6.01.12     Many insects use specific plants for foraging and other life-sustaining activities.  The mite Eriophyes tiliae overwinters in the bark of American Basswood trees; in spring they migrate to young leaves where they lay their eggs.  Chemical response to the mite's saliva stimulates a growth on the leaf where the larvae will mature.  This activity does not seem to impact the tree's health. 

Wood Sorrel (Oxalis montana) is a colorful find in sunny spots of a moist, mossy streambank. 

Chartreuse-colored Narrow Beech Ferns produce new fronds all summer creating a look of spring freshness all season; their lower pinnae angle downward; and the whole frond grows more horizontally than most other ferns.