9-23

9-23
Nodding Ladies-tresses, on of the Orshidaceae, is flowering in wet meadows and bogs.
John

9-21

9-21
At higher elevations on the west side of town, Witch Hazel is in flower; this year's flowers co-existing with last year's nutlets.
Flowers fertilized this fall wait until spring to begin producing the seeds which ripen in the fall.
The ripe nutlets which contain the seeds open explosively when dry, flinging the seeds up to 20 feet thus moving them away from the parent plant.
John

9-20

9-20
Golden Hedge-hyssop, AKA Pert, is in flower. It is one of the last flowerings of the season.
John

Golden Hedge-hyssop

Recent rains caused these beautiful fungi to form. Identification welcome.

 A paper wasp nest the size of a basketball was knocked to the ground by the recent rain. The wasps are still going in and out so I don't dare get too close, but I think it's a yellow jacket nest. Soon the nest will be abandoned as the fertilized queens find protected places to overwinter. The nest would gradually disintegrate, but I'll take it to some lucky classroom.

This snake, I believe it's a Common Garter Snake, lived in our pool shed all summer. I tried many times to get a better picture, but it's very difficult to sneak up on a snake. He did leave me two skins. The scissors point to a clear bubble that I guess covered his eye.

9-1

9-1
These large mushrooms - perhaps Giant Clitocybes - appeared suddenly on a corner of my lawn.
And, while eating breakfast, I watched a mother gray squirrel carrying her young - one per trip - up a big old hollow locust tree and depositing them in a tree cavity. These den transfers seem to often happen just prior to the young's opening their eyes for the first time.
John

Giant Clitocybes