The Northern Climate Observer

The Northern
Climate Observer

The Very Prickly Caterpillar - Years ago we heard stories of people getting rashes when picking berries. It was a bit of a mystery until we learned about the health effects attributed to a new arrival in Western Alaska, a species of European caterpillar. In August of 2020 we received an observation from a resident in the Western Alaska village of Alakanuk, a Yupik community of about 60 residents on the lower Yukon River. Augusta Edmonds was the observer and wrote in her LEO Network post: "there's been a different kind of caterpillar/moth in that area. A lot of people broke out in rash that was very itchy during berry picking." The tiny hairs that cover these caterpillars are sharp and shaped liked hooks. When they get on people's hands they can cause dermatitis. This week you can read about a similar problem caused by the toxic brown-tail caterpillar in Maine. Climate change is considered an important driver with warm fall temperatures setting the stage for infestations in the summer. From the Resilience Desk, see the article about Ravn airlines and their new fleet of electric aircraft coming to Alaska. Mike Brubaker, Editor

	Maine Has a Dangerous, Small, and Very Itchy Problem Portland, Maine, United States Kendra Pierre-Louis / The Atlantic / July 7, 2021 Climate change is keeping temperatures higher in the fall, setting up browntail-moth caterpillars to boom in summer. Their hairs are barbed and hollow and there’s a reservoir of a toxin inside. Read article on The Atlantic
	B.C. heat wave 'cooks' fruit crops on the branch in sweltering Okanagan and Fraser valleys Peachland, British Columbia, Canada Michelle Gomez / CBC / June 30, 2021 Farmers are trying to salvage their cherry crops following damage from a week of extreme temperatures. Cherry crops in the BC Interior have been burned due to the extreme temperatures brought by the heat wave at the end of June. Read article on CBC
	There's a lot of flies in the mountains and heat, but there are things you can do to cope Skrovtinden, Reipå, Nordland, Norway Sofie Retterstøl Olaisen, Emma Skau Solås / NRK / July 4, 2021 Millions of small black flies have taken over mountains and hiking trails. "I thought it was horrible," says Pernille Frøskeland. Read article on NRK
	'Unprecedented:' Rare sei whales spotted off Vancouver Island 300 kms West of Vancouver Island, Canada Kori Sidaway / CHEK / July 13, 2021 Researchers on an expedition 300 kilometers west of Vancouver Island stumbled upon a group of 25-30 endangered sei whales. Read article on CHEK
	Ravn Alaska signs up to buy hybrid-electric aircraft to improve operations and reduce emissions Alaska, United States Alex DeMarban / Anchorage Daily News / June 27, 2021 Airplane designers say the electric vehicle revolution will soon be coming to commercial aircraft, and Ravn Alaska plans to be on the leading edge. Read article on Anchorage Daily News

The Northern Climate Observer is published by the Center for Climate and Health. We track news coverage from across the circumpolar north and provide readers with a curated roundup of climate change related events. Thank you for reading our newsletter and for paying attention to our changing world.

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Northern Climate Observer

The Northern Climate Observer is published weekly by the Center for Climate and Health. We track news from across the circumpolar north and provide readers with a curated roundup of climate change related events.

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Northern Climate Observer

The Northern
Climate Observer