Saratoga Spa State Park: Dog Park & Karner Blue Site

06/29/2022

The Karner blue butterfly caterpillars have emerged! You can help us protect this unique endangered butterfly and its habitat while using the trails near the dog park. Please keep your dog on a leash and stay on the trail while you enjoy your walk. Thank you! 💙

04/12/2021

Calling all birders and patrons of the Karner Blue Butterfly Area once again! This weekend (4/17 & 4/18) on Saturday and Sunday there will be another round of birding tours led by this year's SCA Karner Blue Butterfly Steward Sean Rigney. To follow NY State COVID guidelines groups will be limited to 10 people and masks will be required to maintain the safety of all patrons. Sean will meet everyone at the entrance to the dog park at 9:00 AM, don’t forget to bring a pair of binoculars! Please know that since we will be near the dog park there may be dogs on the trails or nearby, we also ask that you do not bring your own dogs as they can scare birds away. This will be a first come first serve basis as the groups need to be limited in size. It was brought to my attention that the sign-up link I used in earlier posts was not working, and I apologize to any who tried to sign up and was unable to. Hopefully, the following doodle poll will work better:

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03/15/2021

Calling all birders and patrons of the Karner Blue Butterfly Area once again! This weekend (3/20 & 3/21) on Saturday and Sunday there will be another round of birding tours led by this year's SCA Karner Blue Butterfly Steward Sean Rigney. To follow NY State COVID guidelines groups will be limited to 10 people and masks will be required to maintain the safety of all patrons. Sean will meet everyone at the entrance to the dog park at 8:00 AM, don’t forget to bring warm clothing and binoculars! Please know that since we will be near the dog park there may be dogs on the trails or nearby, we also ask that you do not bring your own dogs as they can scare birds away. This will be a first come first serve basis as the groups need to be limited in size. If you would like to commit to coming please add your name to this google sheets sign-up form: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/18M7mXJlMr_4DUXkVLNzmmQ6_9vaiNwpsNI3xsIjyJ6c/edit?usp=sharing

03/07/2021

The birding tour set for this morning at the dog park/KBB trails is CANCELLED. Birding tours will be available again March 20th and 21st. Saturday's tour was a success, the resident Pileated Woodpecker duo was observed chasing a hawk out of their territory on the Green Trail. Be sure to keep your ears open for their unmistakable "laughing" call as you walk the trails!

03/03/2021

Calling all birders and patrons of the Karner Blue Butterfly Area! Are you looking to spend more time getting to know Saratoga Spa State Park’s KBB trails and their avian residents? Well look no further! This weekend (3/6 & 3/7) on Saturday and Sunday there will be birding tours led by this year's SCA Karner Blue Butterfly Steward Sean Rigney. To follow NY State COVID guidelines groups will be limited to 10 people and masks will be required to maintain the safety of all patrons. Sean will meet everyone at the entrance to the dog park at 8:00 AM, don’t forget to bring warm clothing and binoculars! Please know that since we will be near the dog park there may be dogs on the trails or nearby, we also ask that you do not bring your own dogs as they can scare birds away. This will be a first come first serve basis as the groups need to be limited in size. If you would like to commit to coming please add your name to this google sheets sign-up form: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/18M7mXJlMr_4DUXkVLNzmmQ6_9vaiNwpsNI3xsIjyJ6c/edit?usp=sharing

09/24/2020

Please remember to stay on the trail at all times to prevent the trampling of sensitive vegetation and Karner eggs.

Over the past week, we have had a couple of curious visitors go off-trail into the Karner habitat. The newly planted nectar species are very sensitive as they establish. Any disturbance, from dogs or humans, could threaten the success of these plants and the Karner population.

09/23/2020

The leading threats to the Karner Blue Butterfly habitat at Saratoga Spa State Park are invasive and opportunistic native plant species. Invasive species, like Oriental bittersweet, are non-native and grow quickly in the habitat, threatening the native plant community. Opportunistic native plants, like staghorn sumac or quaking aspen, take advantage of the abundance of light and space the open fields of the Karner habitat provides, and proliferate rapidly. As a result, many of the trees and nectar species that characterize the Karner habitat are being out-competed. The presence of these aggressively growing plants has changed the dynamic of the habitat, and if left unchecked, the habitat will no longer be suitable for the Karner Blue Butterfly.

This summer, our invasive species technicians worked tirelessly to remove a couple of acres worth of sumac, aspen, and bittersweet. By removing these dense stands of vegetation, we created open areas of disturbed soil, perfect for planting! This week we are planting native nectar species like wild lupine, goat's rue, and butterfly w**d in the ongoing effort to improve the habitat. Find us along the trails this week to see the planting progress!

09/18/2020

The term caterpillar is used when describing the larva of the order Lepidoptera (the group containing moths and butterflies). While these may look like caterpillars, they are actually sawfly larva! Sawflies are grouped in Hymenoptera along with insects like wasps, ants, and bees. Sawfly larva can be distinguished from caterpillars by counting prolegs (the fleshy structures behind the three pairs of prominent legs towards their head). Sawfly larva have 6 or more pairs of abdominal prolegs, while caterpillars have 5 or less! Sawfly larva are often gregarious and when disturbed will sometimes form an S-shape with their bodies, as seen in this picture!

07/17/2020

A Dogbane Leaf Beetle munching away on some Spreading Dogbane! While the milky sap of dogbane is toxic to many animals, this extraordinary leaf beetle is able to store the toxic compounds and release them when provoked by a predator!

07/10/2020

A pollen covered Ligated Furrow Bee enjoying nectar from a Black-eyed Susan flower! These flowers, as well as many other important nectar species, are blooming along the trails right now. It is a great time to go for a walk and enjoy the many colors that dot the fields. While we understand the joy and beauty these flowers bring to a home, please do not pick any of the flowers found along the trails. Flowers like the Black-Eyed Susan are an important food source for pollinators like this bee, as well as the Karner Blue.

06/26/2020

The Brown Wasp Mantidfly!

This insect is neither a wasp, mantis, nor fly! It belongs to a group of insects called "Neuroptera", or net-winged insects. Despite its resemblance to a wasp, the adult mantidfly is not aggressive, and has no capacity to sting. By mimicking a noxious organism, like a wasp, it is likely that potential predators will still avoid it due to its resemblance to a stinging insect.

06/11/2020

Gypsy moths are an invasive nonnative insect whose larva feed on over 300 species of trees and shrubs! These voracious feeders can completely defoliate a tree when abundant. Here is a gypsy moth caterpillar spotted along the trails. Gypsy moth caterpillars have 5 pairs of raised blue spots followed by 6 pairs of red spots along their back. These features, as well as their dark coloration and hair, can differentiate them from native lookalikes.