LEO Network

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The LEO Network is a worldwide network of observers and experts that share their observations of environmental change.
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Observations

What kind of insect?
Tribal member from St. Mary's, Alaska noticed this on her when she went back inside her home. Turns out it is an elm sawfly, Cimbex americana.
St. Mary's, Alaska, United States

Troopers: Pilot Station man dies in storm, brother treated for hypothermia
Two brothers, one dead and one experiencing hypothermia, were found about two miles from Pilot Station after their snowmachine became stuck in heavy snow during a storm.
Pilot Station, Alaska, United States
Alaska Media, LLC., Steve Keller designer and application developer

False long-horned beetle (Stenotrachelus aeneus)
Black insect never seen by a Yupiit of Andreafski Tribal member at his home in St. Mary's.
St. Mary's, Alaska, United States
Bambi Alexie, Derek Sikes, Charles Prince, Elizabeth Graham, Eric Alstrom

Unknown plant or fungus observed in cottonwood log
Nobody I have asked has seen any plant like this. I touched it soon after the picture and it turned into a maroon colored powder.
Lower Yukon

Unknown Insect
This eye catching insect is the adult stonefly.
St. Mary's, Alaska, United States

Large tundra fire burns 12 miles away from St. Mary’s
“It’s been hot, it’s been dry, and it’s been windy. And those winds gusts of 20 miles per hour, it’s kind of funneled through the Andreafsky River drainage,” said Beth Ipsen. Federal entities sent in more firefighters this week, and some residents are thinking about preparing their go-bags.
Anchorage Daily News

Historic Lower Yukon wildfire forces evacuations from St. Mary’s and Pitkas Point
Two villages along the Lower Yukon River have begun evacuating their most vulnerable residents from a tundra fire.The fire late Thursday was burning less than eight miles from St Mary’s and nearby Pitkas Point, and wind continues spreading the flames closer to the villages with a combined population of over 700 people. Yute Commuter Service is sending all its planes to St. Mary’s to evacuate residents, and Grant Aviation is prepared to assist.
Pitkas Point, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

The mayor of Pilot Station dies after falling through Yukon River ice on a snowmachine
The ride downriver had been good. But by evening on the way back, it started to get bumpy.“There was lots of dark spots, lots of water,” said Nikiefer. Then suddenly, the ice turned needley. The snowmachine stopped, and then started to sink. They jumped off and started to swim.
Pilot Station, Alaska, United States
KYUK

Larva of water beetle (Dytiscus)
Tribal member of St. Mary's finds the larva of a predaceous diving beetle.

Pilot Point wildfire grows to 500 acres, but village safe from danger
The Alaska Division of Forestry said the wildfire that is burning land near the village of Pilot Point in Southwest Alaska has grown to about 500 acres, but the village is safe from any immediate danger.
Pilot Station, Alaska, United States

Uncommon Slimy Sculpin (Cottus cognatus) Catch
Slimy sculpins (*Cottus cognatus*) are small, nocturnal, bottom-dwelling fish that lack a swim bladder to help them stay bouyant in the water. Their size and habitat allow them to easily avoid fishing gear designed for salmon.
North Fork Andreafski River

Fine Yellow Dust is Likely Pollen
Seeing pollen in rainwater is unusual.

Unidentified Grasshopper, Possible Genus Melanoplus
Grasshoppers aren't common around Saint Mary's, but may become abundant during years with warm temperatures and ample vegetation for food.

Dead Pre-spawned Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha)
During the summer of 2019, warm water temperatures lowered the amount of dissolved oxygen in rivers and caused salmon across the state, including Mountain Village, to die before they were able to spawn.
Mountain Village, Alaska, United States

Salmon Die-off
Salmon are dying along the Andreafsky River and Lower Yukon River before spawning out. Water surface temperatures have been unusually warm, at one point reaching 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Jennifer Dobson, Jayde Ferguson, Eric Alstrom, Brian Lefferts

Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) with Twisted Spine
Chum salmon (*Oncorhynchus keta*) caught with a spinal curvature, which may be related to many different factors including genetics, infectious disease, trauma, neoplasm, diet, or changes in the environment.
Mountain Village, Alaska, United States

Sturgeon Caught in Yukon River
Two sturgeon were caught in the Yukon River, farther upriver than has been previously reported.
Mountain Village, Alaska, United States

Tumor found in King Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)
Tumor found in King Salmon (*Oncorhynchus tshawytscha*)

Dead Moose (Alces alces) Found in Water
Single dead moose found in water, with injury on one side of its abdomen

Hunters stranded on sandbar after falling through Yukon River ice in Western Alaska
The cold and wet hunters built a fire to keep warm until Alaska Army National Guard rescuers arrived hours later.
Anchorage Daily News

Unidentified Beetle Pupa Found Near River Bank
Unidentified beetle pupa found near camp on a river bank.

Lineup of Storms and Unseasonable Weather
Multiple storms and warm weather in St. Mary's.
Saint Mary's, Alaska, United States

Permafrost thaw altering chemistry of Yukon River
As Alaska warms and permafrost thaws, the chemistry of the Yukon River's water is transforming chemically, new research from the U.S. Geological Survey shows.
Alaska Dispatch News

Non-native Beetle (Anomala)
Inside of a couch shipping box.

Big Blueberries (Vaccinium ovalifolium), Lots of Them
Plants

Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) Filled with Pus

Dump Fire Raises Wildfire Concerns
Dump and hill fire

Early Blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum)

Brown Bear (Ursus arctos) Caught in Village
Brown bear (Ursus arctos) caught in village.

Old World Swallowtail (Papilio machaon aliaska) Butterfly
Large Old World Swallowtail Butterfly

Early Rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum) Sprout

Moose (Alces alces) Near Village
Moose (Alces alces) near village

Early Break-up, Low Water
Early river break-up and low water

Unusual Bird (Lanius excubitor) Sighting
Identification pending.

Dead Black-capped (Parus atricapillus) Chickadee
The bird was flying and just dropped dead.
St. Marys, Alaska, United States

Deformed Whitefish (C. nelsonii)
Nice looking whitefish, but had a bulged out eyeball on one side of head.

Unseasonably warm and raining
11-01-14 Unseasonably warm - Pitkas Point, Alaska, USA
Pitka's Point, Alaska, United States

Longhorn Beetle (Monochamus scutellatus) Observed in Late July
A photo of a black unknown insect taken in late July.

Where is the Snow?
1-27-14 Where is the snow - St. Mary's Alaska, USA

Long-horned Beetle (Monochamus scutellatus)
8-11-13 Long horned beetle - Pitkas Point, Alaska, USA
Pitkas Point, Alaska, United States

Tiger Moth (Arctia caja)
7-21-13 Tiger moth - St. Mary's, Alaska, USA
St. Mary's Alaska, United States

Unusual Moose Sighting
It's not common to see animals of any kind, including moose, in the community of Pitkas Point.
Pitkas Point, Alaska, USA

Unseasonable Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta)
4-21-13 Unseasonable chum salmon - St. Mary's, Alaska, USA
St. Marys, Alaska, United States

Wolf (Canis lupus) Sighting Causes Concern
St. Marys residents concerned about possible interactions
St. Marys, Alaska, USA

Winter Brown Bear (Ursus arctos)
1-17-13 Winter brown bear - St Marys, Alaska, USA
St. Marys, Alaska, United States

Air Pockets in River Ice
11-21-12 Air pockets in river ice - St. Marys, Alaska, USA

Sucker Fish (Catostomus catostomus)
First time seeing a sucker fish in the Lower Yukon River.

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