I forgot to mention in the post yesterday from Grandview Cemetery that the adult psyllids are beginning to emerge from galls on hackberry leaves. Bird activity should be steady in hackberries with galls for at least the next two weeks on warm weather days. Many variations on the theme of psyllid predation yesterday were evident: Wilson's Warblers were gleaning adults, I think of the type that make the blistergalls, from leaf and branch surfaces. When I grabbed a lower branch and shook it, my shirt showed about a dozen psyllids (look like very tiny cicadas). Black-capped Chickadees were doing their leaf grab, stand on it, and wail away thing, indicating the majority of the blistergall makers are still inside galls. House Finches were biting off the tops of in-tact nipplegalls on leaves, as were Fox Squirrels. Just to be different, starlings were eating whole hackberries. At least in Fort Collins, the bulk of a major psyllid emergence is imminent and small migrating passerines on a time schedule to take advantage of it will likely respond in some fashion. If you are able to check out hackberries in your area, I'd appreciate reports of what you see. Thanks,
For details about these creatures you could probably do an on-line search for "hackberry nipplegall images", "hackberry psyllids", or check out the article in Colorado Birds, July 2010 (44(3), p185-189). Dave Leatherman -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en.
