Last summer when it was so dry we were sure that we were going to lose our only yew tree, a very slow growing conifer found from northern California to southern Alaska. The tips all turned brown and dry and the bark was even more flaky and brittle looking than usual! It pulled through and we still have this one single Taxus brevifolia.

Western Yew is listed as "Near Threatened" by IUCN because of threats and declines. Threats include logging and harvesting of the bark for Paclitaxel, a compound that was found to be successful  in the treatment of several cancers including ovarian and breast. At least this had been a threat. It was estimated that one tree was being killed for every patient treated and it was clear that this was not going to be sustainable! Two Cornell postdoctoral researchers got on this problem in the early 1990's and were successful in developing a process to produce Paclitaxel from plant cell cultures through fermentation. Large scale production meant that this natural product could be available at a fraction of the cost and effort and the yew trees were saved! Yay! 

Western (or Pacific) Yew on the coast often grows with many short branches and twisted stems.  In the 1990s it was discovered that this is because a mite the Big Yew Bud Mite, (Cecidophyopsis psilaspis) damages the buds at the ends of branches by feeding on them. A team of scientists from the Pacific Forestry Centre looked at the prevalence of this mite in B.C. and found that except for a few high elevation sites, all the coastal locations searched had the mite, and the interior ones did not (http://cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/publications?id=32959).  They also concluded that the mite was likely not native and was introduced from Europe on English Yew (Taxus baccata). It turns out the “characteristic” shape of a coastal yew isn’t the way the yew used to grow and likely is only recent. This would explain why the bows, tools and paddles that were made from Western Yew by the coastal first nations were straight and true.

 

 Satyr Anglewing, (Polygonia satyrus ), sometimes called the Satyr Comma, and, along with the Mourning Cloak is one of the first butterflies seen in the spring.  Both of these species overwinter as adults and can be seen on the wing as early as the first week of March in some years.  Adults are long lived and the males are highly territorial.  If you disturb one in the woods they tend to spook easily, but often return to the spot in a few minutes.  The larvae feeds on Stinging Nettle and this butterfly can be seen almost anywhere Stinging Nettles are common.  Commas are named after the bright white angular "comma" mark on the underwing.  

The Satry Anglewing is named after the Satyr, a character of Greek mytholody that inhabits forests.  Other common names for this butterfly include Golden Anglewing, the Satyr and Hope Butterfly.