Observations: September 24, 2000 Time: 2:15 pm Weather: Cloudy, drizzle

A Watery View of the Saltmarsh The saltmarsh is lush and green in late summer. Many land mammals such as deer and raccoons are frequent visitors to this rich ecosystem. Saltmarshes are complex environments although much of what makes the saltmarsh so important is hidden from view under the tidal water that flows in and out twice daily. A large tidal channel snakes up through the park's marsh. Smaller channels break off from the main one. As the tide rises, this network of waterways takes the Bay of Fundy salt water to every corner of the marsh. The water provides nutrients for plants to grow and allows marine animals to move around the marsh. Twice every month tides that relate to the moon, not the season, flood the marsh completely. Many species of fish and shellfish use saltmarshes as nursery grounds during the high tides. As the flood tide recedes, plant material is swept out to the Bay. Large numbers of fish, invertebrates and marine mammals congregate near the edge of saltmarshes where food is abundant. The health and productivity of the Bay is linked to the saltmarshes.

Asters Abound! Looking along the trails and roadside in the fall, you may spot at least a half dozen of the 20 or more species of asters in New Brunswick. One of the more showy species is called the New England Aster (Aster novae-angliae). Gardeners also call this the Michaelmas daisy, since it still flowers on September 29, Michaelmas Day. Averaging 40 - 60 cm in height (16 - 20 inches) these purple wildflowers have hairy, reddish-purple stems and alternatively-spaced leaves that clasp around the stem. Each flower is, in fact, a large group of petal-like florettes. The New England aster with more than 40 petals (florettes) is really a cluster of more than 40 flowers. This late-flowering plant is important to our area as it provides bees, butterflies and other insects with pre-winter nectar. The Asteracea family is the second largest family of flowering plants, after Orchids, with over 13,000 species world-wide. Botanists attribute this plant's success to the fact it produces so many flowers (and seeds) from one plant. The Asteracea family includes sunflowers, burdocks, coneflowers and dandelions.

Tiger swallowtail butterfly A tiger swallowtail butterfly (Papilio glaucas var. canadensis) is feeding on the nectar of the late blooming aster. By this late in the year, she will have already laid her eggs and watched them develop through a number of catepillar stages with her young attempting to hibernate in the pupa stage. These dark brown paper-like bags (chrysaids) are attached to the Park's pin cherry and poplar trees by a silken belt. New swallowtail butterlies will emerge fom these bags next June.

The Naturalist's Notebook is a regular publication. If you have any questions or topics that you would like to see addressed, please call John Gilbert, Manager, Fish and Wildlife, J.D. Irving, Limited, (506) 632-7777 or email honeyman.kelly@jdirving.com