Category: Activities

This page provides links to the documents associated with the Urgent Care Campaign introduced in January 2024.

Medical History Form

Either of the forms linked below can be:

• completed online and then printed

                            or

• printed and completed by hand.

PDF Medical Form

Microsoft Word Medical Form

Presentation from January Meeting

Urgent Care Campaign Presentation

Instructions on Adding Emergency Medical Info to Your Smartphone

iPhone

Android

Did you know that the iconic, big (about 5 inches) green Praying Mantis is the Chinese Mantis, an invasive species? The non-native Narrow-winged Mantis and European Mantis also compete with our native Carolina Mantis and prey on beneficial pollinators, other mantids, and even hummingbirds. The Carolina Mantis is roughly half the size of the large Chinese Mantis and is in decline due to competition and predation.

You can reduce the number of invasive mantids by destroying their egg masses (known as oothecae) during winter through March.  While it can be difficult to distinguish between some non-native and native mantis oothecae, it is relatively easy to identify egg masses of the Chinese Mantis.  They are about the size of a ping pong ball, relatively round, rough-surfaced, and uniform in color.  They almost look like sprayed-on tan Styrofoam.  All you need to go on the hunt are gloves, a pair of clippers, and a bag.  Destroy them by crushing or soaking in water.  If you are unsure that you’ve identified the egg mass correctly, you can send a photo of the ootheca to hersheysmillnature@gmail.com before taking action.

Deb Charlesworth

Photo Credits: top, Wikipedia; bottom, K. Freyberger, Brandywine Conservancy

https://hersheysmill.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Urgent-care-form-fillable.docx

Medical form- RCT (1) fillable pdf

⇦ Return to Nature Main Page

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Nature Spotlights

General Birding Albino vs. Leucistic Birds Nesting Material Birds & Sedum! A Nice Surprise! Count the Birds!	Songbirds  Juncos and Sparrows Northern Cardinal House Wren Mourning Doves Eastern Phoebe American Goldfinch Special Treats for Bluebirds Gray Catbird
Woodpeckers Pileated Woodpecker Red-headed or Red-bellied? Red-headed Woodpecker	Waterfowl Wintering Waterfowl Wintering Duck Sighting – Bufflehead Another Winter Duck Visitor – Ruddy Duck More Wintering Ducks – Mergansers American Coot Wood Ducks Wood Ducklings Long-tailed Duck Canada Goose Nesting Season!
Common Lagoon Birds Great Blue Heron Cedar Waxwings What’s Flying Over the Lagoon? Chimney Swifts Shorebird Migration More Shorebirds	Hummingbirds Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds Ruby-Throated Hummingbird #2
Raptors Vultures Bald Eagles	Insects Ladybugs Monarch Chrysalis Watch! Jewels of Summer Nights: Fireflies Did you know….?
Turtles Birds and Turtles! Painted Turtles	Native Plants Early Fall Flowers What’s Blooming in the NPG? Goldenrod From a Patient Gardener

 

August 19, 2023: What was that white bird? Albino vs. Leucistic Birds

In late June, a Yardley resident noticed a “white” bird at her bird feeder, took some photos and sent them to us asking “Is this a white house finch?” This seemed to be a random observation as the bird has not been seen since the original sighting.

But what was this “white” bird? Birds with “abnormal” plumage are quite rare and both leucism and albinism are easily recognized and more commonly reported. The condition has been estimated to occur roughly in 1 in 30,000 birds. Further, of 100 birds that show this abnormal plumage, 82 are leucistic and only 3 are albinistic. In a recent survey, blackbirds (such as crows) and house sparrows seemed to demonstrate a high frequency of abnormal plumage, but it has also been seen in cardinals, white-throated sparrows, purple finches, and even hummingbirds.

Telling the difference between an albino bird and a leucistic bird is not always easy. Genes determine true albino birds. A bird is a true albino if all its feathers are white or pale as well as its feet, legs, and bill. But the tell-tale trait is the pale pink or red eye color. However, birds with pale feathers but normal-colored eyes have a condition known as leucism. Unlike albino birds, which completely lack the natural melanin pigment, leucistic birds produce melanin but can’t deposit it into their feathers and they tend to have normally colored legs, feet, bills, and eyes.

SO, what was this “white” bird seen in Yardley? Based on the description and photos, I believe this was an albino house finch although the eyes in the photo appear black and not the expected pale pink or red color.
Be on the lookout for strange or unusual bird/wildlife sightings. Take photos if possible. And do let us know what you have found.

And above all, Be Respectful of Nature!!

Wilbur B. Amand, VMD

August 7, 2023: Ladybugs: The Gardener’s Best Friend

Who has not seen that small red-winged insect with numerous black spots? And who does not remember the Mother Goose rhyme:

Ladybug, ladybug fly away home,
Your house is on fire and your children are gone,
All except one,
And her name is Ann,
And she hid under the baking pan.

For most of us, when we think of ladybugs (or more correctly lady beetles), we think of the small red insect with black spots. But some are yellow with black spots or even black and white or dark blue and orange. There are approximately 5,000 different species of ladybugs of which 450 live in North America. Some species use camouflage coloration to match the vegetation when they are in hibernation and later develop the characteristic bright colors to warn off predators during their mating season. In our area, the most common ladybug is the 7-spotted ladybug. (Also, of note is that the ladybug is the state bug of our neighbor state, Delaware.)

Ladybugs are considered a gardener’s (and farmer’s) best friend as they are beneficial predators of plant pests. They feed on soft-bodied insects such as scale insects, whiteflies, mites, and aphids. This makes them valuable allies for gardeners and farmers and significantly reduces the need for chemical pesticides which harms the environment and potentially contaminates soil and water sources. Beyond their pest control abilities, ladybugs also serve as essential biodiversity indicators. Be aware that there is a similar-looking insect, the squash beetle (a type of ladybug). This is a yellow or orange beetle with seven large black spots on each wing covering.

Ladybug populations appear to be facing population declines. Climate change, pollution, and habitat loss all contribute to this decline. Climate factors (such as rising temperatures and heat waves) and changes in landscape composition effects ladybug habitat, while pesticide use further threatens their numbers. Ladybugs, the tiny yet mighty beetles, deserve our attention and protection. Conserving ladybugs starts with individual actions such as restoring their habitats and avoiding the unnecessary use of harmful pesticides.

Remember: Be Respectful of Nature!

Wilbur B. Amand, VMD

June 25, 2023: Jewels of Summer Nights

As we enter the summer season, thoughts go to warm summer days and those mysterious insects that suddenly appear at dusk or early evening. Fireflies (aka lightning bugs/glow worms) are really not flies but beetles. The glow is the result of a chemical reaction that occurs in photocytes in the insect’s abdomen. The main purpose of the light show is to attract a mate. Males flash their light very quickly as this is what attracts females. The fireflies’ light can also serve as a warning to predators.

And did you know that the firefly was adopted as the official insect of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in April 1974? There are about 134 different species of fireflies illuminating our summer nights. Fireflies are carnivorous, spending most of their lives as larvae and feeding on soft-bodied invertebrates (slugs, earthworms, etc.). Practices that affect firefly prey can diminish firefly food sources and in turn, harm their populations.

So, what can we do to enhance, and create supportive habitat for fireflies and protect the species from extinction? The Xerces Society recommends the following:

• Avoid pesticide use.
• Set aside some natural areas that provide important habitat.
• Plant native grasses, shrubs, and trees of varying heights.
• Provide/enhance moisture availability.
• Eliminate unnecessary lighting that is distracting to fireflies.

Enjoy and respect nature. See how many of these jewels of the night you can see this summer!

Wilbur B. Amand, VMD

June 13, 2023: From A Patient Gardener

Look what I did! It took months, as these Anemone virginiana (Thimbleweed) seeds don’t germinate quickly like marigolds or zinnias.  The seeds came from our Native Plant Garden. I “winter sowed” them in January in a milk jug after watching a YouTube video to learn how. And they grew!  I am keeping them in my little seedling nursery until fall when they will go into the native plant garden behind my garage.

 

Did you sow seeds from an NPG packet? Email us at hersheysmillnature@gmail.com and show us what you grew!

 

 

Barbara Crispin

March 29, 2023: Special Treats for Bluebirds

Hershey’s Mill Nature Group has kicked off the 2023 Nest Box Monitoring season. Approximately 15 volunteers have signed up to oversee the 110 nest boxes installed around the HM campus. We have been inspecting and repairing or replacing those boxes.

We often get questions about feeding mealworms to Bluebirds. We have been advised by our past chair, Wilbur Amand, DVM, that it is not a good idea to do so on a regular basis.

The North American Bluebird Society also offers the following note of caution regarding feeding mealworms: “Because they do not provide complete nutrition, mealworms should be used as a supplemental food only. They are calcium-depleting, which can leave young birds with weak bones or cause egg binding in laying birds. Feeding mealworms should be considered a “treat” much like candy for us.”

Eggshells can be an excellent substitute. During the nesting season, female Bluebirds need extra calcium to produce eggs. That’s why eggshells could be what they actually require! You can save the shells in your freezer until you’ve accumulated 6 or 8. Once you have enough, place them on a baking sheet and dry them in the oven for 15 minutes at about 250 degrees. You can then crumble them and place them in a dish. (I use a pie plate.) If you like, mix in just a few mealworms and the Bluebirds will love it.

Happy Blue Birding!

Jado Foot