Page 24 - Discover Spring 2021
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Fisherman’s Almanac CONTINUED
F is he rma n ’ s Alma nac C O NTINUED
moon disturbs a good night’s sleep. These or the “Full Crust Moon”, because the snow
changes were associated with a decrease become crusted with the thawing by day
in subjective sleep quality diminished and freezing at night. The “Full Sap Moon”,
endogenous melatonin levels, even when marking the time of tapping maple trees, is
one does not “see” a moon or is aware of the another variation. To European settlers, it was
actual moon phase. also know as the “Lenten Moon”, and was
considered to be the last full moon of winter.
Various creatures, land or aquatic,
respond to the moon (not the light) in a • Full Pink Moon-April
like manner according to the moon phase. This name came from the herb moss pink,
There are times when the moon can not be or wild ground phlox, which is one of the
seen because of cloud cover, and it makes no earliest widespread flowers of spring. Other
difference. The reaction to the moon phase is names for this month’s celestial body include
consistent. the “Full Sprouting Grass Moon”, the “Egg
Moon”, and among coastal tribes, the “Full
MOON PHASE NAMES... Fish Moon”, because it was the time the shad
swam upstream to spawn.
• Full Wolf Moon-January
Amid the cold and deep snows of mid-winter, • Full Flower Moon-May
the wolf packs howled hungrily outside In most areas, flowers are abundant
Indian villages. Thus, the name for January’s everywhere during this time, hence the name.
full moon. Sometimes it was also referred to Other names include “Full Corn Planting
as the “Old Moon”, or “Moon After Yule”. Moon”, or the “Milk Moon”.
Some called it the “Full Snow Moon”, but
most tribes applied that name to the next • Full Strawberry Moon-June
moon. This name was universal to every Algonquin
tribe, because of the relatively short season for
• Full Snow Moon-February harvesting strawberries that comes each year
Since the heaviest snow usually falls during during June. However, in Europe they called
this month, native tribes of the north and east it the “Rose Moon”.
most often called February’s full moon the
“Full Snow Moon”. Some tribes also referred • Full Buck Moon-July
to this Moon as the “Full Hunger Moon”, July is normally the month when the new
since harsh weather conditions in their areas antlers of buck deer push out of their
made hunting very difficult. foreheads, in coatings of velvety fur. It was
often called the “Full Thunder Moon”,
• Full Worm Moon-March because thunderstorms are most frequent
As the temperature begins to warm and during this time. Another name for this
the ground begins to thaw, earthworm casts moon was the “Full Hay Moon”.
begin to appear, heralding the return of the
robins. The more northern tribes knew this • Full Sturgeon Moon-August.
moon as the “Full Crow Moon”, when the The fishing tribes are given credit for naming
cawing of crows signaled the end of winter, this moon, since the sturgeon, a large fish
22 Discover Smith Mountain Lake SPRING 2021
