To:  All Members

For the past two years Bob and Marthe have distributed The Wolf Howl faithfully to members in their area, despite health problems and weather conditions, and with this issue their efforts on PHFN's behalf come to and end.  We agree that a well deserved rest is in order.  Your new "paper boys" will be Gerard and Joan MacGillvray who have volunteered to carry on, beginning with the September issue.

After a false start, at the Aprill 11 general meeting, Terry Carr and Steve Van Duin made a 35 mm colour slide presentation, complete with sound, which was well received.  In addition to the slides, on display were artifacts of interest to all.  In appreciation, Terry and Steve were presented with oil paintings of areas of Sherriff Creek Sanctuary; painted, matted and framed by Gerrit Hamer.  Imagine, years from now they and their descendents will be proud owners of "genuine Hamers" - worth a fortune!

There were about 44 members in attendance at the meeting, and cookies were supplied by Joan Lindamood and Marion Kennedy.  The 50-50 was won by Dave Young who traded his winnings for a donated painting.  In addition, Scott Helman donated a loon painting which was purchased by Peter Kennedy for $25.00, thus swelling the club's coffers considerably.

Your nominating committee consists of Naomi Maggs, Gerrit Hamer and Dave Young.  They will be telephoning members with the aim of convincing them to sit on your Borad of Directors/Executive for the coming two year term.  We are sure we will be swamped by volunteers!  Have you thought of sitting in on a board meeting held on the first Tuesday of the month?  The next meeting of the board will be held on Tuesday, May 2, at 7:00 p.m. at the Moose Bamily Centre.

Trip leaders should be contacted for specific dates and particulars.  There will be sign-up sheets available at the appropriate General Meetings.  Should there be any changes necessary, they will be posted on the PHFN website.

April 2006

North Shore Migratory Birds
Lloyd McCabe advises that Mr. Erwin Meissner led a "North Shore Migratory Birds" trip on April 26 beginning in Spanish and ending in Massey.   This was an informative day trip since many birds had already arrived, even though it is early in the season [results of trip are posted in the Messages section of our website].  This was the last outing scheduled until autumn when we hope to make another trip to Thunder Mountain in September, details of which will be published in the September issue of The Wolf Howl.

This month's picture of Monarch larvae was taken on June 7, 2001 at the Sherriff Creek Sanctuary.  It may be noted that massive amounts of milkweed are required to provide the necessary food for these larvae.
-Webmaster

The PHFN May 9 General Meeting will once again be held at the Moose Family Centre on Oakland Blvd., beginning at 7:00 p.m. This is the last general meeting until September, 2006, and we hope to have good news by then with a new PHFN Board.

There will be a short presentation made at this May 9 meeting on the winter habitat of Monarch Butterflies, with pictures taken this past February in Mexico.

When some PHFN members arrived at my entrance on Earth Day and discovered that vandalism had taken place overnight, They were understandably angered and saddened.  As the one violated, I have been deeply disturbed by that incident as well as others which have occurred over time.   Sometimes humans don't seem to realize what constitutes a violation of nature.  As a sanctuary, I must provide protection, nurture and respite to all living things.  And habitat integrity becomes all the more important during spring migration.

Right now, our first Monarch butterfly of 2006 is out there on the migration trail as egg, larva (caterpillar), chrysalis or adult.  These four stages, which take about a month, make up the complete life cycle of the Monarch, and constitute one generation.  The butterflies which have left their wintering grounds in Mexico arrive in Texas by the end of April; most are no longer alive, but they have laid eggs for the next generation.  By now, we all know that they only lay eggs on milkweed plants, and the Monarch arrival in Texas coincides with the emergence of young milkweeds.  Unfortunately, in the U.S., milkweed is threatened as a weed in agricultural areas, and there is great danger of no place to lay eggs and no food for the larvae.

Spring Monarch migration is incremental, consisting of a number of short lived generations which move north as milkweed plants emerge.   By the end of May they reach the Canadian border, and by mid-June, they can be as far north as Elliot Lake, about 3,000 km from their overwintering location in Mexico.  In the fall the last generation to be born here in summer travels the entire distance to Mexico and 250 million or more make that flight from the U.S. and Canada.  They seem so delicate, but they are strong fliers, averaging 30 km/hour at a height of up to 3 km.

Monarchs are not endangered, but their migration (a seasonal movement between two areas} is considered to be an endangered phenomenon.   Deforestation in central Mexico creates an unsuitable microclimate for them, and destruction milkweed plants in crop growing areas of the U.S. will seriously compromise two states of their life cycle.  Everyone can support these amazing insects by growing pesticide free milkweed for egg laying and nectar, as well as other plants such as goldenrod, sedums, joe pye weed and asters to provide important energy for the long fall migration.

I am thrilled to say that over the last few years milkweed has found a place in my sanctuary area, and more plants appear each year.   The first plants were blessed with a number of Monarch caterpillars, and Penokeans were fascinated to watch their progress.  This would be the generation to fly to Mexico.  Imagine their dismay when they discovered plants and larvae gone, neatly cut stems the only evidence that something once grew there.  If that isn't vandalism, I don't know what is!

Stop the spread of destructive pests by not moving firewood or other types of wood from regulated areas.

These include: Trees, Nursery Stock, Pruned Branches, Logs and Forest Products with bark attached.

A particular threat is the presence of The Asian Long-horned Beetle in the Toronto/Vaughn area in Ontario, and The Emerald Ash Borer in Southwestern Ontario.

For further information visit the Canadian Food Inspection Agency website at www.inspection.gc.ca (after entering site choose "Invasive Alien Species" from the "Hot Topics" menu)