Our speakers for our summer

meetings have had a common

theme—dark skies and the

benefits of natural lighting.

In June, Cindy Luongo Cassi-

dy, from International Dark

Skies Texas, shared infor-

mation about the need for

natural darkness and how

increased lighting impacts

sleep, reproduction of animals

such as turtles and pollinators,

and even illness. She provided

useful suggestions to help us

help our communities and

encouraged us to participate

in next year’s Texas Night Sky

Festival.

In July, Matt Lara, from the

Hill Country Alliance, high-

lighted the following big

concerns: sky glow, glare,

light trespass, and color

temp/spectrum. He shared

AMA recommendations that

we avoid blue lights, since

the disruption of sleep pat-

terns on humans and wildlife

is well noted, and disease is

being linked with sleep dis-

turbances. He also explained

DOE’s standardized label

information.

Both speakers urged us to

learn more and get involved.

Dark Skies: How Lighting Affects Us

From the President

I hope you are enjoying some

summer fun in the sun or trying

to stay cool by the pool. As fall

approaches I want you all to

start considering what type of

volunteer work you might like to

pursue. Check out a project or

two. Our chapter has some ex-

citing projects underway, and

your help is needed!

The first one I want to tell you

about is the ongoing Preserve

Trail Project led by Kenneth and

Amanda. This project will have

you working hard at clearing

trails, moving rocks, bridges and

whatever else you may find.

There are other trail projects to

get involved in, as well. Jen

Weaver is leading the Creation

Connection Trail Project, in

which she is designing a new

public trail on the Concordia

grounds. She is in need of a spe-

cies lists and general marketing

of the trail. Contact Jen or Dr.

Whitehead to learn how to get

involved.

Due to the success of this year’s

Earth Day Celebration, we will

begin on the next Earth Fair and

Festival. This one will require a

lot of emailing and general or-

ganizing. I am project lead on

this one if you would like to join

me so please let me know.

Lastly, our newest project is the

Arbor Project led by Theresa.

The goal: to certify Concordia

as an official arbor. If you en-

joy identifying plants and trees,

then this is the project for you!

If none of these satisfy your

volunteer itch, remember you

can always start your own pro-

ject. Simply fill out the form

online and send it to John (the

Volunteer Service Superman).

With all these new and exciting

projects we will be starting on

in the fall, I almost want sum-

mer to be over... almost.

— Kaitlyn Rodriguez

B a l c o n e s C a n y o n l a n d s C h a p t e r a t C o n c o r d i a U n i v e r s i t y T X S u m m e r , 2 0 1 6

Save the Date!

08/9/16—Chapter Meeting at Concordia 08/15/16—Registration Dead-line 09/8/16—New Class Begins 09/13/16—Chapter Meeting at Concordia

Dark Skies 1

From the President 1

Waller Creek Project

Update

2

Fun Facts About Arma-

dillos

2

Cochineal—An Insect to

Dye For?

3

Salamanders at Work:

Walnut Creek Park

4

Apps for Nature Enthu-

siasts

4

Native Plant Highlight 5

Annual Meeting 6

Officers & Committee

Heads

6

Inside this issue:

Milky Way—Texas, from the

Hill Country Alliance

Fun Facts About: Armadillos

Many of you have probably

heard about the Waller Creek

Conservancy project. As a

member of the Waller Creek

Conservancy board, I wanted

to provide you with an update.

Waller Creek, located in the

urban corridor of downtown

Austin, is undergoing a revital-

ization that will transform the

city’s urban experience

through a district of activated

park spaces. After decades of

neglect, extreme flooding, and

uneven development, the Wal-

ler Creek Conservancy, in part-

nership with the City of Austin,

is working to restore Waller

Creek. Once complete, the pro-

ject will represent the largest

urban restoration of its kind in

the nation. Running from Wa-

terloo Park, at 15th Street, to

Lady Bird Lake, the one-and-a-

half-mile stretch of green space

will include more than 37-acres

of urban parks, along with

three miles of hike-and-bike

trails.

The Conservancy is creating

renewed interest in Waller

Creek through free music and

art programs, nature and creek

exploration, activities for fam-

ilies and children, and creek

clean-ups.

A critical first step to the revi-

talization of Waller Creek

includes restoring the natural

biodiversity of the creek by

removing invasive species,

such as Giant Reed (Arundo

donax), allowing room for

new, diversified vegetated

landscapes that will stabilize

creek banks, improve water

quality, and create a healthier

habitat for wildlife.

Texas Master Naturalist vol-

unteer efforts will be critical

in treating and managing in-

vasive species along the creek.

We invite you to join the mis-

sion and get involved this fall

as we launch an invasive spe-

cies removal program at the

Waller Delta at Lady Bird

Lake.

To find out more about Waller

Creek and how you can get

involved, visit us on social

media or at wallercreek.org. —Chris Mattsson

Waller Creek Conservancy Project Update

Canyonlands Chronicle Volume 2, Issue 4

Page 2

“Texas Master Naturalist

volunteer efforts will be

critical in treating and

managing invasive species

along the creek.”

Armadillos weight between 8-17 pounds and can be around 30 inches long

They have 9 movable bands across the back; the tail is covered with a series of overlapping

rings

Armadillos have 1 litter per year in March or April

Litters consist of quadruplet babies of the same sex

Their feet are well-adapted to digging, and they use them to dig burrows and dig for food

Armadillos have poor eyesight, but a keen sense of smell, and they are good swimmers

Although they can mess up lawns, they are considered beneficial due to the fact they eat in-

sects and other invertebrates —especially grubs

Reference and Photo:

Armadillos, Texas A&M

AgriLife Extension

Each spring, for the past few

years, I have noticed some odd

white growth on our Prickly

Pear cactus. It looks similar to

a fuzzy mold. A little bit of

investigation turned up a ra-

ther interesting cause. The

‘mold’ was actually a waxy

coating secreted by a scale

insect, Dactylopius coccus.

The scale insect, also known

as cochineal, colonizes the

pads of the prickly pear cac-

tus, Opuntia spp. The female

and male have quite different

patterns of development. The

male goes through five instar

phases with the last adult

stage quite short, lasting only

a day or two. It is at this stage

that the males have wings.

Adult males are unable to feed

and spend their limited time

focused on mating. Females

live longer and experience

only three instar phases. The

first stage is considered

‘crawler’ stage, and it is at this

point the insect can disperse

to another plant by using spun

filament to parachute to an-

other location with the wind’s

help, or by hitchhiking on

animals such as birds.

As the insect progresses

through the next two instars

she loses her primitive legs

and once she settles into her

spot on the prickly pear, in-

serting her probiscal mouth,

she is sessile for life. It is no

surprise that the later stages

of the female show no eyes,

legs or antennae, as her sed-

entary life doesn’t require

them. She does however, ex-

ude a waxy white coating

which helps protect her from

ladybugs and prevents dehy-

dration.

The larval and adult female

forms are almost identical (a

condition known as neote-

ny). The cochineal spend

their lives feeding on the juic-

es of the cactus pad. Heavy

infestations can kill smaller

plants. These insects have a

second more interesting de-

fense against predators. They

produce a carminic acid that

deters most predators. A coch-

ineal insect if crushed, pro-

duces a bright crimson dye. It

is this trait that makes these

insects so interesting and

valuable.

Prior to the Spaniards’ arrival

in Mexico, indigenous peoples

used the cochineal as a dye for

their textiles. The red color

was even used to signify royal-

ty in the Inca empire. These

people intentionally farmed

these insects and harvested

them, drying and crushing the

insects to produce the sought-

after dye.

When Spain colo-

nized Mexico and

sent back textiles

dyed from this new

resource, the dye

became much in

demand in Europe. In fact,

the only New World exports

more valuable to Spain were

silver and gold. This was such

a lucrative trade that Spain

had an embargo against ex-

porting the insects and had

the monopoly on the cochineal

trade for 250 years.

Later, as the cochineal were

smuggled out to the Canary

Islands and Australia, and

with the advent of new dyes in

the textile industry, the cochi-

neal trade became less profita-

ble. However, in the past few decades it is enjoying a resurgence

as a safe and sustainable dye, due in part to the discovery that red

dye No.2. and other synthetic dyes were found to be carcinogen-

ic. Carmine, as it is labeled now, is used in makeup, some food

products, textiles, and pharmaceutical products.

It takes approximately 155,000 insects to make a kilogram of

dye. (That is about 70,000 per pound.) In 2005 Peru produced

200 tons! That is a huge number of scale insects.

The next time you have a chance to examine a prickly pear cactus,

take a closer look and see if it is the home for this amazing insect

with its surprising history.

—Cindy Harding-Woodhull Resources used in the writing of this article:

Eol.org

Botgard.ucla.edu

Hillcountrymastergardeners.org

Wikipedia.com

Cochineal—An Insect to Dye For?

Canyonlands Chronicle Volume 2, Issue 4

Page 3

Photo by Donna Walker

I have recently been volun-

teering at Walnut Creek Met-

ropolitan Park, at 12138 N

Lamar Blvd. The park has a

problem with invasive plants,

especially Japanese Le-

gustrum and Japanese Hon-

eysuckle.

I have been learning to girdle

trees and identify which trees

belong and which do not. I

have also been making seed

balls which we can use on

later projects.

Recently, as part of the Austin

It's My Park Day, we worked

with the Austin Ridge Riders

to do some major projects in

the park. They closed off some

trails as part of erosion con-

trol. (Although, intrepid park

attendees removed some

of the branches used to

block trails, so we are defi-

nitely looking for sugges-

tions for this problem!)

I also led a group of chil-

dren to spread seed balls

and plant native plants. I

am enjoying the project,

but it will be a long one!

We are currently looking

for more volunteers to

help make seed balls.

Interested? Contact me: Stephanie.Putnam@gmail.com.

—Stephanie Putnam

Salamanders at Work: Walnut Creek Metro Park

Canyonlands Chronicle Volume 2, Issue 4

Page 4

Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park

Apps for Nature Enthusiasts

A few years ago, nature en-

thusiasts carried heavy field

guides in backpacks. Today,

although we haven’t altogeth-

er abandoned our favorite

field guide, the smartphone

has become an important

informational tool.

Here are a few of the apps you

might want to explore and

take with you on your next

excursion:

iBird – turns your

smartphone into a field guide

for birds with over 900 spe-

cies of birds, and plays bird

songs to help you identify the

birds you see and hear.

Audubon Nature

Guides – mobile field guide

resources for birdwatching

(821 species) and hiking. In-

cludes “Find Birds with

eBird” to locate birds seen

recently around you. Fea-

tures photographs, range

maps, sounds, and the abil-

ity to create life lists and

record sightings.

iTrack Wildlife –

comprehensive digital field

guide filled with hundreds

of track, sign, and animal

photos; precise track draw-

ings; and detailed track

descriptions for 65 mammal

species.

MotionX (GPS) – see

your position and track

anywhere in the world on

fast, live MotionX topo-

graphic and road maps.

Record and save up to 101

tracks, and save up to 500

personal waypoints. View

coordinates in UTM, MGRS,

or Lat/Lon format. Use com-

pass, and post your tracks and

waypoints to share on Face-

book, Twitter, or via email.

Star Walk – an award-

winning interactive astro

guide to the night sky, follow-

ing your every move and la-

beling the stars, constella-

tions, and satellites you point

your smart phone at.

iNaturalist – record

your what you see in nature,

meet other nature lovers, and

contribute to iNaturalist.org,

a social network for natural-

ists.

What’s your favorite app?

Share it in the next newslet-

ter.

—Karen McGraw

Screen shot from the

iTrack Wildlife app

The Agave americana, also

known as the century plant

and maguey, is the largest of

about 200 species of agave. It

stands about 6 feet tall at its

base, which consists of many

large, tough (and deadly

sharp) leaves formed about a

central bowl, each leaf about

six feet long.

Once every decade or so it

performs one of the most

magnificent flowering feats in

the plant kingdom, shooting

up a thick, green stalk 20 or

more feet into the air and pro-

ducing a plethora of green-

yellow flowers that attract

hummingbirds, wasps, bees

and other pollinators.

Then, within a few weeks of

flowering, the entire plant

dies.

It leaves behind a rotting tan-

gle of thick, hard leaves and a

woody stalk, about six inches

in diameter, which eventually

is blown over by the wind. It

also leaves a small army of

“pups” surrounding its base,

which over many years will

grow to the size of its parent

and follow the same striking

life cycle.

The stalk, when it first shoots

out of the center of the plant,

looks exactly like a Texas-

sized asparagus spear, which

is appropriate since they both

are related in the family as-

paragaceae.

The juice of a close cousin of

the Agava americana, Agava

tequilana or blue agave, is

used in the making of mescal

and tequila. The americana

produces a rich and sweet

drink called aguamiel, which

when fermented, the drink

pulque —used by the Aztecs in

religious rituals.

Please be aware that parts of

all agaves are poisonous and

its raw sap can cause painful

burns. Its sharp pointed and

toothed leaves will leave a

nasty wound if brushed

against and its tangled mass is

the perfect hiding place for

snakes.

In addition to the drink, the

stalk, which is strong when

dry, is used as a building ma-

terial, and agave fibers are

made into cloth and rope. The

stalk burns fiercely as kindling

and has a pleasant, spicy

smell.

—Bill Cryer

Note: Much of this infor-

mation was taken from two

references:

Remarkable Plants of

Texas, by Matt Warnock

Turner, University of Tex-

as Press and

Edible and Useful Plants

of Texas and Southwest:

A Practical Guide, by

Delena Tull, University of

Texas Press.

I highly recommend both as

references and browsing.

Native Plant Highlight: Agave

Canyonlands Chronicle Volume 2, Issue 4

Page 5

Illustration drawn by Bill Cryer, using an IPad Pro, Apple Pen-

cil, and Procrete software. The plant itself is in Bandera

County, near Williams Creek. Yellow flowers of the agave,

by Bill Cryer

The Texas Master Naturalist 17th Annual Meet-

ing has been scheduled for October 21-23, 2016,

at La Torretta Lake Resort, Montgomery, Texas.

Eighty-six different presentations and field trips

have been scheduled, with a variety of topics and

speakers from around the state.

There will also be a Silent Auction that is used to

raise funds for the Annual Meeting, beautiful

artwork and photos entered into the annual con-

test, and a wide variety of chapter projects and

materials on display in the project fair.

Last year, our chapter was recognized and There-

sa, Beth, and Maire were awarded special pins

for volunteer service. Karen brought home two

“wins” from the silent auction—dragonfly art and

a wonderful book, Memories from a Hill Country

Garden.

Put the dates on your calendar now, and let’s try to have a big

group in attendance! We will be notified when registration is

open.

Chapter Officers & Committee Heads

Plan Now to Attend the 17th TMN Annual Meeting

Canyonlands Chronicle Volume 2, Issue 4

Page 6

Committee heads:

Training & Membership: Theresa Rooney

Volunteer Service: John Laisy

Advanced Training: Jessie Zehr

Program: Kenneth Sparks

Communications/Newsletter: Karen McGraw

Outreach/Webmaster: Beth Samuelson

Historian: Pete Aranda

Host: Bill Cryer

Student Welfare: Sam Whitehead

Nominating: Maire Cox

Trails: Jen Weaver & Kenneth Sparks

Officers:

Current officers for the Balcones

Canyonlands Chapter at Concordia

University TX are:

Kaitlyn Rodriguez, President

Kenneth Sparks, VP

Cheryl Grayden, Secretary

Jose Rivera, Treasurer

Our mascot: Salam ander

Newsletter masthead: Jessie Zehr

A big “thank you” to our

officers and committee

heads!

Chapter members are encouraged to contribute articles and photos to the newsletter. Let us showcase

your recent activity, favorite native plant, tree, bird or book! Most stories are 125-150 words in length.