Like Swainson's hawks, they gather into large groups called kettles, and travel long distances (up to 5,000 miles!) on their trek from breeding to wintering grounds. Bald and golden eagles are on the move from October through December, though some may remain on their breeding grounds for the winter if they can find adequate food. Peregrine falcons migrate during September and October. To spot them, look for long, pointed wings, streaking on the belly and a checkerboard-like pattern under the wings. One reason hawk migration is less conspicuous than that of ducks and geese is that raptors don't generally form large flocks, though Swainson's and broad- winged hawks offer notable exceptions. While migrating, raptors tend to follow topographic contours that cause the formation of updrafts and thermal currents on which the raptors can soar with very little energy expenditure. It is along these corridors that the greatest opportunities to observe raptor migration exist. ■ A golden eagle perches on a tree high above Larabee Creek near Whiteclay. PHOTO BY JUSTIN HAAG