July 10

MUSIC: Fri., July 10, Old Time Fiddlers, Thompson UM Church, 8:00 PM, All are welcome.

July 16

PICNIC: Fri., July 16, Susquehanna County Council of Republican Women’s Annual Picnic, Green Gables, New Milford, 5:30 PM, For more info call 570-561-8188.

July 17

MUSIC: Fri., July 17, Soul Fire, 6:30 PM, featuring a chicken bbq at 6:00 pm, New Milford Movie and Music in the Park at the gazebo in Midtown Park.

CRUISE IN: Fri., July 17, Cruise In, 5:00 – 8:00 PM, UM Community Church, Great Bend, Anything with wheels are welcome,

July 18

LUNCH: Sat., July 18, Good News Lunch, Noon, St. Marks Church, Free Meal.

Mon., July 13: cheeseburger, potato salad, broccoli slaw, ww roll, citrus gelatin.

Tues., July 14: lemon pepper chicken, parslied potatoes, zucchini & summer squash, ww roll, fruit & yogurt.

Wed., July 15: hot open face turkey sandwich, mashed potatoes, peas & pearl onions, ww bread, fruit cocktail.

Thurs., July 16: beef stroganoff, buttered noodles, mixed vegetables, melba toast, melon chunks.

Fri., July 17: chicken philly sandwich on ww roll, tomato basil soup, mixed greens salad, rice krispie treat.

A warm summer afternoon is an excellent time to search open fields and cool streamsides for signs of insects. On Saturday, July 11, at 10 AM, entomologist Rob Anderson will lead a walk through Florence Shelly Wetlands Preserve, Thompson, PA, to discover the short, busy lives of the insects that make specific areas of this diverse landscape their home.

We will begin in the preserve parking lot, where Anderson will explain to participants how to identify Lyme ticks from other kinds of ticks, how to prevent them from biting and what to do if you do find one on your skin.

We will then follow the preserve’s gently winding trails through woodlands and wetlands, looking for signs of insects as we go. At Black Spruce Stream, we’ll pause to turn over stones and look for insects, as we conduct what entomologists call the EPT test: a search for three orders of insects: Ephemoptera (Latin for “living for a day,” or mayflies), Plecoptera (“wicker wings,” stoneflies), and Tricoptera (“hairy wings,” caddisflies). The presence, or absence of these insects provides substantial evidence of the health of the stream.

In the broad, open meadow that borders the stream, we’ll use sweep nets to capture and examine grasshoppers, crickets, damsel- and dragonflies, and butterflies, before letting them go.

Anderson will describe how to distinguish insects from “true bugs,” which have piercing, sucking mouth parts that they keep retracted behind their heads until they are ready to eat. He will also talk about the danger that many pollinators are currently facing because of pesticides, habitat destruction, and, in the case of honeybees, the still mysterious phenomenon known as “colony collapse.”

 Rob Anderson received a BA in biology in1995 from Stockton State College and another BA in 1997 in secondary education for science. He earned his Masters Degree in medical etymology at the University of Delaware and his Ph.D. from Penn State. He has taught middle school science and currently teaches etymology at Rowan University.

This insect walk is the fourth in the Florence Shelly Wetlands Preserve’s 2015 series of monthly guided walks with local naturalists. Upcoming walks will focus on herbs (August 16 with Peeka Trenkle), and trees (September 13 with Hank Hartman).

The insect walk will begin at 10 AM at the preserve parking lot, one mile north of Thompson on Route 171, where Stack Road intersects. The trails are uneven and may be wet, so wear protective footwear. If you would like to wade into the stream to examine insects up close, bring waterproof shoes. Long pants are recommended. The walk is free and you don’t have to make a reservation. For further information, contact Andy Gardner, 570-727-3362.

The Pennsylvania Association of Retired State Employees (PARSE), Endless Mountains Chapter, met at the Elk Lake Susquehanna County American Legion on June 9, 2015. A delicious lunch was served to members and guests.

PARSE Northeast Region Vice President Tom O’Neill reported on the State PARSE meeting, which dealt with the revisions to the State By-Laws, as well as the information affecting members.

Endless Mountain Chapter President Bill Hector, who all attended the State meeting advised the group of additional changes. He also announced that State Lobbyist Lynn Herman had resigned to take another position. Mr. Herman’s replacement has not been named. Mr. Hector also announced there will be an election of new officers at the October meeting. He asked that any member who would like to be an officer should contact him or their county vice president.

The next meeting will be held on July 14, at Green Gables, New Milford, for the annual chicken bbq. Members and guests are welcome. Reservations should be made with members’ county vice president John Benio (Susquehanna County) at 570-278-2380.