Lady Beetles and Their Use as Biological Pest Control Agents by Dr. Susan Bjornson. Biological pest control involves the use of natural enemies (predators, pathogens, and parasitoids) for controlling agricultural pests. Although biological control was first practiced in 4th-century China, the earliest, most spectacular success was recorded in California. This case involved the use of an Australian lady beetle for control of a scale insect on California citrus. Other lady beetle species have since been used for pest control on various horticultural crops and their efficacy has led to the ongoing practice of using lady beetles for pest control on agricultural crops and in home gardens. This presentation will focus on the history of biological pest control, the practice of using of lady beetles for controlling crop pests, and the ecological implications associated with using lady beetles and other natural enemies for pest control.

Dr Susan Bjornson is an invertebrate pathologist in the Department of Biology, Saint Mary’s University. She earned a Diploma of Horticulture (Olds College), followed by a BSc (Honours) in Environmental Biology (University of Guelph) and PhD in Entomology (University of Alberta). Her early research focused on biological pest control in horticultural crops. Her current research program involves the study of invertebrate pathogens that cause chronic disease in beneficial insects that are used for biological pest control.

Monday, May 21, 2012 – Historic Hants County. This is a field trip from the Nova Scotia Bird Society. Suzanne Borkowski 445-2922 E-mail: suzanneborkowski@yahoo.ca will lead this trip which will start at 8:00 a.m. in the parking lot of Mount Uniacke Estate Park. (Those wishing to carpool should meet at the Wolfville Waterfront and leave by 7:00 am to ensure they arrive on time.) The main gate will be locked, but the 2nd gate (coming from Halifax) will be open. The trip will start by exploring some of the grounds at Mt. Uniacke then continue along back-country roads through Hants County. Bring a lunch to be enjoyed at Smileys Park. No rain date.

Saturday, May 19, 2012 – Blomidon Provincial Park. Jim Wolford (902 542-9204, jimwolford@eastlink.ca) will lead a walk from the campground about two kilometers to a seasonal pond that has the very rare and beautiful fairy shrimp. Other pond life, spring plants/flowers, and birds will also be seen. A lookoff toward Five Islands Park, across the Minas Basin, will be visited. BNS members can meet and meet and carpool from the Wolfville Waterfront at 9:15 a.m. or meet Jim at the Blomidon Park registration building at 10:00 a.m.

Saturday, May 19, 2012 – Cape Split Hike 2. This will be a joint trip with the Halifax Field Naturalists. Patrick Kelly (472-2322, patrick.kelly@dal.ca) and Sherman Williams (542–5104, shermwms@eastlink.ca) will lead the trip. There will be interpretive stops along the way. Spring wildflowers and birds should be abundant. This walk requires good footware and people are reminded to stay away from the edge of the cliff. You should bring water with you and a lunch as we usually don’t get to the end of the trail until lunch time. Meet at the Wolfville waterfront at 8:15 a.m. or at the start of the trail in Scott's Bay at 9:00 a.m

The “Bird’s Eye View” program is a new, field-based, citizen science volunteer program to engage bird watchers in the conservation work of the Nova Scotia Nature Trust. The program provides opportunities to get out bird watching on Nature Trust Conservation Lands in order to increase knowledge about the bird species using them. For experienced birders, there will be opportunities to go to properties being considered for protection, and to gather some of the first biological data about these sites. All participants in the program will be contributing to nature conservation in Nova Scotia through citizen science, as well as improving their birding skills. Participation is as simple as visiting one of the Nature Trust’s glorious Conservation Lands, spotting birds and recording the species seen and which habitats they are using, and entering findings online. To find out more about the program, visit the program website (http://www.nsnt.ca/birdseyeview) or contact the program coordinator, Karen McKendry, at Karen[at]nsnt.ca.

For a list of NSNT properties in the Valley area see http://nsnt.nature1st.net