(M) Winter Stonefly Survey

March 15, 2025 @ Baldwin Creek in Baldwin Creek Watershed

[Image Credit: Cleveland Metroparks]

Anna Perenna...

Or more stonefly adventures on the Ides of March.

Long before Julius Caesar's notorius run-in with Roman senators in 44 BC, and much longer before Shakespeare's soothsayer bid us beware - the 15th of March was a celebration day for the goddess Anna Perenna. It marked the time around the first full moon of the year in the old Roman calendar, before 46 BC when Caesar reformed it into the Julian calendar. People danced and feasted, camping out along the banks of the Tiber river, enjoying the cycle of death, rebirth and the coming of spring. Her name Anna, "to live through a year" and Perenna, 'to last many years", gives us the modern English words: annual and perennial.

This past Saturday, WVP Stonefly Club spent the late morning and early afternoon along stream banks. We were unsure of what to expect, given the temperate weather. Snowfall had made the stoneflies easy to spot on the ground during the January and February surveys, yielding good counts. The mild day brought us a different result. We observed the stoneflies on rocks, trees and bridge substrates, presumably engaging in vibrational communication seeking a mate, and decidedly engaging in mating behavior. A final swan song that sees the females take to the wing, sending the next generation of stoneflies back into the highly oxygenated riffles, whence they came.

We've concluded our Winter Stonefly Survey for this year and look forward to it for many years to come.

Sara Corrigan

WVP Coordinator

Watershed Spotlight

A Cool Weather Reminder:

Spotted Lanternfly Egg Masses

While out monitoring for Winter Stoneflies on a chilly Saturday, I stumbled upon a stark reminder that, although the pesky spotted lanternfly isn’t active this time of year, we can’t forget about it - I found an egg mass on one of the trees I was surveying.

First identified in Ohio in 2020, this invasive insect has rapidly spread, especially in Cuyahoga County, which has some of the highest reported numbers in the state. While we won’t see the black-spotted adults with their pinkish-tan forewings and striking red hindwings in winter, their egg masses can be found from October to June and will begin hatching as early as April. These small, gray masses, about 1.5 inches long, contain 30-50 eggs.

To help curb their spread, we can destroy egg masses before the nymphs emerge in spring. If you find one, scrape it off the surface, crush it with a hard object, and, if possible, drop it into soapy water or rubbing alcohol to ensure the eggs are destroyed.

By taking action now, we can help slow the spread of this invasive pest and protect our local trees and plants.

Michele Mumaw, PhD

WVP Assistant

Upcoming WVP Volunteer Survey

WVP has been working with a group of Case Western Reserve University students who will be helping us gather some information and enhance our program. You'll soon receive a short email survey from us. Participation is voluntary but the students will be graded on the work they do, so please take part, if you can.

Cleveland Metroparks Watersheds in Cuyahoga County

We’re now including the watershed alongside volunteer location details for WVP events. You will see many Cleveland Metroparks' reservations are named after the watersheds they help protect, such as Rocky River, Euclid Creek, and Big Creek. By making this connection more visible, we hope to deepen awareness of which watersheds our efforts support and highlight the important role they play in our environment.

[Photo credit: Cleveland Metroparks]

Salt Watch

Salt Watch Reminder

Salt Watch Volunteers: There's still time to take your March sample.

Questions? Email us

Happenings

(M) Invasive Mantis Egg Case Removal

March 12, 2025 @ Acacia Reservation in Euclid Creek Watershed

[Photo Credit: Cleveland Metroparks]

WVP Opportunities

Key

(L)earning: These events include talks, workshops, and training sessions.
(M)onitoring: These events include water quality testing through chemistry and macroinvertebrate monitoring.
(R)estoration: These events include bioretention clean-ups, tree plantings, invasive plant removal, etc.
(O)utreach: These events are used to spread awareness of the Watershed Volunteer Program and general watershed health.

(R) Invasive Mantis Egg Case Removal

Wed, Mar 19, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. @ Bedford Reservation in Tinkers Creek Watershed

(R) Green Infrastructure Maintenance

Fri, Mar 21 , 1 - 3 p.m. @ Brookside Reservation in Big Creek Watershed

(M) Marine Debris Monitoring

Sat, Mar 29, 10 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. @ Euclid Creek in Euclid Creek Watershed

(R) Invasive Mantis Egg Case Removal

Wed, Apr 2 , 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. @ Hinckley Reservation in Rocky River Watershed

(R) Garlic Mustard Removal

Wed, Apr 9, 6 -8 p.m. @ Engle Rd, Big Creek Reservation in Big Creek Watershed

(R) Live Stake Planting & Site Tour

Sat, Apr 12, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. @ Johnsons Creek, Hinckley Reservation

(M) Workshop: Macroinvertebrates ID 101

Wed, Apr 16, 6 - 7:30 p.m. @ Watershed Stewardship Center in West Creek Watershed

(L) Workshop: Best Practices for Successful Tree Planting

Wed, Apr 23, 6 - 7:30 p.m. @ Watershed Stewardship Center in West Creek Watershed

(M) City Nature Challenge

Sat, Apr 26, 10 a.m. - Noon @ Chippewa Creek, Brecksville Reservation in Chippewa Creek Watershed

(R) Deer Fence Construction

Wed, Apr 30, 1 - 3:30 p.m. @ Camp Corde in West Creek Watershed

(R) Native Tree Planting

Wed, Apr 30, 5:30 - 8 p.m. @ Camp Corde in West Creek Watershed

WVP volunteers, please log into Volgistics to register for primary events.

*Open to the public. Click Here or Email us for the registration link.

View Event Details

(L) Natural Resources Winter Lecture Series: "Active Forest Management: What It Is and How It Can Benefit Us" with Adam Regula

March 5, 2025 @ The Watershed Stewardship Center, West Creek Reservation in West Creek Watershed

[Photo Credit: Cleveland Metroparks]

Opportunities With Our Partners

(S) CSWCD: Spring 2025 Native Plant Kit Sale

Feb 5 - Mar 21, order online

Order predesigned native plant kits that provide a diversity of plants featuring grasses, flowers, and sedges. Each native kit contains 50 plugs, 10 or more native species, designed for an extended period of bloom and interest.

More Information

(S) Rain Barrel Pickup Event

Wed, Mar 19, 5:30 - 7 p.m. @ Garfield Heights

Harvest rainwater for all your garden needs and combat stormwater pollution in your community with your own rain barrel! Cuyahoga SWCD will present a rain barrel pick-up event hosted by the City of Garfield Heights. Order in advance and pick up your barrel and diverter kit to make at home. All you need is a drill. Instructional video provided.

The $60 fee includes all materials, including a 55-gallon barrel, drill bits, and a downspout diverter. If you would like to create a two-barrel system, a second barrel and connector kit is available for an additional $40.

More Information and Registration Here

(S) Pond Management Workshop

Thu, Mar 20, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. @ Centerville Mills Dining Hall

Join the Geauga and Portage Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) on the first day of spring for a unique opportunity to gain information and resources about managing and maintaining your pond. Eugene Braig – Aquatic Ecosystem Program Director with Ohio State University – will be presenting at this FREE event. Registration is required by March 19.

More Information and Registration Here

(S) World Water Day Rain Barrel Workshop

Sat, Mar 22, 10 - 4:15 p.m. @ The Watershed Stewardship Center, West Creek Reservation in West Creek Watershed

Celebrate World Water Day by constructing a rain barrel to harvest rainwater at home. The Watershed Stewardship Center will be offering rain barrel workshops at a reduced rate to celebrate the holiday. Guests will work with naturalists to assemble their barrels and learn how to finish the installation at home. Each workshop registrant is welcome to bring a guest, but must register multiple times if they want additional barrels. Maximum of two registrations per household.

$30 per registration

11 spaces for registration

Rain barrels are three feet tall, two feet wide, and hold 55 gallons of water. Please be certain to bring a vehicle that is large enough to transport your barrel.

10 - 11 a.m. Register Here

11:15 - 12:15 p.m. Register Here

12:45 - 1:45 p.m. Register Here

2 - 3 p.m. Register Here

3:15 - 4:15 p.m. Register Here

(S) Tinkers' Creek Winter Webinar: Majestic Native Plants

Wed, Mar 26, 6 - 7 p.m. @ Online

Join Jennifer White, Education and Outreach Manager for Portage Parks, as she shares her expertise on growing native plants in your yard.

More Information and Registration Here

(S) Doan Brook Fishing Workshop with Cleveland Metroparks

Sat, Apr 5, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. @ Rockefeller Lagoon

Are you a long-time fishing fanatic, or would you like to try to catch your first fish?

More Information and Registration Here

(S) West Creek: 2025 Annual Meeting

Tue, Apr 8, 6 - 8 p.m. @ Parma - Snow Library

Join us for West Creek Conservancy’s Annual Meeting on April 8th. The presentation will include a 2024 wrap-up and what's on deck for 2025 and beyond.

More Information and Registration Here

(S) Doan Brook Grow Not Mow

Sat, Apr 26, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. @ Shaker Blvd & Warrensville Center Rd

Grow Not Mow is a community program powered by volunteers like you and championed by the City of Shaker Heights. With this program, we hope to restore and enhance biodiversity in the floodplain of the Doan Brook to make it a better habitat for pollinators, wildlife, and people while also reducing the land area that is mowed. Our plantings will also help to absorb, filter stormwater runoff and prevent soil erosion, and reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with mowing.

More Information and Registration Here

More (S)upplemental events can be found on our website here.

*WVP volunteers can submit supplemental hours in Volgistics under (S) Watershed Partner Event Contact us if you need assistance reporting any hours.

(M) Winter Stonefly Survey

March 15, 2025 @ Baldwin Creek in Baldwin Creek Watershed

[Photo Credit: Cleveland Metroparks]

Extras

News

Stream by Stream: Researching and Protecting Cuyahoga Valley National Park’s Vital Waterways | Read on

Road Trip Time! The Historic Hellbender Preserve Is Ready to Open in Jefferson County. | Read on and watch video here

A Goldfish, a Game, and Some Grub: The Hilarious, Ohio-Made Doritos Ad You Didn’t See During the Super Bowl | Read on and watch video here

Droughts Are Getting Worse. Is Fog Farming a Fix? | Read on

The Ultimate List of Eco-Friendly and Environmental Holidays | Read on

Xiaogoushan (Puppy Mountain)

Sometimes, weathering and erosion have very negative outcomes. Sometimes, they produce a mountain shaped like a dog’s head resting on the ground. This photo was taken by a fashion designer during late January along the Yangtze River in Yichang, China. It generated many smiles online while simultaneously creating a new tourist destination.

[Image Credit: Guo Qingshan via AP]