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Butterflies December 15, 2008 The hairstreaks, blues, or Lycaenidae is a family of about 5,000 species of butterflies. The Lycaenidae are the second-largest family of butterflies, with about 6000 species worldwide, the family is known as the Gossamer-Winged butterflies because their wings, like the fabric, generally appear delicate and shimmery. Their wings are covered both by pigmented scales and by light-refracting scales. They comprise about 40% of all known butterfly species (Venktesha, 2005). Subfamilies include the blues Polyommatinae, the coppers Lycaeninae, the hairstreaks Theclinae and the harvesters Miletinae. Adults are small, usually under 5cm and brightly coloured, sometimes with a metallic gloss. The male's forelegs are reduced in size and lack claws.
The Cuban Red Anaea cubana The Cuban Red is a bright red butterfly that seems to disappear as it sits completely still with its wings folded. This fast flying butterfly has become more common around Grand Cayman and is hard to miss as it flies by. It prefers wooded areas, but it may also be found in your garden. No need to worry about it depositing eggs in your garden; its caterpillars prefer meals of Rosemary. The Mexican Fritillary Euptoieta hegesia The Mexican Fritillary has the sharply angled wing margins and very similar forewing and underside patterns. The basal half of the hindwing upperside is clear orange, with the typical black fritillary markings restricted to a band around the margin. This South and Central American species ranges north through Mexico into southern Texas and remarkably as far north as southern Manitoba. The larva is bright red with dorsal and lateral black-edged silver lines and six rows of black spines. The butterflies prefer to live in open areas such as fields, forest edges and near open streams. Adult butterflies eat flower nectar, such as passion flowers. Adults fly swiftly above low vegetation during the day light hours in search of food. Females lay one egg at a time on host plants.
The Mangrove Buckeye Junonia evarete The Mangrove Buckeye has a brown upperside and the forewing has a narrow orange band which rings the large eyespot. The Underside of the hindwing is brown, usually without bands or eyespots. The caterpillars eat leaves of mangrove trees, and these beautiful butterflies may be seen in tidal flats and visiting their favorite black mangroves. The range of the Mangrove Buckeye extends from the Atlantic coast of Mexico north to South Texas, the West Indies and extreme southern Florida.
Protect Cayman trees and encourage Cayman Wildlife! For more information, to share your knowledge or if you would like to get involved with the many activities in the National Trust’s Know Your Islands Program, please visit www.nationaltrust.org.ky or contact info@nationaltrust.org.ky or 949-0121.
Snakes and Lizards December 15, 2008 Students of nature who live in the Cayman Islands can make important contributions to the documentation of our wildlife by keeping records of their own observations, even in a nature journal. Explore your community and discover the treasures that are in your own backyard! Thank you to Lois Blumenthal for compiling the following data as a quick reference for students of nature; the accompanying photographs were provided by Frank Roulstone. The invaluable herpetological section of The Cayman Islands Natural History and Biogeogaphy edited by M.A Brunt and J.E. Davies was authored by Dr. M. E. Seidel and Dr. R. Franz. This important book compiles numerous bodies of research done about Cayman Islands fauna.
Racer, Ground Snake Alsophis cantherigerus caymanus
The length of this snake is 500 to 860 mm. As is usual with most snakes, females are larger than males. The record size for a female so far is 1190 mm and weighing 1.25 kg. The basic colour is grey with a series of small dark blotches along the sides with larger adults sometimes showing a rosy pink wash. When upset this snake will expand its throat to each side to make its head appear larger as a defense. It is active during daylight hours. It lives on both the ground and in trees. This adaptation enables this snake to be most successful given the limited resources of a small island.
This snake is well known as being the primary predator of Cuban Tree Frogs. It also takes the nestlings of birds, causing alarm calls from the adult birds which will often gather to mob the snake. This snake has been seen to drop from a tree, while yet holding a prey species in its jaws. It will then seem to go into a temporary catatonic state or “plays dead”, following which it will rapidly slither away with its prey. One of the benefits of our local racer is that it feeds on baby rats. The Cayman Brac species is similar with some light banding on the neck and differs in the in scale count. The Little Cayman species is also similar except that the rear of the body is a solid dark colour. Not found on Owen Island.
Curly-tailed Lizard or Lion Lizard Leiocephalus carinatus varius The length of the males is up to 130 mm; females are smaller. These are easily recognized by a long banded tail that curls over the back. This lizard has a glossy look, though scales are rough. Their colour is brownish-green-gray with considerably barring and mottling. Underside is pale yellow. Full-grown males have a bulkier head than the females. Males have throat fan, but this is hardly ever seen. They are commonly seen, even in urban areas, but usually near the beach and using rocks for cover. They bury themselves in the sand to sleep at night, but during the day they emerge to sun themselves to stimulate their metabolism before hunting insects. They lay eggs in small batches (perhaps three), usually adhering to rocky surfaces. Hatchlings emerge in July, August and September. It is reported that they lay several batches of eggs during the season. Hatchlings have a bright orange throat that lasts only for the first three or four days.
These lizards can become very tame and will learn to expect food from humans. They prefer high protein snacks such as eggs, cheese or meat. This charming lizard, found all over the islands in gardens and on beaches is particularly vulnerable to predation by housecats. This lizard on Little Cayman and Cayman Brac is similar but are smaller, a lighter coloured belly and a slightly differently coloured tail.
Grow Cayman Plants and encourage Cayman Wildlife! For more information, to share your knowledge or if you would like to get involved with the many activities in the National Trust’s Know Your Islands Program, please visit www.nationaltrust.org.ky, www.caymanwildlife.org or call 949-0121. The weekly column from the National Trust is submitted by Marnie Laing, Education Programs Manager at the Trust.
Tamarind December 15, 2008 Wild Tamarind (Leucaena leucocephala) is common on Grand Cayman, and also occurs on Cayman Brac. Wild Tamarind is a weed tree, possibly introduced to Cayman from Central America. It is commonly seen along our roads, producing feathery foliage which recovers rapidly if you cut it back and it is difficult to get rid of completely. The pods are dry and inedible which is very different from the true Tamarind (Tamarindus indica) from which this tree takes its local name. The following is taken from Wild Trees in the Cayman Islands by Fred Burton, with illustrations by Penny Clifford. Photograph by Frank Roulstone.
Tamarind Tamarindus indica
Mature Tamarind trees usually still have old seed pods on the tree by the time they start flowering in June, when the young foliage is filling out after the dry season. A second flowering often results from late summer rains. The flowers are pale yellow, with the petals flushed orange and veined in red.
The tree has a “weeping” habit, with slender branches drooping towards the ground. Tamarind grows to be a large tree, with a broad trunk and a spreading crown. The bark is firm, brown in colour, and roughened by dense vertical ribbing. Older trunks shed irregular woody flakes, and the branches often support abundant bromeliads.
Tamarind is believed to be originally native to Africa, but has been planted widely throughout the tropical regions of the world. In Cayman it has taken to the wild in all three islands: its seeds germinate readily, and it can also be propagated by air layers. Our native parrots have learned to enjoy the fruits.
The leaves have been used in traditional medicine in Cayman, being boiled in combination with leaves of Broadleaf, Velvet Leaf, Vervine and other herbs to make a medicinal tea to treat measles, prickly heat and whooping cough. Tamarind wood is one of the woods used to make “gigs” (children’s spinning toys) though Guava is considered better. But the sticky, acidic pulp of the ripe seed pods is the main reason for Tamarind’s popularity: it can be eaten raw, used to make a drink, and incorporated into food in many ways.
Grow Cayman Plants and encourage Cayman Wildlife! For more information, to share your knowledge or if you would like to get involved with the many activities in the National Trust’s Know Your Islands Program, please visit www.nationaltrust.org.ky, www.caymanwildlife.org or call 949-0121. The weekly column from the National Trust is submitted by Marnie Laing, Education Programs Manager at the Trust.
Migratory Birds November 27, 2008 Appreciating and caring for Cayman’s birds will help ensure that future generations will be able to experience the beauty of Cayman’s local and migratory populations. It is important that we are able to recognize these beautiful creatures and understand when and how to become involved in their protection and care. The following information was partially sourced from “Birds of the Cayman Islands”, written by Patricia Bradley and the photographs were provided by Frank Roulstone.
The Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra) is the only entirely red bird in North America and it specializes in eating bees and wasps. Like most birds that migrate long distances, the Summer Tanager puts on large amounts of fat to fuel the long flight. Tanagers arriving in Panama had enough fat to fly an estimated additional 890 km (553 mi). This is a medium-sized songbird. The male is completely red and the female is a dull yellow. The bill is solid, long and pointed. The eyes are dark and their feet are yellowish brown. The immature birds look similar to the adult female. The song of the Summer Tanager sounds like a series of strong notes combined with short pauses. The call is a harsh, clicking “pit-tuh put-i-tuh.” Its range is North America; winters to Central and South America, casual in Cuba and the Bahamas. The Summer Tanager breeds in deciduous forests in eastern part of range, especially in open woods. While visiting Cayman it is seen in both urban area and along the shoreline. It captures insects by plucking them from leaves while hovering and beating the prey against the branch to kill it. This is a species of Special Concern in California, but most populations are stable. The Summer Tanager is a rare passage migrant in our three islands, during September to November, sometimes becoming locally common in spring, from March to May. It is occasionally seen in winter.
The American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) is a boldly-patterned warbler. The male has dramatic black plumage with brilliant orange red patches on its wings and the sides of the breast and tail. . This is a small songbird; the female and young males have a gray head and back, and yellow instead of orange patches. These birds also have a white belly and a small thin bill. The male American Redstart occasionally is polygamous, having two mates at the same time. Unlike many other polygamous species of birds that have two females nesting in the same territory, the redstart holds two separate territories up to1,640 feet apart. The male starts to attract a second female after the first has completed her clutch and is incubating the eggs. The Song is variable; it is a series of high notes, some with accented ending notes, "zwe zee zee zee zee” (rising). The summer range extends from southeastern Alaska to Newfoundland, southward to Utah, Louisiana, and Georgia. The winter range is from Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, to northern South America. The Redstart may also be found in southern Florida, Texas, and California. This bird eats insects and some small fruits. In Cayman the Redstart likes to visit mangroves, woodland, and both urban and shoreline areas. This bird is a fairly common winter visitor in the three Islands, during August to May. Female and immature birds predominate.
Grow Cayman Plants and encourage Cayman Wildlife! For more information, to share your knowledge or if you would like to get involved with the many activities in the National Trust’s Know Your Islands Program, please visit www.nationaltrust.org.ky, www.caymanwildlife.org or call 949-0121. The weekly column from the National Trust is submitted by Marnie Laing, Education Programs Manager at the Trust.
Cayman's Lizards November 20, 2008 When exploring nature look for the small details that make the world interesting. No matter where you are, there are fascinating things to discover. If you can’t find anything you haven't looked hard enough! Take the time to slow down, observe and appreciate the world around you. Thank you to Lois Blumenthal for compiling the following data as a quick reference for students of nature; the accompanying photographs were provided by Frank Roulstone. The invaluable herpetological section of The Cayman Islands Natural History and Biogeography edited by M.A Brunt and J.E. Davies was authored by Dr. M. E. Seidel and Dr. R. Franz. This important book compiles numerous bodies of research done about Cayman Islands fauna.
Blue-throated Anole Anolis conspersus
This is an endemic species – found only on Grand Cayman and nowhere else in the world, and even more interesting is that there are two distinct variations between the western and eastern districts of Grand Cayman. The length of this anole can be up to 68 mm, but the females are much smaller. Males vary from bright turquoise to green, (particularly in the breeding season), however they also are able to change colour to dark brown, beige or pale gray, (hence their local name “chameleon”). If you look closely at the male you will see pale spotting over the entire animal. Males also have an erectable dorsal crest and a brilliant blue throat-fan. Female colouring ranges from pale gray to tan with a significant white line above the insertion of the foreleg. Juveniles share common colouring and markings with females so that males will allow them within their territories. There can be further confusion since the females and juveniles of this species can resemble the females and juveniles of the Brown Anole, Anolis sagrei. With closer study, one can detect a difference in head profile since the conspersus has more prominent eye sockets and a somewhat concave area from eyes to nose. These lizards live on both the ground and in trees, but are often found on the sides of buildings. Tails can be lost and regenerated. Males tend to escape by retreating upwards, while females, juveniles and non-dominant males go into the ground to hide.
Green Anole Anolis maynardi
The length of this anole is up to 76 mm and the males are much larger than females with this species as well. This lizard has a long slender head that is more pronounced in males. As with most of Cayman’s lizards, little is known about its biology, but the unusually long pincer-shaped snout suggests a unique feeding adaptation. The colour is capable of changing from bright yellowish-green to turquoise-blue, gray and occasionally tan and the throat fan is pale green. Along the jaw one can see a light stripe. This is an endemic species – found only on Little Cayman and nowhere else in the world. When it is excited or stressed, it can develop pale blue longitudinal lines from head to tail. Rarely descending from the treetops, it escapes by climbing to the upper portions of trees and buildings. Closely related to and probably evolved from a Cuban species.
Grow Cayman Plants and encourage Cayman Wildlife! For more information, to share your knowledge or if you would like to get involved with the many activities in the National Trust’s Know Your Islands Program, please visit www.nationaltrust.org.ky, www.caymanwildlife.org or call 949-0121. The weekly column from the National Trust is submitted by Marnie Laing, Education Programs Manager at the Trust.
Coconut Palm 4 November, 2008 The coconut palm requires abundant sun light and regular rainfalls and thrives on sandy, saline soils. The coconut palm is perhaps the widest-grown palm in the world, with many parts of this plant used, notably its leaves to make baskets or roofing thatch. Coconuts are used as whole fruits or also by their parts such as the fibres surrounding the kernel, milk, kernel (or flesh), and husk. The following is taken from Wild Trees in the Cayman Islands by Fred Burton, with illustrations by Penny Clifford; photograph generously provided by Stuart Mailer.
Coconut Palm Cocos nucifera
The large, oval “nuts” on this common coastal palm are always visible at various stages of development, clustered at the base of the massive leaves, making this the most easily recognizable of Cayman’s wild palm trees. The leaves are so large that the scars they leave on the trunk remain visible for the rest of the palm’s life, giving the trunk a characteristic ringed appearance.
Coconut Palms are not originally native to the West Indies, but explorers and travelers centuries ago carried them throughout the tropics, obscuring their original range. In Cayman they have long grown wild on the coasts of all three islands.
Coconut Palms also persist in Cayman from commercial plantations, which thrived here until a bud rot disease in the late 1800s hit them so hard the trade virtually died out. Even so, there are records of coconut export from Little Cayman to Tampa as late as the 1930s, and the Coconut remains one of Cayman’s most common palms.
The coconuts were husked before export, and husks came in handy to burn over areas of sharp limestone rock: the heat disintegrates and shatters the rock, improving the land for agriculture. Regimented stands of Coconut Palms can still be seen in some coastal areas of Little Cayman and Cayman Brac, and in a few inland sites on Grand Cayman, relics of those days of coconut commerce.
Grow Cayman Plants and encourage Cayman Wildlife! For more information, to share your knowledge or if you would like to get involved with the many activities in the National Trust’s Know Your Islands Program, please visit www.nationaltrust.org.ky, www.caymanwildlife.org or call 949-0121. The weekly column from the National Trust is submitted by Marnie Laing, Education Programs Manager at the Trust.
Last week’s answer: The National Trust’s main Visitor Centre is located in the Dart Family Park on South Church Street. Trivia question: What butterfly is seasonally abundant in Cayman that gives the impression of a passing cloud? Look for the answer in next week’s feature!
Giant Caribbean Sea Anemone 4 November, 2008
This Sea Anemone is commonly found in the Caribbean, specifically the West Indies and the western Atlantic ranging from southern Florida through the Florida Keys. They are usually found in lagoons or on inner reefs as either individuals or groups, but never as colonies. In shallow water, this anemone attaches to hard objects and is also seen in turtle grass beds. The shape of this animal’s body is related to the habitat in which it lives; it can exhibit a variety of colors: white, light blue, pink, orange, pale red, or light brown. The mouth is surrounded by 100 or more tentacles, each long and tapered with pink-, scarlet-, blue- or green-ringed tips. These tips are usually paler than the body itself. The basal disk, or adhesive foot, is firmly attached to the substrate while the tentacles are the free moving portion.
Giant Caribbean Sea Anemone Condylactis gigantea This anemone primarily likes to sit in one location, but is capable of moving from place to place. It moves by using its pedal disk, or attachment point, in a slow, crawling movement. Motion is not used in direct protection from predators; anemones do not run from attackers.
When placed near other anemones, this animal tends to be aggressive toward its similar neighbour. The most effective form of defense for this anemone is the use of nematocysts (stinging cells) which are the defining characteristics of cnidarians, a group that includes anemones, corals and jellyfish. The tips of the anemone’s tentacles are packed with nematocysts that contain a toxin. Using their stinging cells as "weapons", the anemone will fire upon other anemones to conserve its space on the ocean floor. The two individuals will fight; one advancing while the other withdraws, but both may suffer tissue damage. The nematocysts are also used in the capturing of prey. The toxin, in the concentrations found in C. gigantea, is not harmful to humans.
The Giant Caribbean Sea Anemone has many symbiotic relationships with fish and crustaceans. Some of the most common relationships include cleaner shrimp (Periclimenes anthophilus), and arrow crabs (Stenorhynchus seticornis). Animals that have symbiotic relationship with this anemone require a period of adaptation in which the animals acclimatize to each other. This adaptation allows the anemone to recognize that the other animal is not prey or a predator.
The Giant Caribbean Sea Anemone’s most important symbiotic relationship is not with another animal but a plant. Single celled algae named zooxanthellae are found living within the tissues of the anemone. They are also found living in reef-building corals, and are important to their hosts because they provide nutrients.
This anemone feeds upon fish, mussels, shrimp and other similar organisms. It will not, however, go near any of its natural predators, such as nudibranchs (seas slugs). The anemone eats food that is large in relationship to its own size; for example it will ingest prey such as adult sea urchins. With the low frequency of large prey available, it is suggested that, like other anemones, it is not selective about what it ingests but rather eats whatever prey it encounters.
Protect Cayman’s Marine Wildlife! For more information, to share your knowledge or if you would like to get involved with the many activities in the National Trust’s Know Your Islands Program, please visit www.nationaltrust.org.ky or call 949-0121. The weekly column from the National Trust is submitted by Marnie Laing, Education Programs Manager at the Trust.
Last week’s answer: Mangrove tunicates are the sole source of potent anti-tumor drugs called ecteinascidins. Trivia question: Where is the National Trust’s main Visitor Centre located? Look for the answer in next week’s feature!
Bastard Fustic 14 October, 2008 Keep a lookout for rare trees, birds and other species that are unique to Cayman while exploring our natural vegetation and old growth forests. Learn to recognize rare and endangered species and threatened ecosystems to help make biodiversity a mainstream consideration in all significant conservation and natural resource measures. Cayman’s beautiful natural heritage is an outdoor classroom where we may all learn how to increase our appreciation for our fragile world and for each other.
The Bastard Fustic belongs to the Celtis genus, a group which possesses the most bending tolerance of all species of wood!
The following is taken from Wild Trees in the Cayman Islands by Fred Burton, with illustrations by Penny Clifford; photos generously provided by M. Christine Rose-Smyth.
This attractive tree often branches very close to the ground, forming several ascending trunks. The fine long twigs at the ends of the branches tend to droop towards the ground, and the thin leaves droop also, giving the whole tree a “weeping” look. Young branches are roughened by numerous tiny, raised breathing pores in the bark: further down on the trunk the bark flakes in small woody chips, leaving a rather pocked surface. The trunks are brown, with a heavy growth of lichens in pale and dark greens, white, and grey.
The tree is quite easy to recognize by its toothed leaves, which have three main veins branching from the point where the leaf stalk reaches the leaf: this characteristic pattern is easy to see from below. The regular arrangement of the leaves on the stems can cause confusion, because they can look like compound leaves. Purple-black berries develop singly at the base of each leaf.
Bastard Fustic Celtis trinervia
Bastard Fustic is an extremely rare tree in the Cayman Islands, where it is only known from a few scattered specimens in Grand Cayman (at Spotts, and on the fringe of the Mastic forest), and in the central Bluff area of Cayman Brac. It grows in high rocky forest with accumulated leaf litter. Otherwise this tree is known only from the islands of the Greater Antilles.
Grow Cayman Plants and encourage Cayman Wildlife! For more information, to share your knowledge or if you would like to get involved with the many activities in the National Trust’s Know Your Islands Program, please visit www.nationaltrust.org.ky, www.caymanwildlife.org or call 949-0121. The weekly column from the National Trust is submitted by Marnie Laing, Education Programs Manager at the Trust.
Last week’s answer: The Salina Reserve is currently the Trust's largest nature reserve, with an area of approximately 625 acres comprising sedge and buttonwood swamps, dry shrubland and forest in an intricate mosaic. Trivia question: What marine creature is the sole source of potent anti-tumor drugs called ecteinascidins (hint: prevalent on mangrove roots)? Look for the answer in next week’s feature!
Yellow Mastic 7 October, 2008 The National Trust encourages all efforts to protect and re-establish rare native trees in their natural environment. One of our largest native critically endangered trees, the Yellow Mastic tree, not to be confused with our endemic Black Mastic tree (also critically endangered), is found on the Mastic Trail at the highest point on Grand Cayman, a towering 60 feet above sea level! The heartwood is heavy and strong. Mastic was valuable for its timber in the Bahamas and West Indies and has been used for cabinetwork and boat timbers. Yellow Mastic trees were heavily logged but are still found in Cayman. Mastic has the potential to make an excellent shade tree but not for someone who is impatient. It can take 100 years or more for mastic to mature to its tallest heights. The Mastic Trail provides a unique opportunity for the adventurous traveler to see a different side of this beautiful Caribbean island. The following is taken from Wild Trees in the Cayman Islands by Fred Burton, with illustrations by Penny Clifford. Photographs provided by Ann Stafford. Yellow Mastic Sideroxylon foetidissimum
One of our largest native trees, Yellow Mastic grows as a tall, single trunked tree emerging above the surrounding woodland canopy. The straight trunk usually appears pock-marked from shedding of irregular flakes of bark. Old bark surfaces are pale grey with lichen growth, while newly exposed bark beneath shedding flakes is a pale reddish brown. On really old, massive trees the bark sheds in heavy sheets.
The leaves are often so high up that you need a pair of binoculars to make them out: the long leaf stalks and wavy leaf edges are quite characteristic, and can still be seen on dead fallen leaves beneath the tree.
Individual trees do not flower every year, but when they do it is usually in December or June. The yellow flowers have a heavy, musty scent which carries some distance through the woodland. The fruits are just under 1 inch in diameter, ripen to a pale yellow colour, and contain a single large, shiny brown seed.
Yellow Mastic is still abundant on Cayman Brac’s Bluff, but on Grand Cayman the only significant stand remaining is in an area of North Side appropriately called “The Mastic,” partly within a reserve protected by the National Trust. It does not occur on Little Cayman, but is native throughout the West Indies.
This magnificent tree was much more common in times past, but its wood is extremely useful and has attracted the attention of loggers everywhere. Sandpapering the seeds helps to speed up the otherwise slow germination process: the tree is not particularly fast growing.
Protect Cayman trees and encourage Cayman Wildlife! For more information, to share your knowledge or if you would like to get involved with the many activities in the National Trust’s Know Your Islands Program, please visit www.nationaltrust.org.ky, or call 949-0121.The weekly column from the National Trust is submitted by Marnie Laing, Education Programs Manager at the Trust.
Last week’s answer: Fustic wood makes ‘khaki’ dye and was harvested and exported commercially from Grand Cayman from the mid 1700s to at least the early 1800s. Trivia question: What is the Trust’s largest nature reserve? Look for the answer in next week’s feature!
Migratory birds 3 October, 2008 In celebration of International Migratory Bird Day on October 11, visit our beautiful woodlands such as the Mastic Trail or the Governor Gore Bird Sanctuary. There are many tours and activities planned this weekend for people to learn more about our beautiful migrant birds. Neotropical migrant birds breed in North America during the spring and early summer and spend the winter in Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. There are more than 200 species of Neotropical migrants, including some of our most beautiful songbirds, as well as shorebirds and waterfowl. Migration distances vary greatly among the different species of birds and even between individuals within a species. Birds regularly use the stars, the sun, and the earth’s magnetism for navigation. Scientists now believe that some use infrasound emitted by mountains and other large topographic features. As they get closer to their destination, birds sometimes use landforms and maybe even their sense of smell to locate their final destination. There is still much to be learned about the navigation systems that birds use. The following information was sourced from “Birds of the Cayman Islands”, written by Patricia Bradley and the photographs were taken by Frank Roulstone.
The Northern Oriole, Icterus galbula, is a rare passage migrant in the three Islands, mainly in September and April. The male has a black head, back, breast and tail with black wings edged with white. The female has olive brown or grayish upperparts and tail with blackish olive on the head. The throat, breast and rump are a dull orange yellow with two white wings-bars. The range of this migrant visitor is North America and it winters in the Greater Antilles, Central and northern South America. In Cayman, it likes to visit urban areas and regions along the coastline. Orioles eat primarily caterpillars, including many pest species. They also eat other insects, some small fruits, and nectar. Orioles can be attracted to feeders by providing orange halves, grape jelly, or artificial nectar.
The Ruddy Turnstone, Arenaria interpres, likes to visit ironshore and beach areas while in Cayman as well as lagoons and small inland wetlands. They are very common in Cayman some years and migrant throughout the year, with the majority from July to May. This Turnstone likes to be in pairs and small groups. It is a surface feeder, turning over stones to find insects, crustaceans, molluscs and worms. It can survive in a wide range of habitats and climatic conditions from Arctic to tropical.
This bird is a stocky short-legged wader with a black pointed bill. In March to September, the breeding male is rusty orange with a black back and wings, a white and black pattern on its head and neck and black breast band. Ruddy Turnstones are fairly long-lived birds with a low annual mortality rate. They are able to breed when two years old. Their average lifespan is 9 years with 19 years and 2 months being the longest recorded.
The Indigo Bunting, Passerina cyanea, is a fairly common passage migrant and an uncommon winter visitor in the three Islands. Its migratory range is from southern Canada to northern Florida during the breeding season and from southern Florida to northern South America during the winter. It often migrates by night, using the stars to navigate. In Cayman it likes to visit low secondary growth in disturbed habitats along the coastline and in urban areas.
The breeding male has vivid, ultramarine blue plumage in sunlight with dark unmarked wings and a small conical bill. The non-breeding male is reddish brown with blue patches on its rump, tail and wings. The Indigo Bunting communicates through vocalizations and visual cues. A sharp chip! call is used by both sexes, and is used as an alarm call if a nest or chick is threatened. A high-pitched, buzzed zeeep is used as a contact call when the Indigo Bunting is in flight.
Grow Cayman Plants and encourage Cayman Wildlife! You can support native and migratory birds by keeping a natural yard. Plant a variety of native trees (Wild Fig attracts many species) and shrubs. They offer both food and protection for birds. Please control introduced animals - rats, cats and dogs! If you would like to get involved with the many activities in the National Trust’s Know Your Islands Program, please visit www.nationaltrust.org.ky, or call 949-0121.The weekly column from the National Trust is submitted by Marnie Laing, Education Programs Manager at the Trust.
Last week’s answer: Shake Hand is a tree named in jest for their abundant, sharp spines. Trivia question: What tree was used to make ‘khaki’ dye? Look for the answer in next week’s feature!
Whitewood 23 September, 2008 Tabebuia species range from northern Mexico and the Antilles south to northern Argentina. Most species are on the islands of Hispaniola (Dominican Republic and Haiti) and Cuba. This is a perfect tree for small yards and patio areas or for use in informal plantings. Its beauty provides interest and diversion to anyone who can appreciate the natural splendor around us. The following is taken from Wild Trees in the Cayman Islands by Fred Burton, with illustrations by Penny Clifford; Photograph by Frank Roulstone.
Whitewood is typically a tall, narrow tree with a straight trunk. The bark is rough, with deep vertical fissures: it is often marked with sharply contrasting whitish and sooty black patches of lichens This is the only native tree with five leaflets radiating from the stalk of each leaf, but there are many closely related species of Tabebuia in cultivation, mostly known as different kind of “Poui”. Whitewood has showy pink, bell shaped flowers, with a pale yellow throat inside. Once fallen they are conspicuous on the woodland floor, and are often eaten by iguanas. The tree is partially deciduous tending to drop most of its leaves towards the end of the dry season. It often flowers on bare stems in April in anticipation of the first rains. This tree is native throughout much of the Caribbean, and is found in rocky woodlands in all three of the Cayman Islands. Its wood was used in building cat boats and schooners, and the forking smaller branches have been popular for making slingshots. If the seeds are sown fresh from the opening pods, they are very fertile and will produce a large crop of these attractive trees. Commercial propagation of this, our own native “Poui,” is to be encouraged. Discover the unique beauty of Cayman! For more information, to share your knowledge or if you would like to get involved with the many activities in the National Trust’s Know Your Islands Program, please visit www.nationaltrust.org.ky, or call 949-0121.The weekly column from the National Trust is submitted by Marnie Laing, Education Programs Manager at the Trust. Last week’s answer: Cayman receives its first written constitution in 1959, which grants the vote to women. Cayman ceases to be a dependency of Jamaica. Trivia question: Name one of two trees named in jest for their abundant, sharp spines. One is a small tree and the other is a larger tree easily identified by its leaves. Look for the answer in next week’s feature!
Groundwater 18 September, 2008 Small islands have restricted choices when developing their freshwater resources. Groundwater rates are highly dependent on regular recharge actions such as precipitation. The physical properties of a small island leave it vulnerable not only to extreme climatological events but more critically to periods of low recharge and undesirable environmental impacts, including pollution and sea water intrusion. Aquifers, porous materials in the subsurface that store water, contain thin freshwater lenses floating above salt water in the Cayman Islands. Limits in terms of water quantity and quality can be reached very quickly in periods of low recharge. The following is taken from Islands from the Sea: Geologic Stories of Cayman by Murray A. Roed.
The karstic jointed nature of Cayman bedrock allows 10% to 20% of total rainfall to freely enter the subsurface and form groundwater reservoirs (aquifers). The problem is that the rocks are so permeable that this water leaks out quite rapidly, flowing to the sea. Within four days of a torrential rainfall, water levels in observation wells drop to their pre-storm level! Today there are only three reasonably secure groundwater lenses on Grand Cayman, one small lens on Cayman Brac and none on Little Cayman.
Another problem is that all of the islands’ permeable rocks contain salt water at shallow depths. Overland flow is normally very minimal, and there are no streams. The water table is within a meter of the surface over much of Grand Cayman and Little Cayman. The freshwater that does exist floats on the salt water and includes a transition zone that is part fresh water and part salt water. This water zone is referred to as brackish. Brackish water is not entirely useless. Slightly brackish water is used by many residents for toilets, laundry, some gardening, and giving a dog a bath.
Groundwater Aquifers on Grand Cayman Islands The three freshwater groundwater lenses, are referred to as the East End, North Side and Lower Valley lenses. They occupy about 14% of the land surface of Grand Cayman. All of these groundwater lenses are in the Cayman Formation, a dolostone that is laced with open joints and fractures, sinkholes and subsurface caves in places. The three major lenses are open to the surface, or “unconfined” to use the technical term for such aquifers. A few smaller lenses of freshwater occur in the Ironshore Formation of West Bay and George Town areas but have been polluted by sewage and overuse.
The East End groundwater lens is the larges on the island. It has an estimated safe daily abstraction rate of 2950 cubic meters (about 800,000 US gallons). There are ten pumping wells tapping this lens and a pipeline supplying a treatment and storage facility. Daily production capacity in 2005 was at 340 cubic meters a day (90,000 US gallons), far below the potential of this lens.
The abandoned East End Quarry is located directly over a portion of a recharge zone of the East End groundwater lens. During the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan, this quarry was used as a staging depot for a temporary disposal of clean-up debris. The integrity of this valuable resource could have be compromised with the possible introduction of contaminants into the subsurface waters during prolonged usage as a disposal site. To date, tests have confirmed that this did not happen. However, the terrain in other parts of the groundwater recharge zone of this lens is used as a cattle pasture. Although this may be a limited risk, more risk is associated from overuse of the water, the use of fertilizers, pesticides and indiscriminate dumping of waste. Please see Chapter 8 of this book for more information on other groundwater lenses. This book is available at the National Trust, book shops, dive shops and other outlets throughout the Islands.
Discover the unique beauty of Cayman! For more information, to share your knowledge or if you would like to get involved with the many activities in the National Trust’s Know Your Islands Program, please visit www.nationaltrust.org.ky, or call 949-0121.The weekly column from the National Trust is submitted by Marnie Laing, Education Programs Manager at the Trust.
Last week’s answer: Cayman’s Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park opened in 1994 features botanical displays, colour gardens, nature walks and natural wetlands. Approximately 50% of Grand Cayman’s native plants can be found naturally in the sprawling 65-acre property. Trivia question: When did Cayman receives its first written constitution? Look for the answer in next week’s feature!
Bitter Plum 15 September, 2008 Bitter Plum is a plant species under the family Euphorbiaceae. The plant is a small tree found in the coastal limestones of Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica, and some of the Cayman and Bahama Islands. The Spurge family (Euphorbiaceae) is a large family of flowering plants with 300 genera and around 7,500 species. Most are herbs, but some, especially in the tropics, are also shrubs or trees. Some are succulent and resemble cacti. The following is taken from Wild Trees in the Cayman Islands by Fred Burton, with illustrations by Penny Clifford; photo provided by Department of Environment from the “Native Tree Nursery”.
Bitter Plum Picrodendron baccatum
The Bitter Plum is a tree which goes by many names: in Cayman it is also called “Black Ironwood,” “Dog Berry,” “Wild Plum”, and “Jamaica Walnut.” It can grow into a large and magnificent tree, with a slightly buttressed trunk and a spreading crown. The bark is uniform grey, densely fissured in vertical lines, and slowly shedding in long, thin woody strips.
The “plums” which give this tree its name are about an inch long, and ripen from green to bright orange. In December and January these fruits fall to the ground, where they are eaten enthusiastically by iguanas and agoutis. Each fruit contains a large, woody nut, which passes through an iguana’s gut unharmed, and may be transported some distance before being deposited to germinate in a pile of fertile iguana dung. Agoutis gnaw off and eat the thin, bitter flesh, and bury the nuts as a store against hard times. Later they may dig the nuts up again and gnaw through the hard woody case to eat the kernel inside.
The Bitter Plum is native to the Greater Antilles as far East as Hispaniola, including all three of the Cayman Islands, and the Bahamas. In the Cayman Islands it is quite common in low, rather swampy areas in association with Mahogany, and also can be found occasionally on rocky forest ridges. It seems to be able to tolerate slightly brackish groundwater.
The wood is very hard, and found some use in the days of local shipbuilding. The nuts are slow to germinate, and can be helped on their way by carefully cracking the woody case without damaging the living tissue within. Once germinated, the seedlings grow well in damp locations. Last week’s answer: Thatch roofing almost disappeared from Cayman by 1935. It was replaced by corrugated ‘zinc’ which was hotter to live under, but did not need to be replaced as often as thatch roofing. Trivia question: When did the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park open? Look for the answer in next week’s feature!
Buttonwood 11 August, 2008
The Buttonwood is commonly found in mangrove stands and seems to be tolerant of the low nutrient soils near the shoreline. This tree looks very similar to the other three mangrove species. The leaves are, however, different. First, while similar in color, the leaves are very narrow and pointed. In addition, the leaves on this species extend from the branches in an alternate pattern. In the three other mangrove species, leaves on either side of the branch extend directly across from each other. Finally, the flowers of this tree resemble little buttons, hence the name buttonwood. The following is taken from Wild Trees in the Cayman Islands by Fred Burton, with illustrations by Penny Clifford; Photographs by Marnie Laing. Buttonwood Conocarpus erectus
Buttonwood is a wetland tree, characteristic for its sprawling growth habit, with the trunk and large branches arching and tangling in all directions. The wood is extremely hard, and is covered by a dark rough bark, which sheds abundantly in long thin woody strips from older branches. It is almost bare of obvious lichen growth.
The undersides of the leaves bear distinct glands along the mid-vein: the flowers are yellowish cream, developing into hard, round seed cases. The combination of rough bark and a preference for damp places means this tree is often thick with Bromeliads and Orchids.
Buttonwood is abundant in association with inland Mangroves, and in a stunted form on some rocky coastlines, throughout the Cayman Islands and everywhere in the tropical Americas. It can not tolerate the saltiness of pure sea water, but grows in brackish conditions throughout much of the Central Mangrove Wetland.
The hard wood burns slowly and at a high temperature, and so was traditionally a popular fuel for cooking: it also makes good quality charcoal. It is easier to propagate from cuttings or by air layering, than from the tiny seeds.
Grow Cayman Plants and encourage Cayman Wildlife! For more information, to share your knowledge or if you would like to get involved with the many activities in the National Trust’s Know Your Islands Program, please visit www.nationaltrust.org.ky, www.caymanwildlife.org or call 949-0121. The weekly column from the National Trust is submitted by Marnie Laing, Education Programs Manager at the Trust.
Last week’s answer: The Mosquito Research & Control Unit (MRCU) was established in 1965. Trivia question: Thatch roofing almost disappeared from Cayman by 1935. What replaced it? Look for the answer in next week’s feature!
Cherry 11 August, 2008
Cherry, Myrcianthes fragrans, can be used as either a shrub (making a magical screening that the neighbors won't resent), or as a wonderfully ornate specimen tree. The tree has small leaves, which are very aromatic, and the flowers, which appear throughout the year, are extremely fragrant. The ripe fruit of this tree is a favourite of our Blue Iguana! The following is taken from Wild Trees in the Cayman Islands by Fred Burton, with illustrations by Penny Clifford; photo provided by Department of Environment from the “Native Tree Nursery”.
Cherry Myrcianthes fragrans
This tree is conspicuous for its steeply rising branches dividing low down on the trunk, and its pale pinkish brown to grey bark. Cherry has a strongly aromatic foliage – try crushing a leaf! On close examination you can see that the bark is shedding thin, woody flakes, revealing orange-brown bark beneath which is marked by fine concentric rings like contours on a map. The overall effect is an attractive mosaic of different shades of bark colour. Few lichens can become established on this rapidly shedding
The base of the trunk is always buttressed. The flowers are white, and develop into bright red aromatic berries with a bright green seed inside: the fallen berries are a favourite food for iguanas, and the sees passed through the gut intact and ready to germinate.
Cherry grows in woodlands on soil on all three of the Cayman Islands, and throughout the Caribbean region. In Cayman it is typically found at lower elevations where red soil has accumulated, but it cannot tolerate wetland conditions.
The wood of this tree was the favoured traditional material in Cayman to fashion children’s “gigs”, a kind of spinning top. It grows slowly.
Grow Cayman Plants and encourage Cayman Wildlife! For more information, to share your knowledge or if you would like to get involved with the many activities in the National Trust’s Know Your Islands Program, please visit www.nationaltrust.org.ky, www.caymanwildlife.org or call 949-0121. The weekly column from the National Trust is submitted by Marnie Laing, Education Programs Manager at the Trust.
Last week’s answer: The smallest butterfly in Cayman is the Cayman Pygmy Blue. Trivia question: When was the Mosquito Research & Control Unit created? Look for the answer in next week’s feature!
Strawberry 11 August 2008 Native plants are important because they have evolved with our local fauna, providing food and shelter for wildlife. Some butterflies and moths rely only on native plant species for food. It is important to conserve our diverse flora because plants are the base of the food chain and will therefore conserve the biodiversity of all life in our region. Cayman’s flora is beautiful and helps to make our region unique. The following is taken from Wild Trees in the Cayman Islands by Fred Burton, with illustrations by Penny Clifford; photo provided by Department of Environment from the “Native Tree Nursery”.
Strawberry Eugenia axillaris
More often seen growing as a shrub in agricultural areas, Strawberry can grow to be a small tree. It is very difficult to distinguish from its close relative, the Bastard Strawberry. A mature Strawberry tree has a rough and irregular trunk, with bark shedding in woody flakes. The leaves are dark green above, paler and spotted with tiny black dots below. They are very aromatic if crushed. The leaf stalk may be reddish above, but the colour does not continue down the leaf mild vein below, as in Bastard Strawberry leaves. Strawberry leaves also lack the white powdery scaling sometimes seen on the upper surface of its relative’s. Quite unlike Bastard Strawberry, the true Strawberry produces purple-black berries against the stem at the base of each leaf.
Traditionally the thin, flexible stems of a Strawberry were used to make “switches” to discipline children, and the children in turn like to use the berries to make a purple drink which they could pretend was wine.
Grow Cayman Plants and encourage Cayman Wildlife! For more information, to share your knowledge or if you would like to get involved with the many activities in the National Trust’s Know Your Islands Program, please visit www.nationaltrust.org.ky, www.caymanwildlife.org or call 949-0121. The weekly column from the National Trust is submitted by Marnie Laing, Education Programs Manager at the Trust.
Last week’s answer: Cayman’s caves and forests are two environments crucial for Cayman’s bats. Trivia question: What is the name of the smallest butterfly in Cayman? Look for the answer in next week’s feature!
Cayman Islands Parrots 4 August 2008 Grand Cayman Parrot The sight of a pair of Cayman parrots is a familiar one to many Caymanians. You are more likely to hear the raucous squawking of the National Bird of the Cayman Islands before actually seeing one, especially in the early morning and late afternoon when they are most vocal. When feeding quietly in the tops of trees, they are so well camouflaged you may never realize they are there. Accompanying photograph provided by Frank Roulstone.
The Grand Cayman Parrot (Amazona leucocephala caymanensis) in particular has a pink flush to its whitish forehead. The male is slightly larger and more brightly coloured than the female. Juvenile birds have yellowish foreheads, gradually becoming more washed with pink as they mature.
Cayman Brac Parrot The Cayman Brac Parrot (Amazona leucocephala hesterna) is slightly smaller, with more black trim on its green feathers. The crown is pure white, and there is a large maroon area on the abdomen. It is now found only on Cayman Brac: although it used to inhabit Little Cayman it was apparently wiped out from there in the great storm of 1932. The Cayman Brac Parrot has the smallest range of any Amazon parrot and so is one of the rarest.
The Cayman Islands' parrots feed on Sea Grapes, Red Birch berries and the flowers, seeds and berries of many other native plants. They are usually seen in pairs or small family groups, and are most active in the early morning or just before sunset. They have a wide range of different calls, some only used in particular contexts, such as while in flight, when alarmed, or advertising their position to other parrots. Larger flocks will sometimes gather, especially just before the breeding season. The Cayman Brac Parrot is quieter, has different calls and is very secretive. It is rarely seen in winter, and has earned the nickname the "Stealth Parrot". Cayman's parrots mate for life, and use the same nesting sites over and over again. They nest in rural areas, either mangrove or dry forest, in hollow trees, laying between one and five eggs every spring. The eggs hatch after about 24 days, and the young remain in the nest for about eight weeks and are able to fly by mid-summer.
Those who often see flocks of parrots in the wild may wonder why the Cayman Islands' parrots are protected. It must be remembered that they are only found in the Cayman Islands, and so healthy local populations must be maintained if these unique birds are to survive.
Grow Cayman Plants and encourage Cayman Wildlife! For more information, to share your knowledge or if you would like to get involved with the many activities in the National Trust’s Know Your Islands Program, please visit www.nationaltrust.org.ky, www.caymanwildlife.org or call 949-0121. The weekly column from the National Trust is submitted by Marnie Laing, Education Programs Manager at the Trust.
Last week’s answer: Nurse sharks eat bottom-dwelling fish, shrimp, squid, octopus, crabs, sea snails, lobster, sea urchins, and coral. Trivia question: Name two environments crucial for Cayman’s bats? Look for the answer in next week’s feature!
Bats 28 July 2008 Bats are the only native mammals in the Cayman Islands. There are nine distinct species of bats here and one endemic subspecies found only on Grand Cayman. All are beneficial to the environment and rarely interact with people. Most of our bats live in caves or in dense foliage. Of the ten kinds of bats that live here, only two eat fruit. This information is sourced from www.caymanwildlife.org and the information sheets on the National Trust website written by Lois Blumenthal and photographs were provided by Carla Reid and Courtney Platt, www.courtneyplatt.com .
Bats are thought to have evolved 60 million years ago, however, the oldest fossil found in Cayman to date is 14,000 years old. They are the only mammals that can truly fly. They are extremely vulnerable to extinction because they bear only one baby (or pup) per year and because they often live in large colonies that can easily be wiped out by one misguided or uninformed act. Bats are of vital importance to a balanced ecology. They perform many crucial functions such as controlling night-flying insects, including many kinds of crop pests and mosquitoes. They also pollinate hundreds of plants such as the agaves, silk cotton, naseberry, vine pear, neem, cactus and calabash. In addition, bats disperse seeds throughout the islands, helping to keep our forests healthy and diverse.
Molossus molossus tropidorhynchus
Brachyphylla nana nana
If you find a hurt bat call 917-BIRD!Bats are not birds, but this phone number is for all injured wildlife. Thanks to a donation from Cable & Wireless, we have an easy-to-remember cell phone number. The Wildlife Hotline will be answered seven days a week by volunteers who will help you to deal with wildlife problems or questions. Please do not call after 9 p.m. or before 7 a.m. except for emergencies. For more information, to share your knowledge or if you would like to get involved with the many activities in the National Trust’s Know Your Islands Program, please visit www.nationaltrust.org.ky, or call 949-0121.The weekly column from the National National Trust is submitted by Marnie Laing, Education Programs Manager at the Trust.
Last week’s answer: The relatively narrow trough trends east-northeast to west-southwest and has a maximum depth of 7,686 meters (25,216 ft); it is the deepest point in the Caribbean Sea. Trivia question: What do nurse sharks eat? Look for the answer in next week’s feature!
Woodpeckers 25 July 2008 Woodpeckers are adapted to forage on ants and termites and to drill out nest holes in trees. There are two resident species found only on Grand Cayman, the West Indian Woodpecker and the Northern Flicker; and one migrant occurs throughout the Cayman Islands, the Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker. Both the West Indian Woodpecker and the Northern Flicker eat many insects and termites which help keep the insect population in balance - so they are good to have around your house! How many differences can you see between the West Indian Woodpecker and the Northern Flicker? The following information was sourced from “Birds of the Cayman Islands”, written by Patricia Bradley with photographs by Frank Roulstone.
The West Indian Woodpecker Melanerpes superciliaris The West Indian Woodpecker male has a brilliant crown and nape with a pale forehead. The female has a brilliant red nape and hindneck with a grey forehead and crown. Both adults have pinkish grey faces with the distinguishing feature of unmarked underparts. These birds have a red patch on the lower abdomen which is often hard to see and the wings display fine bars of black and creamy white. The range of this species is Grand Cayman, Cuba, and the Bahamas. The West Indian Woodpecker breeds and forages in all woodland habitats. This bird drills for ants less than the Northern Flicker and also forages for fruits, tree frogs and insects, mainly beetles. It is fairly common breeding resident on Grand Cayman and nests in a cavity drilled in a dead tree from January to August with a clutch of four.
Colaptes auratus The Northern Flicker, known locally as “Black-heart” breeds and forages in all habitats and feeds almost exclusively on ants, termites and larvae both in trees and on the ground. This bird nests in a tree cavity from January to August as well. The range of this species is Grand Cayman, Cuba, North America, and Central America. Both male and female adults have cinnamon buff forehead, face, throat and sides of the neck. The crown and nape are grey with a distinguishing scarlet triangle on the centre nape. The back and wings display grayish brown and black bars with a white rump, heavily patched with black. There is a large black patch on the upper breast whereas the lower breast and abdomen are a whitish cinnamon with black spots. When the Northern Flicker is in flight, you can see that the under wing and under tail coverts are a rich yellow.
Grow Cayman Plants and encourage Cayman Wildlife! For more information, to share your knowledge or if you would like to get involved with the many activities in the National Trust’s Know Your Islands Program, please visit www.nationaltrust.org.ky, or call 949-0121.The weekly column from the National Trust is submitted by Marnie Laing, Education Programs Manager at the Trust.
Last week’s answer: The Salina Reserve is currently the Trust's largest nature reserve, with an area of approximately 625 acres comprising sedge and buttonwood swamps, dry shrubland and forest in an intricate mosaic. Trivia question: How deep is the Cayman Trench? Look for the answer in next week’s feature!
Ginep 9 July 2008 The Ginep is a flavoured translucent fleshed fruit with a mild resemblance to the lychee. This is a slow growing tree which can grow up to 80 feet. It grows best in tropical regions; it is drought tolerant and grows in seaside climates. The trees are both male, female, and hermaphroditic. Propagation can be by seed, although better selections are air layered. The fruit is generally eaten fresh and its native range is from Central and South America and through the Caribbean. The following is taken from Wild Trees in the Cayman Islands by Fred Burton, with illustrations by Penny Clifford.
Meliococcus bijugatus
A familiar roadside fruit tree, Ginep has silvery grey bark, smooth except for fine horizontal wrinkles, and often colourfully colonized by white, pale grey, pink, orange, green and black lichens.
Ginep tends to branch quite low, with bare ascending branches and a large domed crown. It flowers in spring, when a mass of luminous yellow-green blossom seems to glow for just a day or two, after which the ground below becomes thickly coated with fallen blossom. The spherical fruits are covered by a hard shell, with a sweet edible pulp inside, surrounding a hard seed in the centre.
Although this popular fruit tree is common in Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac, it is originally not native here. Its natural range is in Central America from Nicaragua southward, and round the tropical South American coasts as far as Surinam. It has been planted elsewhere in the tropics and in Cayman has taken to the wild, persisting and seeding itself in old abandoned fruit farms and in residential areas.
Grow Cayman Plants and encourage Cayman Wildlife! For more information, to share your knowledge or if you would like to get involved with the many activities in the National Trust’s Know Your Islands Program, please visit www.nationaltrust.org.ky, or call 949-0121.The weekly column from the National Trust is submitted by Marnie Laing, Education Programs Manager at the Trust.
Last week’s answer: The Mastic Trail passes through a variety of habitats: Black Mangrove wetland, stands of Royal Palms and Silver Thatch Palms, abandoned agricultural land and extensive ancient dry forest. Trivia question: What and where is the Salina Reserve? Look for the answer in next week’s feature!
Wild Banana Orchid 25 June 2008 The Wild Banana Orchid is an endemic species of orchid - that is, it is found only in the Cayman Islands. It comes in two varieties: Myrmecophila thomsoniana var. thomsoniana which originated on Grand Cayman, and Myrmecophila thomsoniana var. minor which came from Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. Anyone walking through areas of woodland after the spring rains would be almost sure to come across several examples of this lovely bloom. Indeed, it has proved popular with many gardeners on the island too, and its distinctive shape can often be seen adorning trees near houses.
The Wild Banana Orchid is an epiphyte, which means that it grows on another plant, but does not harm it in the way a parasitic plant would. Its tiny seeds are dispersed by air currents. They settle and germinate on a host plant, usually a tree with rough bark such as a Whitewood, Mahogany or Logwood. The growing orchid clings to its host's bark by its roots, which absorb water and nutrients from the rain when it runs down the branches and trunk of the supporting tree.
Wild Banana Orchids are particularly abundant in humid conditions, such as in woodlands downwind of ponds and wetlands. As the plant grows, its distinctive shape can be seen developing. Clusters of long, finger-like pseudobulbs group together at the base of the plant, resembling bunches of bananas. Long graceful flower spikes appear around April and May each year, though occasionally flowers can also be seen at other times of the year. The orchid does need the drier period of winter to rest between flowering seasons however, if the level of flowering is to be maintained. During this time the bulbs dry out and become compressed. Come the rainy season, the pseudobulbs plump up and the flowering begins again. Plentiful rain ensures good conditions for seed germination. One orchid can release as many as one million seeds! They are dispersed at random, and very few will by chance end up in a suitable place to grow. The plant also seasonally exudes sweet nectar from a gland on the flower spike, which the native Anole lizards like to lick!
The Wild Banana Orchid is not endangered, but accelerating deforestation for real estate development has meant the loss of many host trees and their orchids. Efforts are being made to make landowners aware of this loss of habitat - not just for the Wild Banana Orchid, but for many species of Cayman's wildlife. Property developers are encouraged to look at established native trees on a site, and retain as many as possible for incorporation into their landscaping schemes. Photographs by Frank Roulstone.
Grow Cayman Plants and encourage Cayman Wildlife! For more information, to share your knowledge or if you would like to get involved with the many activities in the National Trust’s Know Your Islands Program, please visit www.nationaltrust.org.ky or call 949-0121. The weekly column from the National Trust is submitted by Marnie Laing, Education Programs Manager at the Trust.
Last week’s answer: The only native mammals in the Cayman Islands is Cayman’s bats. Trivia question: What type of habitats does the Mastic Trail pass through? Look for the answer in next week’s feature!
Butterflies 17 June 2008 The anglewings, brush-footed butterflies or Nymphalidae is a family of about 5,000 species of butterflies. These are typically large butterflies, such as the emperor, admirals, and fritillaries which have very colourful wings. However, the underwings are dull and often look like dead leaves, which allow the butterfly to disappear or camouflage into its surroundings. The front two legs are small, so effectively these butterflies are four-legged. The caterpillars are hairy or spiky and the chrysalids have shiny spots. A few of the butterflies in this family call Cayman home, these include the Cuban Red, Mexican Fritillary, and the Mangrove Buckeye. Photograph taken by Frank Roulstone.
Anaea cubana The Cuban Red is a bright red butterfly that seems to disappear as it sits completely still with its wings folded. This fast flying butterfly has become more common around Grand Cayman and is hard to miss as it flies by. It prefers wooded areas, but it may also be found in your garden. No need to worry about it depositing eggs in your garden; its caterpillars prefer meals of Rosemary.
The Mexican Fritillary Euptoieta hegesia The Mexican Fritillary has the sharply angled wing margins and very similar forewing and underside patterns. The basal half of the hindwing upperside is clear orange, with the typical black fritillary markings restricted to a band around the margin. This South and Central
The Mangrove Buckeye Junonia evarete The Mangrove Buckeye has a brown upperside and the forewing has a narrow orange band which rings the large eyespot. The Underside of the hind-wing is brown, usually without bands or eyespots. The caterpillars eat leaves of mangrove trees, and these beautiful butterflies may be seen in tidal flats and visiting their favorite black mangroves. The range of the Mangrove Buckeye extends from the Atlantic coast of Mexico north to South Texas, the West Indies and extreme southern Florida.
Grow Cayman Plants and encourage Cayman Wildlife! For more information, to share your knowledge or if you would like to get involved with the many activities in the National Trust’s Know Your Islands Program, please visit www.nationaltrust.org.ky, or call 949-0121.The weekly column from the National Trust is submitted by Marnie Laing, Education Programs Manager at the Trust.
Last week’s answer: Cayman’s 5 endemic sub-species of butterflies (they are found nowhere else in the world) include the Cayman Swallowtail (our largest butterfly), Cayman Velvety Brown Leaf-Butterfly, Cayman Zoe Julia, Cayman Lucas Blue, and the Cayman Pygmy Blue (our smallest butterfly). Trivia question: What is the only native mammal in the Cayman Islands? Look for the answer in next week’s feature!
Grand Cayman Pygmy Blue 9 June 2008 The Smallest Butterfly in the Cayman Islands
Grand Cayman Pygmy Blue Brephidium exilis thompsoni
The Pygmy Blue is a Grand Cayman endemic subspecies, found nowhere else in the world! It was first discovered by scientists in 1938 and was not documented again until Dr. R. R. Askew’s visit in 1985, when two colonies were located on the north and west coasts. In 2002 a colony was also found at Midland Acres. The scientific name of a butterfly can have 2 or 3 names: the genus, the species and sometimes a subspecies. For example, the scientific name of the Cayman Pygmy Blue butterfly is Brephidium exilis thompsoni. It was named after Gerald Thompson, one of the young Oxford University students who discovered it in 1938 on the Oxford Expedition to the Cayman Islands. This tiny butterfly in one of the smallest butterflies in the world! Thank you to Ann Stafford for her research on native plants and wildlife in the Cayman Islands and her efforts to promote their importance and protection; photograph by Frank Roulstone.
Glasswort (Salicornia perennis), is a waxy-leafed succulent tolerant to salt concentration, has a light green color, and is characterized by having multiple branching. The glassworts are small, usually less than 30 cm tall, succulent herbs with a jointed horizontal main stem and erect lateral branches. The leaves are reduced to scales, so the plant appears to be leafless. The hermaphrodite flowers are wind pollinated, and the fruit is small and succulent and contains a single seed.
Sea Pulsey has attractive small white to purple or pinkish flowers and grows on the edges of swamps or beside marl roads. It is locally abundant and is a superb, mat-forming, creeping seaside plant in coastal areas. It helps stabilize shorelines and dunes and is great and very useful for preventing erosion. It has thin, short, leathery leaves that are edible. It is native throughout much of or all of the Caribbean and Bahamas. It is also found throughout tropical and subtropical shorelines and coastal areas worldwide.
Grow Cayman Plants and encourage Cayman Wildlife! For more information, to share your knowledge or if you would like to get involved with the many activities in the National Trust’s Know Your Islands Program, please visit www.nationaltrust.org.ky, or call 949-0121.The weekly column from the National Trust is submitted by Marnie Laing, Education Programs Manager at the Trust.
Last week’s answer: The Savannah Schoolhouse first opened its doors to welcome local children on 12th September, 1940. Trivia question: Name Cayman’s 5 endemic sub-species of butterflies (they are found nowhere else in the world). Look for the answer in next week’s feature!
Cabbage Tree 6 June 2008 To further our daily enjoyment of plants and wildlife, we can select plants that will attract, feed and shelter birds. A number of plant species can attract birds by providing fruits as a source of food. Flowers of some species attract insects, which are in turn eaten by other types of birds. These food sources can be complemented by one or more bird feeders which must provide high quality seed with regularity. A good bird feeder should be conveniently located for viewing and large enough to hold food for at least 2-3 days, protect the seed from rain, and minimize seed spillage. The following is taken from Wild Trees in the Cayman Islands by Fred Burton, with illustrations by Penny Clifford. Photographs generously provided by Ann Stafford.
The Cabbage Tree usually grows tall, with an often rather fluted trunk twisting and turning upwards to the canopy. The pale bark doesn’t shed much, and is covered with a mosaic of pale grey, orange and green lichens. The upper branches are chaotic, and usually distinctly drooping: the leaves are very variable in shape and size, and often look twisted and distorted.
The tiny flowers pass unnoticed, but they produce conspicuous clusters of small, brilliant red berries. The Cabbage Tree is a favourite host to “Scorn-the-Ground,” parasitic mistletoes which are visible as knots of dark green foliage in the crowns of the trees.
The Cabbage Tree’s think flexible twigs were sometimes used as the “wattles” in wattle-and-daub house construction, though Candlewood was preferred for this purpose: Cabbage Tree twigs were also widely used to make traps for ground doves.
An attractive garden tree, Cabbage Tree grows reasonably fast in good soil.
Grow Cayman Plants and encourage Cayman Wildlife! For more information, to share your knowledge or if you would like to get involved with the many activities in the National Trust’s Know Your Islands Program, please visit www.nationaltrust.org.ky, or call 949-0121.The weekly column from the National Trust is submitted by Marnie Laing, Education Programs Manager at the Trust.
Last week’s answer: The Flame Helmet is one local marine mollusk that has become rare because of over-collecting. Trivia question: When did the Savannah Schoolhouse first open? Look for the answer in next week’s feature!
Caribbean Reef Squid 6 June 2008 Caribbean Reef Squid (Sepioteuthis sepioidea) live in the ocean waters of Florida, Bahamas and the Caribbean. Squid are commonly found in groups of about 4 -30 in the shallows associated with reefs. It lives in waters to approximately 100 meters. The habitat of reef squid changes according to the squid's stage of life and size. The small squid typically gather together in shallow turtle grass near islands and remain within two meters from the surface to avoid bird predators. They also do not dwell on the ocean floor because of possible snapper predation. At night however, they often will swim to deeper waters and hunt with older, larger squid. When mating, adults are found near coral reefs in shallower depths.
Squid are in the Class Cephalopoda and are molluscs: they are closely related to the cuttlefish and octopus and more distantly to the snails, clams, oysters, and sea slugs.
sentinels, stationed at each end and near the middle. When approaching danger is detected, the shoal typically forms into a tight school and jets away as a group. Like other cephalopods, Caribbean reef squid are semelparous; that is, they die after reproducing. Females lay their eggs then die immediately after. The males, however, can fertilize many females in a short period of time before they die. Females lay the eggs in well-protected areas scattered around the reefs.
Protect Cayman’s Marine Life! For more information, to share your knowledge or if you would like to get involved with the many activities in the National Trust’s Know Your Islands Program, please visit www.nationaltrust.org.ky, or call 949-0121.The weekly column from the National Trust is submitted by Marnie Laing, Education Programs Manager at the Trust.
Last week’s answer: Red Bats are very rare; they roost alone in foliage and are the only bats known to commonly give birth to more than one pup at a time. Trivia question: Name one local marine mollusk that has become rare because of over-collecting. Look for the answer in next week’s feature!
Red-footed Boobies of Little Cayman 20 May 2008 The National Trust's Booby Pond Nature Reserve on Little Cayman is home to the largest breeding colony of Red-footed Boobies in the Western Hemisphere. Its 260 acres comprise the pond, mangrove fringe and the entire red- footed booby nesting areas in the dry forest and shrubland the north of the pond, and an additional buffer zone. These birds are Little Cayman's original deep-sea fishermen. Like our ancestors who roamed the seas in schooners in quest of bounteous fishing grounds, Red-footed Boobies may fly for days in search of food. However, at the end of a hard day, their troubles are far from being over. For as they draw near the waters of home, they know that they will inevitably face one final challenge from their archenemies, the Magnificent Frigate bird. Courtship begins in the fall and nest building and laying its one egg begins from late October and young boobies are found in the nest as late as May. Adult booby come in two color phases: white with black on the wing and brown with a white rump and tail. The white, fluffy booby chicks fledge to a nondescript brown plumage after four months dedicated care from both parents. Red-footed Boobies nest amongst the branches of mangroves and forest trees in the nature reserve. With both parents alternating responsibility for incubating eggs and feeding the downy chicks upon hatching, this means that one adult will stay on the nest while the other leaves in search of food. Boobies have a storage area called a 'crop' in their gullets where they hold food that will later be regurgitated to feed their chicks and mate. Unfortunately, patrolling Frigate birds are all too aware of this fact and see this as the perfect 'easy meal'. In one-on-one combat between a Booby and Frigate bird, the latter will always win. The only option for the Booby is to lighten its load by purging the contents of its crop, and to head back out to sea to find more food, leaving its mate stranded and its chicks hungry.
When one considers there are thousands of Red-footed Boobies in Little Cayman, it is easy to understand the astonishing spectacle this battle for survival must make in the encroaching twilight hours. Their technique must work, as studies indicate that the Red-footed Booby population is healthy. That is not to say, however, that the future holds no concern for these wondrous birds. We must continue to protect and admire this beautiful species. For more information on the Trust’s various historic and natural sites, please visit our website, particularly the Information Sheets drop-down menu on the bottom left. Photos from the National Trust Archive and Courtney Platt. Discover the unique beauty of Cayman! For more information, to share your knowledge or if you would like to get involved with the many activities in the National Trust’s Know Your Islands Program, please visit www.nationaltrust.org.ky, or call 949-0121.The weekly column from the National Trust is submitted by Marnie Laing, Education Programs Manager at the Trust. Last week’s answer: The highest point on Grand Cayman is 60 feet. Trivia question: Which bat in Cayman has twins? Look for the answer in next week’s feature!
Wave Cut Terraces 14 May 2008 Offshore Wave Cut Terraces Wave cut terraces are a narrow flat area in the rock caused by the action of waves. It forms after destructive waves hit against the cliff face, causing undercutting between the high and low water marks. This notch may then enlarge into a cave. A wave-cut platform represents an extremely hostile environment and only the toughest of organisms can live in such a place. Ancient wave cut platforms provide evidence of past sea levels. Raised and abandoned platforms, sometimes found behind modern beaches, are evidence of higher sea levels in the geological past. By using scientific dating methods, or examination of marine fossils found on the platform, it is possible to work out when the platform was formed, thus giving geographers and geologists information about sea levels at known times in the past. The following is taken from Islands from the Sea: Geologic Stories of Cayman by Murray A. Roed. The accompanying photograph shows two wave cut notches related to present sea level at Little Bluff on the northeast coast of Grand Cayman. View is to the east. Six levels of wave cut terraces are recognized in the Cayman Islands, some from aerial photos, some from scuba Divers’ observations plus bathymetry, and some found by previous workers. The terrace story starts at the peak of the Late Wisconsin glacier build-up, ignoring minor fluctuations. This happened approximately 18,000 years ago. At that time sea level is believed to have been up to 130 meters below present sea level. On Grand Cayman, this level is represented by a prominent wave cut notch at a depth of about 120 meters along a steep bedrock wall 200 meters offshore near Northwest Point in West Bay. Other evidence of this low sea level may be represented by tunnels in the bedrock and tall bedrock pinnacles, some 30 to 40 meters high, described by divers as “haystacks”. These conspicuous sub-sea relics are composed of carbonate rocks, and have been recorded from 230 to 310 meters depth off the western margin of Grand Cayman. The pinnacles are either eroded bedrock or, more likely, they are rockslide debris. Much deeper wave cut notches have been suggested by some researchers.
The next terrace is a major break in slope recognizable off all the islands at a depth of about 40 meters. The outer limit of this terrace edge is up to two kilometers offshore, but commonly it is less than on kilometer, and in places as close as 200 meters from shore. This surface slopes shoreward up to about 12% and ranges in width from 100 meters to over 1000 meters. The outer edge of this terrace is the beginning of the main “wall” of the offshore, literally the edge of the shelf, or the drop into very deep water. This well formed terrace was eroded during a prolonged interval after which much of the Continental ice had melted, perhaps by about 12,000 years ago. Please see Chapter 6 of this book for more information on 3 other wave cut terraces. This book is available at the National Trust, book shops, dive shops and other outlets throughout the Islands. Discover the unique beauty of Cayman! For more information, to share your knowledge or if you would like to get involved with the many activities in the National Trust’s Know Your Islands Program, please visit www.nationaltrust.org.ky, or call 949-0121.The weekly column from the National Trust is submitted by Marnie Laing, Education Programs Manager at the Trust. Last week’s answer: Never evict bats during June, July, August, September, October or November when baby bats would be separated from their mothers and left to die. This is unwise, as bats bear only one baby a year and an entire generation would be lost. Trivia question: What is the highest point of Grand Cayman? Look for the answer in next week’s feature!
Blue Iguana 6 May 2008 The Grand Cayman Blue Iguana (Cyclura lewisi) is a unique and magnificent creature, but one which stands on the brink of extinction. Fortunately, due to the National Trust for the Cayman Islands' Blue Iguana Recovery Programme and the assistance from a variety of volunteers, it has managed to take a few steps forward over recent years. Photograph generously provided by Courtney Platt. The Blue Iguana is endemic to Grand Cayman - meaning it is found nowhere else in the world. It is related to the Rock Iguana found on Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, but is quite distinct. It gets its local name from its remarkable blue colouration which is particularly notable in adult males. Being cold-blooded creatures, iguanas need to warm themselves in the sunshine to become active. Early in the day, when they are cool, the adult iguana is a uniform dark grey. This colour absorbs heat very efficiently. As the animal warms up, it has to ensure that it does not overheat. To achieve this, the cells responsible for this colouration (known as chromophores) contract. This reveals the distinctive powder blue colour underneath, which is paler and does not absorb heat well.
Iguanas never stop growing, although the growth rate does slow down with age. Adults of five feet in length from nose to tail are not uncommon. They are not sociable creatures and tend to live alone, not encouraging others to stay in their territory. When feeling threatened, iguanas turn themselves sideways to the foe, draw themselves up as high as possible on their four legs and flatten their bodies laterally so that the area they expose to their opponent is as large as possible. Fierce fights do occur amongst males during mating season. It is a sad fact that the major problems facing Cayman's iguanas are human related. When the first settlers arrived nearly 300 years ago, it is thought that many of these creatures lived on the coast, laying their eggs in the sand on the edge of the beach: a pattern of behaviour that can still be seen in the Little Cayman Rock Iguana. As time passed, humans, who bought with them dogs, cats and rats, preferred these areas too, and soon the iguanas were forced to retreat inland, where nesting sites were harder to find. Yet the iguanas were able to hang on. They learned that the edge of newly cleared farmland was a suitable habitat with open areas for sunning themselves, soil for nesting, and ample bush for foraging and security. The dangers posed by roaming pets and the farmer's gun were not quite enough to destroy the population entirely. But now things are changing again. When initial studies were done in the 1980's, prospects for the Grand Cayman Blue Iguana looked bleak. They had already disappeared from over 90% of the island, and a remnant of those that had survived faced seemingly insurmountable odds with rapid development, illegal trapping, feral dogs and cats and road kills. The Trust's Blue Iguana Recovery Programme was set up in 1990 combining field research, captive breeding, public education, habitat protection and reintroduction. It is only with this continued effort that it may still be possible to save this unique creature from extinction. The National Trust, the Blue Iguana Recovery Programme, and the Cayman Islands have suffered a huge loss in the tragic events that took place on May 4, 2008. We will dearly miss Sara, Pedro, Jessica, Yellow, Eldemire, and Digger. Protect Cayman Wildlife! For more information on the Blue Iguana Recovery Programme please visit www.nationaltrust.org.ky, www.blueiguana.ky or call 949-0121.The weekly column from the National Trust is submitted by Marnie Laing, Education Programs Manager at the Trust.
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The accompanying photograph from the book shows a view of karst terrain on the eastern tip of Little Cayman. The rock is dolostone of the Cayman Formation pock marked with sinkholes and ponds critical for birds, lizards, snakes, iguanas and invertebrates. 
Strawberry is native throughout the West Indies, and northern Central America on to Mexico: it also occurs in Florida. It is common throughout the three Cayman Islands.
The Cayman Islands' parrots are, in fact, two subspecies of the Cuban Parrot 
Velvety Free-tailed Bat
Antillean Nectar Bat 
The Northern Flicker or “Black-heart”
Ginep
Both varieties have
Cabbage Tree
Native to the Bahamas and the Greater Antilles as well as all three of the Cayman Islands, this tree thrives everywhere except among mangroves and in other frequently flooded land.
The colouring of a Caribbean reef squid is a generally a mottled medium green to brown on the dorsal side 
On average, squid shoals are attacked several times during the daytime, by such predators as Bar and Yellow Jacks, Cero Mackerels and groupers. Members of a shoal typically form a line with larger individuals, acting as 
However, if Boobies are deficient in strength, they are superior in intellect; for Little Cayman's deep-sea fishermen have devised an ingenious line of defense to confuse the Frigate birds based on the premise that there is safety in numbers. Their dawn exodus from the nesting site, as they embark upon their lengthy journeys, proves unproblematic as they are without a catch. It is the return journey where they will need to outwit their enemies. For energy efficiency, Red-footed Boobies can be seen flying low over the ocean. As they near home, they mill around offshore until they have formed a group - the larger the group, the less chance there is of becoming a victim. The Boobies begin to climb in a spiraling column, joined constantly by birds arriving from out at sea. This ascent will allow them ultimately to use gravity to give them optimum speed for their final descent into the nest. Gradually, they peel off in large groups from the top of the column, wings are streamlined and, torpedo-like, the Boobies begin their controlled freefall into the safety of their nesting grounds. 
The next recognizable terrace level is a narrow terrace at a depth of approximately 70 meters below present sea level. This is at least 50 meters above the deep terrace level and likely represents the first major melting phase of the continental glaciers that had occurred by about 15,000 years ago. A lot of water was added relatively quickly to the oceans in this interval that may have spanned about 3000 years. A pause or slowdown in melting provided enough time to erode this narrow terrace. Air photos indicate suggestions of this terrace in only a few places, off Grand Cayman and off Cayman Brac near Hawkesbill Bay. Other scientists have reported a break in slope here off Grand Cayman in a number of places. Similar notches have been found at this depth in western Guiana and in Barbados. 
Iguanas are large lizards with red eyes and a row of spines which run from the back of the head to the tip of the tail. The male is larger than the female and has substantial jaw muscles giving it a very strong bite! They are, however, vegetarian, foraging for fruits, flowers and leaves. | |
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