Hello Everyone

This past week marks a couple of Monarch firsts for the 2010 season. As many of you know the end of August is the start of the Monarch season. If you’ve come by the Visitor Centre in the past couple of weeks you may have noticed that our Monarch tank has been in full swing with up to 15 caterpillars at one time. I’m happy to say that the first of the chrysalises has successfully hatched into a handsome male Monarch Butterfly. The other first was of course our first tagged butterfly at the park. The butterfly tags arrived this past Wednesday and we wasted no time. Emily Slavik had the honour of the first tag this year, by tagging a male while showing some visitors how and why we tag butterflies.

Tagged Monarch Butterfly

As much as I enjoy the Monarch season, it does bring a twinge of sadness. Monarch tagging means the summer is coming to a close. The days are noticeably shorter, the summer staff are starting to say their goodbyes and the summer is turning into a fond memory. But summer isn’t the only thing saying goodbye. As August leaves, so must I. I’m taking a leave of absence from Rondeau to go and spend the next 8 months away at Teacher’s College. I’ve had another amazing summer here at the park, met some great people, participated in some great programs and have made many wonderful memories to carry me through until I return next June. I like to say thank you to all the amazing visitors and the awesome staff the made this my best summer here.

Me saying good-bye from a tree

But I can’t say goodbye without giving one last creature feature that leaves a lingering impression. And nothing lingers like the sweet, delicate smell of skunk musk. Even their scientific name Mephitis mephitis pays homage to their fragrant nature by translating into “the smell, the smell”. Skunks get the reputation of spraying their stench at the slightest of provocation, but this is simply not true. It takes the skunk energy and time to refill depleted scent glands so the less they spray, the better for them. On top of that, they don’t like the smell any more than we do so they only use this mighty defensive weapon as a last resort.

Striped Skunk

Skunks will give you plenty of warning before spraying. The first thing they will do if you approach too closely is grunt and stomp their feet on the ground. This is skunk-ese for “don’t come any closer”. If you mistake the skunk’s meaning and continue to approach they will turn their body into a U-shape with both their head and rear end pointing at you. This means “GO AWAY NOW!!” Of course, if you don’t follow this blatant body language don’t be surprised if no one wants to come anywhere near you for the next few weeks. The mechanics of the spray are fascinating in their own right. There are two glands that each squirt out a stream of oily, yellow-green fluid. About a foot behind the skunk the two streams collide in mid-air and turn into a nauseating mist. When the skunk sprays, they are typically aiming for the assailant’s eyes. If the mist gets into your eyes it can cause burning blindness for 15-20 minutes, which is more than enough time for the skunk to make an escape.

Getting ready to spray

Don’t fear that your Rondeau Events update is at an end. Laura Penner is graciously taken over as writer in chief. I hope to see you all next summer. Until then, have a fabulous year.

Fragrantly Yours
Kip