[SWvolunteers] Weekly Update

[Rose Brown]

Weekly Update
January 28, 2010

View the weekly picture and read the update online: http://streamwatch.org/weekly-update/january-28-2010


Announcements

Interesting stream related websites...
Go to http://Rifflefish.com for a website with video footage of  
critters found in and around riffles.  For a nice summary of stream  
ecology, go to: http://chamisa.freeshell.org/ecology.htm

Tolerance Values...
If you've ever wanted to know the tolerance values of our various  
macroinvertebrates, now we have a quick reference guide (thanks to Bob  
Henricks!)  Go to our Forms and Documents page (http://streamwatch.org/volunteers/forms-and-documents 
) and click on the PDF called Tolerance Values.  The guide also lists  
whether the macroinvertebrate burrows, swims, collects, shreds, etc.

StreamWatch Facebook page...
Short on time but want to help? Here’s a quick and easy way for  
Facebook users to raise awareness about Rivanna streams and rivers:
1 Become a fan of StreamWatch’s new Facebook page. Just Google  
“StreamWatch Facebook”, open the page, and click the “become a fan”  
button near the top of the page.
2  THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP! Recommend the page to your  
Facebook friends who live in or care about the Rivanna basin. The  
purpose of the page is to catch the attention of people who are not  
currently tuned in.
3  Read our 70-word daily blogette for interesting, valuable, and  
sometimes entertaining information about the Rivanna, stream ecology,  
and water. A new blogette will post to your wall each weekday. At  
under one minute, we hope this read will be a painless (pleasant?!)  
way to expand knowledge!

January Bug Blog...
Go to the Bug Blog (http://streamwatch.org/bug-blog/common-netspinner)  
to read about this month's bug, the common netspinner.  Keep an eye on  
the website for a new bug each month.

January anniversaries...
Congratulations to the following volunteers, whose volunteer  
anniversaries are this month.  Thanks so much for your work.
Vince Dish - 1 year
Brendan Ferreri-Hamberry - 1 year
Nicola Mcgoff - 1 year
Cindy O’Connell - 1 year
Killian O’Connell - 1 year
Nat Rogers - 1 year

Bob's Bug Facts...
(brought to you by Bob Henricks)

One of the ways to recognize a Brushlegged mayfly (http://bugguide.net/node/view/254152 
) in the tray is to note how they hold their front legs in front of  
their heads forming a “U,” looking like a referee indicating a field  
goal.  This is actually how they eat.  With their arms held in this  
way, the fine hairs on the inside of the femur and tibia mesh together  
forming a net which filters micro organic matter out of the water (in  
feeding classifications, the Brushlegged mayfly is called a collector:  
filterer).  The fine hairs on their tails, on the other hand, mesh  
together forming a flat paddle, which helps to propel the nymph  
forward in swimming.  Brushlegged mayflies are very strong swimmers  
and tend to be found in fast-flowing riffles.  Of the mayflies, they  
are one of the least tolerant of stream impairment.

Thank you for volunteering with StreamWatch!

Rose Brown, Program Manager
StreamWatch
434.962.3527
P.O. Box 181
Ivy, VA 22945
rose at streamwatch.org
www.streamwatch.org

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