Tree and Clouds

Along the road on our afternoon walk.

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Tree and Clouds

Moon Across the Valley

Taken while on our afternoon walk.  Long shadows these days -- and only the oaks are still holding leaves.

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Moon Across the Valley

Clouds Moved In

Clear sky most of the day, but clouds moved in quickly late afternoon.  South wind increased to gusty too.  (Neighbor's pasture and newest stock pond taken on our afternoon walk.)

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Clouds Moved In

American Carrion Beetle (Necrophila americana)

American Carrion Beetle
 (Necrophila americana)

Life cycle (BugGuide): Eggs laid singly on/near carrion. Larvae hatch in a few days, feed in or under carcass, and pupate in a nearby soil cell. Adults overwinter.

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American Carrion Beetle (Necrophila americana)

Spiny Oakworm Moth (Anisota stigma - 7716)

Spiny Oakworm Moth 
(Anisota stigma - 7716)

Widespread throughout much of eastern North America. Reported host plants include hazel and basswood in addition to oak. (BugGuide)

A male.

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Spiny Oakworm Moth (Anisota stigma - 7716)

Assassin Bug Nymph (Pselliopus sp)

Assassin Bug Nymph 

(Pselliopus sp)

The softer underside of the lady beetle is easier to pierce.

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Assassin Bug Nymph (Pselliopus sp)

Giant Walkingstick (Megaphasma denticrus)

Giant Walkingstick 

(Megaphasma denticrus)

Gaint Walkingsticks are usually credited with being the LONGEST insect in North America. This female's body is around five inches long, which is about average for a fully-grown female. Femoral spines on their mid and hind legs are diagnostic for this species according to BugGuide.

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Giant Walkingstick (Megaphasma denticrus)

Stink Bug (Menecles insertus)

Stink Bug 

(Menecles insertus)

"Elf Shoe" markings on the anterior of the pronotum are said to be diagnostic.  Hence, common name "Elf Shoe" is sometimes given to this insect.  (BugGuide)

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Stink Bug (Menecles insertus)

Moore's delphinium (Delphinium newtonianum)

Moore's Delphinium 

(Delphinium newtonianum)

An endemic species found in only five counties of Arkansas.

(Wildflower Lense)

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Moore's delphinium (Delphinium newtonianum)

Pink-Shaded Fern Moth (Callopistria mollissima - 9631)

Pink-Shaded Fern Moth 

(Callopistria mollissima - 9631)

Larvae of feed on various ferns.  (American Insect)

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Pink-Shaded Fern Moth (Callopistria mollissima - 9631)

Mantidfly (Dicromantispa interrupta)

Mantidfly 

(Dicromantispa interrupta)

Predatory: Adults eat small insects, caught with their raptorial forelegs.

(BugGuide)

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Mantidfly (Dicromantispa interrupta)

Rosy Maple Moth (Dryocampa rubicunda - 7715)

Rosy Maple Moth 

(Dryocampa rubicunda - 7715)

Some speculate these colorful moths mimic red maple samaras (the term for the helicopter-like fruit of maples).  (See Ohio Birds and Biodiversity by Jim McCormac)

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Rosy Maple Moth (Dryocampa rubicunda - 7715)

Brown Prionid (Orthosoma brunneum)

Brown Prionid 

(Orthosoma brunneum)

Larvae feed on rotting wood, usually fallen logs and tree stumps. Adults attracted to light.

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Brown Prionid (Orthosoma brunneum)

Stinging Rose Caterpillar Moth (Parasa indetermina - 4699)

Stinging Rose Caterpillar Moth

Parasa indetermina

Caterpillar Hosts: Apple, dogwood, hickory, maples, oaks, poplars, and rose bushes. Range: New York to Florida, west to Missouri and Texas. And, yes, the caterpillars are very attractive and do sting.  (BAMONA)

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Stinging Rose Caterpillar Moth (Parasa indetermina - 4699)

Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme)

Orange Sulphur 

(Colias eurytheme)

Caterpillar Hosts: Plants in the pea family, including alfalfa and various clovers. Adult Food: Nectar from many kinds of flowers including dandelion, milkweeds, goldenrods, and asters. (Source and more info:  BAMONA)

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Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme)

American Snout Butterfly (Libytheana carinenta)

American Snout Butterfly 

(Libytheana carinenta)

Resident in southern U.S. and Mexico. Periodic to northern U.S. and extreme southern Ontario. (BugGuide)

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American Snout Butterfly (Libytheana carinenta)

White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

White-tailed Deer

(Odocoileus virginianus)

Young buck still in velvet.

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White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)

Eastern Phoebe 

(Sayornis phoebe)

The second brood of Easten Phoebes nesting on our porch will fledge soon and that's a good thing.  Their nest is only a few inches below the bottom of the roof.  By late June it's getting so hot up there I don't see how they survive.  (Eastern Phoebe via Cornell Lab of Ornithology)

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Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)

Spotted Peppergrass Moth (Eustixia pupula - 4794)

Spotted Peppergrass Moth

(Eustixia pupula - 4794)

Found throughout most of eastern North America.  Habitat is fields, waste places; adults are attracted to light.  (BugGuide)

Host plant is Common Peppergrass (Lepidium virginicum) 

(Illinois Wildflowers)

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Spotted Peppergrass Moth (Eustixia pupula - 4794)

Buffalo Treehopper (Ceresa tauriniformis)

Treehoppers feed on tree, shrubs and, sometimes, herbaceous plants.  They seldom do enough damage to achieve pest status. (BugGuide)

"The very prominent, curving "horns" are distinctive" to this species. (BugGuide)

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Buffalo Treehopper (Ceresa tauriniformis)

A Couple of Weeks In January

Red clay hill on a sunny afternoon.

Heading home on our afternoon walk.

Interesting clouds in a blue sky.

Ice on the little waterfall behind our house.

Ice flow from seeps on the bluffs.

To participate in Nature Notes and/or find links to more nature photos, please click the logo above.

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A Couple of Weeks In January

Winter Creek

Backyard Winter Creek

Saturday, 1/03/15:

After 2.3" of rain overnight, more water than I've seen yet this winter is flowing through the little creek that runs at the back of our yard.

A little blue sky while on our afternoon walk.

Sky was overcast most of the day, but some blue shown through during our afternoon walk.

Temperature range:  51°/40°.    44° @ midnight.  .8" rain today.  2.8" rain for the month.

Summary:  Rain fell during the early morning ... overcast AM ... mostly cloudy to overcast PM ... light to moderate south wind ... laying/switching during evening.

To participate in Nature Notes and/or find links to more nature photos, please click the logo above.

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Winter Creek

Foggy

Large sweetgum tree out by the garden.

Friday, 1/02/15

A new cold front is approaching.  Foggy morning.  Light rain off and on during the afternoon.  Steady rain evening an overnight.  Seems like we've had more than our share of gray days with little or no actual precipitation.  At least, we've finally received significant rainfall.

Temperature range:  42°/38°.    40° @ midnight.  1.75" rain today.  2.00" rain for the month.

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Foggy

Black-Eyed Peas

  Thursday, 1/01/15:

"Good Luck" black-eyed peas soaking.  Jo prepared them during the afternoon and we ate with supper.

Another gray day.  Jo and the dogs did not get to take their full morning walk.  When sleet began falling, Jo decided to turn around and head home.  It was drizzling hard enough we didn't even attempt our afternoon walk up the road.

Temperature range:  39°/32°.    35° @ midnight.  .25" rain today.  .25" rain for the month.  

Summary: Overcast all day ... more light rain off and on PM ... calm to light south wind.

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Black-Eyed Peas

From Frost To Frost Flowers

Monday, 12/29/14:  A heavy frost overnight.  Jo hoped for early morning sunshine so the frost would sparkle, but had to settle for photographing under clouds. 

We did enjoy a partly cloudy sky during the afternoon.  

In the winter one can really see the effects of the 2009 severe ice storm on the trees, both the damaged limbs and the proliferation of new growth trying to compensate for the loss of limbs.

Jo washed a load of clothes and hung them out on our clothesline to dry, but we did not get enough sunshine.  She just left the clothes on the line because they were not dry by evening.

Temperature range:  46°/26°.    29° @ midnight.  No rain today.  2.8" rain for the month.

Summary:  Overcast AM ... cleared to partly cloudy early PM ... light to calm north wind.

Tuesday, 12/30/14:  Frost flowers on Common Ditney (Cunila origanoides).

Mostly cloudy day, but the clothes on the clothesline did manage to dry.

Temperature range:  34°/24°.    27° @ midnight.  No rain today.  2.8" rain for the month.

Summary: Partly cloudy earlier this morning, but overcast from mid-morning throughout the rest of the day ... light to moderate north wind.

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From Frost To Frost Flowers