NEWSLETTER
Work On The Dairy Barn
By: Andrew Mason, Maintenance Technician
Over the past few months, work has been done to revamp the old dairy barn at Pioneer Ridge. As with time, the old barn had seen better days. Yet, in all, the old barn is in very good shape and offers much needed space for many uses at Pioneer Ridge.
In recent years, the old barn has had the roof replaced as well as the rebuilding of the east leantoo, which once served as the milking parlor. Currently, work has been done to shore up the structure. This would include the replacement of sill plates and wall studs. Also, posts were added to give more support to the load-bearing walls. In addition to the structural work, new doors were built, including walk-in and rolling doors on both the north and south sides. The old barn has also seen a facelift with the installation of bright red barn tin.
Future work is planned to develop the barn into a multi-use facility. A designated woodworking shop is planned for one area of the barn as well as a workshop area for naturalist presentations. Plans also include expanding our seed cleaning area with the addition of ventilation fans to provide a more user-friendly area.
The barn will serve many uses at Pioneer Ridge. It will also maintain some of the history of the area. Especially today, when many old barns are torn down and replaced by post frame buildings. At pioneer Ridge, we plan to see many more years of use from the old barn.
Managed Deer Hunts At Pioneer Ridge Nature Area
By Kurt Baker: Director
The fall of 2007 will mark the fifth year of managed deer hunts at Pioneer Ridge Nature Area. These hunts were initially set up to reduce local deer herds to acceptable densities of 25 to 30 deer per square mile. Annual goals are to harvest 20 to 30 antlerless deer. To accomplish these management goals, the following seasons have been established by Wapello County Conservation Board:
| Season | Date | # Allowed to Hunt | Application Deadline |
| Bow Hunting | Oct 1 - Nov 30, 2007 | Maximum: 10 hunters | Sept 26; 4:00 PM |
| Shotgun - 1st Season | Dec 1-5, 2007 | 3 youth accompanied by a hunting adult | Nov 27; 4:00 PM |
| Shotgun - 2nd Season | Dec 8-16, 2007 | 3 hunters | Nov 27; 4:00 PM |
| Late Muzzleloader | Jan 5-6, 2008 | 3 hunters | Dec 27; 4:00 PM |
| Special Antlerless Late | Jan 12-13, 2008 | up to 15 hunters / party | Dec 27; 4:00 PM |
The most effective way to reduce herd size is to remove a significant number of does. As you know, this segment of the population produces the annual fawn crop. These females and their offspring compete directly with other deer for food, space and cover. The fewer deer competing for these resources means higher quality animals. Consequently, managed hunts at Pioneer Ridge focuses on maintaining a balancing act between deer densities and available habitat quality.
Bow hunters are required to harvest antlerless deer. However, there is an opportunity to harvest a buck if hunters harvest at least two antlerless deer during the month of October. Those that harvest a minimum of two does will be eligible for a buck draw in which a maximum of five permits will be issued for antlered deer harvest during the month of November.
During the first and second shotgun and the late muzzleloader seasons, two does need to be harvested prior to shooting a buck. This “earn a buck” program, ensures that we can reach our harvest goals and thus keep deer in line with available habitat. This management strategy has not come without drawbacks as many people want the opportunity to shoot a buck without any stipulations. So the reality is that few people apply for these gun seasons.
Trophy buck hunters routinely harvest far more does than bucks and will only harvest a true wall hanger. If you fall within this category, hunting Pioneer Ridge Nature Area could be an option. Likewise, if you are interested in just putting meat on the table with the opportunity to harvest a trophy this could also be for you. Either way, deer hunting at Pioneer Ridge will provide a quality outdoor experience for yourself and hopefully a youngster.
Monarch Butterflies
The monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus). The orange and black marking of this large butterfly make it one of the most identifiable butterflies in Iowa.
How much do you really know about the monarch? I thought I had a pretty good handle on monarch information, but I learned even more while researching for this article. I would like to share some of that information with you here today.
We will begin by quickly reviewing the life cycle of the monarch butterfly.
Let’s move on to some interesting monarch facts.
Did you know adults migrate every fall to Florida, Texas or even Mexico? They follow the same migration patterns every year even though the migrants are the great-great-grandchildren of those that made the spring migration north. Many unanswered questions remain about how they know where to go to find the wintering grounds.
The caterpillar has 6 simple eyes, but has very poor sight. It uses its antennae to find food and the maxillary palps (sensory organs) to help get food to the jaws of the caterpillar.
Do you know the name of the body part the pupa hangs from until the adult emerges. I found out it is called the cremaster. When the outer larval skin falls low enough on the body this spiny appendage emerges at the end of the abdomen.
Join us for our Monarch Program in September to learn more and help tag these wonderful creatures.
Trees For Gothic House Visitor’s Center
Jessica Strom; AGHC Administrator
The American Gothic House Center (AGHC) of Eldon, Iowa has been awarded a $5,000 Alliant Energy / Trees Forever grant through its Branching Out program. The check will be presented at the Eldon City Council meeting Tuesday, September 11, 2007.
The AGHC project will include planting a concentration of Oak trees, other non-Oak deciduous trees, Eastern Red Cedars and Serviceberries for a total of 36 trees. The goal of the project is to include a variety of trees native to Southeast Iowa. The AGHC is seeking additional funds to incorporate the Oak trees into a Prairie Oak Savannah restoration.
The trees will be planted by the Wapello County Conservation Board beginning Tuesday, November 13 2007. Please contact Jessi Strom at 641-652-3352 if you would like to be a part of the tree planting.
Branching Out is a nationally-recognized grant program through which Alliant Energy, Trees Forever and local community leaders work together to fund and implement tree-planting projects. The program is designed to encourage energy efficiency, environmental awareness and community involvement in Iowa.
Since the start of the Branching Out program in 1989, more than 1.1 million trees and seedlings have been planted as part of 2,188 Iowa projects by a volunteer force of 111,117 people. Environmentally, the trees planted represent a kilowatt hour savings of 13,918,553—or enough energy to power more than 1,700 average-size residential homes for one year.
American Gothic House Center Update
Jessica Strom; AGHC Administrator
Beginning in October, center hours will be Tuesday thru Friday, 10 am to 4 pm and Saturday thru Monday, 1 to 4pm. Nearly 40 volunteers make it possible for us to stay open seven days a week. The volunteers work in three-hour shifts helping in the gift shop with sales, visiting with guests, giving tours, keeping things clean and assisting with photos. If you would like to volunteer, please stop by or call Jessi at 652-3352.
Since opening weekend the center has averaged 35 visitors per day. We had over 1200 in June, 1100 in July and 900 in August. Representatives from forty-four states and eight foreign countries have visited. The highlight for many tourists has been the costumes and hay fork that allow them to create their own “American Gothic” in front of the house.
In early August the center made national news! Associated Press journalist Nafeesa Syeed and photographer Charlie Neibergall put together an article about our new center. If you didn’t get a chance to read it, visit the center to see a copy from the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, The Express Times from Pennsylvania, or The Gainesville Sun from Florida. Thank you for your continued support!
Meet The Staff
Hello everyone, my name is Lincoln Utt and I am your new Natural Resource Manager for the Wapello County Conservation Board. I plan on continuing to enhance and manage Wapello counties natural resources and provide you with quality outdoor experiences.
I grew up in eastern Davis County on a family farm where I gained an appreciation for agriculture and wildlife. After high school, I attended Iowa State University where I earned a degree in Animal Ecology, eventually guiding me toward a career in conservation. My past employers have included The Nature Conservancy, The Iowa DNR (parks and wildlife) and most recently Pheasants Forever. While working for Pheasants Forever as a Habitat Specialist in South Central Iowa, I helped landowners implement various habitat projects while working closely with other organizations such as the Iowa DNR, NRCS & FSA offices, the Fish & Wildlife Service and County Conservation Boards. In the five years that I have worked in southern Iowa, I have developed a strong interest in Oak Savanna/ Woodland restoration and restoring diverse native plant communities of southern Iowa. I look forward to this new challenge where I hope you and I can both learn from Wapello County’s natural resources.
I hope to see you all soon.
Fall Webworm Hyphantria cunea
Do you recognize this bundle of silken web? In the late summer and fall, many of these webs can be seen in a variety of trees. The animals making these webs are called fall webworms. These are actually the caterpillar of a moth.
The webworm is found from Canada down to Mexico. It is also one of the few species introduced from North America into other continents.
The female lays a couple hundred eggs on the underside of a leaf of a deciduous tree such as walnut, elm and hickory trees. About one week later, the larvae hatch. The larvae are fuzzy and yellow to dark gray in color. They will reach a length of about 35 mm.
The Larvae feed only within the tent until the late phases of development. They feed on leaves, and the web will be added to as more food is needed. While this feeding pattern and webbing are not pretty to look at, it is not normally deadly for the tree. If multiple generations feed on one tree, much defoliation will occur.
Six weeks after hatching, the larvae drop to the ground to start the pupa phase of life. It over-winters in a small, brown cocoon made of silk. It will be in the leaf litter around the base of the tree if you would like to search for them.
Watch for the emerging adults in May to July, When the process will begin again.
Bats
In early August, we hosted a bat program at Pioneer Ridge Nature Center. I was impressed by the number of interested participants in that program. Because of that interest, I would like to offer up a few basics on Iowa’s bats for those who could not attend.
All bats are protected in Iowa. WCCB has information on ridding your house of bats and building bat houses at Pioneer Ridge. If you would like this or more information, stop in or give us a call.