Aphids leaving sticky stuff on cars and sidewalks
Miriam Valdes-Carletti photo
Aphids feed on the sap from trees and other plants, and the by-product of that has recently left some Edmonton neighbourhoods feeling a little tacky. "Their excrement is what we call honeydew," arborist Felix Reichel said. "When there's a really large population, they just go ham and everything gets sticky."
Streets with older trees, like elms, are more likely to see large aphid populations. While the insects are more active in the spring, Reichel said the recent heat is helping the population boom. That's thanks to a prolific reproduction rate, said Mike Jenkins, a senior scientist with the City of Edmonton.
Healthy trees are not generally at risk from aphid activity, but Jenkins said the little green bugs can stress or damage smaller garden plants in large numbers. To keep them under control, Jenkins and Reichel recommend releasing a few ladybugs, a main predator for aphids, or spraying plants down with water to knock the aphids off.
As for the honeydew, it's harmless to humans, so the best strategy is to hit the car wash. "In terms of aphids and trees, they're usually not really considered a pest except for the amount of honeydew that they're producing," Jenkins said. https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/they-just-go-ham-how-a-small-insect-is-leaving-a-big-mess-in-some-edmonton-neighbourhoods-1.6962970
Edmonton river valley trails being recorded by alien
Darryl Learie photo
One of Edmonton’s main contributors to Google Street View is a man who dresses up as an alien. In 2016, Darryl Learie started as a local guide for Google Maps. Over the years, he has taken over 7,500 photos and 1,300 videos which have garnered millions of views.
“I really enjoy walking long distances. I really enjoy photography and videography,” said Learie. “It was a way to feature some of my amateur photography, and I really love nature, that’s why I really focus my efforts on my home city of Edmonton.” Last year, Learie started recording 360 degree videos for Google Street View.
He wanted to make his work a little bit more interesting, and unique, so he started wearing an alien mask while recording his walks. Since last year, he has recorded more than 86 kilometers of trails and parks and published 91 blue lines, a third of them dressed as the NASA alien. https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/edmonton-man-contributes-thousands-of-photos-to-google-while-dressed-as-an-alien-1.6964832
Dara Ojo a bug photographer
Dara Ojo photo
Bored while living in China during the earliest COVID-19 restrictions, Edmonton photographer Dara Ojo began photographing birds. When a friend suggested he search for even smaller subjects, Dara found a whole new "world." "Most of the time bugs do have character. They look like they're smiling sometimes; they look like they are grumpy sometimes," he said.
The mayfly and damselfly are his favourites to shoot in Canada, but crop spiders in China represent the start of the 33-year-old's macro photography journey, and treehoppers in Costa Rica have been an all-time favourite. Dara says followers have thanked him for opening their eyes to the beauty of some of Earth's smallest creatures.
"It makes me feel accomplished because that's exactly why I'm doing it. When people see the beauty, they end up conserving it. They don't just step, squash." He encourages other potential photographers to explore their interest. "You don't have to have what I have to start. When I started, I used to bring this can with kitchen rolls to make my own diffuser.” https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/bugs-over-bears-alta-photographer-zooms-in-on-tiniest-creatures-1.6960161
Edmonton podcast Canadian History Ehx podcast a hit
Stony Plain's Craig Baird has been making the Canadian History Ehx podcast since 2018. To date, Baird’s hit history show has produced more than 550 episodes exploring Canada's history. Craig talks about the amount of research that goes into these stories and where his passion for Canadiana got sparked. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/edmonton-region-podcaster-makes-a-hit-out-of-canada-s-history-1.7266103?
Four Seasons in Silver Heights Peony Garden by Oksana Movchan, Bonnie Doon LRT stop
https://www.edmontonarts.ca/public-art/four-seasons-in-silver-heights-peony-garden
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