Interesting article regarding wasps in the north...

[Quinn]

http://www.cbc.ca/story/science/national/2004/09/09/wasp040909.html

[Delphinus]

Pretty eyebrow raising stuff. As much as I think we like to pretend not to notice, the climate is changing around us. To be honest, I am a little alarmed.

[AJ_77]

To be honest, I am a little alarmed.
To be honest, it's a few wasps... that's the trouble with alarmist reporting.

If it were global cooling we were talking about, then I might be alarmed. :biggrin:

[Quinn]

It was more the statements of the northern folk that I thought was interesting. :razz:

As far as global warming goes, there's so much talk out there... I'm waiting until scientists give us some idea of just how much is our fault and how much is part of a normal cycle. Although what I know about the lack of interest in renewable energy on the part of big business does bother me.

[Beverly]

From some of the scientific stuff I've been reading over the past several months, global warming could be coming to a faucet near you......

The glaciers feeding the rivers flowing through Edmonton and Calgary are receding at unprecented rates, something to do with the end of the current ice age. I wonder how long it will be before both cities are rationing water due to glaciers all melted away :eek: Then we'll be on our knees and praying for global cooling and the next ice age :crazyeye:

[Delphinus]

To be honest, it's a few wasps... that's the trouble with alarmist reporting.


The problem with the wasps is not the wasps themselves. So what if there are wasps in Baffin Island? The point is that the amount of signs that point to climate change. In of itself, no one sign is really all that alarming in itself. What I find is alarming is the sheer number of them out there. Sorry if that wasn't clear.


I'm waiting until scientists give us some idea of just how much is our fault and how much is part of a normal cycle.

Well, I think it's naive to believe that climate change isn't happening and it's naive to beleive that human activity does not have an impact. But does it really matter? The point is that it's happening, and that the world for future generations is going to be different than what it is now, and what it has been. I'm sorry, but .. Get used to the idea. It's happening. Some of it probably IS just a natural cyclic phenomenon. But, the rate we pump CO2 into the atmosphere ... I have trouble believing that we probably aren't accelerating things to some degree. And short of the end of civilization as we know it right now, that's not going to stop anytime soon. Realistically, the solution is to try to reduce our footprint as much as possible, but reconcile that 50 years from now, 100 years from now, etc. .. things might not be how they are right now. I'm not trying to be alarmist ... I'm trying to be realistic.

If you want to read some sobering observations, take a read through the latest National Geographic.

PS. Sorry - I'm not trying to be rude or argumentative. I certainly don't have any answers.

[Quinn]

That National Geographic article is the most recent and likely most extensive write-up on the problem I've read thus far. While I think it's absurd to say the planet is not warming up, or to say that humans have had no effect on that temperature rise, the question that the article seemed to leave unanswered was, just how much of a factor are we? 20%? 50%? 95%? That's what I am interested to know, and I don't think the answers are going to be immediately forthcoming. Regardless, what's done is done. It's sad that even with what is fairly good evidence that we've at least caused some of the problem, world governments won't take steps. In 100 years they'll be thanking us. :rolleyes:

[Delphinus]

I'm not sure I want to know the exact percentage, and it's certainly, not going to be an easily accepted number even if it were truly quantifiable.

Suffice it to say, it's non-zero... I can accept that on faith alone.

Even with major restructuring of things, I don't think we can go to a "zero impact" model. Of course, it seems noble to try for it anyhow.

I guess I should be riding that bike to work a little more often. Unfortunately, it's a lot easier to be noble and ride to work when it's warmer than 3 degrees in the morning. :confused: Apparently I'm a fair weather environmentalist.

[Quinn]

Yeah, lots of SUV drivers among us here, I am sure. It's hard to be environmentally friendly and Albertan at the same time. :lol:

I don't think you need faith Tony, the graphs on page 20 are fairly indicative of what seems likely to be our effect, at least regarding carbon.

[StirCrazy]

Its all good, in 50 years I will have tropical ocean front property for sale and retire a billionair :cool:

Steve

[StirCrazy]

personaly I think it was more a factor of other things rather than to jump out and blame it on global warming. wasps run in a 4 year cycle for poupolation and this year is the last year so there are way more than normal. second because of the unseasonal high temps from the warm front comming out of the US this summer there were unusaly high temps all over Canada especialy around the last couple weeks of august. this also cause the weather to be dry which makes wasps more agressive in looking for food and causes them to expand there range. so it isn't surprising to me realy.

Steve

[Invigor]

Its all good, in 50 years I will have tropical ocean front property for sale and retire a billionair :cool:

did you see the front page of the national post today? You can buy a small waterfront town in BC for $7mil.

Property boasts 90 homes, a mall and a hospital part of b.C.
VANCOUVER - The town of Kitsault in northern British Columbia boasts 90 homes, several apartment buildings, a shopping centre and even a hospital. And it can be yours for $7-million.

http://www.canada.com/national/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=0c8369b5-2513-4757-a862-71318bfdb47c

[Delphinus]

Well those are some interesting points. Steve, can you point us to some references to this 4-year cycle for wasps? I tried some cursory searches on the net but couldn't come up with anything.

But .. Steve, I'm kind of surprised by your assertion that the last part of August was unseasonably warm for most places in Canada. I thought I had heard exactly the opposite? I.e., for most or at least a lot of parts of the country, August was in fact unseasonably cool (and wetter than normal as well).

FWIW, I never used the term "global warming." I feel that term is a bit anachronistic .. I prefer "climate change." I think the "warming" term refers to the prediction that the average global temperature rising by something like 1 degree, which, sounds almost insignificant ... But if you take into account the different extremes that comprise that average, I think that "change" is just more accurate.

But, of course, it could just be that some wasps hitched a ride on a plane, or a boat or whatever, up to Baffin Island. It's not like human activity / travelling doesn't help the spread of species into new territories, and that of course has nothing to do with climate change (although it does have everything to do with "human activity" impacting the natural order. But like I (tried to) hint at earlier ... as long as there are people travelling about, I think that sort of thing is going to happen regardless.)

cheers

[Quinn]

This summer was horribly cold for the most part here in Alberta... luckily I spent a few weeks in the warmer corners of the country and escaped at least some of the rain.

[StirCrazy]

ok the 4 year cycle thing was all over the news in the summer.. all I know about it.

as for unseasonaly hot in august, was over 34 degrees (over 37 for 1 week alone) for most of it in victoria, usaul temp for that time of year 24.

the east coast was also haveing hot weather.. but I recall the middle of canada was cooler than normal when I think about it now.

Steve

[Delphinus]

as for unseasonaly hot in august, was over 34 degrees (over 37 for 1 week alone) for most of it in victoria, usaul temp for that time of year 24.


Wow. You should have sent some of that over to your neighbours.

We were lucky if it broke 15. :frown:


the east coast was also haveing hot weather.. but I recall the middle of canada was cooler than normal when I think about it now.


All I can remember for sure is Alberta through to Ontario were waiting for the "dog days of summer" that never came. Not sure about Quebec though. So I guess it all just went to the sides of the country and forgot about the middle.

[reefhawk]

well being an entomolagist and having over 25 years in the field I feel qualified to comment on population peaks and cycles amongst wasps. In my part of the world (B.C.) it is readily accepted that most nuisance wasps go through a 7 year cycle. Having said that climatic conditions certainly can affect the cycle. This year was the 6th year in the cycle but due to ideal conditions here in the okanagan it was the worst (best if ya like em) year i have ever experienced. Next year being the peak year has the POTENTIAL given the right conditions to be an even heavier year for populations of wasps to thrive. I suspect the four year figure was tossed out by some poor exterminator during a tv interview and this mis- information has been repeated enough times it is now "media" fact.

[StirCrazy]

best if ya like em.

um who like them? so the news was wrong that sucks cuz I remember them running it several times for like a week saying it was 4 year and this was the last.. now you ruined my day telling me they are going to be worse next year.. well guess I will pick up a couple more eppie pens :rolleyes:

Steve

[Quinn]

Entomologists probably like them... :lol:

[EmilyB]

Barry doesn't particularly like them right now.

He's been at the Foothills for several IV sessions and has been downright miserable with the pain and itching.

Not from an allergy, but an infection from the bite. :eek: They actually sent him for tests for the flesh eating thingy.

Wasps suck.
:evil:

[Delphinus]

That sucks! (I know that feeling .. been there done that, got the scars to prove it.)

Hope Barry recovers quickly.