Subject: [Tweeters] Re Insects
Date: Jul 20 12:39:25 2006
From: Steve Ellis - sellis at coup.wednet.edu


A couple of years ago there was an area in the Oak Harbor, Whidbey Island
vicinity that experienced a dearth of birds and insects. 1 person said for
the 1st time in memory his apple trees didn?t produce fruit ( no
pollinators). A farmer told me there were fewer insects and other
invertebrates and a woman complained there weren?t the usual amount of
insects and birds.
The area now seems to be recovering somewhat from whatever caused this lack
of invertebrate life.
Are there such things as naturally occurring terrestrial ?dead zones? or
can they all be traced to human causes?
Meanwhile, our own yard is full of things that hop, run , slither, and
fly. This year we?ve noticed an increase in Banana Slugs and have confirmed
7 species of birds nesting on our lot which is a little less than 1 acre in
size( Swainson?s Thrush would be 8 but we can only list them as probables)
Steve Ellis
Coupeville, Wa
sellis at coup.wednet.edu