The seed heads of Thimbleweed slowly disintegrate in the winter winds ensuring nest year's crop.
And Poison Ivy berries, anathema to us, are subsistence food for wintering birds.
John
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| Thimbleweed |
 |
| Poison Ivy berries |
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
12-30
12-30
The seed heads of Thimbleweed slowly disintegrate in the winter winds ensuring nest year's crop.
And Poison Ivy berries, anathema to us, are subsistence food for wintering birds.
John
The seed heads of Thimbleweed slowly disintegrate in the winter winds ensuring nest year's crop.
And Poison Ivy berries, anathema to us, are subsistence food for wintering birds.
John
Sunday, December 28, 2014
cocoon
12=28
A Cecropia's silk cocoon, both tough and flexible, may outlast its usefulness by many years. The big moth will emerge next May. The cocoon will soon fade to near whiteness yet remain strong and supple long after the moth has gone.
John
A Cecropia's silk cocoon, both tough and flexible, may outlast its usefulness by many years. The big moth will emerge next May. The cocoon will soon fade to near whiteness yet remain strong and supple long after the moth has gone.
John
Friday, December 26, 2014
Beech Blight Sooty Mold
12-26
These strange black accretions are the final stage of Beech Blight Sooty Mold (Scolias spongiosa) a fungus which only grows on the honeydew secreted by Beech Blight Aphids AKA Boogie-woogie Aphids. It is an obligate species, it will only grow on the copious honeydew provided by this one aphid species.
The fungus starts as a black fuzzy mat, thickens to a brown furry stage and then swells into a spongy golden yellow heap. Finally it turns black.
For more on Boogie-woogie aphids see the blog entry for August 16, or check them out online.
John
These strange black accretions are the final stage of Beech Blight Sooty Mold (Scolias spongiosa) a fungus which only grows on the honeydew secreted by Beech Blight Aphids AKA Boogie-woogie Aphids. It is an obligate species, it will only grow on the copious honeydew provided by this one aphid species.
The fungus starts as a black fuzzy mat, thickens to a brown furry stage and then swells into a spongy golden yellow heap. Finally it turns black.
For more on Boogie-woogie aphids see the blog entry for August 16, or check them out online.
John
Wednesday, December 24, 2014
12-24
12-24
Worms that should be deep in the ground to stay below the normal frost line are surfacing to escape the oxygen-poor, water saturated, warm soil conditions!
John
Worms that should be deep in the ground to stay below the normal frost line are surfacing to escape the oxygen-poor, water saturated, warm soil conditions!
John
Monday, December 22, 2014
12-22
12-22
This morning a Great Blue Heron winged down the West River valley. No pictures were possible without risking a multi-car pile-up!
John
This morning a Great Blue Heron winged down the West River valley. No pictures were possible without risking a multi-car pile-up!
John
Saturday, December 20, 2014
12-20
12-20
A Sharp-shinned hawk took a smaller bird (probably a junco) just outside my kitchen window. Sharpies are accipiters, hawks that specialize in hunting birds.
Earlier in the day I'd seen this overly-optimistic little hawk in hot pursuit of a crow.
In all likelihood this sharpie will terrorize feeder birds in my neighborhood all winter.
John
A Sharp-shinned hawk took a smaller bird (probably a junco) just outside my kitchen window. Sharpies are accipiters, hawks that specialize in hunting birds.
Earlier in the day I'd seen this overly-optimistic little hawk in hot pursuit of a crow.
In all likelihood this sharpie will terrorize feeder birds in my neighborhood all winter.
John
 |
| Sharp-shinned hawk and prey |
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
12-17
12-17
Lots of Bluebirds and a few robins along Rice Farm Rd. today. On the Retreat Meadows an adult Bald Eagle was consuming something out on the ice.
And, to my surprise, along the edge of the meadows, a mustard … in flower! Perhaps Field Mustard, Brassica rapa, an alien.
Seeing anything - even an alien species - in flower today was certainly a surprise.
John
Lots of Bluebirds and a few robins along Rice Farm Rd. today. On the Retreat Meadows an adult Bald Eagle was consuming something out on the ice.
And, to my surprise, along the edge of the meadows, a mustard … in flower! Perhaps Field Mustard, Brassica rapa, an alien.
Seeing anything - even an alien species - in flower today was certainly a surprise.
John
 |
| Mustard in bloom in December |
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
12-16
12-16
This tiny little 1/4 inch insect is a Winter Cranefly. A flightless female. The males have wings. Most of us are familiar with the larger summer-flying cranefly species. A lot of people mistakenly refer to them "Great-big-mosquito-thingies." Winter craneflies are often found atop the snow in late fall and in early spring.
Also atop the snow today was a Caddisfly …! The caddisflies that I'm familiar with emerge from the water for their mating flights in May or June. Not December? I guess that nobody told this one.
John
This tiny little 1/4 inch insect is a Winter Cranefly. A flightless female. The males have wings. Most of us are familiar with the larger summer-flying cranefly species. A lot of people mistakenly refer to them "Great-big-mosquito-thingies." Winter craneflies are often found atop the snow in late fall and in early spring.
Also atop the snow today was a Caddisfly …! The caddisflies that I'm familiar with emerge from the water for their mating flights in May or June. Not December? I guess that nobody told this one.
John
 |
| Caddisfly |
 |
| Winter Cranefly |
Monday, December 15, 2014
12-15
12-15
Along the edge of the woods where the sun has melted off the snow, Grouse Locust were hopping today.
Also active was a froghopper, the nymphal stage of this insect is summer's ubiquitous Spittlebug. Hoppers are common but because they live in tangled fields and woodpatches and because they escape by hopping wildly, they are seldom observed.
I certainly never expected to see one in mid December!
John
Along the edge of the woods where the sun has melted off the snow, Grouse Locust were hopping today.
Also active was a froghopper, the nymphal stage of this insect is summer's ubiquitous Spittlebug. Hoppers are common but because they live in tangled fields and woodpatches and because they escape by hopping wildly, they are seldom observed.
I certainly never expected to see one in mid December!
John
 |
| froghopper |
 |
| froghopper |
 |
| Grouse Locust |
Saturday, December 13, 2014
Tetragnatha viridis
12-13
One of the long-jawed orb weaving spiders, Tetragnatha viridis, was taking a walk atop the snow this morning. With air temperatures at 30 degrees F but in full sunlight this little spider was quite active.
Orb weavers align themselves with grass blades and stretch out their legs giving them a long unspiderlike profile. They are well camouflaged during the growing season, but - as you can see - not so well on snow.
One of the long-jawed orb weaving spiders, Tetragnatha viridis, was taking a walk atop the snow this morning. With air temperatures at 30 degrees F but in full sunlight this little spider was quite active.
Orb weavers align themselves with grass blades and stretch out their legs giving them a long unspiderlike profile. They are well camouflaged during the growing season, but - as you can see - not so well on snow.
John
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Thursday, September 11, 2014
9-11
9-11
Slender Gerardia is in flower.
John
Slender Gerardia is in flower.
John
 |
| Slender Gerardia |
 |
| close up of the Slender Gerardia flower |
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
Bears tearing up our compost bin
The bear came and tore up our compost bin that had been locked. We've had the bid for 30 years. Seemed particularly aggressive, and I am quite concerned. Contact the game warden if this happens to you.
Monday, September 8, 2014
9-8
9-8
Caterpillars of Cherry Scallop Shell Moths nest gregariously on Black Cherry shoots, lacing leaves into shelters. They often tie up the entire shoot.
John
Caterpillars of Cherry Scallop Shell Moths nest gregariously on Black Cherry shoots, lacing leaves into shelters. They often tie up the entire shoot.
John
 |
| Cherry Scallop Shell moth caterpillar |
Saturday, September 6, 2014
9-6
9-6
Dwarf Cinquefoil is doing its obscure little thing in dry, grassy areas today.
John
Dwarf Cinquefoil is doing its obscure little thing in dry, grassy areas today.
John
 |
| Dwarf Cinquefoil |
 |
| Dwarf Cinquefoil |
Sunday, August 31, 2014
8-31
8-31
This green beetle on a Chicory blossom makes an appealing picture. The beetle is a Northern Corn Rustworm Borer, an agricultural pest.
Spotted Lady Beetles hunt aphids, in this case on goldenrod.
And a nymphal stage of what is probably a Spined Soldier Bug consumes the liquified innards of an earwig.
John
This green beetle on a Chicory blossom makes an appealing picture. The beetle is a Northern Corn Rustworm Borer, an agricultural pest.
Spotted Lady Beetles hunt aphids, in this case on goldenrod.
And a nymphal stage of what is probably a Spined Soldier Bug consumes the liquified innards of an earwig.
John
 |
| Northern Corn Rustworm Borer |
 |
| Spotted Lady Beetle |
 |
| Spined Soldier Bug 'eating' an Earwig |
Saturday, August 30, 2014
8-30
8-30
Unimaginatively named Black Blister Beetles can be found on Goldenrods.
Sand Jointweed's tiny white flowers haze sandy barren spots. Sand Jointweed has only a few obscure threadlike leaves and at first glance would not seem alive enough to flower.
And a female Rainbow Scarab beetle works mightily to move a chunk of dog feces which, when buried, will feed her young. Male Rainbow Scarabs have a prominent 'horn' on the top of their head.
John
Unimaginatively named Black Blister Beetles can be found on Goldenrods.
Sand Jointweed's tiny white flowers haze sandy barren spots. Sand Jointweed has only a few obscure threadlike leaves and at first glance would not seem alive enough to flower.
And a female Rainbow Scarab beetle works mightily to move a chunk of dog feces which, when buried, will feed her young. Male Rainbow Scarabs have a prominent 'horn' on the top of their head.
John
 |
| Black Blister Beetle |
 |
| Sand Jointweed |
 |
| Rainbow Scarab Beetle and feces |
Friday, August 29, 2014
8-29
8-29
Nodding Ladies Tresses - an orchid species - light up wet meadows and river banks.
And a Giant Ichneumon female spent several minutes exploring my shirt. The long thread-like tail is her ovipositor. Giant Ichneumons insert their ovipositor into wood that is infested with the grubs of Pigeon Horntails and lay their eggs. When the eggs hatch the Ichneumon larvae parasitize the Horntail larvae.
Nodding Ladies Tresses - an orchid species - light up wet meadows and river banks.
And a Giant Ichneumon female spent several minutes exploring my shirt. The long thread-like tail is her ovipositor. Giant Ichneumons insert their ovipositor into wood that is infested with the grubs of Pigeon Horntails and lay their eggs. When the eggs hatch the Ichneumon larvae parasitize the Horntail larvae.
John
 |
| Nodding Ladies Tresses |
 |
| Giant Ichneumon |
Thursday, August 28, 2014
8-29
8-29
A square stem, clusters of tiny blue flowers in the leaf axils and a strong scent of oil of pennyroyal when its leaves are crushed make American Pennyroyal easy to identify.
However, this all-black, hairy caterpillar doesn't look as we would expect. It's a Woolly Bear, the larva of an Isabella Tiger moth, a species familiar to all of us. Most Woolly Bears are brown on each end and black in the middle but they can be wholly blond, brown, rust, tan or black.
John
A square stem, clusters of tiny blue flowers in the leaf axils and a strong scent of oil of pennyroyal when its leaves are crushed make American Pennyroyal easy to identify.
However, this all-black, hairy caterpillar doesn't look as we would expect. It's a Woolly Bear, the larva of an Isabella Tiger moth, a species familiar to all of us. Most Woolly Bears are brown on each end and black in the middle but they can be wholly blond, brown, rust, tan or black.
John
 |
| American Pennyroyal |
 |
| caterpillar |
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
8-26
8-26
The bold black and yellow patterns on this Locust Tree Borer help it mimic a dangerous bee or wasp. But the bold yellow W marks it as a harmless beetle. The grubs of this beetle chew tunnels through locust trees.
And Red Bartsia, an odd little alien plant of sandy places, is in flower down among the grasses and weeds.
John
The bold black and yellow patterns on this Locust Tree Borer help it mimic a dangerous bee or wasp. But the bold yellow W marks it as a harmless beetle. The grubs of this beetle chew tunnels through locust trees.
And Red Bartsia, an odd little alien plant of sandy places, is in flower down among the grasses and weeds.
John
 |
| Red Bartsia |
 |
| Locust Tree Borer |
Monday, August 25, 2014
8-25
8-25
Several impressive blue-black Blister Beetles fed on the leaves of Virgin's Bower this morning. Blister beetles are parasitic on the larva of solitary bees. Beetle larvae hatch from the egg as agile "triangulins" that climb a flower stalk, attach themselves to a female bee and ride to the bee's burrow. The larva then molts into a sedentary form that eats the bee's stored pollen, nectar and its larvae.
The oddly kinked antennae of adult male beetles are used to grasp females during mating.
If squeezed the adult beetles exude skin blistering irritants.
There are about 410 species of Blister Beetle in North America. This one is possibly Meloe impressus.
John
Several impressive blue-black Blister Beetles fed on the leaves of Virgin's Bower this morning. Blister beetles are parasitic on the larva of solitary bees. Beetle larvae hatch from the egg as agile "triangulins" that climb a flower stalk, attach themselves to a female bee and ride to the bee's burrow. The larva then molts into a sedentary form that eats the bee's stored pollen, nectar and its larvae.
The oddly kinked antennae of adult male beetles are used to grasp females during mating.
If squeezed the adult beetles exude skin blistering irritants.
There are about 410 species of Blister Beetle in North America. This one is possibly Meloe impressus.
John
 |
| Blister Beetle possibly Meloe impressus |
Saturday, August 23, 2014
8-23
8-23
An early instar (subadult phase) of a common Green Stinkbug is coated in yellows, blacks and reds. With each subsequent molt it will be more and more green.
John
An early instar (subadult phase) of a common Green Stinkbug is coated in yellows, blacks and reds. With each subsequent molt it will be more and more green.
John
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
8-20
8-20
Shining as if varnished a Brown-hooded Owlet Moth caterpillar works at one job: eating and growing. As its name implies, the Brown-headed Owlet moth itself is an undistinguished streaky brown.
Hundreds of mustard yellow aphids cluster on a milkweed leaf. Aphids reproduce asexually, females produce generations of females without mating (parthenogenesis). All of the aphids on the milkweed are probably female and direct descendants of other females on the leaf.
And an immature Bald Eagle circling over Bunker Farm this morning caused great concern to - and generated a lot of noise from - a chicken. The eagle went off hungry.
John
Shining as if varnished a Brown-hooded Owlet Moth caterpillar works at one job: eating and growing. As its name implies, the Brown-headed Owlet moth itself is an undistinguished streaky brown.
Hundreds of mustard yellow aphids cluster on a milkweed leaf. Aphids reproduce asexually, females produce generations of females without mating (parthenogenesis). All of the aphids on the milkweed are probably female and direct descendants of other females on the leaf.
And an immature Bald Eagle circling over Bunker Farm this morning caused great concern to - and generated a lot of noise from - a chicken. The eagle went off hungry.
John
 |
| Brown-hooded Owlet Moth caterpillar |
 |
| Aphids |
 |
| Aphids |
 |
| immature Bald Eagle |
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
8-19
8-19
Dense cylindrical flower spikes and creamy white reticulations on blue-green leaves mark Downy Rattlesnake Plantain, a common late summer woodland species. Rattlesnake Plantains are orchids. There are tow other Rattlesnake Plantains that can be found in this area - Checkered and Dwarf.
John
Dense cylindrical flower spikes and creamy white reticulations on blue-green leaves mark Downy Rattlesnake Plantain, a common late summer woodland species. Rattlesnake Plantains are orchids. There are tow other Rattlesnake Plantains that can be found in this area - Checkered and Dwarf.
John
 |
| Rattlesnake Plantain's flowers |
 |
| Rattlesnake Plantain's leaves |
Monday, August 18, 2014
8-18
8-18
Hairy Willow-herb, a big bushy plant up to 6 feet tall, lifts its showy rose-purple flowers along ditches and streamsides and in swamps. Four deeply notched petals and pistils with 4 branched stigma along with sharply toothed leaves and a hairy stem make this species easy to identify.
John
Hairy Willow-herb, a big bushy plant up to 6 feet tall, lifts its showy rose-purple flowers along ditches and streamsides and in swamps. Four deeply notched petals and pistils with 4 branched stigma along with sharply toothed leaves and a hairy stem make this species easy to identify.
John
 |
| Hairy Willow-herb |
 |
| Hairy Willow-herb |
Saturday, August 16, 2014
8-16
8-16
Badly worn hawk feathers are molted and new ones grown before the fall migration.
The three petaled flowers of Common Arrowhead grace the still waters of ponds and set-backs.
And Beech Blight Aphids lift posteriors covered in waxy secretions into the air and wave them in unison to warn off predators thus earning them the much better common name of Boogie-Woogie Aphids!
John
Badly worn hawk feathers are molted and new ones grown before the fall migration.
The three petaled flowers of Common Arrowhead grace the still waters of ponds and set-backs.
And Beech Blight Aphids lift posteriors covered in waxy secretions into the air and wave them in unison to warn off predators thus earning them the much better common name of Boogie-Woogie Aphids!
John
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| hawk feather |
 |
| Common Arrowhead flower |
 |
| Arrowhead leaf |
 |
| Beech Blight Aphid |
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