The Princeton Hydro 2018 Report indicates that Lake Sagamore is in excellent condition. Phosphorus concentrations were slightly above the recommended threshold, while transparency is acceptable and nuisance plant growth is minimal. The following section will touch briefly on what the community can do to ensure the lake is in as good or better condition for […]
Activities to Protect Lake Quality Read More »
Winter pictures are shown in the slide show on the home page. Click the picture to see larger images. You can also access them from the Picture Galleries at the bottom of the home page and on the menu bar. From the Picture Gallery you may also view several other picture series related to seasons,
New Winter Pictures Read More »
Aside from the irritation caused by mosquito bites, we need to be concerned about the role mosquitoes play in transmitting West Nile virus (which has now spread throughout the USA) and several forms of encephalitis. There are 62 mosquito species in the state: some feed during the day and others at night; some breed in
These are a group of predatory worms (annelids, related to earthworms), one type of which attacks mammals. They lie on shallow, mucky (not sandy) bottoms in quiet water and react to moving shadows by swimming towards the shadow-casting object. Their bite is totally painless and non-toxic because the saliva includes anesthetics, anticoagulants, and powerful antibiotics,
A small aphid-like insect from Japan, the woolly adelgid can kill mature hemlocks and can become a serious problem around Lake Sagamore and, more generally, in the Northeast. Make sure that you inspect your trees (those infected will have brittle, dark leaves covered with white wool on the underside). To prevent the loss of the
Deer ticks are the vector for Lyme Disease (as well as 15 other diseases, including erlichosis, babesiosis, and spotted fever) because ticks feed repeatedly during their life cycle and carry infection from one animal to another. No bigger than a poppy seed in their nymph stage, and the size of a pin head as adults,
Deer, usually an icon of nature’s pastoral beauty, can also be a pest when their population is in an expansion cycle. Residents are encouraged to landscape with plants that are generally unattractive to deer, such as mountain laurel, ferns, daffodils, and evergreens (but not arborvitae). Despite lists (such as this) of vegetation deer may spurn,
Erroneously considered to be larvae of gypsy moths, tent caterpillars emerge every several years in vast numbers and can severely defoliate trees. While healthy trees rarely die as a result of caterpillar action, the infestation is unsightly and damaging. Egg masses of tent caterpillars are easily seen in fall and winter, as black “bracelets” clasped
Canada geese are a protected species, yet without their natural predators to control the geese population they can become a pest. Their droppings may foul lawns and contribute unnecessary nutrients to the Lake. The Association annually receives a Federal EPA permit to have geese eggs addled, which has enabled control of their proliferation. Geese prefer
The normal yearly cleanup that most of us do in late summer or early fall affords a wonderful opportunity to increase the beauty and usability of our Lake. Every nutrient we keep out of the water will mean fewer weeds the following spring. Here are some suggested steps: Leaves and Cuttings: Rake your leaves and
Yard Maintenance, and Cleanup Read More »