Those little blue butterflies

This time of year we often have people asking us about the little blue butterflies they see nectaring at the milk vetch in the Sanctuary. The good news for a non-specialist like me is that I can honestly tell you that they are Blues.

Blues are members of the subfamily Polyommatinae, which consists of... well, little blue butterflies.


The bad news for a non-specialist like me is that are several different species of little blue butterflies found in our area.


However, based on the time of year, the pattern of spots I see on the ventral (under) side of the wings, and a cruise through my Alberta Butterflies book I'm going to tentatively hazard a guess that these particular little blue butterflies are Silvery Blues (Glaucopsyche lygdamus). This particular Blue was a male. Female Blues are generally much less blue.

If any of you true butterfly people out there can correct my identification, please don't hesitate to leave a comment below.


On the non-butterfly side of things, I noticed that our Bladderworts are in full flower. Excuse the poor photo -- they were sort of hard to get to.

Bladderworts are interesting aquatic plants that float just below the surface most of the time, but hold their flowers up out of the water. They float with the help of little bladders (that's the origin of the unusual name of the plant) which also function as traps for small aquatic invertebrates. Yes, these lovely yellow flowers belong to a carnivore.

Imagining Head Smashed in Buffalo Jump-presentation by Jack Brink

1.Imagining Head Smashed In by Jack Brink

Jack will be at the Kerry Wood nature Centre On Sunday, July19 at 2:00pm for a presentaion on the Head Smashed in Buffalo Jump and for a book signing. Everyone welcome - no admission

For thousand of years , Aboriginal hunters on the North American Plains used their knowledge of the land and of buffalo behaviour to drive their quarry over cliffs. Jack Brink is the curator of Achaelogy at the Royal Albereta Museum His book is a major study of the mass buffalo hunts and the culture they supported before and after European contact –Available at Fort Normandeau & KWNC $36.95

We are a Leader in Renewable Energy

The Kerry Wood Nature Centre has just been recognized by ENMAX Corporation as a consumer of renewable power. In 2008, the Nature Centre consumed 58,270 kW/h of electricity generated through the ENMAX Green Max program - largely from wind-generated power. 

One the power generation side, we are creating electricity through a photo-voltaic system. There are currently 40 solar panels on the roof of the Nature Centre, tied to two of our four installed inverters. The Centre’s solar-power consultant is currently sourcing another 20 panels. They should be installed by the end of 2009. The system has capacity for 80 panels. We are currently fundraising for an estimated $15,000 for the remaining 20 panels.

The PV system supplements the electricity coming in from the grid, ensuring we get some of our power from a renewable, non-carbon-based source. Click here for an up-to-date snap shot of how much power we are generating for ourselves.

When the phase one of the grid-tied PV system was installed in 2004 it was the first of its kind in the area. Gordon Howell of Howell Mayhew Engineering and The City of Red Deer’s Electric Light and Power department worked together to build a framework that would allow others to install similar systems, giving rise to the Net Zero homes in Red Deer’s newer subdivisions

Monday Morning Visitor

This Red Tailed Hawk paid us a visit this morning. The tree he's sitting in provides an excellent perch to look out over the wildflower gardens and the surrounding grasslands. There are lots of Richardson's Ground Squirrels for hungry hawks to feed on, in the area surrounding the Nature Centre.

Find Us On Facebook

I'll be posting this link in the nav bars over to the right side of the screen. However, the Nature Centre now has a Facebook group.

Find it by clicking this link. It's an open group. Anyone can join. It's another great way to keep on top of what we've got going on, and how to connect with environmental education activities in our community.

French Daycamps

The Nature Centre and the ACFA are co-hosting two nature-based, French-language day camps this summer. Email us or phone us at 403-346-2010 for more information.

Spring Gardening

Today's snowfall aside, we've definitely hit the time of year where those with gardens and yards are in the middle of cleaning up after the winter and preparing for spring planting.

It's also a good time to plan some eco-friendly changes to the way you garden. For instance, every garden should have a rain barrel. It's a good way to cut down on the waste of treated water, as well as a way to save yourself some money on your monthly utility bill. If you're looking for a good rain barrel, the Nature Centre carries City of Red Deer approved barrels for $70.

Also on the subject of gardens, coming up in May we have the annual Perennial Plant Share, co-sponsored by the Red Deer Garden Club. The plant share is on May 23, 2009, with plant drop-off from 11 am - 1 pm and plant sales from 1 - 3 pm. All plants should be labelled with the plant name, height, spread, colour, sun/shade preference, and approximate blooming time. For more information and a list of invasive/weedy plants that will not be accepted for sharing, call us at the Nature Centre (403-346-2010) or check out the Red Deer Garden Club's website here.

Martin Reynolds saw this garter snake east of Red Deer on Sunday, April 5th.

After a several-year absence, Kerry Wood is hanging around the front of the Nature Centre again! (Sorry, bad joke: we have re-installed the photo of Mr. Wood by our entrance once again. The previous photo/sign was stolen, and hopefully, by now, the kids who did it are either in jail, grown up or moved away!)