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Current Lunar Phase Saturday, July 04, 2009       Almanac for June 2009 Natural events, happenings, and fearless predictions based upon 25 years of observations at Hidden Pond. Your observations may vary! Hidden Pond is not responsible for errors, erratic behavior or other whims of nature. 1st week: Lightning bugs flash now. There are several species in our area, each with its own flash color and frequency. They include motion with the flash, so some give the impression that they are always rising, even though they only rise while flashing. . Box turtles lay eggs in soil in a sunny location. The young turtles will hatch in late summer, about the size of a quarter. Linden trees bloom, their fragrant flowers attract myriads of pollinating insects. Yarrow and daisy fleabane also bloom. Full Strawberry Moon June 7. 2nd week: It’s gnat time of year. Gnats are very small flies; there are many species, the larva of some species develop in grass stems or decaying vegetation. Damp weather seems to favor them. Strawberries are ripe. Day lilies bloom; each flower lasts only one day but there are ranks of buds in reserve, each waiting its turn. Young birds “fledge” or leave the nest. They will be fed by their parents even though they cannot yet fly. With luck (escaping cats) a few learn to fly and survive. Mortality is normally over 90% in the first year. 3rd week: Bird of the month: blue-gray gnatcatcher which eats insects, their eggs, spiders, and may also eat insects on the wing such as gnats. Summer solstice is June 21. The sun will rise in the northeast at 5:43 a.m. and set in the northwest at 8:37 p.m. On this day at the north pole the sun makes a complete circle around the observer in a day, always staying 23 ½ ? above the horizon. 4th week: Black-eyed Susans grace our roadsides. Blackberries ripen. Annual cicadas buzz all day and katydids say their name with a raspy voice all night. Tiger swallowtail butterflies are now very evident. They lay eggs on black cherry and aspen, the very young caterpillars look like bird droppings. Hidden Pond Nature Center, Fairfax County Park Authority 8511 Greeley Boulevard, Springfield, VA 22152. Phone 703/451-9588