September 02, 1982 - Sounds of the NightSECOND SECTION C114rp11t..�UtYllr
Sounds of the Night
Hardly a week goes by when someone
doesn't ask me, "What are you going to
write about this week ?" When I answered
this week that I was going to write about a
wedding, the person looked startled. How
could you write about a wedding and
nature, they didn't seem to go together? I
had thought about writing about the
flowers that the bride carried and the
significance of the corsages the two proud
mothers wore, but a more interesting slant
presented itself as the wedding went on.
As a part of the wedding party, there
was a ringbeaier and a flower girl. Both
did their formal jobs superbly, and in their
finest dress they couldn't have been better.
Yet I had to think if these two tiny tots had
their choice of what they wanted to be
doing on a beautiful day, they would not
have chosen such a formal occasion.
After the ceremony was over and the
reception had started to relax a bit, the
little ones in the party came alive. They
had found a bit of nature and wanted to
present it to the bride and groom. Where
they ever found it, I do not know, but they
came in proud as punch, hands
outstretched, holding a beautiful, big box
turtle. The turtle seemed to be enjoying his
part. His big head and legs were
outstretched with no signs of the usual shy,
withdrawn turtle characteristics. I believe
this was the young people's highlight of the
wedding. They had found the ideal gift for
the bride and Broom, and what could be
better in the minds of the young.
Cool Nights Quiet Night Chorus
As the night wore on, we found ourselves
getting ready to go home. As we stepped
outside the hall, we realized the
temperature was much cooler and there
was a chill in the north wind reminding us
of what was to come. At home, as we
stepped outside the car, there wasn't a
sound to be heard, outside the rustling of
the leaves. This was unusual, for the cool
weather had canceled the usual sound of
the crickets, katydids, locusts and
treefrogs. These were the sounds of late
summer and they were noticeably absent.
All that would be needed to awaken this
quieted chorus of night singers would be
a warmer day and warmer nights:
I can always remember those warm
ft(�E�3 @E
EE', Qmg
August evenings when I was a kid when it
seemed that every tree about me was alive
with their chorus. We always heard them,
but few of us ever saw them. As the years
rolled by, their identity was slowly
revealed. The song of the cricket is
probably the first that we actually get to
see. With a flashlight in hand and a bit of
quiet stalking about the house, one can
usually find this vocal caller in one of the
closets or under the living room couch. But
there are other night callers that are much
more difficult to track down.
The katydid is really a grasshopper that
has taken to the tree tops. It is there the
female lays her eggs, which will winter
over, awaiting next spring for the young to
develop. The katydid is probably one of the
best of all insects as far as camouflage
goes. Its leaf green coloring and veined
wings make it blend in with its
surroundings to such an extent that when I
tried to photograph one recently, it
literally slipped away before my eyes.
Katydids are about an inch to 11 /2 inches in
length and create their song by rubbing
their specially- designed wings together.
It's been said that katydids can be heard
for over a quarter of a mile on a quiet
night, and I believe it's true.
Locusts Spend Life Underground
The locusts or cicadas make the high
pitched buzzing sounds we hear in the
treetops. Their intermittent call goes on
until it sounds as if it had run out of energy.
It's one of our most common night sounds.
The locust spends most of its time in the
ground -- one species for as long as 17
years. It's believed the locusts we have
calling during the summer evenings
belong to a special group that only spend
two years underground, and then not all
together, giving us a continuous year-
HOOP IT UP Driving up and down the court
can really take its toll. Especially
on your feet.
That's why NIKE makes a complete line of basketball
shoes designed for comfort, support and durability. In hi
tops and lo. With hard - gripping outsoles. Canvas, mesh or
full grain leather uppers. For men, women and children.
NIKE Basketball Shoes: It's hard to
imagine a better place to dunk your feet.
Subbins
131 Roanoke Ave.
RIVERHEAD
727 -7763
Back to School
Special
NIKE
"GYM" BAG
reg. $11 $899
RUNNING AHEAD
57 No. Ocean Ave.
PATCHOGUE
289 -9342
September 2, 1982
KATYDID, HEAVY WITH EGGS - -Let the cool wind blow and we don't
hear the katydid. Yet on a warm August night katydids, along with
locusts, tree frogs and crickets, make a variable summer chorus.
Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh
after -year chorus. The locust is different
than the katydid with respect to its song. It
has special internal apparatus that vibrate
to produce the call. But like the katydid
and most other insects, only the males do
the calling.
Probably of all the night sounds the tree
frog is the most difficult to track down.
These ever - elusive, lively, little fellows
are one of the first voices we hear in the
summer. Their life is one of adaptation to
living in the treetops high above the
ground. Nature has given them the ability
to cling by suction cups attached to the end
of each one of their little toes. Then they
have been provided with the additional
protection of literally being able to change
p�m
color depending on what they rest upon.
Once I remember one landing on our
picture window as I was reading beside it
and from inside we could see how beautiful
those suction toes work. Again, one of
nature's many wonders.
Summer wouldn't be summer here on
Long Island without the night songs from
these unusual callers. Even though most of
us seldom see one, they are a welcome
part of our evening bliss. All this calling
has to do with attracting a mate, and
without it our woods would be missing a
vital link in the chain of life. Each part
builds the world that you and I enjoy
today.
PAULSTOUTENBURGH.
Lawn and Garden Tractors
for All- Season
Lawn and Garden
Care.
wheel Horse C- Series.. .
when the going
It
VvH gets tough.
HORSE h.
tam & garden tractors
ROLLE EROS,
Route 58, Riverhead, L.L. 727 -4383