N. America's rarest moth located near Green Bay

by Jim Moodie

PIKE LAKE-To the roughly 1,500 species of moth that are known to habituate Manitoulin, we can now add one more. And this one is really unusual.

"It's probably North America's rarest moth," says John Morton, the Pike Lake cottager and retired biology professor who found the creature last fall and confirmed its identity over the winter. "It had not been seen in 70 years, and was presumed extinct."

Dr. Morton, co-author of the well-thumbed guide tome Flora of Manitoulin, is a botanist by training. But he is also an entomologist who has spent some 30 years intensively studying the butterfly and moth populations on the Island.

In the summer and fall he regularly sets out moth traps-both a large, circular trap with a powerful light which runs off hydro, and several smaller, box-shaped traps whose ultraviolet lights are powered by a motorcycle battery-and sifts through their contents in the morning.

"I examine the contents on the spot and note what's there," he says. "Anything that needs to be kept for study I retain, but the rest are let go, so there's a minimum impact on the environment."

One that definitely required further study was the obscure brownish-orange moth that was nestled amid a myriad others when Dr. Morton opened one of his traps last September. "I didn't know what it was, but I knew I'd never seen it before," he says. "It turned out to be this very rare moth, with only six other specimens in existence."

The common name for the elusive night-flying insect is the aweme (pronounced 'ah-whe-mee') borer moth, while its scientific name is Papaipema aweme. There are a dozen species belonging the papaipema family-consisting of medium-sized brown, orange-brown, or yellowish-brown moths-which are common to Manitoulin, notes Dr. Morton.

The aweme version, however, had never been observed in these parts before. Indeed, it had previously been recorded in just four locations in the world.

"It was first discovered in 1905, in a little hamlet in Manitoba called Aweme, which is how it got its name," Dr. Morton relates. Two others were subsequently documented in the same area, while a fourth was found in Rochester, New York, in 1932, and two more at Grand Bend, Ontario and Beaver Island, Michigan, respectively, in 1936.

Then-nothing. For seven decades. Not a single report of the aweme's presence, anywhere. Of the previous six glimpses, all occurring before the dawn of World War Two, each was of the insect in its moth stage; its caterpillar remains a mystery to this day.

To say that the aweme borer moth was on the verge of being declared extinct sounds hyperbolic, but it's a fact. Indeed, during the very time that Dr. Morton was studying the strange moth to determine its identity, national and provincial committees studying endangered wildlife "were reviewing the status of the aweme stem borer and suggesting it be officially registered as extinct," the biologist relates.

The timing of Dr. Morton's discovery was accidental, but fortuitous. His revelation that the creature still existed caused "quite a stir" in scientific circles, he says, and the annual report of the national committee on the status of endangered wildlife made prominent note of the aweme's reappearance. It was, after all, a bit of good news to go alongside such disheartening trends as the decline of the Atlantic walrus, the ivory gull and the burrowing owl.

The aweme borer may not be the most majestic creature on the continent. Dr. Morton admits that "it's not particularly beautiful," and with a wingspan of just over an inch, it can hardly be said to be grand.

But its existence on Manitoulin is encouraging, he says. "One of the best indicators of a healthy environment is the variety of plants and animals it supports." He also believes that, while other members of the papaipema genus "are occasional pests of crops and garden plots," the aweme borer (though it is not known precisely what the caterpillar feeds on) is "unlikely to be a potential pest."

That the moth can thrive on Manitoulin is a testament to the area's relatively untrammeled habitat, the scientist says. Indeed, it may be one of the few places left where the species can exist. "The previous sites where it was seen have all been destroyed by agriculture or development, so the likelihood of the moth still existing seemed remote," he notes.

Manitoulin, says Dr. Morton, supports a wide variety of flora and fauna because, compared to other parts of the province, "it's more or less as it should be here-as it originally was, with relatively little damage. There are still bits of forest with their original diversity of plants and insects."

One of the most critical factors governing biodiversity is the amount of chemical spraying that occurs in an area. "Here, there is very little spraying of insecticides or herbicides," Dr. Morton says. "There's some spraying of roadsides being done, but you don't have foresters flying over to spray for budworms, and even agricultural land hasn't been sprayed that much. So Manitoulin is special in that way."

The retired professor hopes this will continue to be the case. "Insects are the first casualty of insecticide, and herbicide kills them too because it kills the plants they feed on," he says.

Dr. Morton may be one of the few people on Manitoulin (if not the only one) lugging portable moth traps through the woods and meadows to see what kind of night-flying oddities he can discover, but many residents are often impressed when they encounter a strange or colourful moth-particularly the big luna and cecropia varieties.

Visitors are especially impressed. "I've led tours with people from the States, where these things are almost extinct, and they're overwhelmed by the beauty of these big, spectacular varieties," he says.

Many moths are more nondescript, and some so minute that they have to be studied through a microscope. Dr. Morton hauls a display case from the 'lab' in his cottage that contains a variety of moths scarcely bigger than mosquitoes. Some are actually smaller.

He hopes to publish a book on the Island's moth population, drawing on his 30 years of research, although he hesitates to predict when that might occur.

Meanwhile, he will continue to set out his lighted traps-weather permitting, of course. "Moths don't want clear, cold or windy weather, and if the moon's shining, it deters them from flying," he says. "If it's warm, still and cloudy, with a chance of a thunderstorm, that's good."

Moth catching is not a terribly labour-intensive or high-tech endeavour-at least, not in the way Dr. Morton practises the craft. "I'm a lazy entomologist," he says with a laugh. "I don't go hurtling around with a net in my hand."

Instead, he simply sets out specially-designed boxes in the evening, which are equipped with lights (usually an ultraviolet light, which is almost invisible to a human but dazzling to a moth) to attract the creatures. Once they congregate around the bulb, they lose purchase on a set of downwardly angled vanes and "funnel down into the box, where they settle around egg cartons," the moth catcher explains.

Basically, all the activity happens while you sleep.

If there's a chore involved, it's the need to get up painfully early to check the traps and liberate the captives. "You have to be there at the crack of dawn, because the sun heating the trap up makes them go wild," he says.

Occasionally, a raccoon or even a bear will knock over the moth traps "for a tasty morsel," Dr. Morton notes. He's also had robins and other types of moth-gobbling birds gather near a trap in the early morning as he prepares to release the night's bounty.

But the vast majority of the specimens he collects are released unharmed and manage to escape these opportunistic predators.

On this day, Dr. Morton isn't sure yet whether he will be putting out his moth traps. But it seems likely.

"The weather forecast is calling for partly cloudy," he notes. "It should be a good night for moths."

Islanders divided on threatened species legislation

by Jim Moodie

MANITOULIN-A rare plant that thrives among Island sand dunes is among 33 endangered but presently unregulated species that the province is considering as candidates for legal protection through the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

The pitcher's thistle, which grows amid the dunes at Providence Bay, among other sandy stretches of Island shoreline, occurs in just four areas of the province, with Manitoulin representing its richest concentration.

Greater protection of this species would be a feather in the Tilley hats of plant-huggers, while acting as a burr in the baseball caps of many Islanders who resent government intrusion in land use issues.

At the moment, the pitcher's thistle, which has prickly leaves and flesh-coloured flower heads, is classified as an 'END' species by the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), meaning it's endangered but not presently regulated. A species that falls under this category is one "facing imminent extinction or extirpation in Ontario which is a candidate for regulation under Ontario's ESA," according to the MNR's species at risk status list.

In other words, it could be upgraded to END-R status, which is short of Endangered (Regulated). There are 43 species in the province that currently fall under this more-rigorously policed category, including the golden eagle, eastern cougar and drooping trillium.

The reassessment of the thistle's status is part of a broad legislation review being undertaken by the MNR-for the first time since the Endangered Species Act was passed in 1971-in order to "modernize and strengthen the laws that protect the province's native species at risk and their habitats," according to a ministry press release.

Public input is being welcomed on the matter, but the deadline for submissions is fast approaching, with July 7 being the cut-off for commentary.

John Morton, a seasonal resident, author, and professor emeritus of biology with the University of Waterloo, documented the plant in the first edition of his book Flora of Manitoulin, the bible of Island botany. "It's been known for many, many years," he says. "Now it's in the process of being regulated-and it's a perfect case for it."

Dr. Morton believes the pitcher's thistle is "very important, and not an ordinary thistle by any means, quite different from any other thistle found in this area." He points out that "it's only found around the Great Lakes, and only on sand dunes, with the main population being on Manitoulin."

He adds that the "purpose of the legislation is not just to protect the plants, but also to protect the habitat in which it grows. And we need to protect our environment, not destroy it."

Larry Killens of Mindemoya says he's "all for protecting the environment if something is, in fact, disappearing, but if it's spreading to here, how endangered is it?"

Mr. Killens has been a vocal critic of policies protecting the plant, as he feels that its presence at Providence Bay is an eyesore and a hindrance to tourism. "The beach looks like a field now, not a beach," he says. He notes that promotional material made available through the Manitoulin Living retirement initiative,  and other pamphlets touting the Island's beauty, mention the Providence Bay beach as "the most beautiful, longest sand beach in Northern Ontario, with snow-white sand-but it's not like that any longer."

The Central Manitoulin resident has expressed frustration over limits he says the township has placed on beach cleanups in order to ensure the plant is not disrupted. Central Manitoulin Reeve Richard Stephens feels the area is being well maintained, however. "We had about 20 volunteers at the beach this spring, cleaning up the detritus left behind by people. My assessment is they did a very good job."

Reeve Stephens says the township is concerned "about not being able to clear the sand from the boardwalk," and notes that "we do have a request in for a permit to clean the wood chips from the beach, and when that comes in it should make the beach a little more eye-catching."

The wood chips are a separate issue from the thistle, however. The former are "much closer to the water's edge, while the thistle is up closer to the grass line," he notes.

While the pitcher's thistle has not yet been protected through the Endangered Species Act, it is afforded habitat protection under the Provincial Policy Statement of the Planning Act, as well as through the federal Species at Risk Act.

Typically enough, human interference has contributed to the issue. The thistle has taken root in greater numbers at Providence Bay beach in large part because of the construction of a boardwalk, which acts as a windbreak, facilitating the buildup of more dunes. "It's like a snow fence for snow, and the area is gradually being covered in dunes-and the pitcher's thistle likes the dunes," notes Dr. Morton.

That said, it is not the case that the plant has only arrived in recent years. "It's been there at Providence Bay for a century or more," says the botanist. It has also historically existed at a number of other sandy locations along the Island's south shore, he adds.

As for concerns that greater protection for the species might impact on the ability of property owners to proceed with projects on their land, Dr. Morton suggests that it's an erroneous complaint. "It only grows in sand dunes along the shore, and most of the front part of the dunes are on the shoreline road allowance, so it doesn't belong to someone anyway," he says. "If people think the property behind the sand dunes is going to be affected, they're totally wrong."

He also suggests that people who remove the plant are not only engaging in "sheer vandalism," but also "wasting their time, because the legislation will protect any place it grows, even if it's not there. If it has grown there in the past, the object of the legislation will be to protect the habitat and reintroduce it."

Other Islanders have grave concerns, however, about a move that would see the thistle and other species gain greater protection. In a letter sent to Natural Resources Minister David Ramsay, Ken Noland, reeve of the Township of Burpee-Mills, says his council fears the designation "would significantly reduce property values, increase the cost of future property development and severances, and curtail the use and enjoyment of privately-owned lakeshore land by its owners."

In the view of Mr. Noland and his council, inadequate research has been provided to indicate that the pitcher's thistle is at risk, and no consideration has been given to compensating landowners whose use or enjoyment of their properties may be diminished by restrictions that  a regulated END-R designation could create.

He also predicted that as water levels continue to decline, "the exceptionally large areas of exposed rock and sand will undoubtedly provide habitat for any pioneer species such as the pitcher's thistle and the species may be far more likely to thrive than diminish in the short term." The reeve further argues that "shoreline access and recreational use is a viable resource to this community."

Mr. Killens couldn't agree more. While he understands that some degree of environmental protection is warranted, and doesn't want to see an area like the Prov beach become "wall to wall with people and buildings, like in Florida," he feels that "somewhere a human person has to fit in, and we need recreation. We have to start advocating for tourism."

During a visit to the Providence Bay Beach this past Saturday-when the sun was beating down and temperatures soared-Mr. Killens says he encountered just two people. Leaving aside the fact that many people in Central Manitoulin were enjoying the Pearson Cup activities in Mindemoya that day, he says that such a scarcity of beach-goers on such a balmy day is shocking, and a testament to the state of the site.

"It's a mess down there," he opines. "I know nature is important, but the human species has a place, too."

That's the position of many Islanders who have grown tired of government interference in what can, and can't, be done on land that either belongs to them or provides a useful purpose for human recreation and the local economy. A number of Islanders, with such thoughts in mind, have recently joined a local chapter of the Ontario Landowners' Association, which grew out of the so-called Rural Revolution movement launched in Lanark County.

Dr. Morton, while a biologist and advocate for the environment, says he is not unsympathetic to such concerns. "In many ways I support them, because there is too much bureaucratic legislation in our lives."

But in another sense, he suggests, people get the legislation they deserve. "When irresponsible people are damaging the environment, we need legislation to protect these things. The number of species being regulated increases as threats to the environment increase," Dr. Morton says.

EDITORIAL

Cleaners of Island roadsides deserve kudos

Bedecked in orange and yellow vests, volunteers could be seen trouping through the ditches along the Highway 6 entrance to Little Current this past weekend, maintaining a tradition that is often remarked upon by visitors to Canada.

Many people may think that the ditches lining our highways and byways are kept clean at taxpayers' expense, or perhaps by some magical quality of the forests which line many of our roads (in sad truth it is more likely that those who carelessly toss garbage out the windows of their vehicles don't actually think about it at all), but our 'pristine' ditches are actually the result of an army of public-spirited volunteers who often actually pay for the privilege of keeping Manitoulin clean-or at least to have their efforts recognized by a highway adoption sign.

Each of us should be grateful to these weekend warriors, armed with gloves, plastic bags and determination, for it is through their efforts that Canada's (and Manitoulin's) pride is maintained at such a high level and at such little cost to the public purse.

If you see these fine folks upon their self-appointed rounds, please take the time to honk or wave your appreciation, and, the next time you are tempted to simply toss the detritus of modern life out your car or truck window, take a pause and reflect upon how easy it would be to just wait until a garbage can is within reach-it's not that hard.

There was a time, not so long ago, when people would not only walk a few extra steps to put their garbage into dustbins on the street, but who would actually stoop to pick up the careless mess of others less civic-minded or careful.

The more each of us shoulders the collective load of keeping our public places clean and tidy, the less costly that burden is on our tax bills-a factor that impacts on each and every one of us, whether it comes in the form of a bi-annual taxman's bill in the mail or a yearly rental increase from the taxpaying landlord.

We may have been less diligent in teaching the present generation the respect and stewardship that comes with living upon this land. But we have an obligation to the next seven generations and beyond to instill in our children that respect which improves the quality of life for all.

To those whose tireless efforts ensure our beaches are swept clean, to those who plant flowers in our public parks and who improve the public weal, to those who take their efforts above and beyond the common denominator: thank you, thank you very much.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

MNR is cutting jobs, not creating more of them

Ministry may be flawed, but plays critical role

To the Expositor:

RE: the opinion expressed by Gerry Mack in his May 24 letter, "Ministry must be running out of work."

I work for the MNR. I am not a conservation officer, or a resource technician, or a policy maker or even a biologist-I fight forest fires. But I have been trying to get a job with the MNR for the last couple of years and failed to do. I find it hard to believe that the MNR is creating all of these well-paying jobs you speak of and leaving me out of the loop; the fact is they aren't creating all kinds of jobs, they are cutting them. 

I feel that perhaps Mr. Mack should talk to an MNR employee and ask how they feel about all the job creation, or ask anyone that I graduated from school with and see how many jobs are out there for us to get. I fail to understand how you honestly believe the MNR is running out of work and is just creating work to justify their jobs. 

Natural Resource issues at this current time are more important then ever, with global warming, deforestation, loss of habitat and species at risk issues (among the many others). I would love to assume you would want to resolve these issues and hope that more MNR jobs would be created. Think about Manitoulin Island without an organization that is unbiased and manages wildlife and the habitat. The MNR keeps human nature (greed) in line by enforcing laws and creating studies that, if they didn't occur, would lead to a lack of wildlife and habitat for you, me and the following generations of people to enjoy.

People are willing to spend thousands and thousands of dollars on brand new gas-sucking monsters we call sharp or cool. These shiny new trucks and SUVs are killing what the MNR is trying to preserve. People are willing to spend this kind of money on these vehicles, and yet the same people whine and complain about paying taxes to help create sustainable resource use. It actually makes me a little sad. As flawed maybe as the MNR is, they still have an important role, keeping natural resource use at a sustainable level.

Joel Diebolt

Forest fire technician

Wawa

Animal abandonment is both illegal and cruel

Have your pet spayed or neutered

To the Expositor:

A mother was found hiding behind a commercial building here in Espanola. She had not eaten for several days, and to make her life more difficult, had given birth recently. If this were a human mother and her child, help would have been rendered quickly. Although animals are not people, they should be looked after in a caring and responsible manner.

An uncaring, irresponsible individual dropped off their pregnant cat, leaving her to fend for herself. She dug a hole under a commercial air conditioner, tried to make a bed of fiberglass insulation, and gave birth to five kittens. Had it not been for caring individuals who were involved in their rescue, these felines would have suffered even more. If they survived there would have been six unwanted cats running wild and producing more of the same problem. Added to this, someone else abandoned a box of kittens behind another business. The loving mother cat has adopted them also while they await loving homes.

Animal abandonment is against the law, not to mention cruel, whether they are set loose in town, loose in the bush, or in a box at someone's back door. A pet owner is responsible for the life of every animal in their possession. We agree with Bob Barker on The Price is Right, "Have your pet spayed or neutered." That way you keep your pet at home and have no litters of young ones to worry about. If you do have kittens to part with, search out the legal and humane avenues for them.

We still have the mother and a couple of the kittens left for adoption.

Kathy Lowe

The Pet Supply Co.

Espanola

Evangelical Christians invite, they don't coerce

I think the residential school program was a grave mistake

To the Expositor:

I would like to respond to the letter of Ray Fox in your edition of June 15, "Modern-day missionaries follow rez school footsteps."

I was born and raised on Manitoulin Island and have lived here most of my life. My grandfather came here in 1870. The Anglican Church records thus: Hill Rowland B.A. Missionary at Sheguiandah with Little Current and Manitowaning 1870-1873.

When grandfather brought his bride to Little Current in 1870 there were only four white families living there. Grandfather spoke Ojibwe fluently, and loved and respected the Native people. You can see his picture on the wall in the Anglican Church in Manitowaning. He moved to a farm in Carnarvon Township in 1887.

I remember an elderly Native gentleman by the name of Louis Pheasant who at one time had worked for my grandfather. He used to visit Providence Bay once or twice a year and would often stop at our place overnight. He was always treated with respect and given the same hospitality as any other guest. I remember a day in June when I was 14 years of age, Mr. Pheasant stopped at our place in late afternoon. I put his pony in the barn, fed and watered him. In the morning after breakfast Mr. Pheasant said to me, "boy, pony." I went out and got his pony, hitched him to the buggy and Mr. Pheasant went on his way.

My grandfather had nothing to do with the residential school program. I think that program was a grave mistake. I also believe that our government took far too long to apologize for it and has dragged its feet for far too long in compensating the victims.

Now, having said all this, let me say that I am an evangelical Christian. I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God and that there is salvation in no other. Note His own words, "I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6 New King James Version. Also I am convinced that Jesus expects His followers to evangelize. And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned." Mark 16:15 & 16. New King James version.

Under the residential school system, children were taken against their will. Evangelicals do not coerce, they invite. I believe that young and old should accept that invitation. Your eternal destiny depends on it.

Robert (Bert) Hill

Providence Bay

Letters can also be dropped through the slot on the front door of the Expositor office.Send your Dear Dave letters to Box 369, Little Current, Ontario, P0P 1K0,