6 B
SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ WEDNESDAY, MAY 10, 2017
N ATURAL
PERSPECTIVE
USCG Master Chief to
speak at STEP tonight
—
Overlooked mothers
B Y E MILY J. U HRIG , P H D
Special to the Siuslaw News
ith Mother’s Day
around the corner,
it’s a good time to
reflect on the care and support
that our moms provide.
Looking at the protective
attitude of a mother hen or the
gentle grooming of a cat with
kittens, we see that maternal
W
S INGERS
behaviors are not unique to
humans. However, one mom
whose motherly instincts are
not widely known is the female
earwig, a common insect in
Oregon.
Sometimes called “pincher
bugs” because of the large pin-
cers on their rear end, earwigs
are increasingly likely to be
found around our homes and
gardens as the weather warms.
Female and male earwigs
typically pair up in the fall and
spend winter underground.
After laying eggs, the female
kicks the male out of the nest.
Throughout incubation, this
single mother tends her brood
and guards against potential
predators. Using her mouth, she
grooms her eggs to remove
mold and coats them with an
antifungal substance that helps
improve egg survival.
Once hatched, the young ear-
wigs, called nymphs, remain in
the nest and under mom’s pro-
tection for a time. The mother
feeds her nymphs individually
by regurgitating food directly
into their mouths.
Without a mother’s care,
fewer nymphs survive. As they
grow, almost like restless
teenagers, the nymphs begin
venturing outside the nest on
their own. At first, they return
home after these excursions,
but eventually they are inde-
pendent enough to leave the
nest altogether.
With one brood raised and
gone, some earwig females lay
a second clutch of eggs and
renew their maternal efforts.
If you find an earwig in your
garden, it’s most likely a
European earwig. As the name
implies, the species is not
native here, but arrived in
Oregon in the early 1900s.
Earwigs are generally
viewed as pests because they
can damage plants and are
often considered unsightly. In
1924, Portland experienced
such an infestation that the city
declared a state of emergency
and set up a Bureau of Earwig
Control.
However, earwigs can also
be beneficial since they eat
other pests that are much more
damaging to crops.
Researchers, for instance,
are investigating how increas-
ing earwig numbers in
orchards can help control
aphids.
Despite their checkered rep-
utation, earwigs can offer us a
reminder of the far-reaching
importance of maternal care.
Happy Mother’s Day!
U.S. Coast Guard Station
Siuslaw River Master Chief
Tim Tregoning will be the fea-
tured speaker at tonight’s,
meeting of the Florence
Salmon Trout Enhancement
Program (STEP).
The meeting begins at 7
p.m. at the Florence Elks
Lodge. As always, the public
is invited to attend.
Tregoning will speak on
policies governing the opening
and closing of the Siuslaw Bar.
He will also talk about the life-
saving mission of the Coast
Guard.
Prior to Tregoning’s talk,
there will be a short business
meeting. Reports on the annu-
al fundraising drive, upcoming
summer activities and the need
for volunteer help at the annu-
al Free Fishing Day at
Honeyman State Park on June
9, and other opportunities to
help teach kids how to fish
will be shared.
Denyse, Shelby, Trudie, Lalitha, Melissa
REIGN WITH BLASTS OF SUNSHINE
Community
Chorus Review
B Y B URNEY G ARELICK
A
fter a long, long rainy
season, gray skies
finally cleared, and the
long-awaited sun spread over
Florence, no doubt due in part
to the Community Chorus of
Florence that reigned with a
deluge of sunshine on May 6
and 7 at the Presbyterian
Church of the Siuslaw.
Never have so many sunny
songs shone within the span of
two hours! Sunny songs includ-
ed: “Here Comes the Sun,”
“You are the Sunshine of My
Life,” “On the Sunny Side of
the Street,” “You Are My
Sunshine,” “Brighten My Soul
with Sunshine,” “The House of
the Rising Sun” and “Let The
Sunshine In.”
There were also corollary
songs about summer, the season
of the sun and fun and love and
romance. And there were windy
songs — Florence knows all
about the wind — and a doleful
song about the rain followed by
the iconic song about singing in
the rain.
The concert theme was
“Sunshine & Summertime,”
featuring songs from the 1960s
and ’70s, and the choristers,
rather than in uniform attire,
dressed casually and colorfully
for the season and the times,
with peace signs, tie-die shirts,
and hair in full regalia.
Emcee was longtime arts afi-
cionado Annie Schmidt, who
not only announced the songs
but delivered anecdotes about
the composers and the times.
The program was nostalgic
for much of the community
with bright medleys and songs
by the Beatles and The Beach
Boys (the poster boys of sum-
mer), and a hippie dippy sur-
prise when two chorister flower
children did a rendition of Janis
Joplin’s “Mercedes Benz.”
The chorus sang together and
harmoniously on such numbers
as Robert Burns’s ode to
l’amour as a red red rose, clan-
destine l’amour “Under the
Boardwalk,” and Gershwin’s
classic, “Summertime.”
Several members were fea-
tured as soloists and in ensem-
bles.
Songs were a cappella or
accompanied, sometimes by
local pianist Rhianna Haines
and sometimes by esteemed
chorus director and accom-
plished musician Jennifer
Weier.
Haines’s solo, “Bumble
Boogie,” stung so fast the honey
flowed in sweet proliferation,
and Weier’s thoughtful solo
explored the emotions, rooms
and ghosts in that house in the
Big Easy.
Perhaps the church was offer-
ing the musical rites of spring
that weekend because on
Saturday afternoon prior to the
choral song fest, the Pacific
Coast Wind Ensemble was there
to blow the seasonal strains in
what many said was a fine per-
formance.
Whether we yearn for yester-
year’s “Age of Aquarius” of
peace, love and understanding,
or hope it may someday come to
pass, spring 2017 has sprung at
last, and it won’t be long before
everything’s coming up rhodies.
“Sing, Sing, Sing” ... but
that’s another song.
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Florence Garden Club hosts annual
plant sale at Senior Center Saturday
The Florence Garden Club is
pleased to announce their
annual Plant Sale and
Marketplace, will be held in a
brand new location on
Saturday, May 13, at the
Florence Senior Center.
The new venue allows space
for plants, a silent auction, raf-
fle and now education.
OSU Extension Service
Master Gardeners and repre-
sentatives from Central Coast
Beekeepers Association will
be on hand to answer your
questions. The event is hon-
ored that both groups have
offered their expertise to this
annual event.
The Marketplace, also new
this year, will feature garden
art, repurposed items, hand-
made cards, etc.
It’s also perfect timing for
Mother’s Day gifts.
The Secret Garden silent
auction will offer some unique
and very special items that are
sure to draw bidding interest.
A willow garden “bench,” a
handmade quilt and a rustique
orb made from wine barrel
rings will be auctioned off to
the highest bidder.
Sharpen your pencils, bid
high, bid fast and bid often.
The merchants of Florence
have once again supplied over
50 great items to be raffled off
the day of The Plant Sale.
Purchase raffle tickets at the
door.
Winners will be chosen the
same day and need not be
present to win.
“All proceeds go to the
Garden Club’s scholarships
fund. We are excited that so
many students are considering
furthering their education in
our field. We aren’t just about
growing plants, we are grow-
ing our kid’s futures as well”,
says publicity chair, Marsha
Horner.
Be there early for the best
selection. Cash and local
!
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Discover
Beijing Shanghai
Suzhou Hangzhou
10 Day Trip
COURTESY PHOTO
This garden bench is just one of the items available at the
’Silent Auction’ being held at the FEC on May 13, for the
Florence Garden Club’s scholarship fundraiser.
checks are accepted.
Attendees are encouraged to
bring boxes and trays for their
purchases.
Florence Senior Center is at
1570 Kingwood.
The sale hours are from 9
a.m. to 1 p.m.
30th Annual
SPRING
RHODODENDRON SALE
MAY 14th - MAY 21st
$2,099
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An orientation meeting will be held Wednesday, May 17, 2017,
5:30-7:00 p.m. At Cottage Grove Chamber of Commerce,
700 E. Gibbs Ave. Cottage Grove, OR 97424
Please call chamber for details Phone: 541-942-2411
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Rhododendrons
$13/plant or $130/dozen
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Evergreen Azaleas
$7/plant or $70/dozen
Japanese Maples
5 gallon size, $35/tree
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Open 9-4 daily
6924 Hwy. 38 West, Drain
4 miles east of Elkton Tunnel
Cottage Grove Area Chamber of Commerce
700 E. Gibbs Ave., www.cgchamber.com
541-942-2411