Embrace Pennsylvania's unique outdoors sounds, sights of August
August is sometimes described as the Sunday of summer.
While the season is changing, it’s far from over. The first day of autumn is actually Sept. 22. This month is an important time for many as they think about starting a new year in school or college.
For those who like the outdoors, it’s an interesting time to embrace nature.
The night air is filled with lightning bugs and the sounds of crickets and frogs. If you want to cool off and relax, find an open field near a wooded area to spend a few hours on a calm night.
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The video shared with this article captures some of the sounds of small creatures like crickets and frogs that you might hear during August.
The edges of fields are an awesome place to walk during the end of summer. You might be surprised at what you find bounding around.
I found a large black beetle that seemed out of place for this part of Pennsylvania. I shared a photo of it with Aaron Capouellez, president and founder of PA Woods and Forests, and he was able to determine it as an Osmoderma, a scarab beetle also known as a hermit flower beetle.
Capouellez has become a good resource for those who want to better understand nature. He said if anyone needs help in identifying a small reptile, amphibian or insect, he’s always willing to help. You can reach him through the organization’s website pawoodsandforest.com or through Facebook.
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It’s common to find woolly bear caterpillars while hiking at this time of year. Some people believe the furry crawlers can predict the severity of the coming winter based on how much black fur they have. If the ends are black and it's tan in the middle, the winter ahead is suggested to be rough in the beginning and end, but mild in the middle.
I found one this week that was all tan, and I’m hoping that means a mild winter. I ended my walk before I encountered another one that might have offered a different prognostication.
Regardless of what you believe about insects, it’s fun to see all the active small critters that are moving around this time of year. There are plenty of grasshoppers bouncing around grassy areas that are fun for children to catch. Grasshoppers and crickets are an ideal bait for panfish and bass that are on the lookout for these high-protein insects.
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Whether you just need a break from the heat, want to check on your trail cameras or just want to take a walk, embrace what August has to offer. There’s something special you can feel in the air that reminds us that the seasons are changing.
Brian Whipkey is the outdoors columnist for USA TODAY Network sites in Pennsylvania. Contact him at bwhipkey@gannett.com and sign up for our weekly Go Outdoors PA newsletter email on your website's homepage under your login name. Follow him on social media @whipkeyoutdoors.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Crickets, beetles and grasshoppers make August come alive
