Our speakers for our summer
meetings have had a common
theme—dark skies and the
benefits of natural lighting.
In June, Cindy Luongo Cassi-
dy, from International Dark
Skies Texas, shared infor-
mation about the need for
natural darkness and how
increased lighting impacts
sleep, reproduction of animals
such as turtles and pollinators,
and even illness. She provided
useful suggestions to help us
help our communities and
encouraged us to participate
in next year’s Texas Night Sky
Festival.
In July, Matt Lara, from the
Hill Country Alliance, high-
lighted the following big
concerns: sky glow, glare,
light trespass, and color
temp/spectrum. He shared
AMA recommendations that
we avoid blue lights, since
the disruption of sleep pat-
terns on humans and wildlife
is well noted, and disease is
being linked with sleep dis-
turbances. He also explained
DOE’s standardized label
information.
Both speakers urged us to
learn more and get involved.
Dark Skies: How Lighting Affects Us
From the President
I hope you are enjoying some
summer fun in the sun or trying
to stay cool by the pool. As fall
approaches I want you all to
start considering what type of
volunteer work you might like to
pursue. Check out a project or
two. Our chapter has some ex-
citing projects underway, and
your help is needed!
The first one I want to tell you
about is the ongoing Preserve
Trail Project led by Kenneth and
Amanda. This project will have
you working hard at clearing
trails, moving rocks, bridges and
whatever else you may find.
There are other trail projects to
get involved in, as well. Jen
Weaver is leading the Creation
Connection Trail Project, in
which she is designing a new
public trail on the Concordia
grounds. She is in need of a spe-
cies lists and general marketing
of the trail. Contact Jen or Dr.
Whitehead to learn how to get
involved.
Due to the success of this year’s
Earth Day Celebration, we will
begin on the next Earth Fair and
Festival. This one will require a
lot of emailing and general or-
ganizing. I am project lead on
this one if you would like to join
me so please let me know.
Lastly, our newest project is the
Arbor Project led by Theresa.
The goal: to certify Concordia
as an official arbor. If you en-
joy identifying plants and trees,
then this is the project for you!
If none of these satisfy your
volunteer itch, remember you
can always start your own pro-
ject. Simply fill out the form
online and send it to John (the
Volunteer Service Superman).
With all these new and exciting
projects we will be starting on
in the fall, I almost want sum-
mer to be over... almost.
— Kaitlyn Rodriguez
B a l c o n e s C a n y o n l a n d s C h a p t e r a t C o n c o r d i a U n i v e r s i t y T X S u m m e r , 2 0 1 6
Save the Date!
08/9/16—Chapter Meeting at Concordia 08/15/16—Registration Dead-line 09/8/16—New Class Begins 09/13/16—Chapter Meeting at Concordia
Dark Skies 1
From the President 1
Waller Creek Project
Update
2
Fun Facts About Arma-
dillos
2
Cochineal—An Insect to
Dye For?
3
Salamanders at Work:
Walnut Creek Park
4
Apps for Nature Enthu-
siasts
4
Native Plant Highlight 5
Annual Meeting 6
Officers & Committee
Heads
6
Inside this issue:
Milky Way—Texas, from the
Hill Country Alliance
Fun Facts About: Armadillos
Many of you have probably
heard about the Waller Creek
Conservancy project. As a
member of the Waller Creek
Conservancy board, I wanted
to provide you with an update.
Waller Creek, located in the
urban corridor of downtown
Austin, is undergoing a revital-
ization that will transform the
city’s urban experience
through a district of activated
park spaces. After decades of
neglect, extreme flooding, and
uneven development, the Wal-
ler Creek Conservancy, in part-
nership with the City of Austin,
is working to restore Waller
Creek. Once complete, the pro-
ject will represent the largest
urban restoration of its kind in
the nation. Running from Wa-
terloo Park, at 15th Street, to
Lady Bird Lake, the one-and-a-
half-mile stretch of green space
will include more than 37-acres
of urban parks, along with
three miles of hike-and-bike
trails.
The Conservancy is creating
renewed interest in Waller
Creek through free music and
art programs, nature and creek
exploration, activities for fam-
ilies and children, and creek
clean-ups.
A critical first step to the revi-
talization of Waller Creek
includes restoring the natural
biodiversity of the creek by
removing invasive species,
such as Giant Reed (Arundo
donax), allowing room for
new, diversified vegetated
landscapes that will stabilize
creek banks, improve water
quality, and create a healthier
habitat for wildlife.
Texas Master Naturalist vol-
unteer efforts will be critical
in treating and managing in-
vasive species along the creek.
We invite you to join the mis-
sion and get involved this fall
as we launch an invasive spe-
cies removal program at the
Waller Delta at Lady Bird
Lake.
To find out more about Waller
Creek and how you can get
involved, visit us on social
media or at wallercreek.org. —Chris Mattsson
Waller Creek Conservancy Project Update
Canyonlands Chronicle Volume 2, Issue 4
Page 2
“Texas Master Naturalist
volunteer efforts will be
critical in treating and
managing invasive species
along the creek.”
Armadillos weight between 8-17 pounds and can be around 30 inches long
They have 9 movable bands across the back; the tail is covered with a series of overlapping
rings
Armadillos have 1 litter per year in March or April
Litters consist of quadruplet babies of the same sex
Their feet are well-adapted to digging, and they use them to dig burrows and dig for food
Armadillos have poor eyesight, but a keen sense of smell, and they are good swimmers
Although they can mess up lawns, they are considered beneficial due to the fact they eat in-
sects and other invertebrates —especially grubs
Reference and Photo:
Armadillos, Texas A&M
AgriLife Extension
Each spring, for the past few
years, I have noticed some odd
white growth on our Prickly
Pear cactus. It looks similar to
a fuzzy mold. A little bit of
investigation turned up a ra-
ther interesting cause. The
‘mold’ was actually a waxy
coating secreted by a scale
insect, Dactylopius coccus.
The scale insect, also known
as cochineal, colonizes the
pads of the prickly pear cac-
tus, Opuntia spp. The female
and male have quite different
patterns of development. The
male goes through five instar
phases with the last adult
stage quite short, lasting only
a day or two. It is at this stage
that the males have wings.
Adult males are unable to feed
and spend their limited time
focused on mating. Females
live longer and experience
only three instar phases. The
first stage is considered
‘crawler’ stage, and it is at this
point the insect can disperse
to another plant by using spun
filament to parachute to an-
other location with the wind’s
help, or by hitchhiking on
animals such as birds.
As the insect progresses
through the next two instars
she loses her primitive legs
and once she settles into her
spot on the prickly pear, in-
serting her probiscal mouth,
she is sessile for life. It is no
surprise that the later stages
of the female show no eyes,
legs or antennae, as her sed-
entary life doesn’t require
them. She does however, ex-
ude a waxy white coating
which helps protect her from
ladybugs and prevents dehy-
dration.
The larval and adult female
forms are almost identical (a
condition known as neote-
ny). The cochineal spend
their lives feeding on the juic-
es of the cactus pad. Heavy
infestations can kill smaller
plants. These insects have a
second more interesting de-
fense against predators. They
produce a carminic acid that
deters most predators. A coch-
ineal insect if crushed, pro-
duces a bright crimson dye. It
is this trait that makes these
insects so interesting and
valuable.
Prior to the Spaniards’ arrival
in Mexico, indigenous peoples
used the cochineal as a dye for
their textiles. The red color
was even used to signify royal-
ty in the Inca empire. These
people intentionally farmed
these insects and harvested
them, drying and crushing the
insects to produce the sought-
after dye.
When Spain colo-
nized Mexico and
sent back textiles
dyed from this new
resource, the dye
became much in
demand in Europe. In fact,
the only New World exports
more valuable to Spain were
silver and gold. This was such
a lucrative trade that Spain
had an embargo against ex-
porting the insects and had
the monopoly on the cochineal
trade for 250 years.
Later, as the cochineal were
smuggled out to the Canary
Islands and Australia, and
with the advent of new dyes in
the textile industry, the cochi-
neal trade became less profita-
ble. However, in the past few decades it is enjoying a resurgence
as a safe and sustainable dye, due in part to the discovery that red
dye No.2. and other synthetic dyes were found to be carcinogen-
ic. Carmine, as it is labeled now, is used in makeup, some food
products, textiles, and pharmaceutical products.
It takes approximately 155,000 insects to make a kilogram of
dye. (That is about 70,000 per pound.) In 2005 Peru produced
200 tons! That is a huge number of scale insects.
The next time you have a chance to examine a prickly pear cactus,
take a closer look and see if it is the home for this amazing insect
with its surprising history.
—Cindy Harding-Woodhull Resources used in the writing of this article:
Eol.org
Botgard.ucla.edu
Hillcountrymastergardeners.org
Wikipedia.com
Cochineal—An Insect to Dye For?
Canyonlands Chronicle Volume 2, Issue 4
Page 3
Photo by Donna Walker
I have recently been volun-
teering at Walnut Creek Met-
ropolitan Park, at 12138 N
Lamar Blvd. The park has a
problem with invasive plants,
especially Japanese Le-
gustrum and Japanese Hon-
eysuckle.
I have been learning to girdle
trees and identify which trees
belong and which do not. I
have also been making seed
balls which we can use on
later projects.
Recently, as part of the Austin
It's My Park Day, we worked
with the Austin Ridge Riders
to do some major projects in
the park. They closed off some
trails as part of erosion con-
trol. (Although, intrepid park
attendees removed some
of the branches used to
block trails, so we are defi-
nitely looking for sugges-
tions for this problem!)
I also led a group of chil-
dren to spread seed balls
and plant native plants. I
am enjoying the project,
but it will be a long one!
We are currently looking
for more volunteers to
help make seed balls.
Interested? Contact me: [email protected].
—Stephanie Putnam
Salamanders at Work: Walnut Creek Metro Park
Canyonlands Chronicle Volume 2, Issue 4
Page 4
Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park
Apps for Nature Enthusiasts
A few years ago, nature en-
thusiasts carried heavy field
guides in backpacks. Today,
although we haven’t altogeth-
er abandoned our favorite
field guide, the smartphone
has become an important
informational tool.
Here are a few of the apps you
might want to explore and
take with you on your next
excursion:
iBird – turns your
smartphone into a field guide
for birds with over 900 spe-
cies of birds, and plays bird
songs to help you identify the
birds you see and hear.
Audubon Nature
Guides – mobile field guide
resources for birdwatching
(821 species) and hiking. In-
cludes “Find Birds with
eBird” to locate birds seen
recently around you. Fea-
tures photographs, range
maps, sounds, and the abil-
ity to create life lists and
record sightings.
iTrack Wildlife –
comprehensive digital field
guide filled with hundreds
of track, sign, and animal
photos; precise track draw-
ings; and detailed track
descriptions for 65 mammal
species.
MotionX (GPS) – see
your position and track
anywhere in the world on
fast, live MotionX topo-
graphic and road maps.
Record and save up to 101
tracks, and save up to 500
personal waypoints. View
coordinates in UTM, MGRS,
or Lat/Lon format. Use com-
pass, and post your tracks and
waypoints to share on Face-
book, Twitter, or via email.
Star Walk – an award-
winning interactive astro
guide to the night sky, follow-
ing your every move and la-
beling the stars, constella-
tions, and satellites you point
your smart phone at.
iNaturalist – record
your what you see in nature,
meet other nature lovers, and
contribute to iNaturalist.org,
a social network for natural-
ists.
What’s your favorite app?
Share it in the next newslet-
ter.
—Karen McGraw
Screen shot from the
iTrack Wildlife app
The Agave americana, also
known as the century plant
and maguey, is the largest of
about 200 species of agave. It
stands about 6 feet tall at its
base, which consists of many
large, tough (and deadly
sharp) leaves formed about a
central bowl, each leaf about
six feet long.
Once every decade or so it
performs one of the most
magnificent flowering feats in
the plant kingdom, shooting
up a thick, green stalk 20 or
more feet into the air and pro-
ducing a plethora of green-
yellow flowers that attract
hummingbirds, wasps, bees
and other pollinators.
Then, within a few weeks of
flowering, the entire plant
dies.
It leaves behind a rotting tan-
gle of thick, hard leaves and a
woody stalk, about six inches
in diameter, which eventually
is blown over by the wind. It
also leaves a small army of
“pups” surrounding its base,
which over many years will
grow to the size of its parent
and follow the same striking
life cycle.
The stalk, when it first shoots
out of the center of the plant,
looks exactly like a Texas-
sized asparagus spear, which
is appropriate since they both
are related in the family as-
paragaceae.
The juice of a close cousin of
the Agava americana, Agava
tequilana or blue agave, is
used in the making of mescal
and tequila. The americana
produces a rich and sweet
drink called aguamiel, which
when fermented, the drink
pulque —used by the Aztecs in
religious rituals.
Please be aware that parts of
all agaves are poisonous and
its raw sap can cause painful
burns. Its sharp pointed and
toothed leaves will leave a
nasty wound if brushed
against and its tangled mass is
the perfect hiding place for
snakes.
In addition to the drink, the
stalk, which is strong when
dry, is used as a building ma-
terial, and agave fibers are
made into cloth and rope. The
stalk burns fiercely as kindling
and has a pleasant, spicy
smell.
—Bill Cryer
Note: Much of this infor-
mation was taken from two
references:
Remarkable Plants of
Texas, by Matt Warnock
Turner, University of Tex-
as Press and
Edible and Useful Plants
of Texas and Southwest:
A Practical Guide, by
Delena Tull, University of
Texas Press.
I highly recommend both as
references and browsing.
Native Plant Highlight: Agave
Canyonlands Chronicle Volume 2, Issue 4
Page 5
Illustration drawn by Bill Cryer, using an IPad Pro, Apple Pen-
cil, and Procrete software. The plant itself is in Bandera
County, near Williams Creek. Yellow flowers of the agave,
by Bill Cryer
The Texas Master Naturalist 17th Annual Meet-
ing has been scheduled for October 21-23, 2016,
at La Torretta Lake Resort, Montgomery, Texas.
Eighty-six different presentations and field trips
have been scheduled, with a variety of topics and
speakers from around the state.
There will also be a Silent Auction that is used to
raise funds for the Annual Meeting, beautiful
artwork and photos entered into the annual con-
test, and a wide variety of chapter projects and
materials on display in the project fair.
Last year, our chapter was recognized and There-
sa, Beth, and Maire were awarded special pins
for volunteer service. Karen brought home two
“wins” from the silent auction—dragonfly art and
a wonderful book, Memories from a Hill Country
Garden.
Put the dates on your calendar now, and let’s try to have a big
group in attendance! We will be notified when registration is
open.
Chapter Officers & Committee Heads
Plan Now to Attend the 17th TMN Annual Meeting
Canyonlands Chronicle Volume 2, Issue 4
Page 6
Committee heads:
Training & Membership: Theresa Rooney
Volunteer Service: John Laisy
Advanced Training: Jessie Zehr
Program: Kenneth Sparks
Communications/Newsletter: Karen McGraw
Outreach/Webmaster: Beth Samuelson
Historian: Pete Aranda
Host: Bill Cryer
Student Welfare: Sam Whitehead
Nominating: Maire Cox
Trails: Jen Weaver & Kenneth Sparks
Officers:
Current officers for the Balcones
Canyonlands Chapter at Concordia
University TX are:
Kaitlyn Rodriguez, President
Kenneth Sparks, VP
Cheryl Grayden, Secretary
Jose Rivera, Treasurer
Our mascot: Salam ander
Newsletter masthead: Jessie Zehr
A big “thank you” to our
officers and committee
heads!
Chapter members are encouraged to contribute articles and photos to the newsletter. Let us showcase
your recent activity, favorite native plant, tree, bird or book! Most stories are 125-150 words in length.