LIGHTHOUSE ON
THE KENNEBEC......We've had a mild but drizzly spell here in Maine. The hunting season is well under way so I am wearing orange and sticking to the campground (for the most part) where it is supposed to be safe. I did have a very pleasant walk over in Arrowsic across the Kennebec River from where we live. We can see a lighthouse from the back of our property, and I had an opportunity to see it up close and personal. The property, known as Squirrel Point, is now protected from development, and we hikers have access to a lovely spot on the river. The purpose of the hike was not just to see the lighthouse but also to examine lichens and mosses along the trail. Not only that, but there were several other notable finds. Several low blueberry bushes had blossoms on their leafless stems! I discovered lots of
Promethea
Moth cocoons clinging to a Cherry Tree that stood near the lighthouse!
There were over a dozen, so it is definitely a place to come back
to when those large moths are due to emerge in the spring. Meanwhile,
they will blow in the wind and all kinds of weather. To the right,
you see one of the cocoons hanging from its attachment. This hike
to Squirrel Point is one to put on your schedule. There is also
an alternate trail to Bald Head, not to be confused with that
point of land we see from Head Beach. You can climb down to the
shore and fish off the rocks, or even take a dip in the water,
that is, if you watch the currents.
Just
to refresh your memory, here is a picture of these beautiful Promethea
Moths. You will notice the difference in coloration. The one at
the top is the male, while the one below is the female. You could
also get a clue about their genders by observing the fat abdomen
of the female, filled with eggs. These moths are getting ready
to mate, their sole aim in life. The female will lay those eggs,
once fertilized, and both adult moths will die. These moths emerged
in spring after the foliage of the Cherry Tree has unfolded and
expanded. Once the caterpillars emerge from the eggs, they will
feed upon the cherry leaves. Ironically, I have never found one
of these caterpillars. I have a feeling that tree on Squirrel
Point will be a good place to look for them during the summer!