Friends of the Lower Suwannee & Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuges
  • Home
    • Actions & Interests Blog
  • About
    • Who We Are
    • What We Do
    • How We Operate
    • Our Refuges
    • Places of Interest
  • Join
  • Maps
    • Paddling Guides
    • Refuge Maps
    • Trail Brochures
  • Wildlife
    • Wild Critters
    • Hunting and Fishing
  • Search

Our Actions and Interests Blog

On the Suwannee River in the Fall

11/16/2015

 
Picture
This post was written by Jay Bushnell, former president of Friends.

Fall has always been a special time of year on the river for me.  This year is different.  The climbing asters with the unbelievable fragrance and the blankets of yellow flower nestled among the bonnets are still there to enjoy. 

However, notice the dark reddish brown leaves in these two pictures.  These are dead Red Bay trees.  It has been estimated that the Red Bay ambrosia beetle arrived in 2002 on pallets at ports near Savannah from somewhere in Asia. The beetle lays its eggs in the tree causing laurel wilt fungus which kills the tree. Do a web search and you will find ‘extinction’ associated with the Red Bay trees.

If so, we are witnessing extinction first hand. This would be just another casualty of the globalization of world economies.  As would be expected, other life forms are also affected.  For example, the paradises swallow tail, Schaus and spicebush butterflies are dependent on the Red Bay. 

It would be an understatement to say that the beetle is spreading fast across the Southeastern US. It is not known what affect the beetle will have on other species. Nor does there seem to be a plan to combat the beetle.

Picture

Comments are closed.

    Archives

    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014

Picture
Friends of the Lower Suwannee & Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuges
P. O. Box 532
Cedar Key, FL 32625
friends@friendsofrefuges.org

We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.


  • Home
    • Actions & Interests Blog
  • About
    • Who We Are
    • What We Do
    • How We Operate
    • Our Refuges
    • Places of Interest
  • Join
  • Maps
    • Paddling Guides
    • Refuge Maps
    • Trail Brochures
  • Wildlife
    • Wild Critters
    • Hunting and Fishing
  • Search