Cape Fear's Going Green • Summer 2023

Going Green

your guide to local eco-friendly resources

since 2007

Insects:

Dragonflies & Damselflies

Asian Tiger

Mosquitoes

Carolina Satyrs

Festivals

Growing Native Edibles

Climate Change

Letter from the Editor

I took a vacation this year, accepting my Aunt Kay’s standing invitation to drive with her through the Joseph H. Williams Tall Grass Prairie near Pawhuska, Oklahoma. Managed by the Nature Conservancy and 39,650 acres in size, this prairie ecosystem is the largest protected remnant of tallgrass prairie in the world. Because it’s never been ploughed or mowed, the roots of its native plants are extensive—often as deep as the plants are tall—and protect the land by holding the soil in place, as they have for a very long time. I’d always wanted to see what unbroken prairie looks like.

I was surprised that Kay thought Spring the best time to visit; I thought we might see more native plants in bloom in the summer. We picked late May, and as the date of my flight to Oklahoma approached, she pointed out that in late summer she and I might not be able to see over the grass. The samples in the preserve’s information center proved her right! (See photo below).

As I walked the footpaths through the preserve I was astonished at the number of insects that hopped, flew or scurried out of my way—crickets, dragonflies, beetles and more. Undisturbed native plants support so much life! And birds!

Another highlight of the trip was waiting for bison to cross the road ahead of us—about 600 in all, complete with frolicking caramel-colored youngsters we were told were about two months old.

Many of you know I’m a big fan of citizen science, where any of us can post images of wildlife we see on global databases of information about the natural world. I’m slowly adding my vacation photos to my iNaturalist account, posting in chronological order so I can see my trip’s progress as a series of orange dots on iNat’s online map.

See page 19 for a couple of citizen science projects inviting you to submit information on wildlife you see. Whether you post several photos or just one from your own yard, your contribution is helpful.

— Valerie L. Robertson Editor

P.S. As of this writing iNaturalist shows I’ve made it only as far as Edmund, Oklahoma, but our drive also took us through Kansas and Colorado. I’ll keep posting!

Contents

3 How to Attract Beneficial Insects

5 Is That a Dragonfly or a Damselfly?

6 Featured Butterfly: Carolina Satyr

7 Mosquitoes

8 The Importance of the Honeybee as a Pollinator

9 TACO—Connect a Child with Nature

11 8th Annual Cape Fear Native Plant Festival

12 Climate Change Gardening for the South

13 Edible Native Plants of the NC Coastal Plain

15 Way Down Yonder in the Pawpaw Patch

16 Tree Giveaway in Leland Is the First in Brunswick County

17 Brunswick County Master Gardeners Fall Online Plant Sale

21 Your Ecological House™ —An Iconic Town, a Perfect Storm and a Warning

22 Green News

24 Crossword

25 Cape Fear Solar Systems Named Greenest Contractor in the United States

28 Kids Korner—Rosy Maple Moth

Cape Fear’s Going Green is a quarterly publication promoting eco-friendly resources and lifestyles in the Lower Cape Fear River Basin.

Publisher & Editor in Chief: Valerie Robertson

Contributing Editor: Shelby Diehl

Eugene Contributing Editor: Mary Robertson

Advisors & Editorial Contributors: Beth Ackerly, Gary Allen, Carol Bales, Brunswick County Extension Master Gardeners, Cape Fear Solar Systems, Vicki DeLoach, Enso, Morgan Freese, Morgan Greene, Daniel Hueholt, Kyle Klotz, Pam Latter, Sally Smits Matsen, Anna Morris, Shannon Bradburn Pragosa, Kay Sandridge, Jessica Scudella, University of Missouri Extension, Philip S. Wenz, Kiley Woods and iNaturalist contributors sunny (snake_ smeuse) and thereuonema

2010 YWCA Women of Achievement Award for the Environment

Sister City: Eugene, Oregon (Voted “Greenest City” 2006 by The Green Guide)

Cape Fear’s Going Green Going Green Publications

P. O. Box 3164 • Wilmington, NC 28406 (910) 547-4390

publisher@goinggreenpublications.com

www.goinggreenpublications.com

Valerie

display

Editorial: If you have story ideas or calendar items to suggest, email us at editor@goinggreenpublications.com, or call (910) 547-4390.

big

Indiangrass and little bluestem. The first two of these grow to six to eight feet tall by fall, with a few patches reaching a height of ten feet. You can see Robertson’s nature photos on iNaturalist.org, under the username ggnature4.

Advertising information: Email advertising@goinggreenpublications.com. Cape Fear’s Going Green is distributed for free throughout Brunswick, Columbus, New Hanover, Onslow and Pender counties. A partial map of locations appears at https://arcg.is/1WWi0y. If you have a business and would like to receive multiple copies for the public, please contact us. The views and opinions expressed in articles in this magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position of this publication.

❧ ❧ ❧

Front Cover: A blue dasher dragonfly comes in for a landing on a bright pickerel water plant at the New Hanover County Arboretum on Oleander Drive in Wilmington. Photo by Gary Allen.

photo by Kay Sandridge

Robertson (5’ 2” tall) examines a

of the four dominant grasses in the Joseph H. Williams Tall Grass Prairie:

bluestem, switchgrass,

beneficial insects

How to Attract Beneficial Insects

By Morgan Greene

Gardening is always a fun summer activity, but the pests that eat up all your hard work can be quite a nuisance. One

Beneficial insects are integral to healthy agricultural ecosystems and to our environment. Around the world, these wild insects prey upon and parasitize crop pests, recycle excess nutrients, aerate and improve soil quality, and support other wildlife in vast food chains.

of the best ways to deal with these pesky intruders is to enforce some troops of your own: predatory insects like ladybugs and praying mantises consume pests directly, while parasitoids like wasps will lay their eggs inside caterpillars and similar hosts.1 Of course, it’s always important to have pollinating insects, too. But how do you get these tiny dogooders to stick around?

One strategy is to make sure your yard is habitable for beneficial insects. Allowing parts of the yard to remain covered in leaf litter and natural debris provides shelter for beetles and other helpful ground-dwelling insects. The

Hoverflies like this Margined Calligrapher (Toxomerus marginatus) are important pollinators with small mouthparts, so consider planting some small flowers for them! Observation © sunny (snake_smeuse), https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/167014355. No changes made. pests will provide a source of food, but growing a variety of flowering plants will ensure that pollinators like bees, moths, and butterflies have plenty of nectar to drink as well.1

landing pads is a good strategy, or simply watering your yard frequently with a hose or sprinkler system. 2 You might consider letting a few weeds and wildflowers linger in your garden, too—these are also important food sources for our local insects. 2

Ground beetles like this handsome fellow are voracious predators, ridding your garden not only of insect pests but also the seeds of some weed species. Observation © sunny (snake_smeuse), https:// www.inaturalist.org/observations/152273133. No changes made.

Some helpful insects, such as hoverflies, are pretty tiny and need small flowers to drink from, so consider planting carrots or aster plants. It’s also a smart idea to give your insects a source of water. Setting out a small saucer of water with pebbles for

Another way to keep beneficial insects around is to not deter them with insecticides—these chemicals may help get rid of pests, but they’ll also chase away your bees

(continued on page 4)

photo by sunny | iNaturalist

B+O: design studio, PLLC architecture / landscape architecture mail: 1319-CC Military Cutoff Rd., PMB 221 tel: 910.821.0084 www.b-and-o.net

photo by sunny | iNaturalist

—Xerces Society

beneficial insects

How to Attract... (continued from page 3)

and ladybugs. 2 Bug zappers might get rid of a couple of mosquitoes, too, but they’re ultimately detrimental in the long run for the number of beneficial insects they take out. 3 For larger gardens, you could consider ordering insects such as ladybugs or lacewings by mail, but sometimes the insects you receive aren’t native to our area and can become invasive, so trying to attract already present insects may be the better way to go.

Plenty of local wasps, bees, butterflies and more provide essential garden services, protecting your plants from hungry pests and pollinating to ensure your flowering plants return next season. Whether you plant your favorite bug’s favorite foods or keep your garden chemical-free, it’s only common courtesy that we provide for our tiny heroes in return.

Footnotes:

1 pnw550.pdf | oregonstate.edu. chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://catalog. extension.oregonstate.edu/sites/ catalog/files/project/pdf/pnw550.pdf

2 “Attracting Beneficial Insects” | FineGardening. www.finegardening. com/article/attracting-beneficial-insects

3 “Are Bug Zappers Effective for Mosquito Control?” | Palmetto Mosquito Control. https://www.palmettomosquitocontrol.com/mosquito-news/ are-bug-zappers-effective-for-mosquitocontrol-2/#:~:text=Why%20Are%20 Bug%20Zappers%20Potentially,in%20 turn%2C%20the%20food%20chain.

Morgan Greene is a part-time coastal educator at the Bald Head Island Conservancy. When she’s not on the island, she enjoys exploring nearby beaches and writing articles and poetry about local wildlife. You can read her blog about bugs and other arthropods at thearthroblogger.com.

Paper wasps prey on caterpillars and other insects that can be a nuisance in the garden. This might be a Guinea Paper Wasp (Polistes exclamans), but if you know its identify for sure, please let us know.

Xerces Releases New Guidelines For Pollinator-friendly Parks

To support the work being done by park managers across the country, the Xerces Society has recently released PollinatorFriendly Parks: Enhancing Our Communities by Supporting Native Pollinators in Our Parks and Other Public Spaces. This is an updated and greatly expanded version of the 2008 release of PollinatorFriendly Parks.

Pollinator-Friendly Parks is chock full of information to help park managers plan and care for properties with pollinators and other insects in mind. The structure follows the four principles of the Xerces “Bring Back the Pollinators campaign”—grow flowers for nectar and pollen, provide places for nesting and egg-laying, avoid pesticide use, and share the word about what you’re doing—with chapters that provide detailed information on how to apply each of the principles to greenspaces. Also included is an overview of the opportunities offered by different types of park facilities, and some ways to think about addressing pollinator conservation in your own parks. Appendices offer lists of books, web sites, and other resources to help you to plan and take action.

Source: xerces.org/blog/ new-guidelines-support-creation-of-pollinator-friendly-parks

photo

Daniel

| iNaturalist It’s going to be a hot summer. Consider leaving a dish of water out for your neighborhood butterflies, like this Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes) photographed in Wilmington, North Carolina. https://www.inaturalist.org/ observations/92294940. No changes made.

by

Hueholt

photo by Valerie L. Robertson

beneficial insects

Is That a Dragonfly or a Damselfly?

by Morgan Greene

Summer is finally here, which means the dragonflies and damselflies are, too! These beautiful insects are known for their incredible flight speed and agility, as well as their vibrant coloration. You can find them around almost any body of water, where they develop as larvae before metamorphizing into the adult forms we know and love. Throughout their life cycles, dragonflies and damselflies are known to prey on pesky insects and insect larvae like mosquitoes and flies.1 Even though they look very similar and are part of the same family (Odonata), dragonflies and damselflies are not actually the same animal. They even belong to their own separate suborders, Anisoptera and Zygoptera respectively. However, the differences between these insects aren’t always immediately apparent. So, how do we tell them apart?

One of the most obvious differences between dragonflies and damselflies is their size. Dragonflies tend to be larger and have thicker bodies, while damselflies are typically smaller and more slender. A dragonfly’s tail is also thicker but shorter than that of a damselfly. The easiest way to tell these two apart is when they’re sitting still: at rest, dragonfly wings extend straight out, perpendicular to their bodies, but damselflies tend to hold their wings together over their backs. Both insects have four wings, but dragonfly hindwings are noticeably wider than their forewings, while a damselfly’s wings are all about the

same size. 2 Dragonflies are also stronger, faster fliers than damselflies.

You can also tell dragonflies and damselflies apart by looking at their eyes (these insects aren’t typically skittish, so as long as you approach slowly, you should be able to get close enough to see their facial features and take some fun pictures!2 Dragonfly eyes may appear connected and take up most of the dragonfly’s head, allowing these insects to see almost 360

degrees around themselves. 3 Damselfly eyes, on the other hand, are isolated from one another with a space in the middle, but they still give the damselfly a wide range of vision.

Dragonflies and damselflies can even be differentiated as larvae if you know what to look for. Both insects have wingless larvae, also called nymphs, that can be found in most freshwater areas around underwater plants or tree roots.4 The nymphs are typically a dark brown color and have six legs. The best way to tell dragonfly and damselfly nymphs apart is by their gills: dragonfly nymph gills are located inside their abdomen, while damselfly nymph gills are external and appear as three leafy protrusions extending from the nymph’s rear.4

Our state is home to almost 200 species of dragonflies and damselflies, most of which bear names as beautiful as the insects themselves. Blue Dasher and Eastern Pondhawk dragonflies, Ebony Jewelwing and Familiar Bluet damselflies, and many more can be found throughout the Cape Fear region. 5 To see some of these species yourself this summer, you may only need to take a look in your backyard! If you don’t live near water, take a trip to your favorite lake or pond, or maybe even head over to the beach—where there’s water, there’s bound to be damselflies and dragonflies.

Sources:

1 What Do Dragonflies Eat? And Other Facts, The Woodland Trust, https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk.

2 Distinguishing Between “Dragons” and “Damsels,” nparks.gov.sg.

3 biobubblepets.com/ the-incredible-eyesight-of-dragonflies/ 4 education.mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/ field-guide/dragonfly-larvae

5 inaturalist.org/projects/dragonflies-anddamselflies-of-north-carolina

Morgan Greene is a part-time coastal educator at the Bald Head Island Conservancy. You can read her blog about bugs and other arthropods at thearthroblogger.com.

photo by Morgan Freese

An Ebony Jewelwing damselfly poised on a leaf in Landfall, Wilmington, North Carolina.

photo by Morgan Freese

A perched Variable Dancer damselfly (Argia fumipennis), photographed in Wilmington, North Carolina.

photo by Morgan Freese

A vibrant Eastern Pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis) photographed in Wilmington, North Carolina. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/30483185

beneficial insects

Featured Butterfly: Carolina Satyr

By Kiley Woods

Monarchs and swallowtails are some of the better-known butterflies of summer, but if you’ve noticed a fluttering of tawny wings and speckled eyespots in your yard, you might also be familiar with the Carolina Satyr! The Carolina Satyr (Hermeuptychia intricata) can be found in 13 states across the southeastern United States. Adults are very delicate to the touch and fly close to the ground in a distinctive bouncing pattern. They vary in coloration from dark to light brown, which helps the butterflies blend in with their environment. They have a line of eyespots along the edge of their wings to frighten predators.

In the Satyr’s caterpillar form, they have stripes along the length of their body for blending in with blades of grass.

They develop from green caterpillars with setae or tiny hair-like textures all over their bodies. These filaments are often too

translucent to see from a distance. The morphology or form of Carolina Satyrs varies by season, with adults that matured in the spring being larger with smaller eyespots than adults that matured in the summer.

The Carolina Satyr is sometimes confused with the Intricate Satyr, as they live in the same geological area and have similar markings. Both species also live in shaded, grassy areas or open woods.* Adult Carolina Satyrs are only active in the warmer months of April to October, progressing through three generations each year. They feed on tree sap and rotting fruit. Males are often seen during the day when they are believed to be searching for a mate. They can be seen on several different plants including common carpetgrass, St. Augustine grass and centipedegrass.

The species is not endangered, but some genetic tests have revealed several

other species that are similar to the Carolina Satyr and often confused for this butterfly.

* According to the Alabama Butterfly Atlas, Intricate Satyrs are a newly described species, discovered by accident in 2014 during DNA sequencing of Carolina Satyrs.

Sources:

Alabama Butterfly Atlas (alabama.butterflyatlas.usf.edu)

University of Florida Entomology & Nematology (https://entnemdept. ufl.edu/creatures/BFLY/Carolina_satyr.htm)

Kiley Woods is a student at Eckerd College in Florida studying marine biology and creative writing.

If you enjoy posting your nature observations on iNaturalist, the program has a “project” devoted to odonata of North Carolina, named “Dragonflies and Damselflies of North Carolina.” If you click on the “join” button, any of your subsequent observations of dragonflies or damselflies will automatically be included in the project as well as your general observations list. See inaturalist.org/projects/dragonflies-and-damselflies-of-north-carolina to see the variety of odonata found in North Carolina.

Where

Find Cape Fear’s Going Green

You can read our issues on our website or pick up a print copy in the community. See the box on page 23 for more information and to learn how to subscribe.

Photo © Vicki DeLoach When viewed from above, the Carolina Satyr butterfly appears to be brown with no distinctive markings. However, when its wings are folded up, revealing the underside, we can see prominent eyespots on the underside of its hind wings. Photo © Vicki DeLoach, https://www.inaturalist.org/ taxa/60752-Hermeuptychia-sosybius. No changes made.

Mosquitoes insects

by Beth Ackerly

As summer kicks off and the days get longer, families are enjoying more and more time outside. But with the warm weather and sunshine inevitably comes a not-so-fun reality: mosquitoes. There are several kinds of mosquitoes in eastern North Carolina, such as Eastern Saltmarsh Mosquitoes and Northern House Mosquitoes. But perhaps the biggest nuisance to residents of the New Hanover area is the Asian Tiger Mosquito (Aedes albopictus).

Asian Tiger Mosquitoes are easily recognizable by their black bodies with white stripes on their legs and bodies. They are active year-round, but mostly during the months of June through September. They prefer to bite humans and—although it’s rare—can carry diseases such as West Nile and encephalitis.1 These mosquitoes are invasive to the United States, having been accidentally introduced here in the 1980s after being found in tires shipped here from Asia. They’ve spread rapidly since then, in part due to their ability to outcompete native mosquito species and withstand just about any climate. 2

The second reason for their proliferation—and the one you can do the most to prevent—is their rapid breeding patterns. Because Asian Tiger Mosquitoes bite mostly humans, they are most often found around our homes and businesses. They are unique in that they won’t lay eggs near puddles or ponds; instead, they lay eggs near large water containers, such as birdbaths, rain barrels and kiddie pools. 3 They breed extremely quickly, so while sprays and insecticides can be effective, dead mosquitoes can be replaced quickly by newly hatched ones. Spraying may need to occur as often as every week and may need to be professional grade to be effective.4

The best method, then, to control the Asian Tiger Mosquito population around your home is to eliminate their breeding grounds altogether. First, locate any areas of standing water in or around your yard. Common places these pests like to choose are birdbaths, pools or buckets.

Check commonly overlooked sources as well, such as rain gutters, open trash cans and your pet’s water dish. Wherever there is standing water in your yard, there is a chance that these mosquitoes will use it as their hatching ground.

Make sure that you are draining these sources of water on a regular basis. Empty your kiddie pool at night; change your pet’s water out every day; make sure that trash and recycling bins are closed. Ensure that you don’t have any gardening supplies, such as tarps or wheelbarrows, that have standing water in them. Also, make sure your house’s rain gutters are draining properly—a clogged gutter is one of the most common places to find these mosquitoes. If you have any ornamental ponds in your yard, you might consider keeping them stocked with fish who eat mosquitoes.

It’s also a good idea to eliminate excessive debris from your yard. Consider clearing out unwanted junk, piles of leaves, sticks and firewood, as these can also attract mosquitoes. Look at your irrigation systems to make sure there are no leaks that might contribute to a mosquito infestation. And finally, when possible, get together with your neighbors and help educate them too—issues in their yard can contribute to mosquito populations in yours.1

While it may never be possible to eliminate the Asian Tiger Mosquito, these methods are sure to at least help control their population around your home and

contribute to a more enjoyable summer for you and your family!

Notes:

1 www.mosquitosquad.com/blog/mosquitoes-facts-more/asian-tiger-mosquitoes101-everything-you-need-t/

2 cisr.ucr.edu/invasive-species/ asian-tiger-mosquito

3 www.hillsboroughcounty.org/en/ newsroom/2016/06/28/6-ways-you-canhelp-fight-mosquitoes

4 mda.maryland.gov/plants-pests/Pages/ asian_tiger_mosquito_md.aspx

Beth is a 2023 Environmental Science graduate from UNCW. She is working on becoming certified through the NC Environmental Education Certification program and plans to attend graduate school in the fall. She enjoys hiking, writing, music and teaching her sixyear-old daughter Luna about nature.

A female Asian tiger mosquito sucks blood from a human. Observation © thereuonema, https:// www.inaturalist.org/observations/167014355. No changes made.

The Importance of the Honeybee as a Pollinator insects

by Pam Latter

Our common honeybee, Apis mellifera, known as the Western Honeybee, was originally brought to North America by colonists specifically because of its valuable trait of foraging for nectar and pollen, which results in plant pollination that enables plants to produce a greater abundance of fruits and vegetables. Studies have shown that without the honeybee we would lose over 20–30% of our produce. Bees also pollinate crops, such as alfalfa and clover, which are food for the meat and dairy industry.

Honeybees are one of the only bee species that collect nectar vigorously and convert it into honey. The bees collect the nectar from various floral sources, return to the colony, store it in honeycomb and begin to process it using their honey stomach. Once the nectar moisture content reaches approximately 18%, the nectar becomes our beloved honey. A highly-populated, healthy colony of honeybees can produce 60–100 pounds of honey in a single, strong nectar flow!

In southeastern North Carolina we have two main nectar flows: early-mid Spring (mid April – mid May) for approximately six weeks and early Fall (primarily with the blooming of goldenrod and fall aster). Honeybees forage practically year-round to sustain the colony. The only exception is during those few weeks of very, very cold days, below 30 degrees, when the bees stay in the hive for warmth and at which time they consume stored food supplies within the colony.

Like us, honeybees require proteins, carbohydrates and water to survive. Pollen is the protein, and nectar is the carbohydrate. Honeybees will fly two to five miles in search of pollen and nectar. It’s not uncommon to watch bees fly right over a small patch of flowers or a blooming tree to a different source they have located where the “food” is much more abundant. Bees are opportunists and want the biggest bang for their buck.

As a vitally important pollinator, helping honeybees’ survival is crucial to our food chain. Over the years wild (feral) colonies have been wiped out due to

actions of humankind— destruction of natural habitats (urbanization) and the overuse of pesticides and herbicides. They are also vulnerable to natural perils, especially the parasitic varroa mite (which warrants an article in its own right).

You are probably asking yourself—what can I do? Most important is, stop the use of all pesticides and herbicides. One drop of glyphosate (a common weedkiller) on a blooming plant visited by a honeybee can be picked up on her body, brought back and spread through the hive, killing the entire colony (10,000–50,000 honeybees).

Although domestic honeybees are not native to the U.S., they play a vital role in supporting our ecosystem, including the agriculture that provides the food we eat and the plants that are necessary to sustain a wide variety of wildlife. Safe gardening practices, such as eliminating unnecessary use of pesticides, are an effective way homeowners, gardeners and anyone can help support beneficial insects, including native bees and domestic honeybees alike.

On a positive note, planting beefriendly plants, bushes and trees is tremendously beneficial in attracting and supporting pollinators. Look for the plants in your local garden center that are labeled with “Attract Bees” tags—these are the ones to select! It’s also helpful to foster native growth. Mother Nature created all and often this works best. Water is vitally important as well: keep a birdbath as a handy source, and be sure to fill it with rocks or shells as the bees will drown without a safe landing/resting spot.

If you are interested in becoming a beekeeper or simply would like to learn more about these amazing insects, check out a local beekeeping club. North Carolina has a thriving state beekeeping community, with more than 100 chapters. There are chapters in Brunswick, Columbus, New Hanover and Onslow counties, and two chapters in Pender county.

Pam Latter has been keeping bees for more than six years and loves sharing her passion for beekeeping. Her farm, Lotus Haven Hives, is based in Castle Hayne, North Carolina, where she has five thriving apiaries with 50+ active colonies. She is president of the Hampstead Beekeepers Association (a chapter of the NC State Beekeepers Association). This chapter meets monthly, holds a beginner bee school annually and welcomes all interested folks. To learn more, visit their website at www.ncbeekeepers.org.

Latter is a full-time vendor at the Wilmington Farmers Market at Tidal Creek, Saturdays 8 a.m.–1 p.m. She invites you to stop by and ask about her about her beekeeping journey.

photo by Samuel | Adobe Stock Photo This photo offers a clear view of a pollen sac on the hind leg of a Western Honeybee, foraging in Raleigh, North Carolina.

TACO—Connect a Child with Nature

by Jessica Scudella

Take A Child Outside week—TACO week—is an annual event that happens every September 24–30. It is a national movement that encourages children to spend more time outdoors. The week is meant to promote outside activity so that children can connect with nature. There are events happening all around North Carolina throughout the week. On the Take A Child Outside website (https:// takeachildoutside.org/), you can find the different locations hosting events for 2023. The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, an agency of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, has spearheaded this initiative since 2007. The Museum’s experience with, and commitment to, getting children outdoors led to the development of Take A Child Outside week.

The movement was inspired by the book Last Child in the Woods written by Richard Louv. His book identifies the benefits of outdoor experiences for children and addresses some of the problems of what he terms “nature deficit disorder,” such as increased feelings of stress, trouble paying attention and feelings of being disconnected from the world.

This year on September 25 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., the Cape Fear Museum

of History and Science is hosting a free Take A Child Outside outdoor public event. The event activities will be open-ended and encourage people of all ages to explore the museum park. There will be a bubble station, loose parts play, a bug hunt and nature-inspired crafts. Facilitating the event will be the museum’s education team. It is recommended to wear clothing that can get a little dirty as you will be exploring outside. The purpose of the week is to embolden children to spend more time experiencing the natural world. If you want to learn more about the September 25th event visit the website, https:// www.capefearmuseum.com/programs/ take-a-child-outside/.

If you are unable to attend an event, the Take A Child Outside website suggests going to an outdoor space such as your backyard or a nearby park. On the website there are specific activities that children can participate in such as, “listen & feel” or, “shapes and colors and texture, oh my!”

“Listen & feel” is great for all ages and can be done in any natural area. All you have to do is find a comfortable area to sit and close your eyes for 30 seconds or one minute. Then listen to the sounds you hear: What are they? From which direction did they come? Who might have made them? Next focus on how you feel. What do you notice about the world around

Children’s Plant Education Signs Added to Extension Brunswick County Botanic Garden

The Brunswick County NC Cooperative Extension Master GardenersSM invite parents and grandparents to bring the children in their family to visit their 15 beautifully maintained Extension Brunswick County Botanic Gardens. Visit and see the Azalea Garden, Celebration Garden, Container Garden, Curb Appeal Garden, Discovery Garden, Edible Landscape Garden, Live Oak Garden, Fragrance Garden, Micro-Climate Garden, Pollinator Garden, Rain Garden, Reflection Garden, Rose Garden, Sunny Native Garden, and the Welcome Garden. Ask the children which are their favorites! Sit down on a bench or chair—there are children’s chairs

too—and take in the beauty of flowers and plants. The Master Gardeners have added signs for children to better understand pollination, seeds and plant growth.

The Extension Brunswick County Botanic Garden is a hidden jewel in Brunswick County, located adjacent to the NC Extension Office, 25 Referendum Drive, Building N, of the Brunswick County Government Complex, in Bolivia, North Carolina.

Visit the garden during daylight hours on weekdays or weekends. For more information contact: NC Extension Master GardenersSM Brunswick County via email at BCMGVAT@gmail.com.

you through your sense of touch? Where is the sun? From what direction is the breeze blowing? Does the air feel warm and gentle or sharp and brisk? Discuss your observations and you can even record them in a journal.

“Shapes and colors and textures, oh my!” is suitable for all ages but is ideal for 3-year-olds to second graders and can be done in any natural area. You will need paint chips, wallpaper samples or pieces of color paper cut in various shapes. Then use these paint chips to match with colors or texture in nature. The youngsters can then record their observations with words or pictures.

You can then share these experiences on social media using #takeachildoutside or uploading a picture to the Take A Child Outside website.

Cape Fear Museum is located at 814 Market Street, Wilmington, NC 28401 and the park is adjacent to the museum on the corner of 8th and Market Streets. You can reach them at https://www.capefearmuseum.com/event/ take-a-child-outside/ or call (910) 798-4370.

Jessica Scudella is a senior pursuing degrees in environmental science and political science at UNCW. She is a Going Green intern, the Vice President of 350 UNCW and the Environmental Legislation Committee Chair for UNCW Plastic Ocean Project.

8th Annual Cape Fear Native Plant Festival

The Native Plant Alliance will host the 8th Annual Native Plant Festival at the New Hanover County Arboretum on Saturday, September 16th from 10 a.m.–3 p.m., rain or shine. The mission of the Native Plant Festival is to educate the public on the benefits and importance of native plants for our local ecosystems, and to promote and support native plant growers to increase demand and supply of native plants in our region.

Where to Learn

The on-site Festival at the Arboretum will feature hands-on activities from educational exhibitors including:

Alliance for Cape Fear Trees/Wilmington Tree Commission, Cape Fear Audubon, Cape Fear Bird Observatory, Cape Fear River Watch, Cape Fear’s Going Green, Coastal Composting Council, Eagles Island Task Force, Friends of the Arboretum, Heal Our Waterways, Master Gardeners Nature at Home, NC Native Plant Society–SE Coastal Chapter, NC Coastal Federation, New Hanover County Beekeepers Association, New Hanover County Vector Control, New Hanover Soil & Water Conservation District, Xerces Society, Yaupon Tea Company, and New Hanover and Brunswick and Pender Extension Master Gardener Volunteers.

The Arboretum will also host native plant experts in its Education Center. See the speaker schedule in the ad on the facing page.

Where to Buy Plants (Plants will not be for sale at the Arboretum)

Native plants will be available for sale from eleven vendors throughout the Cape Fear area, at five sites. Some sites will host multiple vendors, as follows:

Blooms+Branches Garden Center, LLC, 5523 Oleander Drive, Wilmington [NH]

The Garden Shop on Moss, 1942 Moss Street, Wilmington [NH] will also host:

Sorrell’s Lawn Care and Nursery

Pender Pines Garden Center, 20949 Hwy 17, Hampstead [PE]

Shelton Herb Farm, 340 Goodman Rd NE, Leland [BR] will also host:

Above the Briery

Flytrap Jones

Wild Meadow Farm

Grizz’s Nursery

Wild Bird and Garden, 3501 Oleander Drive [NH]

Going Native Gardens

Key

BR = Brunswick County

NH = New Hanover County

PE = Pender County

Printed maps of the plant sale locations will be available at every site, and an online map is available at bit.ly/3Cu9htX.

Extension Master Gardener Volunteers will be on hand at the Arboretum Plant Clinic, at Pender Pines and at Shelton Herb Farm to answer gardening-related questions. Take a walk through the Arboretum’s Native Plant Garden to see plants that thrive in our coastal climate and soils. There will also be a Seed Swap booth where you can receive free seeds!

Arie Farrior of Brighter Days Coffee (brighterdayscoffee. com) will offer coffee, lemonade and other beverages at the Garden Shop on Moss location; Sealevel City Vegan Diner’s new food truck will be there as well, from 11–2. Chef Em of No Labels (eatwithnolabels.com) will offer food for sale at the Arboretum location.

Ken Edgar of The Sweet Life Honeybee Farm will once again sell honey and honey-related products at Shelton Herb Farm, where he keeps more than 60 hives.

The Native Plant Alliance is grateful for the support of their primary sponsor, the Friends of the New Hanover County Arboretum, as well as NC Cooperative Extension, New Hanover Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Association, Cape Fear’s Going Green and the NC Native Plant Society–SE Coastal Chapter.

The New Hanover County Arboretum is located at 6206 Oleander Drive, Wilmington. Learn more about the Festival at go.ncsu.edu/2023-nativeplantfestival or www.facebook.com/ events/1853580201702768 or call (910) 798-7660 during the week.

Veg-Out Call for Vendors

Veg-Out kicks off its festival to engage and promote a healthy lifestyle, vegan & vegetarian food, nutrition, and the environment all in one place on October 14, 2023 at Riverfront Park, downtown Wilmington, North Carolina.

This free community event is designed to engage and inspire curiosity and to encourage informed decisions on health and well-being. The festival theme is Healthier Eating & Living for a Greener Planet.

All of the food, drinks, products and general merchandise available within the premises of the event must be consistent with a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, environmentally friendly and benefiting healthy choices.

Veg-Out is currently accepting applications for vendor booths (organic, holistic, vegan, vegetarian, green, crueltyfree products and/or information), guest speakers, cooking demonstrators, select arts and crafts vendors, vegan and vegetarian food vendors, non-profit organizations and more. Any food truck or concession that sells vegan or vegetarian food is encouraged to apply.

Applications are available at the festival website: www. veg-out.org.

Robertson directly in its wall will degrees, Outstanding Center garden retireand entican this you in a opportube were confident the maybe He others. comdocumentatogether

Climate Change Gardening for the South

By Beth Ackerly

space. One of the tenants will be the Wilmington-based software company Untappd, creator of the popular beer app.

Whether you’re an experienced gardener or completely new to the hobby, you likely have concerns about the growing threat of climate change and how it will affect your plants. Barbara Sullivan’s 2022 book, Climate Change Gardening for the South: Planet-Friendly Solutions for Thriving Gardens, is a wonderful resource to help you learn more about the subject.

It’s Mott’s hope that, through the success of this green wall, they will grow in popularity in our area. And that way, more building occupants will enjoy the health and aesthetic benefits of systems like these in the near future.

Although Steve Mott has once again proclaimed himself to be retired, you may be able to reach him through his website, www. mottlandscaping.com.

Ms. Sullivan, a Wilmington resident, focuses her book on the U.S. geographical southeast. Newcomers to environmentalism will learn from the brief beginning chapters explaining climate change and its negative effects on earth before delving into an explanation of the different ecosystems in the southeast—the Mountains, the Piedmont and the Coastal Plain, where those of us in the Cape Fear area reside. Readers will gain a broad amount of information about these ecosystems, most of which, Sullivan stresses, have been greatly affected by development and industrialization.

Sullivan also explains that climate change will affect the southeast harder than any other region in the U.S. due to factors such as sea level rise, storms, wildfires and more. The Coastal Plain, a biodiversity hot spot, is especially at risk. And, as Sullivan points out, climate change affects plants in many ways. For example, hotter summers favor some invasives to our area, which can choke out native plants from their ecosystems. Heat can also make some plants more susceptible to disease and pests.

The book goes into great detail about all kinds of native plants that thrive in the southeast, and the text is complemented by pleasing photography of some of our most eye-catching species. Readers will learn how to choose the best type of soil, how to avoid chemical-laden pesticides and how to manage water in a climatefriendly way. There’s even information on how to prepare for the possibility of drastic changes in weather due to climate change.

As Sullivan writes, it will be hard for some to open their garden up to not looking a “certain way” or control exactly what we grow, as we’ve been conditioned to do. But it’s better that we find plants that benefit the ecosystem we’re creating than plants that just look pretty.

For those seeking to grow their own food, Sullivan covers which plants should be planted in which season, and what type of structures and supports are needed for those plants. She provides tips on how to extend the growing season for those who may be experiencing longer, colder winters. She also advocates for community gardens and creating gardens for schools and churches. She includes a list of resources and other recommended reading for learning more about native plant gardening as well, and an appendix detailing growing details for plants suited to our area.

“In view of the fact that climate change combined with other human-related factors is negatively impacting wildlife and the environment in general ... gardeners can be part of the solution,” Sullivan told this interviewer. “Reframing how we look at the garden and what our role should be as gardeners is a big part of the message.”

340 Goodman Road, Leland 910-253-5964

Year-Round

Year-Round

web page: LocalHarvest.org www.sheltonherbfarmnc.com www.sheltonherbfarm.com

Climate Change Gardening for the South can be purchased online at uncpress.org or in Wilmington, North Carolina at Pomegranate Books or Old Books on Front Street or the New Hanover County Arboretum gift shop. It is a good choice for anyone looking to create a thriving garden in the Cape Fear area. Beth is a 2023 Environmental Science graduate from UNCW. She is working on becoming certified through the NC Environmental Education Certification program and plans to attend graduate school in the fall. She enjoys hiking, writing, music and teaching her six-yearold daughter Luna about nature.

photo by Valerie Robertson

A scissor lift was used to allow placement of the plants. The lift only reached 22 feet, so Mott had to place a ladder on top of the platform shown at the top of this photo, in order to reach the last several feet of wall.

Edible Native Plants of the NC Coastal Plain

gardening by Carol Bales

This is the twelfth in our series on Cape Fear area native plants. The articles include stories about common native plants that would enhance any coastal North Carolina garden or landscape.

Most edible plants in North Carolina’s coastal plain are not native, but many are. They can be found in the wild and on roadsides, in public and home gardens. If you are curious about whether a plant is native or not, just “Google” it with the question, “Is ________ native to North Carolina?”

For example, the dandelion (Taxacum officinale) is so common and hardy that the answer to that question is a surprising “No.” The dandelion is believed to have been brought to North America on the Mayflower. There are about eight species of dwarf dandelion, five of which can be found in North Carolina. These plants are attractive to pollinators, but not to deer. Therefore, if you find the common Krigia virginica or Krigia dandelion, you might want to add it to your flower beds. (I have used dandelion leaves raw in salads and steamed with kale, chard, and butter and salt, so they are not too strong. The greens have a sharp taste that is an acquired taste

for most of us.) No doubt the settlers used the plants for food, tea, wine and roots.

Three common North Carolina natives that are edible are the pawpaw, the persimmon and the blueberry, among many others.

Pawpaw Tree (Asimina triloba)

Despite being known as the “forgotten fruit,” the pawpaw tree (Asimina triloba) has been growing in popularity as North America’s largest native fruit tree. It is

native throughout eastern North America. The tree rarely grows over 25 feet tall. After getting established, it is happiest in full sun, with another pawpaw, and used as a home orchard specimen. The tree is loaded with dark green leaves— similar in shape and size to the Sweet Bay Magnolia—that act as the larval plant for the zebra swallowtail butterfly (Eurytides marcellus).

Seedling trees are very slow to produce fruit, taking about seven years to happen. (We planted two pawpaws about twelve years ago and had to wait seven years to have some fruit.) The fruit is about the size of a small mango and is chalky light green. It bruises very easily, which is why you typically cannot find it in a grocery store; when ripe, it’s too soft to ship. The fruit is delicious: its pulp has the consistency of custard, and the flavor usually reminds people of some combination of banana, mango and pineapple. The pawpaw has been used by Native Americans for for centuries, both as a delectable fruit and for medicinal purposes.

There is a full-time pawpaw research program at Kentucky State University (KSU), in Frankfort, Kansas funded by the KSU Land Grant Program. There are smaller research programs in Caldwell County and Chatham County, both of which are part of the North Carolina State Extension

(continued on page 14)

photo from Creative Commons | pxhere.com 883354 Dandelions are so common it would be easy to assume them to be native to the U.S., but they may have arrived on the Mayflower.

photo courtesy of University of Missouri Extension Pawpaw fruit is quite fragile when ripe. Some people like to remove the peel and large seeds so they can freeze the fruit’s flesh for future use in cooking.

photo from Creative Commons | pxhere.com 452918 American persimmon trees can be found growing wild in all 100 counties of North Carolina.

gardening

Edible Native Plants (continued from page 13)

service. North Carolina’s annual Pawpaw Festival in Winston-Salem has been renamed Pawpaw Field Day, and is held in September, as that is when pawpaw is in fruit. (See Pawpaw Field Day box, page 15.)

Persimmon Tree (Diospyros virginiana)

The American persimmon tree is a North Carolina native tree that grows wild in all 100 counties. There are two variations of persimmon tree: the large-fruited species is called Diospyros kaki; it is native to India, Burma, China and Korea, and is widely cultivated in Japan. The smallfruited species—which is native to North Carolina—is called Diospyros virginiana. It is a deciduous tree in the Ebenaceae (ebony) family, and can grow 30 to 80 feet tall and 20 to 35 feet wide. The tree prefers full sun to partial shade, in sandy, well-drained soil.

Saplings reach full fruiting size in five to seven years. To generate the fruit, a

male and a female must be planted near each other. The tree blooms in spring to early summer, producing fruits in the autumn. The fruits are about the size of a small apricot, and have a decorative cap on top, like the flowers. The orange-red fruit is extremely bitter until it ripens and softens to its final form, usually in November or December.

Native Americans used the fruit for medicinal purposes and for food. The heartwood is dark brown and very hard, and is made into golf clubs, billiard cues and shoe lasts. The persimmon leaves act as the larval plant for the luna moth and the hickory horned devil, and attract animals such as deer, birds, fox, raccoons and black bears. There is a persimmon research program in the North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (I love to use persimmons to make a tasty, sweet bread.)

Blueberry Bush (Vaccinium virgatum):

While there are many variants of the blueberry bush, the species that is native to North Carolina is the rabbit-eye (Vaccinium virgatum). It is the easiest to grow of all the many blueberries. It is said the name “rabbit-eye” is because the fruit is pink—similar to the eye color of an white rabbit—before the fruit ripens to blue. A wide variety of native bees (including bumble bees and solitary bees) are pollinators of blueberry plants. There is even a southeastern blueberry bee (Hapropoda laboriosa) that has co-evolved with the plants. Commercial growers typically use honeybees to supplement the pollination provided by indigenous bees.

Many other plants can be pollinated by wind, but blueberry pollen is sticky and weighs more than some kinds of pollen, so

Going Green welcomes editorial contributions from the community. If you have an environmental story you’d like to tell, contact us and we’ll email you our “Contributor Guidelines.” Email Publisher@GoingGreenPublications.com or call (910) 547-4390.

blueberry bushes must be pollinated by insects if they are to set fruit.

After pollination, the berries grow and ripen in summer. Once ripe, they turn a dark smokey blue. The Native Americans used the fruit for food and developed folklore around it. The tribal elders told the story about a star that formed on the bottom of the fruit, and how the Great Spirit sent “star berries” to keep their children from starving.

North Carolina’s annual Blueberry Festival is held in Burgaw, Pender County every third Saturday in June. It attracts more than 40,000 attendees, who come for a day of family entertainment and to enjoy a celebration of this blue fruit.

As inflation causes groceries to become more expensive, it is wise to make use of these plants. After all, there’s no better garden addition than a native fruiting plant.

Carol Bales is an avid gardener and seed saver and grows many native plants in her yard. She is a regular contributor of articles on native plants.

photo by Enso | Adobe Stock

Photo

Blueberry fruit ripens to a beautiful smoky blue with little “stars” at the bottom of each berry.

Way Down Yonder in the Paw Paw Patch

There is an old traditional song about the pawpaw. Many variations of the lyrics have evolved over time, although the melody seems to remain the same. Below are the lyrics to a common version, from “Songs for Teaching: Music to Promote Learning” at www.songsforteaching.com/folk/thepawpawpatch.php.

Where, oh where is pretty little Susie?

Where, oh where is pretty little Susie?

Where, oh where is pretty little Susie?

Way down yonder in the paw-paw patch.

Pickin’ up paw-paws, puttin’ ‘em in her pockets, Pickin’ up paw-paws, puttin’ ‘em in her pockets, Pickin’ up paw-paws, puttin’ ‘em in her pockets, Way down yonder in the paw-paw patch.

Come on, children, let’s go find her, Come on, children, let’s go find her, Come on, children, let’s go find her, Way down yonder in the paw-paw patch.

Some of you will remember that Burl Ives popularized the song with a recording he made in 1963, which you can now hear at www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsGJm10nJ6w.

Our current favorite is the singalong music video created by Piedmont Polliwogs at the Clifton Institute. It has music by Kevin Zak and lyrics edited by Ms. Alison Zak to help youngsters learn about the animals who live in the pawpaw patch. Her artwork in the video is endearing. www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffB0Zbl97KU. [Editor’s note: I learned this song as a child from family in the Ozarks. My mother remembers pawpaws “growing wild like blackberries” in the hedgerows between the fields. I had never tasted one until I moved to North Carolina and attended the Pawpaw Festival in Winston-Salem.]

Pawpaw Field Day

The 2023 Pawpaw Field Day (formerly named Pawpaw Festival) will be held Saturday, September 9, 2023 from 9:30 a.m.–3:00 p.m. at the Forsyth County Agriculture Building, 1450 Fairchild Road, Winston-Salem, NC 27105. There will be many activities planned for the day and there will be several vendors, including some with grafted and non-grafted pawpaw trees for sale. Come learn about the tree and visit the pawpaw demonstration garden. More details will follow as the date approaches. Learn more on Facebook www.facebook.com/ncpawpaw or telephone (336) 703-2850.

Come See Us at the Fair(s)!

Cape Fear’s Going Green will have an exhibitor table at the following festivals this fall. We hope you’ll come chat with us, meet our writers and interns, and let us know what you’d like for us to write about in the coming year.

September 16 • 10–3 • Native Plant Festival

Arboretum + Shelton Herb Farm

go.ncsu.edu/2023-nativeplantfestival

September 23 • 10–2 • Cape Fear River Watch LakeFest

Greenfield Lake Boathouse

capefearriverwatch.org/lakefest

October 14 • 11–4 • Veg-Out Festival 2023

Riverfront Park

veg-out.org

October 14 • 10–3 • Fire in the Pines Festival

Halyburton Park

www.fireinthepines.org

We can always use additional help at our table, so if you’d like to come help out for an hour or so, give publisher Valerie Robertson a call at (910) 547-4390.

Where to Find Cape Fear’s Going Green

You can read our issues online at goinggreenpublications. com or pick up a print copy in the community. See the box on page 23 for more information and to learn how to subscribe.

gardening

Tree Giveaway a First for Brunswick County

The Alliance for Cape Fear Trees, in partnership with Arbor Day Foundation’s Community Tree Recovery program and FedEx, gave away 1,000 trees in Leland’s Founder’s Park on Saturday, April 29. The three- to seven-gallon trees were free to Cape Fear area residents and intended to replace trees damaged or destroyed by weather events. This was the Alliance’s first tree giveaway in Brunswick County; previous giveaways in New Hanover and Columbus counties have been well attended by residents.

Photographs and information about the full selection, including soil and sun preference, were available at the allianceforcapefeartrees.com website, and arborists were on site to answer questions about proper planting techniques.

“We are so grateful for our continued partnership with Arbor Day Foundation and their Community Tree Recovery program. This partnership alone has already delivered nearly 10,000 trees to Cape Fear area residents through previous community tree giveaways,” said Connie Parker, president of the Alliance for Cape Fear Trees. This tree giveaway is also in coordination with the Town of Leland Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department.

Learn more about future area tree giveaway events at the allianceforcapefeartrees.com website.

Brunswick County Master Gardeners Fall Online Plant Sale August 31–September 9

by the Brunswick County Extension Master Gardeners

Our Master Gardeners notice what plants grow well here in their Brunswick County Demonstration Garden in Bolivia. They also hear from visitors to our gardens, which plants peak residents’ interest. These “Demonstration Garden ALL STARS” will be available for you to order online this fall. We’ll offer some pollinator plants that will continue to attract birds, bees and butterflies along with some white, pink and rose Muhly grasses, which bloom in the fall. The Master Gardeners, Johnson’s Nursery and other local growers will be providing the plants for purchase.

To order and pay for your plants, visit website www.bcmgva.org from Thursday, August 31 at 9:00 a.m. through midnight Saturday, September 9, 2023. Payment for online orders can be made through PayPal, Visa, Master Card, American Express or Discover.

Pick up your plants in person on Friday, September 15, from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at the Brunswick County Extension Office, 25 Referendum Drive, Government Complex, Bolivia, North Carolina 28422. Plants will be in the greenhouse area behind Building N. In the event of rain cancelling the September

15 pickup, the backup pickup date will be Monday, September 18 from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Visit www.bcmgva.org for more information on the plants offered starting August 31.

During plant pickup, three local plant businesses will also be offering unique plants for purchase at the plant pickup location at Government Center. These businesses are Ed’s Plants (perennials,

tropicals, citrus trees and shrubs); Going Native Gardens, LLC (native perennials and other plants); and Richard “Flytrap” Jones (a local carnivorous plant expert who will have Venus Flytraps for sale and answer questions about carnivorous plants).

For more information e-mail Brunswick County Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Association of Brunswick County at BCMGVAT@gmail.com.

Nature’s Guardians: Call for Tree Care Enthusiasts

Are you passionate about the environment? Do you believe in the power of trees to make our world a better place? The Alliance for Cape Fear Trees (ACFT) is looking for dedicated volunteers to join its training sessions focused on tree care and conservation. You will become part of an elite group of tree stewards. Training session topics will include: mulching and watering of young trees; tree anatomy, biology and physiology; tree identification and selection; environmental factors affecting trees; and proper planting and pruning techniques.

This is a six-week course and is free to attend. Three sessions will be in-person (lasting two-three hours), and three will

be recorded sessions for you to view at home. Dates are tentatively scheduled for Saturday mornings from mid-September through October.

Upon completion of training, this elite squad will be responsible for caring for the young trees that ACFT has planted in cooperation with the City of Wilmington’s Urban Forest Department. This program is a culmination of ten years of striving to find a way to properly care for young trees and have them enhance our urban canopy.

If you are interested in learning more about the program, please email: allianceforcapefeartrees@gmail.com or to directly register for upcoming training sessions, visit allianceforcapefeartrees.com.

*Special thanks to NC Cooperative Extension & New Hanover County Arboretum

Styrofoam Alternative

Igloo Products Corporation, the company that has made coolers since 1947, has introduced RECOOL, a reusable, recyclable, compostable cooler. It’s the world’s first cooler made entirely from biodegradable materials, and they created it as an alternative to foam coolers, which are not good for the environment. We found this one for sale at Seaview Crab Company’s Midtown Market location, at 1515 Marstellar Street in Wilmington.

RECOOL can biodegrade and return to the Earth after use, rather than polluting the environment or taking up space in a landfill. RECOOL is durable and won’t chip or scratch easily or make annoying squeaking noises like foam coolers. It features handles for carrying and cup holders, as one expects from a traditional cooler design, and has a 16-quart capacity. The product is made in the United States. Learn more at igloocoolers.com.

photo by Valerie Robertson

This biodegradable cooler holds up to 20 cans, retains ice for 12 hours, and has been tested to resist water for five days. We found this at Seaview Crab Company’s Midtown Market location, behind a stack of traditional styrofoam coolers.

citizen science

NC Coastal Plain Summer Biodiversity Survey

It’s no secret that North Carolina is a biodiversity hotspot. From the Great Smoky Mountains to the Outer Banks, North Carolina is a state full of bountiful natural wonders to explore.

This summer, the North Carolina Wildlife Federation (NCWF) is hosting an iNaturalist bioblitz to encourage anyone and everyone to get outside and see what they can find during the hot summer season. Anyone can participate, by submitting to the iNaturalist website photos you take of wildlife you see. A “bioblitz” is a timelimited competition to see how many wildlife species you can find (and observations you can post) in a specified geographical area and within a specified timeframe.

This iNaturalist bioblitz will be a competition between North Carolina’s three main eco-regions: Mountains, Piedmont, Coastal Plain. Between June 21 and September 23, compete to see which

Migratory Dragonfly Pond Watch Citizen Science Opportunity

Although it spans three countries and has been documented since the 1880s, North American dragonfly migration is still poorly understood and much remains to be learned about migratory cues, flight pathways, and the southern limits of overwintering grounds. The Migratory Dragonfly Pond Watch Project is an international effort by citizen scientists to help monitor the presence, emergence, and behaviors of five migratory dragonfly species. When gathered across a wide geographic range and throughout a span of years, these data will provide answers to questions about which species are regular migrants; the frequency and timing of migration in different species; sources, routes, and destinations of migrants; and patterns of reproduction, emergence, and movements among migratory dragonflies along their flight paths.

The project is open to all ages. Anyone willing to learn the five main dragonfly species in North America can participate.

Visit https://bit.ly/3P1dUl8 to learn how to participate.

region posts the most observations and records the most species. Competition updates and observation features will be posted on NCWF’s social media platforms once every two weeks.

Beyond a friendly competition, the bioblitz will serve as an opportunity to highlight biodiversity, participate in citizen science, expand the statewide community of naturalists, and encourage people to get outside and connect with nature.

How to Participate?

1. Sign up for a free iNaturalist account.

2. Join the North Carolina Summer Biodiversity Project Page. Even if you don’t join, observations that are made in North Carolina within the June 21 – September 23 timeframe will still be recorded on the project’s homepage and on the corresponding region project page.

3. Learn all about iNaturalist, observations, and identifications

4. Get outside and post observations until September 23. Please email luke@ncwf.org with any questions.

[Editor’s Note: As we go to press, the Coastal Plain group is behind! NC Piedmont has more than 60,000 observations; NC Mountains has more than 50,000; NC Coastal Plain has 21,299. Sign up today and help our region pull ahead! You can check the leaderboard at www. inaturalist.org/projects/north-carolina-summer-biodiversity.]

Should We Reduce Use of Pesticides in Public Parks?

Evan Folds is concerned about the implications of using synthetic chemicals in our public parks. He explains that not only are many of the chemicals being used dangerous for humans and other life, but that they discourage rather than promote a healthy ecosystem.

Folds has started a petition calling for the City of Wilmington and New Hanover County to create a safe land care policy that eliminates toxic pesticides and grows soil, not just plants: the web page at https://chng.it/8MjpfgBZ contains the online petition as well as links to several research findings of possible interest to those who wish to learn more.

“My aim is to ensure our decision makers are knowledgeable enough on the subject to make sure our priorities are in the right place,” Folds said. “How much is spraying poison on playgrounds worth?”

Got Questions for the Wilmington City Council Candidates?

The WHQR News team wants to do something different from other media coverage of Wilmington’s city council elections, so they are launching the Community Agenda Election Survey from July 1 to October 1. WHQR News wants to hear your responses to one question: What do you want candidates to talk about as they compete for votes?

WHQR Public Media’s mission is to offer news, music, entertainment and interaction to expand knowledge, encourage artistic appreciation, engage our community and promote civil discourse. Visit whqr.org/communityagenda or scan the QR code in this article to submit questions you’d like answered before you vote for Wilmington City Council members this fall. They’ll be accepting questions through September.

pomegranate books

“A good little bookstore… is a laboratory for our coming together.”

Ross Gay

“I love walking into a bookstore. It's like all my friends are sitting on shelves, waving their pages at me.”

Tahereh Mafi

ZOLA

a waterways and ocean friendly, plastic free business roasting organic, shade grown and small farm coffee lots

You can listen to this Wilmingtonbased public radio station at 91.3FM, or streaming at WHQR.org. Their classical programming runs on 92.7FM out of Wilmington and 96.7 out of Southport.

your ecological house™

An Iconic Town, a Perfect Storm and a Warning

“Pele shared her rage; passionate she boiled ...”

— Poet Matthew Wetter, on Hawaii’s fire goddess

I visited Lahaina, back in the day. My girlfriend and I pitched a tent and camped on the beach just south of town, where ginormous hotels now block access to the water. We wandered downtown and bought T-shirts and sampled the local cuisine. We visited the charming Lahaina Heritage Museum, with its priceless artifacts from the time when the town was the first capitol of the united islands under king Kamehameha, from the whaling days and from the colonial era. Always thought I’d get back there someday.

While in Hawaii, I learned a bit about the alteration of nature. Plush, copious waterfalls on the western end of the Big Island (Hawaii) dried up entirely in late summer, as all the water was diverted to irrigate sugar-cane plantations. Oncethriving cattle ranches were drying up too, as the economy of the islands was increasingly dominated by tourism, and beef from other countries undercut Hawaii’s export markets.

The demise of the ranches, which had altered much of the natural terrain, didn’t seem especially disturbing at the time— unless you were a rancher, of course. Without cattle tromping all over the land, I figured it would eventually return to something resembling its original condition. What I didn’t know is that those cattle were mostly eating Kikuyu grass, a species imported from Africa because of its primo grazing properties.

Described as an “aggressive and vigorous perennial” by the University of Hawaii’s Cooperative Extension Service, the invasive grass can grow an inch per day, and outcompete native plants for turf, sun and water. So when the cattle stopped eating it, the Kikuyu grass spread quickly. According to University of Hawaii wildfire expert Clay Trauernicht, there are “thousands of acres of uninterrupted grasslands in Hawaii.” A big patch of those grasslands

was on the slopes above Lahaina, growing right up to the edge of the community.

Enter climate change.

Hawaii has been suffering from an extended drought since 2008. But although there has been less rain overall, the rains, when they come, tend to be heavy. So the Kikuyu grass grows quickly when it rains, then gets very dry, loading the fields with fuel that has fed numerous previous wildfires. Additionally, there was a “flash drought,” a sudden, intense dry period, that began a few weeks before the Lahaina fire.

Re-enter climate change.

At the time of the Lahaina fire, Hurricane Dora was making its “unusually long” trek eastward over the Pacific, passing about 700 miles south of Maui and creating a low-pressure zone in its wake. At the same time, there was an “unusually strong” high-pressure zone north of the Island. From that zone powerful winds, gusting to 63 mph, moved toward the low-pressure zone — that is, across Maui’s grassy highlands and down the slopes toward Lahaina.

LakeFest 2023

You’re invited to celebrate science, nature and wildlife at LakeFest 2023. It will be held Saturday, September 23, 2023 from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. at Greenfield Lake (298 Park Street) in Wilmington, next to the playground, tennis courts and boathouse.

Come out for a day of learning and fun! LakeFest is hosted in partnership by the Cape Fear River Watch and City of Wilmington Parks & Recreation. The day will be full of games & activities, live animals, nature tours & paddle boat rides, face painting, crafts, and more! Meet and learn from many different Wilmington and surrounding area organizations.

Learn more about the event and see who will have exhibitor tables at https://capefearriverwatch.org/lakefest/ Questions about LakeFest? Contact Marissa Blackburn, Environmental Education Manager, at marissa@cfrw.us or call 910-762-5606.

Then: A downed power line? Barbecue embers? Sparks from a truck?

Trauernicht has advocated for the prophylactic repurposing of the grasslands for local agriculture, releasing some hungry goats, and creating firebreaks of cultivated pineapples. This would cost…as much as one or two condo buildings in town?

He was ignored.

And now 100 are dead, thousands homeless, history, culture and charm gone—forever. Only the Kikuyu grass will recover quickly.

In our new era of intensified climate change, thousands of towns have vulnerabilities similar to Lahiana’s. Their flood maps are out of date and their dams are aging. They sit at the edge of a rising sea, or an encroaching, tinder-dry forest. What were once acceptable levels of risk are now potential disasters.

Lahiana has warned them. Will they act before it’s too late at our ecological house?

Philip S. Wenz writes about the environment and related topics.

Visit his blog at firebirdjournal.com.

Cape Fear Audubon Events

Cape Fear Audubon has given its website a fresh new look, and invites you to visit it at www.capefearaudubon.org. From the home page you can browse their upcoming events. Coming this fall: Bird outings at Wrightsville Beach, Huntington Beach, Sunset Beach, Greenfield Lake and Battery Buchanan.

September 12: September’s monthly meeting will offer a program on Birds & Fire in the Ecosystem.

September 24: An evening outing in downtown Wilmington devoted to Chimney Swifts. (They ask you to RSVP for this one—not normally required for their meetings.)

“Join us for a scenic and birdy tour of historic downtown Wilmington with the Historic Wilmington Foundation ....

“We’ll start the evening by looking at and learning about Wilmington’s historic chimneys. Afterwards, we’ll sit and watch Chimney Swifts swoop in to roost at St. Mary’s Church.” This event also appears on the events page of the Historic Wilmington Foundation website: historicwilmington. org/walking-tours.

WHOLE WATER SOLUTIONS

wholewatersolutions.co 910.622.5620

Blue Basil Gardens

Teach someone how to garden, and the whole neighborhood has zucchini!

A dedicated backyard vegetable gardener for almost 20 years, Stefanie Brown started Blue Basil Garden Coaching fifteen months ago in an effort to help as many people as possible grow a bit of their own food. She offers backyard consultations, where she guides her clients in the best location and setup for their future garden. She also provides coaching sessions where she takes the role of teacher and uses her client’s current garden as a classroom, teaching pest control, pruning, harvesting, seed starting and planning for future seasons. You may find her teaching a variety of gardening classes and leading planting parties around the Wilmington area.

For more information avout Blue Basil Gardens or to get in touch, visit www. bluebasilgardens.com or email Stefanie@ bluebasilgardens.com or bluebasilgardencoaching@gmail.com.

Do you have a new environmental job? Let us know!

E-mail us at editor@goinggreenpublications.com.

Transitions

Beth Ackerly, a Cape Fear’s Going Green intern 2022–23, has been accepted into University of North Carolina Wilmington’s Graduate GIS certificate program. She will also simultaneously be getting her GEOINT certification at University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW), accredited through the United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation (USGIF). She also promises to continue writing for Going Green, so look for her articles in upcoming issues.

Stephanie Borrett has a new position: she is starting the next chapter in her career, with the Advancement Team at UNCW. She’ll be working with board members (for the various advancement aka ”fundraising” boards) to keep them engaged and inspired by what’s going on at UNCW.

Quality drinking water in our community is the heart and sou Whole Water Solutions We pro bottled water quality drinking w at your tap affordably, so you c feel good about the water you'r drinking and the plastic waste you're avoiding.

Under sink RO system with inst $415

Local Residential Reverse Osmosis You Can Count O

green events

Femme in STEM at NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher

Femme in STEM will be held Saturday, September 16, 2023 from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. at the NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher. Join us an exhibitor or a visitor for this event!

Formerly Women in Science, this event continues to be a favorite for both exhibitors and visitors. In 2022, sixteen organizations participated with 70 individual exhibitors engaging with 2,100 visitors at the Aquarium for the event. Many attendees told us they made special plans to visit for the event.

Interested in being an exhibitor?

All STEM fields are welcome!!

Join us an exhibitor to showcase women in science with your hands-on activity to engage Aquarium visitors and inspire the next generation of female scientists.

For the Aquarium, it is important for young girls to see someone like themselves in STEM fields. Research shows that starting around middle school, girls start losing interest in science and other STEM subjects. We wanted to show the variety of STEM fields that are open for career paths and have our visitors interact with people working in those fields.

Sparking an interest in the world around us and how we study and learn more about that world is a main goal of the Femme in Stem event. The Aquarium team hopes more people and minds pursue STEM fields to help solve complex issues in our environment.

We are all about saving species at the Aquarium and the people who are doing that work are in STEM.

Femme in Stem is also a celebration of women. Many past exhibitors commented that it was so nice to see so many women peers and colleagues out for the day. Some even mentioned being the only woman in their department, and it was a nice

reminder that other women are in STEM and we need more of them.

To learn more or sign up to be an exhibitor, see www.ncaquariums.com/ femme-stem- . Application deadline is Friday, September 8.

—NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher

Where to Find Cape Fear’s Going Green Read It Online

All of our current and back issues are now available online! Go to our home page, www. goinggreenpublications.com, and click on any of the covers to pull up recent issues. Select the green “VIEW ARCHIVE” button to view our entire archives.

In the Community

Pick up a free copy at one of the locations listed below or at in-person meetings of environmental groups as they return to meeting live.

Arboretum/New Hanover County Extension Service, Aunt Kerry’s Pet Stop, Lovey’s Market, Old Books on Front Street, Pomegranate Books, Tidal Creek Co-op, UNCW, Shelton Herb Farm, area public library branches and many area Food Lion and Harris Teeter locations. See https://arcg.is/1WWi0y for online map.

Subscribe

For the price of postage and packaging, you can receive the next four issues in your own mailbox. Mail a check payable to “Going Green Publications” in the amount of $24 to P. O. Box 3164, Wilmington, NC 28406. Back issues of Cape Fear’s Going Green are available by calling us at (910) 547-4390. Sign up for our email list to be alerted when each new issue becomes available. Write us at publisher@goinggreenpublications.com.

Crossword

Sowing the Seeds for a Better Tomorrow

by Shannon Bradburn

All the words in the crossword can be found somewhere in the pages of this issue. The answer key appears on page 26.

Brie Arthur, author of The Foodscape Revolution: Finding a Better Way to Make Space for Food and Beauty in Your Garden, spoke at the New Hanover County Arboretum on February 5. She came bearing some startling news: most of the food we eat has to travel halfway around the world before it ever reaches our grocery store. The transport cost of food alone is over five tons of greenhouse gases annually, which is about 11% of the total greenhouse gases produced for us to eat three meals a day.

idea of what a garden is and how to maintain it. We have all seen the wayward raised beds surrounded by lumber. That is not foodscaping that is really just frustration waiting to happen.

Foodscaping is taking the space you already have and utilizing it. Let’s say you have some shrubs in your front yard with mulch in between. If you remove that unnecessary mulch space and instead plant a nice ground-covering edible—such as strawberries you are not only saving money on mulch, you are adding a very pretty ground cover with a nice flower to your yard. Oh, and let’s not forget the yummy strawberries that you will now have.

plants, using less chemical repellents, and providing food for you and your family and neighbors.

What can we do? We have to eat, and ideally we eat three times a day. Well, that is where Brie Arthur comes in. Foodscaping is the practice of planting edible plants with your native plants and ornamentals. This creates a more diverse ecosystem where the plants are less likely to be affected by disease and pests. You also gain more from your garden than just pretty flowers though we cannot overlook the importance of pollinators. But, guess what? Pollinators like edible plant flowers too.

Across

1. The aboveground portion of a plant cropping or crop

7. A defense or tactic that organisms use to disguise their appearance

Foodscaping is a concept that can be completed virtually anywhere. If you live in a place with an HOA you typically are not allowed to have a “vegetable garden” in your front yard. This is because most people in the U.S. have a very outdated

10. A type of bug often seen hovering or nectaring at flowers

11. Long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns

Brie Arthur discusses the practicality of utilizing space. She expxlains that the most underutilized space in any yard or garden is the edge. This is your ideal place to help with pest management and contribute to reducing your carbon footprint. Edge plants include garlic, arugula, potatoes, and much more. You can plant these in the space between a walkway and grass no more edging or weed control for your walkway. You can plant these beside your house, garage, or where your garden meets the lawn space. Not only are edge plants easy to grow, they also are deterrents for deer, rabbits, moles, and voles. You will be protecting your other

12. An increase in the general price level of goods and services

13. The two back wings of a four-winged insect

14. Chemicals used to manipulate or control undesirable vegetation

Down

1. The action or state of making or being made impure by polluting or poisoning

2. An immature form of an insect

3. An insect whose larvae live as parasites that eventually kill their hosts

4. Movement from one region to another

Foodscaping not only offers you a way to reduce the transport cost of food, it also provides you with an easy way to teach children about gardening. We, as a society, have reached a point where gardening is no longer a task that is passed down from generation to generation. Most children do not know where their food comes from. Actually, most college students do not know where their food comes from. Nor do they know the first thing about planting. If edible plants are integrated into areas where children and others have readily available access like public parks, schools, churches, government buildings it would be very hard for the next generation not to soak up a little bit of knowledge about growing their own food. But this will only become a reality if we as the general gardening public make foodscaping a social norm.

5. The process of coming into view or becoming exposed after being concealed

Learn more about Brie Arthur at www. briegrows.com.

6. A virus carried by mosquitos

8. A common, flying insect known for drinking blood

Shannon Bradburn is a senior at UNCW who loves to hike, study plants, and play outside.

9. A sugary fluid secreted by plants

Crossword by Shelby Diehl.

Cape Fear Solar Systems Named Greenest Contractor in the United States

With the United States receiving significant federal support for solar and storage through the Inflation Reduction Act, excitement for renewable energy technologies is growing at a record pace. In southeastern North Carolina, home and business owners are taking full advantage of financial incentives by installing solar and energy storage solutions in order to brace for this year’s very active storm season. Cape Fear Solar Systems was recognized for its increased effort as the leading solar installation company in the Cape Fear region—being named the Greenest Contractor in the United States and taking a top spot on the 2023 Top Solar Contractors List, released by Solar Power World.

Robert Parker, COO for Cape Fear Solar, commented, “We are honored to win the 2023 Greenest Contractor Award by Solar Power World magazine. This recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team in promoting sustainability within our facility and throughout our local communities. At Cape Fear Solar Systems, we strongly believe in the importance of environmental sustainability, and our new warehouse is evidence of this commitment with the use of solar energy, geothermal climate control and campus-wide recycling. It’s our mission to empower our region to live better by making it easy and affordable for

home—and businessowners to go solar, creating a greener future for our region.”

“Renewable energy accounts for a quarter of U.S. electrical generation, now far exceeding electricity produced by burning coal,” said Kelsey Misbrener, managing editor of Solar Power World. “Solar power is an important member of that renewable makeup, and companies on the Top Solar Contractors List are all contributing to our country’s shift to cleaner electricity. We are honored to recognize them each year for their necessary work putting green kilowatts on roofs, over parking lots, in desert locations and across water reservoirs. Every project is making a difference.”

Cape Fear Solar Systems employs 52 workers who installed 8,033 kWs of solar power in 2022. Their facility is located at 901 S. Front Street in Wilmington, North Carolina and they welcome anyone looking into clean energy technology to stop in to see products, meet the team and co-create energy solutions with a project developer.

About Cape Fear Solar Systems, LLC

Cape Fear Solar Systems is currently ranked as the number one installer in southeastern North Carolina by Solar Power World. Established in 2007, the company has designed and installed nearly 4,500 local solar systems to date. Cape Fear Solar’s pride is in its team, providing the highest quality of craftsmanship for residential and commercial customers. Cape Fear Solar offers turnkey energy systems such as photovoltaic (solar electric) panels, home batteries, and electric vehicle charging stations, products and material. Additionally, customers receive unlimited post-installation support. To learn more about Cape Fear Solar visit www. CapeFearSolarSystems.com.

About Solar Power World

Solar Power World is the leading online and print resource for news and information regarding solar installation, development and technology. Learn more about them at www.solarpowerworldonline.com.

photo courtesy Cape Fear Solar Systems Cape Fear Solar Systems’ new facility at 901 South Front Street in Wilmington features solar panels installed on the roof in the shape of an American flag, designed to honor U.S. veterans. The 51-kW solar system powers the facility’s operations. Although visible from the street, the flag is best seen from the air or when driving towards Wilmington via the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge.

photo courtesy Cape Fear Solar Systems Cape Fear Solar Systems has been recognized by Solar Power World as a Top Solar Contractor as well as the Greenest Contractor in the U.S.

3. An insect whose larvae live as parasites that eventually kill their hosts

2. An immature form of an insect

1. The action or state of making or being made impure by polluting or poisoning

7. A defense or tactic that ganismsor use to disguise their appearance

1. The aboveground portion of a plant cropping or crop

Crossword

10. A type of bug often seen hovering or nectaring at flowers Down

SHIFT TO SAVE!

Benefits of Switching to Time-of-Use

1 Time-of-Use rewards members with a lower electric rate for shifting energy-intensive tasks.

2 Time-of-Use rate plan gives our members more control over their energy bill.

3 Time-of-Use members help reduce peak demand, which reduces wholesale power costs.

Rosy Maple Moths

Rosy Maple Moths (Dryocampa rubicunda) are native throughout eastern states and into Canada. You can see these amazing moths all over North Carolina, except on the Outer Banks and the barrier islands.

For the most part these moths love to hang out in maple trees. This is why they are called Maple Moths! The maple tree provides the perfect place for Maple Moth eggs to grow and become fantastic silkworms. These little worms then transform into dazzling yellow and pink fluffy moths.

Did You Know?

When you think of a pretty bug that flies, you probably think of a butterfly. But Rosy Maple Moths are just as gorgeous as any butterfly in the Cape Fear area! These little moths have only a twoinch wingspan, but they are mighty. They live in forests, and female moths spend their time scouting out the best tree to lay their eggs on. The mother Rosy Maple Moth typically lays her eggs on the underside of a maple leaf. This leaf will be protected by the large maple tree it belongs to. Once the eggs hatch, the emerging caterpillars will begin eating the leaf and growing into strong little silkworms.

These baby Rosy Maple Moths are commonly called Green-striped Mapleworms. They spend a lot of their time eating. This is very important because once they transform into Rosy Maple Moths they will not eat again for the rest of their lives! Instead, they will live off of the fat they stored from all the food they ate while they were Greenstriped Mapleworms. For this reason, Rosy Maple Moths typically only live for a couple of weeks once they turn into moths.

Circle the Correct Answer

Which of the following animals cannot turn into a moth?

Silkworms Caterpillars Earthworms

Rosy Maple Moths are nocturnal. This means that they spend most of their day resting up in trees under leaves or in bushes. You may occasionally see them during the daytime, but for the most part you will see them out at dawn and dusk. They are attracted to light colors. This is why you see moths flying around your porch light at night.

Since Rosy Maple Moths do not eat, they spend their time looking for a mate. Once she mates, the female spends her time searching for the perfect leaf to lay her eggs under. Making sure she finds the best leaf is serious business. If the leaf she chooses does not protect her eggs, then none of her babies will hatch.

True or False?

Rosy Maple Moths can bite people.

What Can You Do to Help Rosy Maple Moths?

This Green-striped Mapleworm will grow up to be a pink and yellow Rosy Maple Moth. Observation © Anna Morris, www.inaturalist. org/observations/174334130 (CC by-NC).

Rosy Maple Moths must have trees in order to survive. The females lay their eggs mainly in maple trees, though they will occasionally lay their eggs in oak trees. For this reason, it is very important to make sure that native tree

species make up the majority of our forests. When invasive species, or those that are not naturally found in an area, start living in the forest they will take over the area. This makes it very hard for native trees, like maple or oak, to have enough room to live.

Natural spaces are becoming few and far between in cities like Wilmington. Making sure that you promote the protection of green spaces is critically important to help these fun moths remain in our area.

You can help Rosy Maple Moths by talking to your friends and family about how important green spaces are and why we should protect them. You can also visit your state and national parks. Carolina Beach State Park offers family education programs throughout the year. By participating in these activities and learning about the natural world around you, you can learn how to help protect the spaces that the Rosy Maple Moth and other insects need for survival.

Circle the Answer—Earthworms.

Kid’s Korner is brought to you by Shannon Bradburn Pragosa.

This pink and yellow Rosy Maple Moth was once a Green-striped mapleworm. Observation © Kyle Klotz, https://www.inaturalist.org/ observations/173609659. All rights reserved.