by Chris Earley

It's getting to be peak insect viewing season, so I thought I'd do a quiz on some major groups of insects. Most of the insects groupings that are well known are the "Orders." Can you figure out what some of these insects are? See below for the answers and what order the insect is in.

by Ric Jordan, Manager

Brief historical background – farm boy from Kent County, came to Guelph in 1969 for school and although I didn’t know I was to remain in Guelph somehow knew I wasn’t going back to the flatlands of Kent County. After starting out in Aggies I spent some time away from school but came back to obtain my degree in Geography.

My association with The Arb started officially in May 1975 as a grounds person for the summer season and it continued with short breaks until February of 1978 when I was fortunate enough to be brought on board as a fulltime equipment operator by then director R. J. ‘Doc’ Hilton. Obviously many changes have occurred on the grounds and in collections since that time and my responsibilities have changed over time as well. Today position titles mean little to the staff as we all seem to carry out a multitude of tasks in varying capacities but that is what makes The Arb so unique and a great place to work. However over the years since being equipment operator I have filled the roles of lead hand, manager of physical resources and publicity, supervisor of grounds and now manager. Key responsibilities are the day to day operations of the department, liaising with campus and off-campus units and ensuring that the staff are equipped to handle the variety of tasks we take on.  Read More.



Ric Jordan

As friends of the Arboretum will no doubt already know, Alan Watson has stepped down from his post as Director after 20 years of outstanding service. Effective July 1st, Jonathan Newman was appointed as the new Interim Director, for a period of one year, while The University goes through a formal process of selecting the next permanent Director. Jonathan is currently the founding Director of the School of Environmental Sciences at the University of Guelph. Prior to that he served as Chair of the Department of Environmental Biology. Jonathan has held previous academic posts at Southern Illinois University in the U.S., and at Oxford University in England. His research focuses on the biological impacts of climate change, the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem function, and on the impact of invasive species. He is an editor for both the Journal of Animal Ecology and for the Journal of Ecology, and he is the lead author of a recently published book titled Climate Change Biology (2011, CABI Press). During this year, Jonathan’s priorities are to continue to focus on the core missions of the Arboretum in supporting teaching, research and service to the scientific community, and to the public.

by Jonathan Newman

Dear Friends of the Arboretum,

It is my great pleasure to take up my new role as Interim Director. I want to thank Alan Watson for his many years of service and dedication to The Arboretum, and for helping me transition into my new role. The Arboretum is a special place, and I am excited to be a part of it! While I have already met most of the permanent staff, I have yet to meet the many volunteers upon whom we depend. I hope to have the opportunity to meet them all, and to thank them personally for all they do!

Because I am doing this job in addition to my regular position as Director of the School of Environmental Sciences, I will be doing a lot of Arboretum work from my office on campus. However, I will be spending Wednesday mornings working out of the Arboretum Centre. I am happy to meet with anyone. Wednesday mornings will be a good time to just drop by and catch me, but otherwise I am available on the main campus. Please contact my personal assistant, Jo-Anne Scarrow (ext. 52661) for an appointment.

I am genuinely looking forward to the next 12 months. Although this will be a challenge, it is one I am happy to take on because I believe in the mission of The Arboretum, and I am always excited to work with others who feel a strong sense of pride in what they do. The Arboretum staff are certainly passionate about what they do, and that feeling is infectious!

Jonathan Newman
Director (Interim)
University Arboretum

Jonathan Newman

For the months of June, July and August 2012 we are once again having Wednesday Evening Walks that begin at 7 p.m. at the J.C. Taylor Centre. These 1 ½ hour walks will be on a different topic each week and are $2 / person (children under 5 are free). Below is a schedule for the next few weeks. The complete schedule can be found on our website.

July 18 - Aerial Predators- The Dragonflies and Damselflies of The Arboretum
Let’s take a closer look at the amazing diversity of dragons and damsels we have here at The Arboretum. Amazing in flight these prehistoric predators have been flying since before the dinosaurs, we will investigate why they have done so well.

July 25 - Monarchs- An Adventure Story
Long travels, many dangers, even another species pretending to be you! Let’s get specific on why Ontario’s best known butterfly is so cool! We will walk through The Arboretum looking for all the stages of life of this daring insect.

August 1- Slimy vs. Scaly– The Herptiles of The Arboretum
There are Reptiles and Amphibians here at The Arboretum. Who do you know more about; Snakes and Turtles or Frogs and Salamanders? We will work to together to answer questions that will lead us through the grounds to find the habitats for these super cool critters.

August 8 - Don’t Eat Me! - How do plants defend themselves?
It’s a buffet out there and some plants are really good at making sure they are not on the menu! Let’s wander The Arboretum and see who is a champion defender against all the plant-eating critters out there.

August 15 - Snap Shots - Nature Photography in The Arboretum
Explore the beauty of The Arboretum through the camera lens. Special guest naturalist and nature photographer Kyle Horner will teach us how to get nature in focus. Make sure to bring your camera!

August 22 - Taking Time for the Little Guys - Starting an Insect Collection
Our world is full of bugs whether you like it or not, so why not love it! We will figure out where and how to find some of the fantastic and beautiful insects that call Ontario home. We will also talk about the two major ways to start your own insect collection: pinning or photographing.

August 29 - Surviving the Elements - You’re lost in the woods?
Take hints from the animals! Many survival strategies used by people came from animals. We will explore the world of wilderness survival by investigating how all the critters around us survive.

Although it definitely doesn't look or feel like Christmas outside, it is time to think about booking your company's Christmas Party. The Arboretum is a perfect location for your Christmas party. We can accommodate up to 150 people for lunches or dinners with a picturesque view of The Arboretum grounds. We still have some good dates available … book soon before they are gone. For further information please contact Barb Watson – Ash, Marketing and Bookings Co-ordinator at extension 54110, [log in to unmask] or check out our website. All catering is provided by Hospitality Services, University of Guelph. For further information on the catering please call extension 53350 or e-mail [log in to unmask].

Ever wonder who is visiting your feeder or what that dragonfly might be called? How about identifying that pretty flower in the woods or who left those tracks? To increase awareness of local wildlife, The Arboretum has put together five booklets to help you and your family connect with nature. Spring Woodland Wildflowers of The Arboretum features the showy forest flowers of May. Mammals of the Arboretum not only shows what furry animals might be in your neighbourhood, but what tracks they leave. Feeder Birds of the Arboretum covers winter birds that you might find in your backyard and Summer Garden Birds covers summer birds that you might find in your backyard. Dragonflies of The Arboretum shows the diversity of these mosquito eaters and helps you learn how to identify dragonflies. The booklets are $8 each including tax.

We also have 11 inch by 11 inch replicas of the Wildlife Crossing signs that are on the roads surrounding The Arboretum. There are 10 different designs. These would look terrific in your yard, at your cottage or on your favourite student's bedroom wall. The signs are $10 including tax.

For anyone who enjoys sketching or if you want an interesting book for note-taking we still have copies of our Arboretum Nature Journal available as well. These are $10 each including tax.

Further information on the booklets, signs and journal is available on our website. To purchase any of the above please contact Bev Healy at 519-824-4120 ext. 52358 or [log in to unmask].

Mark your calendar … The Arboretum Auxiliary Plant Sale is on Saturday, September 8, 2012 from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m..

Hawk, Medicinal Plants, Growing Native Woody Plants from Seed, Shrub Identification, Tree Identification, STARboretum and Mushroom workshops are all approaching. The dates and registration deadlines can be found in our Coming Events listing in the column on the left side of this newsletter. A detailed description of each course is available on our website. Help us promote our programs … please forward this e-mail on to your friends and colleagues who may be interested. The more participants we have, the more programs we can offer.

For further information and / or to register please call Bev Healy at 519-824-4120 ext. 52358 or [log in to unmask]. Please note that a decision is made on the registration deadline as to whether the workshop will run or not, based on the minimum number of required registrants. You may still register after the deadline as long as the workshop is running and there is space.

James McGarry takes lots of photos here at The Arboretum. You can see his shots on his flickr site at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/41453183@N05/. One shot that he took recently ended up being our first record of an American Snout Butterfly! This butterfly usually occurs farther south than here but some have been showing up in various places in southern Ontario this year. Its caterpillars eat hackberry, which we have here in The Arboretum collections, so hopefully it will stick around. Other sightings include a Snapping Turtle laying its eggs (see the photo of Bryna moving it off the road - note: don't pick up a snapping turtle unless you know how!), a Wood Frog in the Arboretum Centre reflecting pool and some cool moths coming to our lights. As well, 3 of our 4 cactus species have been blooming in the World of Trees collection and the blooms are spectacular!

 
American Snout Butterfly
photo by James McGarry

 
Bryna with a Snapping Turtle
photo by Chris Earley

Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia phaeacantha)
photo by Chris Earley

Be a part of the BetterPlanet Project by donating on-line:
Your donation can be directed to The Arboretum online through the secure University of Guelph The BetterPlanet Project site! Follow these easy steps:

• Follow this link http://www.thebetterplanetproject.ca/bpp_donate_2.html
• Choose your type of gift "-One-time gift-", "-Sustaining gift-", or "-Tribute Giving-"
• On the drop down menu "-Choose a Program-" select Arboretum" and fill in the amount of your donation
• Click Calculate
• Fill in your personal information

It's that easy!

If you prefer not to make an online donation, there are several other ways to provide your financial support. You can choose to donate by telephone, mail, fax, or in person:

UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH Attention Alumni Affairs 50 Stone Road East Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1 Tel: 1-888-266-3108 ext. 56934 Tel: 519-824-4120 ext. 56934 Fax: 519-822-2670 Email: [log in to unmask]

Please identify The Arboretum as the focus of your donation. If you would like information on bequests and planned giving to The Arboretum please contact:

Ross Butler
Director, Gift Planning
at (519) 824-4120 ext. 56196 or by e-mail at [log in to unmask]