♪ >> Chad: HOW LONG DO THESE LIVE AND AT WHAT AGE DO THEY BECOME SEXUALLY MATURE SO THEY CAN HAVE OFFSPRING.

>> THIS WEEK ON "KENTUCKY AFIELD" ... WE WENT LIVE ON FACEBOOK TO ANSWER ALL OF YOUR KENTUCKY WILD QUESTIONS.

AND WE'RE BRINGING YOU THOSE ANSWERS RIGHT NOW.

IT IS ALL NEXT ON "KENTUCKY AFIELD"!

♪ ♪ THIS IS A GOOD FISH RIGHT HERE.

REALLY GOOD FISH!

>> COME HERE, GIRL.

>> NICE JOB!

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> HELLO AND WELCOME TO "KENTUCKY AFIELD."

I'M YOUR HOST, CHAD MILES.

TONIGHT WE'RE HERE LIVE AT THE WILDLIFE EDUCATION CENTER TO TALK ABOUT A REALLY COOL TOPIC.

KENTUCKY WILD.

THIS IS OUR ANNUAL KENTUCKY WILD QUESTION AND ANSWER SHOW.

JOINING ME TONIGHT TO ANSWER ALL OF YOUR QUESTIONS, WE HAVE FIRST UP, MICHAELA ROGERS.

MICHAELA, THIS IS YOUR FIRST TIME ON THE CALL-IN SHOW.

>> THIS IS MY FIRST TIME.

>> YOU'RE ACTUALLY -- YOUR TITLE IS ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST.

YOU STUDY A LOT OF SPECIES HERE IN KENTUCKY AND WE'RE EXCITED TO LEARN ABOUT THAT.

>> EXCITED TO BE HERE.

>> AND NEXT, A PERSON WHO HAS BEEN HERE QUITE A FEW TIMES.

LEG POPPED UP ON THIS COOL KENTUCKY WILD BOX HERE.

KATE SLANKARD, AVIAN BIOLOGIST.

HOW ARE YOU DOING?

>> DOING OKAY.

>> AND ALSO GOING TO HAVE A CONSERVATION EDUCATOR GEOFF ROBERTS JOIN US WITH WILDLIFE SPECIES.

TONIGHT THIS IS BROUGHT TO US BY KENTUCKY WILD.

YOU PROBABLY HAVE HEARD OF IT BUT YOU MAY NOT KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT IS.

IT IS A COOL PROGRAM THAT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS IN KENTUCKY.

AND IF YOU'RE AN OUTDOORS PERSON, YOU'RE NOT PARTICIPATING IN KENTUCKY WILD, YOU'RE MISSING OUT.

WE HAVE NEARLY 7,000 OUTDOOR PEOPLE LOCATED AROUND THE COUNTRY, THAT ARE PARTICIPATING IN KENTUCKY WILD.

TELL ME A BIT ABOUT KENTUCKY WILD.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

SO, KENTUCKY WILD IS A PROGRAM THAT IS A COUPLE OF YEARS OLD AND IT IS A WAY FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO REALLY SUPPORT THE CONSERVATION OF SPECIES THAT MAKE UP THE WILDLIFE DIVERSITY IN THIS STATE.

TRADITIONALLY YOU COME SUPPORT SPECIES THROUGH BUYING A HUNTING AND FISHING LICENSE IN THIS STATE.

AND THERE WASN'T A WAY TO DIRECTLY SUPPORT THOSE SPECIES THAT AREN'T HUNTED OR FISHED OR TRAPPED.

SO, KENTUCKY WILD IS A MEMBER-BASED PROGRAM, INDIVIDUALS OR BUSINESSES CAN PURCHASE MEMBERSHIPS.

AND THAT GOES DIRECTLY TOWARDS THE CONSERVATION OF A LOT OF OUR SPECIES LONG SONG BIRD, BATS, BUTTERFLIES AND ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE WORK ON.

>> THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE BIOLOGISTS ARE WORKING ON SPECIES THAT ARE HUNTED OR FISHED FOR BUT WE HAVE AN ENTIRE DIVISION THAT DO A LOT OF IMPORTANT WORK, TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH SOME OF THE OTHER SPECIES AND MONITOR THEIR HEALTH AND THAT'S -- THAT'S KIND OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU GUYS WORK ON.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT TODAY.

IF YOU DON'T HUNT OR FISH OR TRAP FOR IT BUT YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ALL OF THOSE SPECIES THAT MAKE JUST BEING OUTDOORS MORE ENJOYABLE, TONIGHT IS YOUR NIGHT.

SO WE HAVE ALREADY GOT SOME QUESTIONS COMING IN, FIRST UP, WE HAVE KENNY AND KENNY WANTS AN UPDATE ON THE BIRD MORTALITY EVENT.

TELL ME A BIT ABOUT, IF YOU DON'T LIVE IN THE AREA WHERE THIS IS GOING ON, TELL ME A BIT ABOUT THE BIRD MORTALITY HERE IN THE STATE OF KENTUCKY.

>> YEAH SO THIS YEAR, WE HAD AN UNUSUAL PROBLEM IN THE STATE.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT OCCURRED IN A LOT OF EASTERN STATES IN THE U.S., AND, WE HAVE HAD SOME UNUSUAL BIRD MORTALITYS.

IT MOSTLY AFFECT AMERICAN ROBIN, BLUE JAYS, AND EUROPEAN STAR LINKS AND IN KENTUCKY, IT WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED EVENLY STATEWIDE.

MOSTLY OCCURRED IN SIX COUNTIES.

THOSE COUNTIES WERE GEOFFERSON, BULLET, MADISON, CAMPBELL, KENTON AND BOONE.

AND TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE PROBLEM IS YET.

IT STARTED UP IN MAY, AND IT SEEMS TO BE SLOWING DOWN NOW.

IT PEAKED IN JUNE.

THESE BIRDS WERE BEING FOUND EITHER SICK OR DEAD AND A LOT OF THEM HAD VISION PROBLEMS OR CRUSTY EYES, AND, SO WE HAVE COLLECTED A LOT OF CARCASSES, WE HAVE SUBMITTED THEM FOR TESTING AT A LAB AND WE'RE WAITING FINAL RESULTS ON THOSE.

BUT, IN THE MEANTIME, WE HAVE A REPORTING SYSTEM ONLINE WHERE WE'RE COLLECTING PEOPLE'S REPORTS OF DEAD BIRDS.

IF YOU FIND ONE IN YOUR YARD, PLEASE, DO TAKE A PICTURE AND REPORT IT.

WE'RE MOSTLY LOOKING FOR BIRDS THAT HAVE DIED FOR, YOU KNOW, AN UNKNOWN REASON.

NOT NECESSARILY BIRDS THAT HAVE BEEN HIT BY A CAR OR MIGHT HAVE HIT THE WINDOW, THE USUAL TYPES OF WAYS THAT BIRDS DIE.

BUT, WE'RE COLLECTING THOSE REPORTS AND THAT'S HELPING US TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROBLEM.

>> NOW, IF A PERSON FIND A BIRD LIKE THIS AND THEY TAKE THE PICTURE, DO THEY HAVE A WAY THAT THEY CAN UPLOAD OR REPORT THAT PICTURE TO US?

>> THEY DO.

AND, SO, BEHIND THE SCENES, WHERE THEY ARE REVIEWING THOSE, WE MAY CONTACT YOU ABOUT YOUR REPORT TO SEE IF WE CAN COLLECT THE BIRD FOR TESTING.

SO, BASICALLY, WE'RE IN THE MID-S OF FIGURING OUT WHAT EXACTLY THE PROBLEM IS HERE WITH THESE BIRDS.

>> I'M ASSUMING THAT YOU DON'T WANT ANYONE TO BE TOUCHING OR HANDLING THESE BIRDS.

>> YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

SO YOU CAN EITHER TAKE A PICTURE, REPORT IT, AND THEN JUST LEAVE IT ALONE.

OR IF YOU HAVE KIDS OR PETS OR REASON THAT YOU FEEL LIKE, YOU NEED TO MOVE THE BIRD, PLEASE, PUT GLOVES ON.

PICK UP THE BIRD, PUT IT IN A ZIPLOCK BAG AND PUT IT IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD TRASH OUTSIDE.

OF COURSE YOUR OUTDOOR TRASH CAN.

>> STILL WORKING ON FINDING OUT THE REASON IT SEEMS TO BE SLOWING DOWN RIGHT NOW, AND IT IS CONFINED TO SIX COUNTIES SO FAR THAT WE KNOW OF.

>> YES YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT.

SINCE WE'RE NOT SURE IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S RELATED TO A GERM OR A COMMUNICABLE DISEASE, WE'VE ASKED FOLKS IN THE SIX COUNTIES TO TAKE DOWN THE BIRD FEEDERS SO THAT WE'RE ENCOURAGING THE BIRDS TO SOCIAL DISTANCE AND SO IF YOU LIVE IN GEOFFERSON, BULLET, MADISON, BORNE KENTON OR CAMPBELL COUNTIES, PLEASE DO NOT FEED BIRDS FOR NOW.

THE REST OF THE STATE WE'D LIKE YOU TO WATCH YOUR BIRD FEEDERS AND YOUR YARDS AND KEEP YOUR BIRD FEEDERS CLEAN, CLEAN IN BLEACHED WATER ONCE A WEEK AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL SEE THIS PROBLEM SLOW DOWN AND STOP SOON.

>> I'M SURE THAT THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE SEEN SOMETHING LIKE THIS WE MAY HAVE KNOWN WHAT THE ISSUES WERE IN THE PAST BUT THESE TYPE OF THINGS HAPPEN JUST LIKE, IT HAPPENS IN OTHER WILDLIFE SPECIES JUST THE SAME, RIGHT?

>> TAKES A WHILE TO FIGURE IT OUT WHEN YOU GO TO THE DOCTOR, YOU DON'T GET A DIAGNOSIS THE FIRST DAY.

WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF FIGURING THIS THING OUT THROUGH THE LABS.

>> ALL RIGHT.

AND ROLAND WANTS TO KNOW THE STATUS OF WHITE NOSE SYNDROME HERE IN KENTUCKY.

DID YOU A SHOW WITH "KENTUCKY AFIELD," WE WENT OUT AND WENT INTO 50 CAVE.

>> WE DID.

>> WE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT WHITE NOSED SYNDROME AND WHAT TO DO AND NOT TO DO.

BUT, TELL ME A BIT ABOUT THE STATUS AND REMIND PEOPLE AGAIN ABOUT GOING IN CAVES.

>> RIGHT, YES, AND ON THAT SHOW WE EVEN WERE SWABBING A BAT FOR WHITE NOSED SYNDROME IN THAT CAVE.

SO WHITE NOSE SYNDROME IS A FUNGAL DISEASE THAT'S BEEN DECIMATING AMERICAN BAT POPULATIONS PRIMARILY THOSE THAT LIVE IN CAVES BECAUSE THIS IS A CAVE-LOVING FUNGUS AND LIKES THE COLD.

AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT WAS BROUGHT TO THE UNITED STATES AND SPREAD THROUGHOUT NORTH AMERICA AND THE BATS DIDN'T REALLY HAVECY?

-- HAVE ENTRY KIND OF DEFENSE BECAUSE IT INITIALLY CAME OVER FROM EUROPE.

AND SO UNFORTUNATELY IN KENTUCKY, WHITE NOSED HAS REALLY SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

IT FIRST ARRIVED IN 2011.

SO MANY OF OUR BAT SHE IS THAT LIVE IN CAVES HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO IT.

IT IS PARTICULARLY HARMFUL TO A MOUSE EARED BATS, AND WHILE IT HAS SPREAD TO MANY OF OUR BAT SPECIES, ONE POSITIVE NOTE IS THAT WE HAVE KIND OF BEEN MONITORING THESE ANIMALS.

WE'VE BEEN MONITORING THESE DECLINE ALSO.

AND WHILE IT HAS DECIMATED A LOT OF THESE POPULATIONS WE'RE SEEING EVIDENCE OF BATS STILL BEING ABLE TO REPRODUCE.

SO WE DID A SEVERAL YEAR-LONG STUDY CAPTURING FEMALE BATS, THOSE IMPACTED BY WHITE NOSED SYNDROME AND WE'RE SEEING THEY ARE ABLE TO REPRODUCE DESPITE BEING EXPOSED TO THIS FUN GAS.

THE HOPE WITH WHITE NOSED SYNDROME MOVING FORWARD IS THAT, THE BATS THAT ARE LEFT ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO PUSH THROUGH, REPRODUCE, AND CONTINUE TOP KIND OF RAMP UP THOSE POPULATIONS WITH SOME RESISTANCE.

>> SO FOR PEOPLE WHO LIKE TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME OUTDODOORS D WE HIGHLY ENCOURAGE THAT, GETTING INTO A CAVE, AND POTENTIALLY SPREADING WHITE NOSED SYNDROME FROM CAVE TO CAVE, IS A POTENTIAL VERY DANGEROUS THING.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

SO, WE REALLY RECOMMEND AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, STAY OUT OF CAVES M CAVES ARE ACTUALLY CLOSED TO PEOPLE GOING IN.

THEY'LL BE GATES OVER THEM.

IF THERE IS A SIGN THAT SAYS THAT THERE ARE BATS AT THAT CAVE, DEFINITELY DON'T ENTER THE CAVE.

AND IF YOU HAVE BEEN IN A CAVE, MAKE SURE THAT YOU CLEAN OFF WHAT YOU WERE WEARING THAT SORT OF THING SO WE CAN AVOID SPREADING THIS DISEASE FURTHER.

>> ALL RIGHT.

GREAT UPDATE.

NEXT QUESTION, RHONDA, WANTS TO KNOW WHAT SHE CAN DO ABOUT WOOD PECKERS DESTROYING THE FENCE POSTS.

AND THEY CAN GET ON YOUR HOUSE, FENCE POST.

HOW CAN YOU KIND OF DISCOURAGE A WOOD PECKER FROM DOING THAT?

>> SURE.

SO, WOOD PECKERS ARE PROTECTED BY FEDERAL LAW, SO YOU WOULDN'T WANT TO SHOOT THEM.

BUT WHAT YOU CAN DO IS TRY TO SCARE THEM AWAY AND MAKE THEM FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE SO THEY STOP FIXATING ON THE FENCE POST.

THE WAY THAT I WOULD PROBABLY DO THAT, THEY DON'T LIKE LOUD NOISES OR THINGS THAT CHATTER IN THE WIND.

YOU MIGHT TAKE ONE OF THOSE DISPOSABLE ALUMINUM PIE PANS AND TIE IT TO A STRING AND LET IT CHATTER IN THE WIND ON THE FENCE POST.

YOU MAY HAVE TO TIE A FEW UP IF THEY ARE PECKING ON A FEW FENCE POSTS AND THAT WILL PROBABLY WORK.

IF NOT, MAYBE A PLASTIC OWL, YOU CAN BUY THOSE AT YOUR LOCAL FARM SUPPLY STORE.

THOSE CAN WORK -- YOU HAVE TO MOVE THEM AROUND THOUGH SO MOVE IT TO DIFFERENT FENCE POSTS, MAYBE ONCE A WEEK OR SO.

>> INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH I HAVE A TREE IN MY FRONT YARD.

AND THIS TREE I THINK IS A MAGNOLIA TREE.

AND ABOUT A YEAR OR TWO AGO, I WALKED OUT IN THE WINTER TIME NOT AT LEAF ON THIS TREE AND MAN, IT LOOKS LIKE SOMEONE TOOK A DRILL AND DRILLED THE EXACT SAME HOLE AND LINES ALL THE WAY AROUND THE TREE.

I REMEMBER THINKING, THIS TREE DONE AND NEVER COMING BACK.

SOMETHING IS BORED IN THERE AND I'M THINKING THAT IT IS AN INSECT.

I FOUND OUT LATER ON, THAT'S NOT AN I INSECT, IS IT.

WHAT TYPE OF ANIMAL.

IF YOU HAVE A TREE THAT'S GOT PERFECTLY LINES OF HOLES ALL THE WAY AROUND IT WHAT IS THAT?

>> THAT SOUNDS LIKE A YELLOW BELLIED SAP SUCKER AND WE HAVE THOSE IN THE WINTERTIME.

>> I HAVE NEVER SEEN THAT BIRD.

>> THEY DON'T USUALLY KILL THE BIRD BUT THEY DO LEAVE HOLES.

>> THAT TREE IS FLOURISHING.

NEVER SEEN IT LOOK SO GOOD.

IT IS DOING REALLY GOOD RIGHT FLOW AND I THOUGHT FOR SURE THAT TREE IS DONE ANDs THE BACK.

SO I WAS PRETTY SHOCKED AT THAT BUT THAT'S WHAT I HAD BIOLOGIST LOOK AT IT.

AND I'M LIKE, HOW DO YOU DO ALL OF THAT WITHOUT ME NOTICING IT.

BUT, IT DID.

WILLIE WANTS TO KNOW, IF A HUMMINGBIRD WILL LAY EGGS IN KENTUCKY.

>> YES WE DO HAVE RUBY HUMMINGBIRDS THAT NEST IN KENTUCKY, AND, THEY ACTUALLY NEST THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

THEY ARE FAIRLY COMMON SO THEY DO BREED IN KENTUCKY.

THEY CAN BE -- IT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO FIND THE NEST BECAUSE THEY ARE SO TINY.

>> HOW SMALL ARE EGGS?

MUST BE LIKE A JELLY BEAN?

>> YES.

>> HAS TO BE A SMALL EGG.

HOW MANY DO THEY LAY?

>> I THINK ABOUT FOUR.

>> I COULDN'T.

>> YOU THINK ABOUT A BIRD THAT SMALL, FOUR EGGS IS QUITE A LOT IMPRESSIVE.

>> BOB SAYS THAT HE HAS NO CARDINALS AROUND HIS HOUSE AND HE WANTS TO KNOW IF THERE IS ANY REASON WHY?

>> IT COULD BE SOMETHING LIKE, A HABITAT CHANGE.

CARDINALS LIKE TO NEST IN THINGS LIKE SHRUBS, ABOUT EYE LEVEL AND SO, IF THEY TOOK OUT SOME SHRUBS, MAYBE THE CARDINALS WOULD HAVE MOVED ON ELSEWHERE.

THAT WOULD BE MY GUESS BECAUSE CARDINALS ARE STILL DOING PRETTY WELL IN KENTUCKY SO I THINK IT IS SOMETHING LOCAL TO HIS YARD.

>> WE SOMETIMES SAY THEY SEEM TO BE DOING PRETTY WELL.

WE'RE SEEING QUITE A FEW BIRD AND THE REPORTS ARE GOOD.

TELL ME HOW, HOW YOU GO ABOUT TESTING HEALTH OF THE BIRD LIKE A CARDINAL.

DO YOU TESTING AND SAMPLING TO KIND OF KEEP ONE THE NUMBERS OVERALL NUMBERS.

TELL ME HOW YOU GO ABOUT DOING THAT.

>> WELL, WHEN I SAY CARDINALS ARE DOING PRETTY WELL, I'M MAKING THAT STATEMENT BASED OFF OF STATEWIDE SURVEYS LIKE THE BREEDING BIPARTISAN SURVEY AND - SURVEY AND THEY GO OUT AND LISTEN FOR BIRDS AND COUNT THEM IN THE SAME PLACES EVERY YEAR.

AND WE USE THOSE NUMBERS TO RUN SOME STATISTICS ON THEM AND LOOK AT WHICH BIRDS ARE INCREASING VERSUS DECREASING.

AND ALSO WE HAVE SONG BIRD STATIONS AND WE CAPTURE BIRDS AND LOOK THEM OVER IN OUR HAND TO LOOK AT THE HEALTH AND WATCH FOR DISEASES.

AND OTHER PROBLEMS THAT MIGHT BE CAUSING DECLINES.

>> NOW THE WAY THAT YOU GO ABOUT BATS IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT BECAUSE YOU LITERALLY GO IN AND YOU'RE VERY CAUTIOUS.

YOU'RE TALKING, TYVEK SUITS.

YOU TAKE ACCOUNT DURING THE HOURS WHEN THEY ARE IN THE CAVES, RIGHT?

>> YES.

SO, WE WILL GO IN THE WINTERTIME, INTO DIFFERENT CAVES.

WE'LL HAVE KIND OF A ROTATING SET.

ONE SET OF CAVES ONE WENTER AND THE NEXT YEAR, WE'LL DO A DIFFERENT SET OF CA CAVES TOS.

WE'LL CLUSTER IN THE WINTER TIME TO GET A GOOD POPULATION COUNT ON SOME OF THE SPECIES THAT WE'RE MONITORING.

>> AND YOU DO TAGGING.

I KNOW DO YOU BAT TAGGING AS WELL.

AND WE TALK ABOUT TAGGING.

TELL ME WHAT A TAG IS.

>> YEAH, SO FOR TAGS ON BATS, REALLY WE CALL THEM BANDS.

AND I HAVE AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT THOSE LOOK LIKE.

AND THESE ARE SILVER BANDS AND THEY'LL KIND OF GO ON A BAT'S FOREARM, AND, THE BACK OF THE BAND IS OPEN SO YOU'LL SQUEEZE IT AROUND THERE.

IT WON'T GO THROUGH THE WING OR ANYTHING.

IT WILL KIND OF JUST PINCH OVER IT SO IT CAN STILL MOVE AROUND.

>> AND THEN, THAT DATA IS ENTERED INTO A DATABASE WHERE IF ANYONE ELSE FINDS THAT BAT SOMEWHERE, THEY KNOW WHERE IT WAS TAGGED, AND PROBABLY, HAD SOME BASIC INFORMATION ON THE BAT AGE AND ALL THAT TYPE OF THING.

>> RIGHT.

AND SOMETIMES, WE WILL BE OUT.

WE WILL PUT UP MIST NETS IN THE SUMMERTIME AND THAT'S HOW WE MONITOR FOR BATS IN THE SUMMER IS WE'LL PUT UP THE BIG NETS AND THEY'LL FLY INTO THE NET AND GET THE BAT OUT AND BAND IT AND PUT THIS UNIQUE NUMBER ON IT THAT IS ON THE BAND AND GATHER LOTS OF DATA ON THAT BAT.

AND THEN, SOMETIMES YOU WILL HAVE BATS WHEN WE GO IN FOR WINTER SURVEYS THAT WILL COVER THEM.

SO WE KNOW KIND OF WHERE THEY ARE SPENDING THE SUMMER AND WINTER TIME.

>> FANTASTIC.

HOW ARE THE MONARCH BUTTERFLIES DOING?

NOW, THIS IS AN AMAZING ONE OF THE CRAZIEST THINGS, YOU CAN TAG A BUTTERFLY.

>> I DO HAVE AN EXAMPLE.

>> THINKING OF TAGGING SUCH A DELICATE LITTLE ANIMAL IS UNBELIEVABLE TO ME BUT YOU GUYS ACTUALLY TAG BUTTERFLIES.

>> WE DO.

THESE ARE REALLY TINY.

THEY ARE ACTUALLY A LITTLE STICKER, AND, WHAT WE'LL DO IS IN THE FALL, STARTING PROBABLY THE END OF THIS MONTH, AND THEN GOING SEPTEMBER INTO THE FIRST PART OF OCTOBER, WE'LL GO OUT AND HAVE BUTTERFLY NETS AND CATCH MONARCH BUTTERFLIES, AND THESE ARE ALL GOING TO BE THE BUTTERFLIES THAT ARE HEADED DOWN TO MEXICO FOR THEIR MIGRATION.

SO THAT'S WHY WE ONLY TAG DURING THE FALL.

IS BECAUSE THEY ARE COMING THROUGH AND HEADED TO THE WINTERING GROUNDS IN MEXICO AND WE'LL PUT ONE OF THE SMALL STICKERS ON THEIR WING.

AND, THIS HAS A UNIQUE COAT SIMILAR TO THE BAT BAND.

YOU WE HAVE A UNIQUE CODE HERE.

MONARCH WATCH, THE GROUP THAT RUNS THEM, THEIR INFORMATION IS ON THERE.

IF WE HAVE RECOVERIES THAT COME THROUGH KENTUCKY, WE TAG THEM AND THEN, THEY ARE RECOVERED IN MEXICO AND THEN WE'LL GET CONTACTED ABOUT IT.

>> DOES THAT EVER HAPPEN?

>> IT DOES.

BUT RARELY.

SO BUT WE RECENTLY HAD OUR FIRST MONARCH RECOVERY.

>> THAT WAS A BUTT PER FLY CAUGHT HERE IN KENTUCKY, AND LITTLE STICKER PUT ON THERE.

THAT LITTLE DELICATE BUTTERFLY FLEW ALL THE MEXICO AND CAUGHT BY SOMEONE IN THE SURVEY AND SAID WE HAVE YOUR BUTTERFLY.

>> IT WAS TAGGED LAST OCTOBER.

WE ACTUALLY HAD A KENTUCKY WILD EVENT WHERE MEMBERS COULD COME OUT WITH US, AND TAG THE BUTTERFLIES.

THIS IS PERRYVILLE STATE HISTORIC SITE.

SO THAT MONARCH BUTTERFLY WAS TAGGED THERE BY ONE OF OUR MEMBERS, AND THEN, IT MADE IT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO EL-ROSARIO PRESERVE.

AND IT IS IN THE FIR FOREST, THE HIGH ELEVATION FIRS WHERE THEY ARE ALL CLUSTERED TOGETHERLE AND IT WAS RECOVERED.

THE TAG WAS RECOVERED BY ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SEARCHING DOWN THERE FOR THESE MONARCH TAGS.

>> >> THAT'S AMAZING.

WITH WIND AND RAIN AND ALL THE PREDATORS THAT MAY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A BUTT PER FLY FLUTTERING AROUND THAT THEY CAN MAKE IT TO MEXICO.

THAT'S AMAZING.

>> AND THAT'S WHY THIS IS SUCH A RARE OCCURRENCE.

WE PUT OUT OVER 600 TAGS SO US AND OUR OTHER PARTNERS HAVE HELPED US TO DO THIS EVERY YEAR.

SO WE PUT OUT LOTS AND LOTS OF TAGS AND THIS IS OUR VERY FIRST RECOVERY.

HOW ABSOLUTELY RARE THIS EVENT IS.

>> SO, RECOVERIES ARE HAPPENING BUT THE ONES COMING FROM KENTUCKY, WE HAVEN'T HAD A WHOLE LOT.

AND I'M SURE THERE IS MILLIONS OF BUTTERFLIES DOWN THERE BECAUSE BITTER FLIES ARE HEADED TO THAT DIRECTION.

SO CATCHING ONE WITH A TAG HAS TO BE PRETTY HARD.

>> YES.

>> THIS IS A QUESTION ABOUT HUMMING BIRDS.

SO, THIS IS FROM KELLY.

SHE WANTS TO KNOW, HOW MANY SPECIES OF HUMMINGBIRDS WE HAVE HERE IN THE STATE OF KENTUCKY.

>> FOR THE MOST PART, WE HAVE THE RUBY THROATED HUMMINGBIRD BUT ON OCCASION, WE GET SOME RUFIS HUMMINGBIRDS.

USUALLY IN FALL AND SOMETIMES INTO THE WINTER BUT THEY ARE VERY RARE.

SO, THE ONLY ONE THAT WE HAVE NESTING HERE IS THE RUBY THROATED HUMMINGBIRD.

>> OKAY.

AND DO THEY SPEND THEIR ENTIRE YEAR.

>> THEY MIGRATE FOR THE WINTER.

>> THAT'S WHAT I TOURNAMENT YOU DON'T SEE THEM IN THE WINTER TIME.

>> BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE FLOWERS FOR THEM TO FEED ON IN THE WINTER.

>> ALL RIGHT, THE NEXT QUESTION IS FROM JAYSON.

THIS IS A SNAKE QUESTION.

UNFORTUNATELY WE'RE MISSING JOHN MACGREGOR.

HE'S BEEN HERE FOR MANY YEARS AND COULDN'T BE WITH US TONIGHT SO WE'RE -- ANY SNAKE QUESTIONS WE'LL TRY TO ANSWER THEM AND WE DO NOT HAVE A SNAKE BIOLOGIST OUT HERE WITH US TODAY BUT WE HAVE GEOFF WHO IS A CONSERVATION EDUCATOR AND WHAT DO YOU HAVE THERE?

>> WELL, THIS IS ONE OF OUR 32 SPECIES THAT WE HAVE NATIVE TO KENTUCKY.

WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 32 SPECIES, PRETTY GOOD SNAKE DIVERSITY.

WE DO HAVE FOUR VENOMOUS SPECIES BUT THE OTHER 28 ARE NON-VENOMOUS.

THE AVERAGE KENTUCKIAN'S CHANCES OF ENCOUNTERING A VENOMOUS SNAKE IN THE STATE OF KENTUCKY ARE NOT THAT GOOD.

YOU'RE MUCH MORE LIKELY TO ENCOUNT AREA NON-VENOMOUS.

THIS IS PROBABLY ONE THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE RECOGNIZE AND THIS IS A RAT SNAKE.

THEY ARE VERY COMMON.

OCCUR STATEWIDE EVERY SINGLE COUNTY HAS RAT SNAKES AND THEY ARE ONE OF THE LARGEST SNAKES THAT WE.

HAVE THEY ROUTINELY REACH LENGTHS OF OVER SIX FEET LONG BUT OBVIOUSLY, NON-VENOMOUS AND HARMLESS ESPECIALLY IF YOU LEAVE IT ALONE AND DON'T PROVOKE IT IN THE WILD.

32 DIFFERENT SPECIES, FOUR VENOMOUS.

THIS RANGE, EVERY COUNTY IN THE STATE OF KENTUCKY.

>> THAT'S CORRECT.

>> OUT OF THOSE 32, HOW MANY OF THEM DO, BECAUSE I KNOW VENOMOUS SNAKES IN THE STATE OF KENTUCKY ARE SPREAD OUT.

VERY SMALL POPULATION.

IN WESTERN KENTUCKY FOR A CERTAIN VENOMOUS.

>> IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE PARTICULAR SPECIES.

WE DO HAVE A LOT OF COMMON SPECIES THAT HAVE MOSTLY A STATEWIDE DISTRIBUTION BUT COMES DOWN TO HABITAT.

AND SO, IT DEPENDS ON WHAT HABITAT THAT PARTICULAR SPECIES LIKES, FOR EXAMPLE, A LOT OF PEOPLE SEE A SNAKE IN THE WATER AND THEY ARE QUICK TO IDENTIFY IT AS A COTTON MOUTH OR WATER, WHEN IN REALITY WESTERN COTTON MOUTHS PREFER HIGH-QUALITY SWAMPS THAT YOU FIND IN THE WESTERN PART OF STATE.

SO WE DON'T HAVE THAT PARTICULAR SPECIES SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

SO A LOT COMES DOWN TO THE INDIVIDUAL SNEAK SNAKE, THE HABITAT NEEDS IN PARTICULAR AND WE HAVE A GOOD HANDLE OF SNAKE SPECIES FOUND PRETTY MUCH STATEWIDE.

THIS IS ONE THAT MOST PEOPLE EVEN IF THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT SPECIES IT WAS, AT SOME POINT IN TIME, IF YOU SPEND ANY TIME OUTSIDE IN KENTUCKY, YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO CROSS PATHS WITH A RAT SNAKE.

>> IT IS EXTREMELY COMMON.

>> AND GREAT TO HAVE AROUND.

THESE ARE MOSTLY EATING RODENTS AND THAT'S THE THING THAT'S SPECIALLY HERE AT THE SALATO CENTER, THE STAKE AWAY ABOUT SNAKES IS SNAKES ARE VERY IMPORTANT REGARDLESS OF HOW COMFORTABLE OR UNCOMFORTABLE YOU FEEL ABOUT SNAKES.

THEY ARE IMPORTANT AND HAVE VERY IMPORTANT JOBS TO DO AND HELP TO SPENT THE OVERPOPULATION OF A LOT OF SPECIES WE CONSIDER TO BE PESTS AND DON'T WANT TO BECOME OVERPOPULATED AND PARTICULARLY RODENTS.

WITH A NAME LIKE RAT SNAKE.

THESE SNAKES ARE EATING MOSTLY SMALL MAMMALS.

A LOT OF SMALL RODENTS.

>> APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THAT OUT.

AND WE SOMETIMES GO TO THE STATE FAIR AND TAKE SAMPLES OF SOME SNAKE.

ARE WE PLANNING ON DOING THAT THIS YEAR?

>> THAT'S THE PLAN.

AND THERE COULD VERY WELL BE THIS EXACT SENATE SNAKE IN MY HAND.

REGARDLESS IF YOU'RE VISITING STATE FAIR, WE ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO DROP BY THE FISH AND WILD?

LIFE BOOTH AND SEE BECAUSE WE'LL HAVE A SNAKE THERE.

AND IT MAY VERY WELL BE THIS RAT SNAKE.

>> FANTASTIC.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING.

>> YOU BET.

>> ALL RIGHT, NEXT QUESTION, IS FROM RYAN.

THIS ONE -- THEY WANT KNOW WHAT SNAKES SIPICALLY EAT.

GEOFF, DO YOU WANT TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION?

>> WE KNOW WHAT THIS ONE EAT BUS BASED ON -- >> SO THIS ONE IS PRETTY SELF-EXPLANATORY.

AGAIN, IT DEPENDS ON THE SPECIES.

WE'VE GOT WITH 32 TOTAL SPECIES, WE HAVE GOT SMALLER SPECIES THAT YOU'RE GOING TO FIND IN YOUR BACKYARDS AND YOUR GARDEN AND LANDSCAPING AND THOSE MIGHT BE BROWN OR GATHER SNAKES.

MOSTLY EATING BUGS AND SMALL INVERTEBRATES, SLUG, THINGS THAT YOU DON'T WANT IN YOUR GARDEN AND ALSO LARGER SNAKES LIKE THIS THAT ARE EATING SMALL MAMMALS, AND BIRDS AND BIRD EGGS ON OCCASION.

WE HAVE GOT WATER SNAKES.

WE HAVE HANDFUL OF WATER SNAKES THE MOST COMMON BEING THE COMMON WATER SNAKE THAT ARE EATING THINGS THAT YOU MIGHT FIND IN AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS LIKE FISH FOR THE MOST PART.

SO IT REALLY JUST DEPENDS ON THE INDIVIDUAL SPECIES KIND OF WHERE THEY LIVE AND WHAT THEY MIGHT EAT.

WE HAVE A HOG NOSED SNAKE, SPECIALIZES IN ONLY EATS FROGS AND TOADS IN THE WILD.

SO, IT JUST KIND OF DEPENDS ON THE SNAKE SO GENERALLY SPEAKING, A LOT OF KENTUCKY SNAKES EAT A LOT OF SMALL MAMMALS AND RODENT WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY A GOOD THING.

>> THAT'S FANTASTIC.

ALL RIGHT, THE NEXT QUESTION HERE, FROM JOHN, HOW DO YOU GET ONE OF THESE KENTUCKY WILD SHIRTS?

YOU'RE PROUDLY DISPLAYING YOUR KENTUCKY WILD T-SHIRT AND JOHN WANTS TO KNOW HOW TO GET A KENTUCKY WILD T-SHIRT.

>> SO THESE SHIRTS ARE ACTUALLY, THERE IS A PROMO CODE.

TELL ME A BIT ABOUT THE PROMO CODE.

>> SO THE PROMO CODE IS PART OF THIS SHOW TONIGHT.

SO KIND OF, AN EXCITING PROMO BECAUSE WE'RE DOING THE KENTUCKY WILD SHOW TONIGHT.

AND, IT IS KYAFIELD.

SO NOT KENTUCKY AFIELD, JUST TYPE IN KYAFIELD AND THAT'S WHAT YOU TYPE IN TO JOIN WHEN YOU'RE GETTING KENTUCKY WILD MEMBERSHIP.

SO, IF YOU GO TO FW.KY.GOV/KYWILD, YOU CAN SIGN UP FOR A MEMBERSHIP AND SO TONIGHT, IF YOU JOIN AT OUR $25 LEVEL WHICH IS OUR LOWEST LEVEL OF MEMBERSHIP WHERE YOU NORMALLY DON'T GET THE KENTUCKY WILD T-SHIRT, YOU CAN ACTUALLY GET IT WITH THAT PROMO CODE.

>> I HAVE A COUPLE OF THESE SHIRTS AND THEY ARE VERY SOFT AND I LIKE THESE SHIRTS.

SO, IF YOU WANT ONE OF THE SHIRTS, IT IS EASY.

YOU JOIN KEN WE WILD AND DO THAT BY GOING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE WEBSITE.

AND, PUT IN KYAFIELD AND PURCHASE YOUR $25 MEMBERSHIP AND I GUESS, THEY ARE GOING TO MAIL YOU ONE OF THESE SHIRTS I'M GUESSING.

THAT'S HOW IT WORKS.

ALL RIGHT, FANTASTIC.

MAY HAVE TO JOIN AGAIN BECAUSE THEY ARE THEY ARE VERY, VERY SOFT SHIRTS.

NEXT QUESTION IS, REGARDING BALD EAGLES.

LAURA WANTS TO KNOW HOW ARE THE BALD EAGLES IN KENTUCKY?

EVERYBODY WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT THE BALD EAGLES.

AND I KNOW YOU DO A LOT OF WORK WITH BALD EAGLES.

HOW ARE THEY DOING IN KENTUCKY AND WHERE IS THE BEST PLACE TO SEE ONE?

THE LAST TIME WE DID A STATEWIDE COUNT, 1887 NESTS STATEWIDE AND THAT WAS IN 2019.

AND, THE WAY WE DO THE NEST COUNTS IS BY HELICOPTER AND WE WERE NOT ABLE TO DO THAT SURVEY DUE COVID IN 2020 SO WE TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY THAT YEAR TO CHANGE UP OUR MONITORING PROGRAM A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE, IT WAS GETTING TOUGH TO COUNT ALL OF THE NESTS.

WE HAD SO MANY.

SO, THAT'S A GOOD PROBLEM, BUT, WE ENDED UP DIVIDING THE STATE THAT THREE REGIONS AND WE'LL COUNT ONE ROTATING REGION EACH YEAR.

AND SO THIS YEAR, WE COUNTED CENTRAL KENTUCKY, AND WE FOUND 73 NESTS WHERE WE HAD FOUND 53 THE LAST TIME.

SO, THE BIRDS CONTINUE TO INCREASE WHICH IS JUST GREAT.

THE BEST PLACE TO GO SEE BALD EAGLES IS PROBABLY, AT THE LAND BETWEEN THE LAKES AREA IN THE WINTERTIME.

AND THE STATE STATE PARKS OUT THERE HAVE EAGLE WATCH WEEKENDS THAT ARE A BIG EVENT WHERE EVERYBODY GETS TOGETHER AND GOES OUT ON THE BIG BOAT LOOKING AT EAGLES.

IT IS A GREAT TIME.

THE BOAT IS VERY COMFORTABLE AND YOU CAN SEE, MANY, MANY EAGLES IN ONE DAY.

THAT HAPPENS IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY EVERY YEAR.

AND, IF YOU LOOK ON THE STATE PARKS WEBSITE, THE PARKS ARE LIKE LAKE BARKLEY STATE RESORT PARK AND KENTUCKY LAKE STATE RESORT PARK.

THEY HOST THOSE EVENTS EVERY YEAR.

SO, THAT WOULD BE HOW I WOULD RECOMMEND SEEING THEM.

I HAVE A FEW PROPS HERE.

I CAN SHOW.

SO BALD EAGLES IN KENTUCKY, THEY START NESTING EARLY.

THEY ARE A BIG BIRD.

TAKES A LONG TIME TO GROW UP SO THEY LAY THE EGGS IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY.

YOU CAN SEE HOW BIG THAT EGG IS.

THEY LAY TWO THREE.

THE YOUNG LEARN TO FLY IN MAY OR JUNE.

THIS IS A REPLICA OF AN EAGLE TALLON.

THE TALLONS OPEN UP WIDER THAN MY HAND.

GREAT BIRD TO SEE IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN ONE IN THE WILD YET.

I DEFINITELY RECOMMEND GOING TO AN EAGLE WEEKEND.

>> NEXT QUESTION IS, PAT WANTS TO KNOW, WHERE HELLBENDS ARE LOCATED IN KENTUCKY AND HE WANTS TO KNOW HOW TO SEE ONE.

>> WELL, I'LL GET OUR HELLBENDER MODEL HERE SINCE WE BROUGHT IT.

>> LOOKS SCARED STIFF.

>> I KNOW.

[ LAUGHTER ] SO, THIS IS THE EASTERN HELLBENDER, THE LARGEST SPECIES OF SALAMANDER THAT WE HAVE IN THE STATE.

ACTUALLY, IT IS THE LARGEST SPECIES IN THE STATE AND LARGEST IN NORTH AMERICA.

SO, REALLY, THIS SPECIES IS PRETTY WIDESPREAD THROUGHOUT KENTUCKY.

IT LIVES IN KIND OF LARGER RIVERS OR STREAMS THAT HAVE KIND OF REALLY HIGH QUALITY WATERS BUT THE IMPORTANT THING THAT THESE GUYS ARE LOOKING FOR, IS BIG SLAB ROCKS.

SO, THEY WANT TO LIVE IN A STREAM THAT HAS THESE LARGE ROCKS IN IT AND THEY LIVE UNDER THESE ROCKS.

>> OKAY.

>> THAT'S GOD TO MAKE THEM PRETTY DIFFICULT TO LOCATE.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

YES.

SO, WE HAVE ACTUALLY STARTED A PROJECT RECENTLY OR, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEAR, WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE EASTERN HELLBENDER SO, WHEN WE'RE GOING OUT AND WE'RE TRYING TO MONITOR FOR THOSE GUYS, WE ARE GETTING ON GOGGLES AND WET SUITS AND EVERYTHING AND WE'RE GETTING IN THE WATER, AND YOU HAVE TO KIND OF HOLD YOUR BREATH AND GET DOWN AND LOOK ALMOST SIDEWAYS UNDERNEATH THESE ROCKS.

LIKE, I FIND MYSELF HAVING TO REALLY PULL DOWN ON THE ROCK AND LOOK UNDER THESE HUGE ROCKS.

AND THE OTHER THING TO THINK ABOUT, IS, THESE GUYS LOOK LIKE ROCKS WHEN THEY ARE IN THE WATER.

YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT JUST SEE ITS EYE LOOKING AT YOU FROM WAY BACK UNDER A ROCK.

AND YOU'RE ALSO TRYING TO USE A FLASHLIGHT WHILE YOU'RE UNDER WATER.

AND SO YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING UNDER THESE ROCKS TO TRY TO FIND THESE AND ALSO, TO SEE IF THEY HAVE EGGS BECAUSE THE MALES OF THIS SPECIES WILL GUARD THE EGGS IN THE FALL.

UNTIL THEY HATCH OUT.

>> WHAT'S A GROUP OF EGGS CALLED?

>> A CLUTCH USUALLY.

>> WE HAVE BIOLOGISTS THAT WE'RE DOING THE PROGRAM WITH AND QUEER CHECKING SOME OF THE EGGS TO BE REARED UP AND RETURNED AT THE SUB ADULT LEVEL.

SO NOT QUITE AS BIG AS THIS GUY THAT CAN GET OVER TWO FEET LONG BUT WHEN THEY ARE THE SMALLER ADULT, THEY ARE REARING THE HE'S UP AND PUT THEM OUT IN LOTS OF DIFFERENT STREAMS.

BUT, ONE OF THE CLUTCHES THAT I THINK HAD OVER 150 EGGS.

>> WOW.

>> SO I HAVE TO THINK THAT, THESE HIGH-QUALITY STREAMS WHERE THESE THINGS LIKE TO LIVE HAVE A LOT OF FISH SPECIES.

AND, I FISHED WITH A LIZARD LURE.

THEY TEND TO BE PRETTY EFFECTIVE FOR CATCHING FISH.

SO I'M THINKING THAT, VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THESE EGGS OUT OF 150 PROBABLY MAKE IT TO ADULTHOOD.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

SO THEY LAY LOTS AND LOTS OF EGGS.

I THINK THAT, MAYBE JUST A FEW OF THOSE WILL MAKE IT TO ADULTHOOD IF NOT JUST ONE.

>> AND SO WE'RE DOING SOMETHING WITH PURDUE.

WE'RE SENDING THE HE'S UP THERE AND THEY ARE LITERALLY RAISING THEM TO SUB ADULTS SO THAT HAS TO BE A REALLY HIGH PERCENTAGE THAT ARE MAKING IT TO ADULTHOOD.

>> THIS IS -- IT IS FAIRLY NEW PROJECT THAT WE HAVE NOT ACTUALLY RELEASED ANY OF THEM BACK INTO KENTUCKY YET.

BUT, THEY ARE REARING THEM AND THEY HAVE A HIGH-TECH LAB THERE THAT THEY ARE TAKING THEM, AND THEY ARE KEEPING THEM FOR ACTUALLY SEVERAL YEARS.

AND THEN THE SUB ADULTS COME BACK HERE.

SO THE IDEA IS THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE RIGHT.

THERE WILL BE A LOT BETTER CHANCE THAT THEY ARE GOING TO MAKE IT TO A LARGER SIZE AND HOPEFULLY WON'T BE PERVADED ON.

SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO RAISE THOSE NUMBERS OF HELLBENDERS IN THE STREAMS.

>> HOW LONG DO THESE LIVE AND AT WHAT AGE DO THEY BECOME SEXUALLY MATURE TO HAVE OFFSPRING?

>> SO THESE GUYS CAN LIVE, I THINK, THE OLDEST THEY CAN SOMETIMES LIVE UP TO 30 YEARS.

>> WOW.

>> YEAH.

I MEAN, THAT'S MORE LIKE IN CAPTIVITY.

BUT, THAT'S SOME OF THE ONES THAT HAVE IN CAPTIVITY HAVE LIVED THAT LONG.

AND I THINK THAT IT MAY BE FIVE YEARS THAT THEY ARE REPRODUCTIVELY VIABLE.

>> OKAY, OKAY.

AND, THIS PARTICULAR ONE HERE, YOU'RE SAYING THIS IS MEDIUM SIZED.

>> YES.

AND THIS IS AN EXACT REPLICA OF THE HELLBENDER BUT THEY CAN GET OVER TWO FEET LONG.

SO THEY ARE REALLY BIG SALAMANDERS.

>> REALLY COOL SPECIES.

>> YEAH.

>> THEY ARE PRETTY AMAZING.

>> ALL RIGHT AND NEXT QUESTION HERE IS, ABOUT WHIPPER WILLS.

DAN WANTS TO KNOW.

WE GET THIS QUESTION QUITE FREQUENTLY AND HE WANTS TO KNOW, HE'S NOT HEARING AS MANY AS HE USED TO.

AND, DO WE KNOW WHY.

I KNOW IN THE PAST WE'VE MEN SURED THAT WE DID KNOW THAT THEY WERE IN A BIT OF DECLINE.

ANY NEW UPDATES ON THAT.

>> WE HAVE A RESEARCH PROJECT ON WHIPPER AND WHIRLWINDS AND WE'RE TRYING TO ANSWER THAT SAME QUESTION RIGHT NOW.

WHAT WE HAVE HAVE FOUND SO FAR WITH THE STATEWIDE SURVEY IS THAT THE BIRDS ARE DOING REALLY WELL, AND, IN LARGE TRACKS OF PUBLIC FOREST AND THEY SEEM TO BE DECLINING ON PRIVATE LANDS, AND SO, THERE IS PROBABLY A FEW DIFFERENT REASONS FOR THAT.

WE THINK THAT HABITAT LOSS AND DEGRADATION MAY BE AN ISSUE ON SOME OF THOSE SMALLER WOOD LOTS AND PRIVATE LANDS LIKE EXOTIC SPECIES LIKE BUSH HONEYSUCKLE AND ROSE CAN TAKE OVER THE UNDERSTORY.

AND, THAT PROBABLY DEGRADES THE HABITAT FOR WHIPPERWILLS.

AND THEN, THEY NEST ON THE GROUND SO THEY MIGHT BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO NON-NATIVE PREDATORS LIKE -- CATS.

AND ALSO, THEY ARE AN AERIAL INSECTAVORE SO WE MAY NEED TO CONSIDER PESTICIDES AND OTHER THINGS IN THEIR DECLINE BUT WE'RE LOOKING TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS.

>> SO THEY OBVIOUSLY MAKE VERY UNIQUE SOUND THE REASON THAT THEY ARE MAKING THAT SOUND, IS THAT THE MALES, THE FEMALES, IS IT BOTH?

WHAT IS THE REASON FOR THE SUSTAINED -- WHEN THEY START MAKING THE SOUND, IT IS LIKE, OKAY, THAT'S ENOUGH.

YOU HAVE DONE THAT NOW FOR FOUR STRAIGHT HOURS.

THEY KEEP ON GOING, DON'T THEY.

>> THEY ARE CALLING TO DEFEND THEIR TERRITORY.

MOST BIRDS MAINTAIN A TERRITORY, AND SO, THEY ARE CALLING TO LET OTHERS OF THE SPECIES KNOW THAT THIS IS MY TERRITORY.

I'M GOING TO NEST HERE, AND SO -- >> GOT IT.

SO THIS IS A DEFENSE, THIS IS A DEFENSE SOUND THEN.

>> YES, SORT OF.

THIS IS MY HOUSE, STAY OUT.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> I'LL TELL YOU, WE STILL HEAR THEM QUITE A BIT.

WE RECENTLY DID A PIECE ON AN ALL NIGHT FISH AND SHOOT ON LAKE CUMBERLAND AND IF YOU LISTEN TO THE AUDIO, YOU CAN HEAR THEM OUT IN THE DISTANCE.

WE HEARD THEM ALL NIGHT LONG.

>> IT WAS A GOOD PLACE FOR THEM.

>> IT WAS REALLY COOL A REALLY COOL SOUND TO HEAR.

AND YOU WONDER WHERE THEY CONTINUALLY DO IT ALL NIGHT.

>> NEXT QUESTION, IS, CHRIS, CHRIS WANTS TO KNOW DURING THE LAST ICE STORM, HE WANTS TO KNOW IF THAT HURT THE BLUE BIRD POPULATION.

NOW, BLUE BIRD IS DIFFERENT THAN BLUE JAYS.

BLUE BIRDS HAVE THE -- A LOT OF PEOPLE PUT OUT THE BLUE BIRD FEEDERS OF NEST BOXES.

TELL ME ABOUT THOSE.

>> YES, SO, BLUE BIRDS IN THE WINTERTIME WILL SLEEP OR ROOST KLUNELY IN BLUE BIRD BOXES LIKE 8 OR 10 WILL PACK INTO ONE BLUE BIRD HOUSE TO STAY WARM AND TO SLEEP IN THE WINTER TIME.

AND, IT IS NOT UNCOMMON DURING HARSH WINTERS FOR US TO HAVE SOME LOSS IN BLUE BIRDS.

THEY JUST AREN'T A VERY COLD HARDY BIRD AND SOMETIMES, THEY END UP GETTING TOO COLD AT NIGHT AND WE LOSE SOME.

THIS WINTER WE DID HAVE A LONG COLD SNAP THAT ICE STORM AND DID IT SEEM TO BE A BAD WINTER FOR BLUE BIRDS.

AND I GOT A LOT OF REPORTS OF THEM HAS FOUND BLUE BIRD HOUSES THAT HAD SOME INDIVIDUALS THAT HAD DIED, AND, IT DOES SEEM LIKE THE COUNTS OF PEOPLE THAT MONITOR BLUE BIRD HOUSES ARE DOWN A BIT THIS YEAR.

BUT, THIS IS HAPPENED BEFORE.

2010 WE HAD A REALLY BAD WINTER, KNOCK BACK THE BLUE BIRDS AND BIRD DISCOME BACK.

TOOK MAYBE A YEAR OR TWO AND THE NUMBERS CAME BACK.

THE NICE THING ABOUT BEING A BLUE BIRD IS YOU CAN NEXT SEVERAL TIMES IN ONE YEAR.

HAVE A LOT OF YOUNG, AND, SO, HOPEFULLY WE'LL SEE NEXT YEAR OR THE YEAR AFTER, BLUE BIRD NUMBERS REBOUND.

>> >> THAT'S INTERESTING.

I HAVE A BLUE BIRD BOX AND THAT'S PROBABLY NOT THE BEST LOCATION.

IT WAS THERE WHEN WE MOVED IN AND IMMEDIATELY SAW BLUE BIRDS AND LEAVE IT ALONE, RIGHT.

AND IT IS LITERALLY, ATTACHED TO THE DECK SO IT IS RIGHT THERE, REAL CLOSE TO WHERE WE'RE COMING IN AND OUT.

CLOSE ENOUGH SO I CAN MONITOR IT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, AND I KNOW THAT, A BLUE BIRD AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS THE SAME ONE NEXTED THREE TIMES IN THERE THIS YEAR.

>> GREAT.

>> IS THAT THE SAME BIRD DOING THIS OVER AND OVER?

>> YES, THAT'S PROBABLY THE SAME PAIR, AND, THEY ARE JUST HAVING A GOOD YEAR.

AND SO THEY HAVE PROBABLY HAD A LOT OF YOUNG, AND, THIS KIND OF THING WILL HELP OUR BLUE BIRD POPULATION BOUNCE RIGHT BACK.

>> SO YOU'RE SAYING, NESTING THREE TIMES IS -- >> MEAN, THAT'S A GOOD RUN BUT IT IS NOT TERRIBLY UNCOMMON.

>> THAT'S GREAT.

MY KIDS WERE ASKING ME BECAUSE THEY LIKE WATCHING THE -- FROM THE WINDOW WATCHING THE BIRD AND ALWAYS DOES THE SAME TRICK.

COMES IN, LANDS AND LOOKS AROUND.

AND RUNS IN HAD AND RUNS BACK OUT.

AND, WE SAW THE LITTLE BLUE BIRDS, AND, LO AND BEHOLD, SIX OR EIGHT WEEKS LATER, THERE WERE MORE BLUE BIRDS.

SO THAT ARE THESE THE SAME BIRDS?

AND I DIDN'T HAVE THE ANSWER.

SO THERE YOU GO, KIDS.

COULD BE THE EXACT SAME NEXTING PAIR.

>> PROBLEM PROBABLY.

THEY ARE JUST GOOD AT WHAT THEY DO.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> AND SEEN A FEW ARMADILLOS.

I HAVE SEEN THEM ON THE HIGHWAY AS WELL.

ARE THEY MAKING THEIR WAY NORTH INTO KENTUCKY?

EITHER ONE OF YOU KNOW MITCH ABOUT ARMADILLOS?

>> WE ACTUALLY SAW WHEN WHEN WE WERE IN WEST KENTUCKY A FEW WEEKS AGO OVER NEAR PADUCAH.

SO, ARMADILLOS HAVE BEEN BECOMING INCREASINGLY MORE COMMON IN KENTUCKY.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CURRENT POPULATION NUMBERS ARE BUT WE SEE THEM COMING THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND THEY ARE KIND OF GOING TO BE A KENTUCKY SPECIES AT THIS POINT.

>> THEY ARE PROBABLY HERE TO STAY.

>> JAMES WANTS TO KNOW WHAT HE CAN DO ON HIS PROPERTY TO PROMOTE BUTTERFLIES.

AND YOU ACTUALLY BROUGHT SOME BUTTERFLIES HERE.

>> I D I'LL START WITH THE FIRST QUESTION.

WHAT HE CAN DO ON HIS PROPERTY TO PROMOTE BUTTERFLIES AND THE BEST THING THAT HE CAN DO IS PLANT WILDFLOWERS.

SO HE DOESN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT ANY PARTICULAR SPECIES.

PEOPLE LIKE TO PLANT PURPLE CONE FLOWERS OR BLACK EYED SUSANS OR THINGS LIKE BLAZING STARS, AND LOTS OF KIND OF SPRING BLOOMING WILDFLOWERS TOO.

LIKE, SOME OF THOSE WHITE FLOWERS, SOME OF THE EARLIER ONES LIKE, PALE PURPLE CONE FLOWER AND KIND OF THE MAIN THING TO FOCUS ON IS FINDING SOMETHING THAT BLOOMS IN SPRING, SUMMER AND FALL.

AND SO HAVING A RESOURCE AVAILABLE FOR THE BUTT PER FLIES AND IN SPRING, SUMMER AND FALL THAT THEY CAN GO TO AND GET THOSE NECTAR RESOURCE THESE NEED FOR FOOD AND THAT'S FOR THE ADULT BUTTERFLIES.

AND IF YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT THE MONARCH BUTT PER FLY LIKE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT EARLIER, PLANTING MILK WEED IS A BIG ONE.

>> OKAY.

>> AND SO THE MARCH THREE SPECIES ARE THE SWAMP, YOUR COMMON MILK WEED AND YOUR BUTTERFLY MILK WEED AND THE GREAT THING ABOUT MILK WEEDS IS THE CATERPILLAR NEED THOSE AS THE FOOD SOURCE AND THAT'S THE ONLY FOOD SOURCE THEY CAN EAT.

BUT THEY ALSO HAVE THESE REALLY NICE BLOOMS EITHER ORANGE OR PINK OR KIND OF PURPLE AND, THE ADULT BUTTERFLIES, BEES WILL BE ATTRACTED TO THOSE AS WELL.

>> I CAN'T TELL YOU, I RUN INTO A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE PROPERTY AND THEY ARE MANAGING THE PROPERTY AND A LOT OF TIMES, THEY WANT TO ASK ABOUT, INCREASING THE HABITAT.

AND, I NOTICE THAT THERMOING A PARTICULAR AREA AND THEY DON'T LIKE TO MOW.

AND MOWING LOOKS GOOD WHEN IT IS FRESHLY MOWED BUT OTHER THAN THAT IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE GREAT.

INSTEAD OF PLANTING WILDFLOWERS BECAUSE NOW YOU DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH ALL OF THAT.

AND IT IS ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL DURING CERTAIN TIMES OF THE YEAR.

WHAT TYPE OF WILDFLOWER MIX IS.

THERE PLACE TO GO AND GET A GOOD WILDFLOWER MIX THAT'S GOOD FOR BUTTERFLIES?

>> THERE IS.

I MEAN, THERE'S QUITE A FEW DIFFERENT PLACES SO YOU CAN CHECK WITH YOUR LOCAL EXTENSION OFFICE AND THEY MAY HAVE PLACES TO GO TO.

WE OFTEN WILL GO THROUGH BUT THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT SEED COMPANIES IN THE STATE THAT WE CAN USE AS PLACES THAT HAVE SEED MIXES.

I WOULD JUST TRY TO GO FOR SOMEWHERE THAT HAS LOCAL SEED TO KENTUCKY.

>> -- IS LOCATED HERE IN KENTUCKY SO THAT'S THAT GOOD PLACE.

LOOK THEM UP AND GIVE THEM A CALL AND FIND SOME SOURCE OF SEED HERE FOR WILD FLOWERS HERE IN THE STATE OF KENTUCKY.

NOT ONLY BUTTERFLIES BUT IT WILL HELP A LOT OF OTHER SPECIES AS WELL.

>> YES.

ABSOLUTELY.

SO, WE HAVE NATIVE BUMBLEBEES AND SOLITARY SO THERE IS LOTS OF DIFFERENT SPECIES THAT COULD BENEFIT FROM THESE NECTAR RESOURCES AND THE BEES AS WELL AS THE POLLEN.

>> AND THEY ARE SO PRETTY.

AND, MOWING IT.

>> YES, AND, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE WE ALL KIND OF INITIALLY THINK OF THAT PERFECT LAWN, AND YOU KNOW, YOU CAN HAVE THAT BUT IF YOU CAN JUST SPARE A LITTLE BIT OF SPACE OR MAYBE A STRIP THAT YOU DON'T MOW FOR A LITTLE WHILE, SOMETIMES YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO GO OUT AND PLANT SEEDS FOR BUTTERFLIES OR ANYTHING.

YOU CAN SOMETIMES JUST LET THINGS GROW UP.

AND SEE WHAT IS IN YOUR SEED BED IF IT IS ALREADY IN YOUR LAWN.

SO YOU MAY JUST STOP MOWING FOYT A WHILE AND SEE WHAT YOU HAVE GOT.

>> IT IS ALSO GREAT FOR YOUR SMALL GAME AS WELL.

>> YES.

>> AND SONG BIRDS.

>> AND SONG BIRDS, BUTTERFLIES, SONG BIRDS, ALL OF THAT STUFF.

IF YOU WANT TO SEE MORE WILDLIFE, DON'T MOW ANYTHING.

TAKE YOUR SHOES OFF, AND DON'T MOW.

>> AND IF YOU CAN, LEAVE IT IN THE WINTER FOR COVER AS WELL BECAUSE, IT BECOMES FALL, THINGS DIE OFF AND, EVERYBODY KIND OF WANTS TO GO OUT AND WEED THEIR GARDEN AND PULL OUT ALL OF THE THINGS, THAT THEY THINK TO MAKE IT NICE AND NEAT.

BUT IF YOU CAN LEAVE SOME OF THOSE DEAD PLANTS, AND THINGS FOR COVER, SOME OF THOSE PLANTS ARE ACTUALLY WHERE YOUR C HR SYLAS FOR NEXT YEAR'S BUTTERFLY WILL BE HIDING.

>> TELL ME ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW.

I KNOW THAT YOU -- SEEMS LIKE THAT WE GET PHONE CALLS EVERY NOW AND THEN OR WE JUST CATCH UP, AND, YOU'RE ALWAYS WORKING ON A VERY COOL PROJECT LIKE MAN, LET ME KNOW NEXT TIME THAT YOU DO THAT BECAUSE, PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT, NOT ONLY KENTUCKY WILD BUT ABOUT SOME OF OUR SPECIES THAT AREN'T SEEN OR HUNTED OR FISHED FOR OR PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT MUCH ABOUT.

LIKE THE HELLBENDER THERE.

TELL ME WHAT TYPE OF PROGRAMS THAT YOU'RE WORKING ON THAT WE HAVEN'T DISCUSSED TONIGHT.

>> YEAH, SO, THIS IS BAT RELATED BUT THE MOST RECENT PROJECT THAT WE HAVE BEEN OUT DOING FIELD WORK FOR IS WORKING ON BANDING VIRGINIA BATS AND SO, WE -- THEY ARE AN ENDANGERED BAT SHE IS IN KENTUCKY AND IT IS JUST ONE OF THOSE SPECIES THAT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO LEARN MORE ABOUT.

AND SO I SHOWED YOU THOSE BANDS EARLIER, THE SILVER ONES BUTTING ONE THING THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR THIS SPECIFIC SPECIES, IS BANDING THEM WITH THESE COLORFUL BANDS, AND SO WE HAVE GOT RED, GREEN, AND ACTUALLY HAVE PURPLE AND BLUE BANDS AS WELL THAT WE'VE PUT OUT ON THIS BAT.

AND THEY LIVE IN THESE SAND STONE CAVES OR SAND STONE OUTCROPS IN THE SUMMER.

AND SO, WE HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN CATCHING BATS, USING TRAPS AT SOME OF THE CAVES AND PUTTING THESE COLORFUL BANDS ON THEM, AND THEN WE'RE HOPING TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE CONNECTION IS BETWEEN SOME OF OUR SUMMER LOCATIONS WHERE WE KNOW WHERE THESE SPECIES ARE, AND THEN, WINTER LOCKS AS WELL.

SO, IF WE GO INTO THE WINTER LIKE DOING THOSE COUNTS THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT EARLIER AND LOOKING THEY THE CAVES, WE SEE THESE DIFFERENT COLORFUL BANDS, WE'LL START KNOWING WHERE THEY ARE SPENDING THE SUMMER.

AND THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE, VIRGINIA BATS, THE FEMALES THEY GET TOGETHER IN THESE MATERNITY ALCOHOL ALTHOUGH ANIES AND THAT'S WHERE THEY REAR THEIR YOUNG SO IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE KNOW THAT OF COURSE THEY ARE REPRODUCING TO TRY TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF BATS, AND THEN, WHERE THESE BATS ARE HAVING THEIR YOUNG AS WELL AS PUTTING SOME OF THESE BANDS ON THE JUVENILE BATS AND KIND OF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THESE POPULATIONS ARE DISPERSING TO.

>> OKAY.

AND HOW ABOUT YOU, WHAT TYPE OF PROGRAMS ARE YOU WORKING ON RIGHT NOW?

>> WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DO THIS TIME OF YEAR THAT'S MOST FUN, IS OUR SONG BIRD BANDING PROJECT.

AND I THINK THAT YOU CAME OUT WITH US ON A SHOW FOR THAT WHERE WE GO OUT AND CATCH SONG BIRDS AND WE BAND THEM, THE BANDS ARE VERY SIMILAR BUT WE PUT THEM ON THE LEG.

AND WE'RE DOING THIS REPEATEDLY TO LOOK AT THE PRODUCTIVITY AND SURVIVAL OF SONG BIRDS, WE'RE LOOKING AT BEFORE AND AFTER WE WENT INTO A FIELD AND RESTORED IT WITH NATIVE VEGETATION AND WILDFLOWERS SIMILAR TO WHAT WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT.

WE WANT TO KNOW HOW MUCH THAT BOOSTS THE PRODUCTIVITY AND SURVIVE SURVIVAL OF THE BIRD.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING FUN.

WE HAVE A KENTUCKY WILD EVENT COMING ONE THAT SO IF YOU JOIN, YOU'LL HAVE A CHANCE TO POSSIBLY COME OUT WITH US TO DO THAT.

AND, WE'RE ALSO RAMPING UP FOR OUR STATEWIDE INVENTORY NEXT YEAR.

THE BARN OWL IS A VERY RARE SPECIES IN KENTUCKY AND WE'RE COUNTING THEM STATEWIDE AND SO, WE'LL BE OUT NEXT YEAR LOOKING FOR THOSE, AND, IF ANYBODY HAS BARN ORLS, WE SURE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT IT BECAUSE WE'RE STUDYING THOSE LOCATIONS TO FIND OUT WHY THEY ARE DIFFERENT FROM OTHER LOCATIONS THAT DON'T HAVE BARN OWLS.

>> YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES FOR KENTUCKY WILD MEMBERS TO POTENTIALLY GET OUTDOORS AND PARTICIPATE WITH SOME OF THE DATA GATHERING FOR SOME OF YOUR PROGRAMS.

AND YOU HAVE MENTIONED THAT A FEW TIMES AS WELL.

SO, IF A PERSON IS JOINING KENTUCKY WILD.

THEY GO ON, THEY LOG IN AND THEY DO IT SOON AND THEY DO THE KYAFIELD, THEY'LL GET ONE OF THE T-SHIRTS THAT YOU'RE WEARING.

AND THEN, HOW DO WE COMMUNICATE WITH PEOPLE IN?

IS THERE A NEWSLETTER?

HOW DO THEY FIND OUT ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES?

>> THERE IS A NEWSLETTER AND A FACEBOOK PAGE THAT IS MOSTLY HOW PEOPLE FOLLOW ALONG WITH WHAT WE HAVE GOING ON.

>> SO THERE IS COMMUNICATION ON SOME OF THE UNIQUE COOL OPPORTUNITIES.

>> A LOT WILL BE THROUGH THE EMAIL THAT YOU SIGN UP WITH WHEN YOU JOIN KENTUCKY WILD.

SO THEN YOU'LL GET EMAIL UPDATES AND WE'LL DO AN ANNUAL REPORT OF THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THE FUNDING HAS GONE TO, SO, WHAT ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PROJECTS ARE, THAT THE FUNDING IS CONTRIBUTING TO, AND THEN, IF THERE IS AN EVENT GOING ON LIKE, THE SONG BIRD BANDING OR THE MONARCH BUTT OTHER FLY TAGGING OR SOMETHING ELSE, THEN, YOU'LL GET AN EMAIL INVITING YOU TO SIGN UP FOR THAT.

>> OKAY.

VERY COOL.

VERY COOL PROGRAM.

SO, I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING, AND, SOMEONE WANTS TO GET OUT AND PARTICIPATE IN ONE THOUGH HE WAS EVENT, GO AND SIGN UP, BECOME A MEMBER OF KENTUCKY WILD, AND, MAKE SURE THAT YOU USE THAT EMAIL ADDRESS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO CHECK ROUTINELY SO, YOU CAN STAY IN CONTACT.

SOME OF THE COOL THINGS THAT YOU'RE WORKING ON.

>> SEAN WANTS TO KNOW, HE SAYS THAT'S HAS A CAVE ON HIS PROPERTY, AND THAT MAY HAVE BATS IN IT AND HE WANTS TO KNOW WHAT HE SHOULD DO.

>> A CAVE THAT MAY HAVE BATS IN IT.

WELL, HE SHOULD DEFINITELY KEEP AN EYE OUT SO IF -- I MEAN, THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF CAVES IN KENTUCKY, AND, WE DO TRACK A CERTAIN NUMBER OF THEM FOR ENDANGERED SPECIES AND WE CAN'T MAKE IT TO ALL TEN OR 15,000 CAVES, WHATEVER THE NUMBER IS IN THE STATE.

BUT, IF HE IS SEEING LOTS AND LOTS OF BATS EXITING THAT CAVE ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, IN THE SUMMERTIME IF THERE ARE LOTS OF BATS THERE, THEY'LL BE COMING OUT IN THE EVENING TO GO FEED AND CATCH INSECTS AT NIGHT.

SO, IF HE'S SEEING A LOT OF BATS KIND OF AT DUSK COMING OUT OF THE CAVE, THEN IT IS PROBABLY SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD BE INTERESTED IN LOOKING AT, AND, HE CAN CONTACT THE DEPARTMENT AND KIND OF ONCE HE KEEPS AN EYE ON THAT LET US KNOW.

>> OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

>> AND YOU GUYS DO COOL THINGS WITH SOME OF THE CAVES.

DON'T YOU HAVE A WAY THAT YOU CAN COUNT HOW MANY BATS COME IN AND OUT ON SOME OF THE BIG CAVES THAT GET USED A LOT?

>> YES.

>> I FEEL LIKE I HAVE SEEN ONE, DOING IT ONE TIME AND THERE WAS A LITERALLY A BAT COUNTER THAT WAS COUNTING COMING AND GOING.

>> WE HAVE SOME THERMAL CAMERAS AND ALSO NIGHT VISION CAMERAS SO WE CAN SET THOSE UP AT CAVE ENTRANCES, AND, WE CAN CAPTURE THIS FOOTAGE OF THESE BATS THAT ARE EMERGING AT NIGHT WHICH IS GREAT BECAUSE OF COURSE WE CAN'T BE AT THE ENTRANCES OF ALL OF THESE CAVES ALL THE TIME.

>> SURELY YOU CAN DO THAT.

>> 10 OR 10 OR15,000 CAVES.

>> WE HAVE TOOLS THAT HELP US TO CATCH THE FOOT ABOUT AND GET SOFTWARE TO AUTOMATICALLY COUNT SOME OF THE BATS WHICH IS REALLY USEFUL.

>> VERY COOL.

ALL RIGHT.

AND NEXT QUESTION HERE.

WHAT IS THE BEST TIME OF YEAR TO SEE SALAMANDERS.

HOW MANY DIFFERENT SPECIES OF SAL LA MAPPEDDERS DO WE HAVE HERE IN KENTUCKY AND WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO SEE THEM?

>> WE HAVE OVER 30 SPECIES OF SALAMANDERS.

MAY BE SOMETHING LIKE 34.

REALLY THE BEST TIME TO GO OUT AND FIND SALAMANDERS IS AFTER IT RAINS.

SO REALLY, THUNDERSTORMING OUTSIDE, WET OUTSIDE, GO DRIVING AROUND ON DIFFERENT ROADWAYS OR JUST KIND OF CHECKING THE AREAS NEAR YOU, WHEN IT IS REALLY KIND OF NICE AND WET AFTER A RAINFALL AND THEY ALSO MIGHT BE KIND OF CROSSING THE ROADS AND IN SPRING AND WE GET RAINFALL AND THEY ARE MOVING INTO THE AREAS WHERE THEY ARE HEADED TO, DURING THE SPRING.

SO THOSE ARE KIND OF THE BEST TIMES TO GO OUT AND LOOK FOR THEM, AND IN THE EVENINGS AS WELL.

SO, THEY ARE USUALLY OUT AT NIGHT.

>> >> IN THE EVENINGS, AFTER A LIGHT RAIN OR SPRING, THAT'S A GOOD TIME.

>> YES.

SO, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN GO AND KIND OF STAY OUT UNTIL THE EARLY MORNING HOURS AND YOU MIGHT SEE THEM ON THE ROADWAY OR SEE FROG OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND IF YOU BRING A FLASHLIGHT WITH YOU, YOU CAN GO LOOKING.

>> OKAY.

AND NEXT QUESTION IS, WHAT THE GUY IS CALLING A CICCADA KILLER AND I'VE BEEN SEEING THESE.

IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT, THESE CAN BE SCARY.

HE SAID HE HAS A PICTURE OF WHAT HE BELIEVES IS A CICCADA KILLER KILLING A CICCADA SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE THAT PICTURE OR NOT.

>> SO, I HAVE BROUGHT HOPEFULLY WE CAN SEE THIS, A CICCADA KILLER HERE AND THIS ACTUALLY IS A EUROPEAN HORNET UP HERE.

SO THESE GUYS, THE CICADA KILLER IS NOT GOING TO HARM YOU.

IT IS A TYPE OF WASP THAT THE ADULT WASP DOESN'T ACTUALLY EAT BUT IT WILL KILL A CICCADA AND THIS WILL DRAG THAT CICADA AND PARALYZE IT AND TAKE IT INTO ITS BUR ROW.

SO THIS IS A DIGGING WASP AND TAKES THE PARALYZED C CICCADA AD THE LARVA WILL EAT THE CACCADA.

IT IS PRETTY BRUTAL BECAUSE THIS IS A PARALYZED CICCADA THAT THIS WASP IS GOING TO EAT OR THE LARVA IS GOING TO EAT.

AND THOSE LARVA WILL STAY IN THE GROUND UNTIL THE NEXT YEAR.

AND THEY'LL COME OUT.

>> WOW.

>> YOU SAID THESE THINGS WERE PRETTY HARMLESS.

CAN THEY STING YOU?

>> I DON'T KNOW OF ANYONE THAT'S BEEN STUNG.

IF YOU WERE BOTHERING IT, THEN IT WOULD.

IT WOULD TRY TO.

>> BUT IT IS NOT GOING TO.

IT IS NOT GOING STING YOU IF YOU HAPPEN TO BE AROUND.

>> THEY ARE INTERESTED IN PARALYZING THE CICCADA AND THEY DON'T -- AS LONG US A LEAVE THEM ALONE, THEN THEY'LL LEAVE YOU ALONE.

>> AND I'LL TELL YOU WHAT.

I'M SEEING THEM QUITE FREQUENTLY RIGHT NOW.

AND SO -- >> A HUGE AMOUNT OF CICCADS.

THAT'S WILL BE HAVING A GREAT YEAR.

WHICH I'M SURE THAT NOT EVERYONE IS GOING TO BE HAPPY ABOUT.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> SO I HAVE SEEN THEM J EFFERSON AND OLDHAM AND I HAVE SEEN QUITE A FEW IN THAT AREA AND I'M GUESSING THAT IS BECAUSE THIS CICCADA WAS IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE STATE OF KENTUCKY FOR THE MOST PART.

WE DID NOT HAVE A BUN IN WHICH THE VERY SOUTH PART OF THE STATE.

>> THEY WILL USE EITHER -- SO WE HAVE THE PERIODICAL CICCADS THAT WERE ABSOLUTE ABUNDANCE.

A FEW WEEKS TO A MONTH AGO.

THESE WILL ALSO FEED OR THEY'LL PARALYZE THE ANNUAL CICCADS.

THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT COUNT EVERY SINGLE YEAR.

THE NORMAL GREEN THAT YOU'RE ALWAYS GOING TO SEE YEAR AFTER YEAR.

>> ALL RIGHT.

AND ABOVE THAT, YOU HAVE AGAIN -- >> I ALSO BROUGHT SOME OF THESE EUROPEAN HORNETS AND THE REASON WHY I WANTED TO BRING THOSE IN IS BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THE SCARE AROUND THE INVASIVE, THE ASIAN GIANT HORNET THAT'S SOMEHOW COME OVER POSSIBLY ON A CARGO SHIP OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND, THERE WAS THAT BIG SCARE LAST YEAR WHEN NONE OF US WERE HAVING A GREAT YEAR.

AND THIS GETS CONFUSED TO THE MURDER HORNET AND THE WAY THAT YOU CAN TELL THE DIFFERENCE WHEN AND WHAT WOULD BE THE ASIAN GIANT HORNET, THOSE ARE GOING TO BE A LOT BIGGER WHICH OF COURSE YOU CAN'T TELL BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE ONE OF THOSE.

BUT, WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO LOOK FOR, AND YOU PROBABLY AREN'T GOING TO GET CLOSE ENOUGH TO THESE ANYWAY BUT, THEY HAVE KIND OF A PATTERN ON THE BOTTOM OF THEM THAT LOOKS LIKE DRIPPING PAINT.

SO, THE ASIAN GIANT HORNET JUST HAS THE STRIPED PATTERN SO THE YELLOW AND KIND OF DARK STRIPES.

BUT, THESE ARE GOING TO HAVE THESE LITTLE DOTS AND ALMOST LOOKS LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU PAINTED ALONG, THERE IS SOME DRIPS COMING DOWN IT.

SO THEY HAVE THE DRIPPING PAINT LOOK TO THEM WHERE THEY ARE NOT COMPLETELY STRIPED IF THAT MAKE SENSE.

>> IF YOU SEE THIS ON THE BOTTOM HERE, YOU CAN SEE ONE OF THESE, THIS IS NOT A HORNET, THIS IS A CICCADA KILLER AND IT IS PRETTY HARMLESS.

>> YES.

AND THESE AT THE TOP ARE ALSO -- THEY ARE GOING LEAVE YOU ALONE AS LONG AS YOU LEAVE THEM ALONE.

WE WE HAVE HAD -- THEY ARE NATURALIZED THE EUROPEAN HORNETS AND THEY HAVE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME AND YOU'LL SEE THEM BUT, AS LONG AS YOU KEEP YOUR DISTANCE THEN THEY ARE NOT GOING BOTHER YOU EITHER.

>> I'LL TELL YOU WHATTEN I HAVE LEARNED A LOT TODAY.

IT SEEMS LIKE YOU SPEND A LOT OF TIME OUTDOOR BUT THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS TO SEE AND LEARN.

AND THAT'S WHY YOU BIOLOGISTS SPECIALIZE AND YOU HAVE YOUR CERTAIN THINGS THAT YOU KEEP UP WITH, AND, I HAVE LEARNED A LOT WITH HAVING A DIFFERENT PANELISTS TODAY SO I APPRECIATE YOU COMING OUT.

AND I TELL YOU WHAT.

IF YOU WANT TO COME OUT AND SEE ANY OF THESE SPECIES, OF ANIMALS THAT WE HAVE THEY'RE IN STATE OF KENTUCKY OR TAKE A PICTURE OF SMOG AND BRING IT IN, COME TO THE SOLATA WILDLIFE CENTER.

IT IS A GREAT PLACE TO COME, BRING KIDS OR JUST COME AS AN ADULT AND TAKE A PICTURE, IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING, AND WE HAVE A LOT OF CONSERVATION ENDS CATERS THAT CAN GET YOU AN ANSWER ON WHAT YOU HAVE GOT.

IT IS A FANTASTIC WAY TO SPEND SATURDAY OR AN AFTERNOON.

COME OUT AND CHECK US OUT.

WELL, THANK YOU AGAIN.

APPRECIATE YOU COMING OUT "KENTUCKY AFIELD" IS GOING TO BE PREEMPTED THE NEXT TWO WEEKS.

SO, WE'LL BE OFF AIR.

IF YOU HAVE YOUR DVR SET, UNFORTUNATELY, WE'RE NOT GOING BE ON.

THEY'LL HAVE THEIR PLEDGE DRIVE SO MAKE SURE THAT YOU JOIN US.

WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT TELEVISION COMING YOUR WAY.

WE'VE BEEN OUT FISHING, AND HEY, BY THE TIME YOU GET BACK, SOME OF OUR HUNTING SEASON WILL BE COMING IN, SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO HITTING THE FIELD SO THANK YOU FOR JOINING US HERE AT "KENTUCKY AFIELD."

AND, MAKE SURE THAT YOU JOIN US HERE IN THREE WEEKS, FOR REGULAR PROGRAMMING.

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