IRF 168. Dan Johnson et al. Assessment of Grassland Management and Restoration Practices on the Availability and Quality of Insects as Food for Grassland Species at Risk; photos 1

Grasslands National Park, SK (native Stipa-Bouteloua; crested wheatgrass; russian wild rye)

Onefour, AB; native Stipa-Bouteloua

Onefour, AB; grazing and seeding treatments (Craig Andrews, AAFC)

Mixed plantings, 16 plots, Swift Current (A. Iwaasa, M. Schellenberg, et al., AAFC)

Simple or complex, high or low density. Impact on grasshopper residence was assessed.
Pitfall traps were placed in each plot, to estimate relative beetle activity.

Stavely, AB, foothills fescue (AAFC)

Burrowing Owl nest on federal land at Onefour, AB.
(In 2004, Geoff Holroyd et al. recorded 30 Burrowing Owls from this federal property.)

Species, biomass, density, phenology, activity, flight characteristics, colour, and vegetation were observed and recorded. Analysis is in progress to link insect species with grassland plant species via fecal analysis, and MS analysis of stable isotopes 13C and 15N (new IRF followup research with C. Gilbertson, using samples from 2003 and 2004)

red-winged grasshopper (more on recognizing grasshoppers is at
http://people.uleth.ca/~dan.johnson/htm/dj_gh_guide.htm)

green fool grasshopper (more on recognizing grasshoppers)

Packard grasshopper (more on recognizing grasshoppers)

two-striped grasshopper (more on recognizing grasshoppers); this species,
often found in owl pellets, hatched late and declined in numbers in 2004

(the decline in numbers of certain species in 2004 was reported regulary on this website:http://people.uleth.ca/~dan.johnson/htm/dj_gh_guide.htm )

broad-winged bush katydid, rare on upland but common
in riparian settings, but only during 2001-2004

blue-legged grasshopper, increased greatly on native
grassland in 2004 (more on recognizing grasshoppers)

Mormon cricket, a long-horned grasshopper (more on recognizing grasshoppers)

red-shanked grasshopper, an early season species
common in owl diets (more on recognizing grasshoppers)

migratory grasshopper, once a common species but rare
during the recent outbreak (more on recognizing grasshoppers)

Typical large ground beetles from the study (Pasimachus elongatus,the blue-lined ground beetle)

An example of another large grassland insect found in 2003.
White-lined sphinx (Hyles lineata). Fat and caloric content was assessed.

An adult reared from one of the larvae above, collected in July, 2003 (DJ)

2004 Progress report in preparation.


Assessment of Grassland Management and Restoration Practices on the Availability and Quality of Insects as Food for Grassland Species at Risk General objective: identify the species and detailed characteristics of insect groups mentioned in the recovery plans as being important, mainly "grasshoppers", assess their nutritional value to species at risk, and determine to what extent management of vegetation cover affects abundance, quality and timing. Example photographs from Interdepartment Recovery Fund research project #168, as requested by IRF and AAFC.		Species of relevance to the project: Burrowing Owl, Loggerhead Shrike excubitorides subspecies, Greater Sage-Grouse Urophasianus Subpopulation, Swift Fox Principal participating agencies: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada; University of Lethbridge; Parks Canada, DND. Research results will be presented jointly at an international conference in Canmore; publications will be available in 2005-2006. All photos are by Dan Johnson. Permission for use by IRF, Environment Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the National Burrowing Owl Recovery Team, Ducks Unlimited Canada (related project near Kimball, AB), and collaborating institutions is granted. Collaboration: Dan Johnson, Pat Fargey, Rob Sissons, Alan Iwaasa, Brent Smith, Priya Mir; lab and field support on the IRF project in 2003: Brad Linderman, Craig Andrews, Ian Kehler, Shane Clark; part time from Ginny Goulet (2004). Special thanks to the National Burrowing Owl Recovery Team, for discussion and future collaboration.

Photos Part 1: land, insects and methods Part 2: examples of method used in the project Part 3: general interest photos of insect prey being consumed
Locations of research plots and collections, and studies of vegetation

Grasslands National Park, SK (native Stipa-Bouteloua; crested wheatgrass; russian wild rye)


Onefour, AB; native Stipa-Bouteloua


Onefour, AB; grazing and seeding treatments (Craig Andrews, AAFC)


Lost River and tributaries near Onefour, AB; rugged terrain


Mixed plantings, 16 plots, Swift Current (A. Iwaasa, M. Schellenberg, et al., AAFC)
Simple or complex, high or low density. Impact on grasshopper residence was assessed. Pitfall traps were placed in each plot, to estimate relative beetle activity.



Stavely, AB, foothills fescue (AAFC)



Burrowing Owl nest on federal land at Onefour, AB. (In 2004, Geoff Holroyd et al. recorded 30 Burrowing Owls from this federal property.)


Below: examples of insects collected during two summers of sampling with sweepnets, drag nets, pitfall traps, pan traps and hand collecting.
Species, biomass, density, phenology, activity, flight characteristics, colour, and vegetation were observed and recorded. Analysis is in progress to link insect species with grassland plant species via fecal analysis, and MS analysis of stable isotopes 13C and 15N (new IRF followup research with C. Gilbertson, using samples from 2003 and 2004)


red-winged grasshopper (more on recognizing grasshoppers is at http://people.uleth.ca/~dan.johnson/htm/dj_gh_guide.htm)


green fool grasshopper (more on recognizing grasshoppers)


Packard grasshopper (more on recognizing grasshoppers)


two-striped grasshopper (more on recognizing grasshoppers); this species, often found in owl pellets, hatched late and declined in numbers in 2004
(the decline in numbers of certain species in 2004 was reported regulary on this website:http://people.uleth.ca/~dan.johnson/htm/dj_gh_guide.htm )



broad-winged bush katydid, rare on upland but common in riparian settings, but only during 2001-2004


blue-legged grasshopper, increased greatly on native grassland in 2004 (more on recognizing grasshoppers)


Mormon cricket, a long-horned grasshopper (more on recognizing grasshoppers)


red-shanked grasshopper, an early season species common in owl diets (more on recognizing grasshoppers)


migratory grasshopper, once a common species but rare during the recent outbreak (more on recognizing grasshoppers)


Typical large ground beetles from the study (Pasimachus elongatus,the blue-lined ground beetle)


An example of another large grassland insect found in 2003. White-lined sphinx (Hyles lineata). Fat and caloric content was assessed.


An adult reared from one of the larvae above, collected in July, 2003 (DJ)

2004 Progress report in preparation.
Photos Part 1: land, insects and methods Part 2: examples of method used in the project Part 3: general interest photos of insect prey being consumed (All photos on this website by D. Johnson)
Link to a summary paper aimed at convincing pest managers to consider the value of insects as food for wildlife:
	15th Annual H. R. MacCarthy Pest Management Lecture: "The need for longitudinal study of the dual roles of insects as pests and food resources in agroecosystems" (D.Johnson)