Nature in the Ozarks

Ice Storm Revisited

2012-01-30T01:42:00.000-06:00

Jo put together a collage showing more or less the same areas on our place at the end of January, 2009, and end of January, 2012, when our temperatures are hitting the lower sixties. After the ice storm, we were without power for a little over three weeks and without phone service for almost a month. It took us three days to chainsaw our way out, and would have taken longer had we not met up with a county crew working from the other direction.

Common Oak Moth (Phoberia atomaris - 8591)

2012-01-27T21:57:00.000-06:00

Common Oak Moth
(Phoberia atomaris - 8591)

Miacy:

This is a common and highly variable noctuid
that appears early every spring. They range from pale gray to deep gray. The pattern is always the same, though.

As the name suggests, the larvae feed on oak leaves.

Titmice on Suet Feeder

2012-01-25T01:00:00.000-06:00

Titmice on suet feeder.
(Photo by Jo.)

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

Filigreed Chimoptesis (Chimoptesis pennsylvaniana - 3273)

2012-01-22T01:40:00.000-06:00

Filigreed Chimoptesis
(Chimoptesis pennsylvaniana - 3273)

Identification: Adult: forewing dark gray to blackish with white tri-lobed strip along inner margin, sometimes tinted with green; black V-shaped mark at anal angle; several small white spots along costa; hindwing gray with dark double terminal line and wide fringe.

Range: Pennsylvania and Massachusetts to Florida, west to Texas and at least Indiana.

Season: Adults fly in March and April in the northeast; perhaps earlier and later in the southeast.

Links:

BugGuide
MPG

Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor )

2012-01-20T19:17:00.000-06:00

Tufted Titmouse
(Baeolophus bicolor)

"Tufted Titmice eat mainly insects in the summer, including caterpillars, beetles, ants and wasps, stink bugs, and treehoppers, as well as spiders and snails. Tufted Titmice also eat seeds, nuts, and berries, including acorns and beech nuts. Experiments with Tufted Titmice indicate they always choose the largest seeds they can when foraging."

Please see Cornell Labs for more information.

Chosen Sallow Moth (Psaphida electilis - 10012)

2012-01-19T01:34:00.000-06:00

Chosen Sallow Moth
(Psaphida electilis - 10012)

Identification: The coloration of this species shows geographical variation: northern specimens tend to have dark gray forewings with contrasting reddish-brown markings; southern specimens are usually paler gray and less contrasting overall, with little or no brown in the forewings. (Dean Edwards)

Range: Quebec and Ontario to Florida, west to Texas and Wisconsin.

Habitat: Deciduous woodlands; adults are nocturnal and come to light.

Season: Adults fly in April and May. Larvae present from mid to late spring.

Food: larvae feed on leaves of hickory and walnut.

Life Cycle: One generation per year; eggs are laid on buds of hostplant; overwinters as a pupa in soil, sometimes for more than a single year.

BugGuide
MPG

Ipsilon Dart (Agrotis ipsilon - 10663)

2012-01-17T02:32:00.000-06:00

Ipsilon Dart
(Agrotis ipsilon - 10663)

This moth -- like many, actually, -- is not a friend of gardeners. Dart moths are also known as cutworm moths. Likewise, the Ipsilon Dart's larva is also known as a Black or Greasy Cutworm.

Range: Throughout most of North America except the Arctic.

Habitat: Croplands, fields, gardens.

Food: Larvae feed on many cultivated plants (e.g. clover, corn, lettuce, potatoes, tobacco) plus grasses.

This is a female based upon her simple antennae. She is feeding on moth bait.

Links:
BugGuide
Moth Photographers Group
University of Florida Featured Creature

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Rainbow Tinted Clouds

2012-01-16T02:23:00.000-06:00

Interesting cloud patterns and colors late Sunday afternoon. Ice crystals, I suppose.

Female Northern Cardinal

2012-01-15T12:07:00.000-06:00

Female Northern Cardinal
(Cardinalis cardinalis)

Because of the wide-angle lens on our camera, about the only way we can photograph birds is by luring them within 18" of the camera using a tray feeder right outside the window. I finally got around to re-installing the tray feeder yesterday.

More info on Northern Cardinals from Cornell.

Another Broadwater Hollow Pool

2012-01-14T11:14:00.000-06:00

Another pool with reflections, and evidence there is sometimes a lot more water in this creek.
(Broadwater Hollow ... Buffalo National River ... New Year's Day hike)

Armyworm Moth (Mythimna unipuncta - 10438)

2012-01-14T01:53:00.000-06:00

Armyworm Moth
(Mythimna unipuncta - 10438)

Identification: Forewing tan, often tinged with orange and lightly speckled with black. A couple of more orange spots on each wing is typical. Ditto for a couple of small white dots with a white line passing through them.

Habitat: Common to abundant throughout North American except for the Arctic. Also found in other locations throughout the world.

Food: Larvae are generalist feeders on many species of plants: alfalfa, corn and other grains, grasses, vegetables, many weeds and other wild plants, leaves of fruit trees and ornamentals.

Life Cycle: Two or three generations per year; overwinters as either a pupa or partially-grown larva which pupates in the spring.

Remarks: Moth was photographed on moth bait, a mixture that's mostly brown sugar with enough beer to liquify and a tablespoon of molasses. It supposedly mimics tree sap upon which many moths feed.

To see photos of this moth's complete life cycle including caterpillar, pupa and adult moth, please see Ilona Loser's excellent post on BugGuide.

Rippled Pool

2012-01-12T22:24:00.000-06:00

Rippled reflections in one of the pools along the trail we hiked.
(Broadwater Hollow ... Buffalo National River ... New Year's Day Hike)

Log Hoop

2012-01-12T01:45:00.000-06:00

With an Arctic blast headed our way, I spent part of the afternoon splitting firewood and restocking our porch log hoop. This afternoon was sunny with a temperature pushing 70°F/21°C. The front started moving through around ten o'clock. Now it's 35°F/2°C and falling @ 1:00 AM. And it's snowing.

Creek in Broadwater Hollow

2012-01-11T02:01:00.000-06:00

Creek dropping off a low rock shelf. (Photo by Jo)

(New Year's Day hike in Broadwater Hollow, Buffalo National River.)

Falls in Broadwater Hollow

2012-01-10T12:13:00.000-06:00

Falls near the trail head which is accessed by driving down (and I do mean DOWN) about two miles of dirt road. Most of that road is strictly one-lane. There's no way two vehicles could pass, especially if one of them is the cargo van I was driving. Fortunately, we met no traffic. (Photo by Jo.)

(New Year's Day hike in Broadwater Hollow, Buffalo National River.)

Daffodils

2012-01-09T23:40:00.000-06:00

I'm afraid these daffodils are too full of anticipation for spring. These are part of a group growing in the woods at the edge of our road. They were transplanted when our water line was laid -- dug up by a dragline and replanted by a bulldozer, and doing just fine. (1/9/12)

Leaf-footed Bug (Leptoglossus clypealis)

2011-12-15T02:11:00.000-06:00

Leaf-footed Bug
Leptoglossus clypealis

Identification: The wavy white line across the back strongly suggests this species. The spine extending forwards from the tip of the nose (tylus) confirms species ID.

Range: Based on the range map on BugGuide, Leptoglossus clypealis can be found throughout most of North America. However, it often occurs in large numbers in the Southwest where is is considered a pest species in pistacio and almond orchards because it feeds on the nuts. My limited records indicate L. clypealis is usually seen in the Ozarks during late fall and early winter.

First Snow in the Ozarks

2011-12-10T11:23:00.000-06:00

Jo and I exhibited at an art fair down in Little Rock this past weekend. We returned home on Monday to find snow on the ground. The snow was fairly localized, extending only from the Marshall area over to Harrison. We left Little Rock mid-morning and made several stops on the way home. Driving conditions were not a problem by the time we encountered snow because the ground is still warm and the temperature had risen slightly above freezing.

Little snow melted on Monday or Tuesday. The sky remained overcast and daytime temps rose only a little above freezing. Nighttime temps dropped into the twenties. Sunshine appeared on Wednesday. By Friday afternoon when the photo above was taken, snow only remained lurking in northern shadows.

Tree and Fence

2011-11-30T01:20:00.000-06:00

Tree and fence alongside our road out. Taken while on our afternoon walk. It was nice to see some blue sky after several days of overcast.

Linden Looper Moth (Erannis tiliaria - 6665)

2011-11-29T11:56:00.000-06:00

Linden Looper Moth
Erannis tiliaria - 6665

Typically a "winter moth", and Winter Moth is this species other common name.

Host plants are numerous, including Hosts include basswood, apple, ash, beech, birch, elm, maple, oak, poplar.

This is a male moth; females are wingless.

Source: BugGuide

Waterfall

2011-11-24T10:57:00.000-06:00

Around four inches of rain earlier in the week has the winter creek below our house flowing.

Potter Wasp (Eumenes fraternus - female)

2011-11-19T02:28:00.000-06:00

Potter Wasp
Eumenes fraternus - female

Range: Widespread in eastern North America.

Food: Adults feed on nectar.

Life cycle: A female lays an egg inside a small mud nest she has built attached to a twig or other stable structure. She provisions the nest with small caterpillars which the larva eats as it grows and develops. It emerges from the nest as an adult.

There are two or three generations of potter wasps a year, depending upon location. The final generation of the year overwinters inside the nest and emerges the following spring. (For photos of larva inside a mud nest, see here.

Source: BugGuide

Eastern Tent Caterpillar Moth (Malacosoma americanum - 7701)

2011-11-10T11:53:00.000-06:00

Eastern Tent Caterpillar Moth (Male)
(Malacosoma americanum - 7701)

Range: Eastern and central US to the Rockies and Canada from Nova Scotia to Alberta.

Food: Larvae feed on leaves of many trees and shrubs but particularly members of the rose family such as apple, cherry, and crabapple.

Life Cycle: In the fall, a female lays an eggs mass on a twig where it overwinters. The larvae hatch in the spring. They construct a tent of webbing in which the feed and grow. Eventually, the caterpillars will disburse and pupate.

(Note: Photo taken on 6/1/11)

Source: BugGuide

Beggar Moth (Eubaphe mendica - 7440)

2011-11-07T11:17:00.000-06:00

Beggar Moth
(Eubaphe mendica - 7440)

Flight: May-September; three broods.

Caterpillar Hosts: Maples and violets.

Range: Common throughout eastern North America.

(from BAMONA)

See also:
BugGuide
Moth Photographers Group

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Banded Argiope Spider (Argiope trifasciata)

2011-10-24T11:40:00.000-05:00

The large orb-weaver spiders are probably the most often seen spiders in the fall. They've been around all summer, but by fall, the females are large and often construct their webs in conspicuous locations. The garden spider I most often see is the Black & Yellow Argiope (Argiope aurantia) seen here in a previous post. The spider above is a close relative, the Banded Argiope (Argiope trifasciata). Their web is similar in size and shape to that of the yellow garden spider, but it is not uncommon for the stabilimentum (the white zig-zag area) to be absent or have variability in shape.

Large Tolype Moth (Tolype velleda – 7670)

2011-10-21T11:48:00.000-05:00

Large Tolype Moth

Tolype velleda – 7670

Range: Nova Scotia to central Florida, west to Texas, north to Ontario.

Life cycle: Only one generation per year. Usually a late summer or fall species.

Food: Larvae feed on leaves of a variety of broadleaf trees and shrubs.

Links:
BugGuide
Moth Photographers Group
BAMONA

Orange Sulphur - female (Colias eurytheme)

2011-10-19T11:33:00.000-05:00

Orange Sulphur (female)
Colias eurytheme

Identification: Female yellow or white with irregular black border surrounding light spots. Underside hindwing spot silver with 2 concentric dark rings, and a spot above it.

Caterpillar Hosts: Plants in the pea family (Fabaceae).

Adult Food: Nectar from many kinds of flowers including dandelion, milkweeds, goldenrods, and asters.

Habitat: A wide variety of open sites, especially clover and alfalfa fields, mowed fields, vacant lots, meadows, road edges.

Range: Southern Canada to central Mexico, coast to coast in the United States except for the Florida peninsula. Comments: One of the most widespread and common butterflies in North America.

Source: BAMONA

Monarch Butterfly (Danaus perplexity)

2011-10-18T12:19:00.000-05:00

We've been seeing a few Monarchs migrating though our area every day for the past several days, but no large migratory population.

Moth (Epipagis huronalis - 5147)

2011-10-17T02:02:00.000-05:00

Identification: The antemedial (AM) line of the hindwing is broken and does not extend all the way across the wing.

Range: North Carolina to Florida to Texas.

5148 - Epipagis disparilis which has a heavy and continuous antemedial line on the hind wing.

Links:
BugGuide
MPG
BAMONA

Locust Borer Beetle (Megacyllene robiniae)

2011-10-16T02:46:00.000-05:00

Identification: Adult beetles are black with yellow stripes across. The third stripe on the elytra is W-shaped.

Habitat: Anywhere Black Locust trees are present - most of the US.

Season: Adults most noticeable in September when Goldenrod comes into bloom.

Food: Larvae feed exclusively on Black Locust tree and its cultivars (Robinia pseudoacacia). Adults feed on pollen, particularly Goldenrod (Solidago).

Life Cycle: Eggs are laid in locust trees in the fall. Newly emerged larvae spend several months in tree trunks, first hibernating through the winter under the bark, then tunneling into trees in spring, eventually making tunnels about 4" long and .25" inch wide. They pupate late July/early August. Adult beetles emerge late August to September.

(From BugGuide)

Cayenne Peppers

2011-10-15T12:03:00.000-05:00

Our veggie garden is just about finished for the year. There are still a some tomatoes ripening. Our sweet potatoes are yet to be dug. And, the pepper plants are still producing. Jo harvested cayenne peppers yesterday.

Because of our humidity, the cayenne peppers need a little time in the food dehydrator before they'll be dry enough for long term storage.

Black-and-yellow Lichen Moth (Lycomorpha pholus - #8087)

2011-10-14T01:42:00.000-05:00

Range: Nova Scotia to North Carolina, west to South Dakota and Texas.

Life History: A day-flier, often seen on flowers such as goldenrod. May take several years to develop, especially in the north. Hairy cocoons are attached to rocks or tree trunks near the former food source.

Flight: July-September.

Caterpillar Hosts: Lichens.

Resource Links:
BugGuide
MPG
BAMONA

Carolina Mantis (Stagmomantis carolina)

2011-09-27T11:10:00.000-05:00

Female Carolina Mantis just hanging around in the fog and adorned with remnants of spider webbing. (Species details from BugGuide.)

Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata)

2011-06-23T11:24:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite weeds is beginning to bloom. I'm always amazed that a flower so beautiful and exotic-looking is a native wildflower, and even considered an invasive pest by some.

Passionflower is a native, perennial vine growing in the southeastern United States. Its vine can be up to 25 feet long and climbs with axillary tendrils or sprawls along the ground. It spreads by root suckers. The vine dies back to the ground during winter, but re-emerges in the spring.

Passionflowers are often purple, but can range from a deep purple to almost pure white. All passionflowers I've found around here are white, although you can see a slight tinge of purple in some of the fringe. Many different pollinators from bees to butterflies nectar on the passionflower and it is a larval host for Gulf Fritillary, Zebra Longwing, Crimson-patch longwing, Red-banded hairstreak, Julia butterfly, Mexican butterflies.

(More information and photos at Floridata.)

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Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus)

2011-06-21T12:17:00.000-05:00

Silver-Spotted Skipper on Purple Coneflower

Both butterfly and the coneflower are past their prime, but still worthy of a few pixels, I think.

According to BugGuide, Silver-Spotted Skippers range throughout southern Canada and most of the continental United States except the Great Basin and west Texas; northern Mexico.

Caterpillar Hosts: Many woody legumes including black locust (Robinia pseudacacia), honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos) and false indigo (Amorpha species).

More information and photos are also available from Butterflies and Moths of North America.

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Io Moth (Automeris io) - Male

2011-06-19T12:19:00.000-05:00

A very common moth throughout eastern North America and north to southern Canada. They range west to southern Arizona and south to Central America, at least as far as Costa Rica. Larvae feed on a wide variety of host plants -- over 100 recorded plant genera in North America -- , including such diverse plants as azaleas, blackberry, clover, cotton, current, hackberry, hibiscus, mesquite, palms, rear, redbud, roses and willows. (University of Florida "Featured Creature")

Prominent eye spots on hind wings are distinctive and found on both males and females. Males are usually yellow while females are a rusty red color.

(Previous post includes photos of female, eggs and caterpillars.)

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Garden 2011: Planting Corn

2011-05-18T14:39:00.000-05:00

Jo planting corn while Rusty watches intently. Dogs believe dog treats are the one and only small items ever contained within small bags. One year we when we weren't paying attention, Rusty dug up and ate several of the green beans Jo had planted. We kept a watchful eye on him this time.

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Garden 2011: Recap #3

2011-05-15T11:47:00.000-05:00

It just wouldn't be spring if we weren't running behind with everything. The photos above were all taken on May 5. The main feature of all of them is that it's obvious the grass needs mowed. Between preparing for art fairs, traveling to art fairs and all the rain we've received, I'm very much behind with my mowing. I was finally able to attack our garden area with the mower on Tuesday (5/10/11). Now we can at least venture into the garden without having to wade in almost knee-high grass and weeds.

Clockwise:

1.) Tomato plants are still under cloches.
2.) The cloches need to be removed from several tomato plants.
3.) Cauliflower.
4.) Chinese cabbage.
5.) Lettuce, spinach, chard, radishes directed seeded into the garden.
6.) Broccoli.
7.) Potatoes.

Our irises are well into their blooming sequence. We don't grow a lot of flowers, but have gotten into growing irises because friends gave us rhizomes when they thinned their beds. The flowers are beautiful, and irises are one of the few flowers deer won't eat.

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Garden 2011: Strawberries

2011-05-10T11:54:00.000-05:00

Not quite ripe, but soon -- very soon.

Male Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris)

2011-05-06T00:22:00.000-05:00

Because Jo and I know the limitations of our Point-and-Shoot camera with its wide angle lens, we don't usually even try to photograph birds except during winter when we use a shelf feeder on the window sill to entice the birds within a foot or two of the camera. However, today we had a very special visitor that demanded we try taking a few photos. A male Painted Bunting fed under our feeder several times throughout the day. He is a new entry for our yard bird list.

For species details (and much better photos) please see Cornell Labs.

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Spiderlily (Hymenocallis sp.)

2011-05-04T12:08:00.000-05:00

Jo and I were a little out of the Ozarks when we found this beautiful wildflower. We were on our way to an art fair in Oxford, MS, when we stopped to visit friends down in the Little Rock area. The ditch and adjoining marshy field where we exited off I-40 in rural Lonoke was full of spiderlilies.

I think this is a Spring Spiderlily (Hymenocallis liriosme). The Little Rock area could have both Spring Spiderlilies and Carolina Spiderlilies (Hymenocallis caroliniana). The Carolinas are more common and widespread, but one source said that Spring Spiderlilies have a more yellow center and these blooms seem to qualify in that regard. Regardless of species, spiderlilies have to be the most beautiful ditch plants we've ever found. They seemed very much out of place growing amongst the paper trash, broken bottles, plastic containers and old tires in the ditch.

Spiderlilies are native, deciduous herbs. They prefer moist soil and partial shade. Habitat includes flood plains, bottomland, ditches, ravines, depressions, marshes, stream banks, prairie, plains, meadows, pastures and savannas. (Source: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center)

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Water Lines and Fence Post Augers Don't Mix

2011-05-04T02:16:00.000-05:00

On Tuesday our neighbor decided to start fencing the land he cleared last fall, including a small section of woods beyond the clearing. He and a couple of hired helpers were setting the pairs of large black locust corner and gate posts. Although he knows our water line runs right along the road, he didn't bother to call the water district and have them mark the exact location of the line. When drilling the hole for the companion of the post shown above, he put his fence post auger through our water line.

Being out of water for a few hours while the line was repaired was no big deal. As a matter of fact, neither Jo nor I even realized we had no water until the water district employee who repaired the line came down to our place to flush it out. The muddy mess made of our road out is more troublesome. The depression to the left of the fence post shown above is where the repairman used a backhoe to dig a large hole so he could access the damaged line. The hole extended about a quarter of the way across our road. Because we've received a lot of rain recently, the ground is saturated. The hole was back filled with mud. Until it dries in a month or so, the back fill is about as firm as quicksand. Jello would do a better job of supporting a vehicle.

The last thing this section of saturated red clay needed was a lot of traffic which included heavy equipment.

The water in the road has nothing to do with the water line break. It is runoff from the hill above the road.

Jo and I need to leave for an art fair on Friday. I hope we can make it out.

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Garden 2011: Recap #2

2011-04-28T03:23:00.000-05:00

Center: Jo removed the cloches from our broccoli, cauliflower and Chinese cabbage. She then covered the bed with a wire tunnel to keep rabbits from eating their fill.

Clockwise:

1. Cauliflower (4/17/11)
2. Cherry Bell radishes (4/16/11)
3. Comfrey does well in the spring, but suffers in our hot, dry summer. (4/16/11)
4. Partially mulched broccoli. (4/17/11)
5. Lettuce (4/16/11)
6. Chinese cabbage. (4/17/11)

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Spiderwort (Tradescantia sp)

2011-04-25T12:09:00.000-05:00

Spiderwort (Tradescantia sp)

(probably Tradescantia ernestiana)

Spiderwort is a native herbaceous perennial common to the central US. It prefers full to partial shade with medium to wet soil and is often found growing at the edges of woodlands. There are several different species of spiderwort and these can be difficult to distinguish without either a lot more experience than Jo and I or side by side comparisons.

Sources and additional information:
Nearctica
Missouri Plants
Missouri Botanical Garden (Kemper Center)

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Garden 2011: Mid-April Recap

2011-04-22T12:03:00.000-05:00

Strawberries are in full bloom. (4/13/11)

Datura (jimson weed) is coming up from roots. It's surrounded by garlic chives shoots which have since been pulled -- for all the good that did. Garlic chives is very invasive. It spreads by multiplying bulbs underground and abundant seeds. It's requires a constant effort to keep it from taking over the bed. (4/16/11)

It's about time to remove the cloches covering the broccoli, cauliflower and Chinese cabbage, especially since the plants are trying to grow out the tops of the plastic jugs. (4/16/11)

We've been enjoying fresh asparagus for a couple of weeks or so. We totally replanted the asparagus bed last year. This year's harvest is modest. (4/16/11)

I'm beginning to mulch the broccoli bed while the plants are still protected by cloches. (Note: The plastic jugs have since been removed.) (4/13/11)

It's about time to remove the wire covering our garlic before the plants grow up through the wire. We plant garlic in the fall. The plants come up and then go dormant over winter. Once spring arrives, they take off growing again. Neither deer nor rabbits eat the garlic, but we cover it with wire over winter to make certain an armadillo doesn't come through and till the bed for us. (4/13/11)

Our potato plants are poking up through the mulch. I cover them with a layer of fresh mulch when they do. (4/16/11)

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Baltimore Bomolocha Moth (Hypena baltimoralis)

2011-04-20T12:01:00.000-05:00

Baltimore Bomolocha Moth (Hypena baltimoralis)

(Species information from BugGuide.)

AKA: Baltimore Hypena

Range: Eastern North America -- Nova Scotia to Florida, west to Arkansas, north to Wisconsin and Ontario.

Habitat: Deciduous forests or edges; adults are nocturnal and come to light.

Food: Larvae feed on maples.

Comments: Flies from March through October, depending upon location. Two generations in the north; two or more in the south.

Remarks: This moth decided to join me in my basement shop while I was working on some spoons.

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Tree Year 2011: American Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) #5

2011-04-13T10:54:00.000-05:00

A large view of the American Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) shows it still appears to be dormant. Everything around it is greening up, but the persimmon shows no change. I've "seen" this tree every year for the past 24 springs, but until I started paying closer attention to it for The Tree Year, I never realized it was one of the last trees to leaf out and/or bloom.

A closer inspection of the persimmon tree, show that it is finally preparing to leaf out. Leaf buds on April 6, are shown above.

The leaf buds are opening a few days later on April 10.

Previous Tree Year posts for this American Persimmon.

Celebrate a tree in 2011. It's easy: Observe, photograph, sketch, or discuss and share with other tree huggers. Please visit The Tree Year 2011 to participate or find other blog posts dedicated to trees from around the world.

Shooting Star (Dodecatheon meadia)

2011-04-12T12:20:00.001-05:00

In all our wanderings on and around our place, Jo and I have found only one specimen of this beautiful wildflower. It's growing near the bluff edge below our house, in area I'd call rough, rocky, not very fertile and "disturbed". (It was scraped off with a bulldozer not too long before we bought this place.) Most of the other growth in that area, I'd classify as brush and brambles.

(Note: Jo deserves triple credit for this photo, especially for persistence and determination. Shooting Star stands about a foot tall on a slender stem with flowers and buds dangling loosely. Even the slightest breeze causes the entire plant to sway.)

Name: Shooting Star (Dodecatheon meadia)
Other common names: Pride of Ohio, Roosterheads, Prairie Pointers
Plant type: Herbaceous perennial native to eastern and central North America.
Family: Primulaceae (Primrose)
Flowers: White to pink to purple with no floral scent.

Sources and additional information:
Kemper Center for Home Gardening
Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center
Illinois Wildflowers
Missouri Plants
USDA Range Map and Plant Profile

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Garden 2011: Update Collage

2011-04-11T11:23:00.000-05:00

Top Row: Veggies sown directly into the garden on 3/22/11 are up and doing well. They will need to be thinned soon. These include (left to right) two different lettuce blends, spinach and chard. (Yes, we raise rabbits. The garden is fertilized with partially composted rabbit manure.)

Bottom Row (l to r): Potatoes planted on 3/17/11 are starting to poke up through their mulch covering. I'll need to add more mulch as they grow for a while. Cherry Belle radishes planted on 3/22. Dill is a weed in our garden, a friendly weed, but a weed nonetheless. We first planted dill about fifteen years ago so we'd have it available for making dill pickles. (Jo hasn't made dill pickles in over a decade.) It grew well, flowered and went to seed. Now, dill reseeds itself throughout the garden. Hundreds of dill plants sprout and we pull up or hoe most of them. Still, we allow dozen that are not in the way of some other planting to grow and go to seed. Dill is attractive green plant, it releases a nice aroma when you brush against it, it's clusters of tiny yellow flowers attract a lot of pollinators for me to photograph, and it is a host plant for black swallowtail butterflies.

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Common Shingle (Shingleteria compositum)

2011-04-11T00:01:00.000-05:00

Recent strong and gusty Spring winds resulted a fine crop of Common Shingles (Shingleteria compositum) sprouting in our yard.

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Yellow Trout Lily (Erythronium rostratum)

2011-04-10T12:04:00.000-05:00

Yellow Trout Lily is another woodland wildflower that begins blooming here in mid-March. This photo Jo took on March 17, is one of the very first trout lily blooms we saw in 2011. The trout lily's common name is based upon its mottled leaves. (Here is a previous post with a photo that shows leaves.)

Trout lilies are also known as Dog-toothed Violets. The numerous rhizomes on the bottom of its root could resemble a dog's jaw and canine teeth if you've got a good imagination. However, it is a member of the lily family and not a violet. Both leaves and roots are supposedly edible, although I've never been hungry enough to give either a try.

Yellow Troutlily is much less widely distributed than it's long, red-anthered cousin Erythronium americanum. It is limited to the Ozark Mountains and a few other isolated pockets in the south-central United States. Unlike the other members of its genus, E. rostratum has erect rather than nodding flowers.

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Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)

2011-04-10T01:39:00.000-05:00

My blogging is starting to lag way behind both our photography and the season. Bloodroot is one of our earliest woodland wildflowers. Jo took this photo in mid-March.

Bloodroot is a member of the Poppy family. Its name is derived from the red juice that can be extracted from it's red-orange roots (actually rhizomes). Various medicinal and mystical properties have been associated with this juice in the past. However, since the juice is escharotic (a substance that causes tissue to die and slough off) and an incorrect internal dosage is toxic, the FDA recommends that bloodroot not be used by herbal healers.

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Garden 2011: Broccoli and More

2011-04-09T12:12:00.000-05:00

After transplanting the full row of broccoli, Jo watered them with a fish emulsion mixture. The dogs think fish emulsion smells like something that really needs to be rolled in. (Part #1 of transplanting broccoli into the garden is here.)

Finally Jo covered the newly transplanted veggies -- broccoli, cauliflower and Chinese cabbage -- with high-tech mini-greenhouses, otherwise known as cloches, which I photographed the following day. We're not likely to get temperatures cold enough to damage the transplants, but the cloches also help keep them from drying out and protect the tender young plants from being buffeted around in our gusty south wind. (Yes, I really do need to crank up our lawnmower and mow the aisles between garden beds.)

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the garden... While it's not necessary to make an emergency run into town for whipped cream just yet, our strawberries are blooming.

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First Luna Moth of the Season

2011-04-08T13:06:00.000-05:00

The first Luna Moth (Actias luna) we've seen this season was on the window screen outside our computer room/office early Friday morning. Based on its large antennae and tails, I'd say this is a male. Here in the south, Luna moths have enough time to go through three life cycles before the weather turns cold again. Actias luna only live for about a week in this final moth stage of their life. They do not feed. In fact, they have incomplete mouth parts and no digestive system. Their only purpose as adult moths is to find a mate and breed, and for females to lay eggs so their life cycle can continue. For complete species details, please see BugGuide.

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Garden 2011: Transplanting Broccoli Into The Garden #1

2011-04-07T14:02:00.000-05:00

Broccoli, cauliflower and Chinese cabbage sets ready to go into the garden. Jo usually starts our transplants from seeds, but this year she had a problem with the seed company and did not receive seeds soon enough to do that. Instead, she bought the sets at our local feed store.

We'd already prepared the bed, so all Jo had to do was lay out a center line and start digging. She'd purchased the transplants over a week ago, but a new cold front that arrived on Monday caused her to wait until Tuesday to set them out in the garden. Depending upon what kind of weather we were having, the transplants had either been soaking up a few rays under a grow light or setting out on the porch "hardening off".

And another broccoli goes into the ground. There's a hill directly to the west of our place, so sunset in the garden occurs a couple of hours before actual sunset. I thought I might have to start using the camera's flash before Jo finished planting.

Part #2 of "Transplanting Broccoli" will follow soon.

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Hail Hammered Dogwood

2011-04-06T12:25:00.000-05:00

American Dogwood (Cornus florida)

Thunderstorms preceded the arrival of a new cold front Monday morning. Some included hail -- not a lot and not very big, but enough to damage our just opening dogwood blooms. Some trees seemed to suffer more bloom damage than others. I've been closely following and photographing the blooms on this particular tree. It grows right beside our road.

Missing bracts I'll definitely blame on the hail, but I'm not certain something else isn't going on with this particular dogwood (decline? fungal disease?). I don't know if hail damage would cause so many of the bracts to curl and twist as they've done. I'll keep my eye on this tree.

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Banded Hickory Borer (Knulliana cincta cincta)

2011-03-27T11:24:00.000-06:00

Banded Hickory Borer (Knulliana cincta cincta)

Longhorned Beetle (Cerambycidae)

Range: Eastern North America to western Texas, south to northern Mexico..

Food: Larvae feed on dead and seasoned branches and limbs of hardwood species, including oak and hickory.

Life Cycle: Eggs are laid in crevices in the bark, or directly into the wood. Larvae feed the first season beneath the bark, then head deeper into the wood.

Identification: Markings may be absent. Prominent spines on sides of the pronotum and at the elytra apices. The scutellum is considerably longer than broad. There are no other NE longhorns of similar size and coloration that have strong spines on the femora, pronotum, and elytral apices.

Last week -- prior to our weather's return to winter-like conditions -- these longhorned beetles were numerous under our porch light.

Join the Macro Monday fun at Lisa's Chaos.

Dutchman's Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria)

2011-03-26T10:54:00.001-06:00

My best shot at an ID: Dicentra cucullaria
Plant family: Fumariaceae (Fumitory - Bleeding Heart)
Habitat: Rich moist woods, shaded ledges and banks, especially north slopes. Locally abundant especially the mountains.
Range: North Dakota to Quebec and south as far as northern Georgia. Very scattered locations in the southern part of range. Also found in a few northwestern states.
Plant Type: Native perennial.
Flower description: The flowers are irregular in shape and are up to 1.75cm long (0.7 inches). Flowers actually have 4 petals, the inner ones are very small. The pair of outer petals form a swollen 'V' making the hanging flower look like a pair of breeches hung upside-down.
Lore: Native Americans used Dutchman's Breeches as a love potion and in making love charms.

We are pretty much at the southern limit of this unusual little flower's range. Jo and I have only found it growing in one location in the area we normal frequent. It's abundant exactly where the guide books say it should be: A rich woodland shaded by a ledge on a north slope.

To see and enjoy more flowers from around the world, please visit Today's Flowers.

Garden 2011: Planting Spinach

2011-03-24T11:05:00.000-06:00

Measure twice; plant once.

On Tuesday, Jo planted seeds of spinach, lettuce, chard and radishes.

All gardening activities must pass rigorous canine inspection. Rusty is handling that duty as Jo prepares to plant spinach seeds.

Opening the seed packet can be the hardest part of planting.

Spinach seeds.

Dropping spinach seeds into the furrow.

Gently raking soil on top of the newly planted seeds while being careful to not step on Bucket. Following planting, Jo watered a little. Now it's the seeds' turn to grow.

Wordless Wednesday: Wild Plum

2011-03-22T10:22:00.000-06:00

Please visit Wordless Wednesday to see and share more wordless photos from around the world.

Super Full Moon

2011-03-21T10:22:00.000-06:00

Photo by Jo.

Our sky was overcast all day Saturday (3/19/11). Our forecast didn't predict any clearing until sometime on Sunday. Jo and I were resigned to not getting to see the super full moon. However, our sky unexpectedly cleared quickly around eight o'clock and there it was. Beautiful!

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Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus)

2011-03-21T01:16:00.001-06:00

My world is becoming repopulated with butterflies like this Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus). This is the spring form of this butterfly. The summer form is darker. (Photo here.)

Range: Primarily the southeastern United States. More uncommon in the northeast. Occasionally makes it as far north as southern Ontario.

Food: Adults take nectar from flowers and also take fluids from damp ground, as the butterfly in the photo above is doing. The larvae host plant is Pawpaw.

To participate in Camera Critters and/or find links to other critter photos, please click the logo above.

Bird's Foot Violet (Viola pedata)

2011-03-20T13:23:00.000-06:00

One of the things I like best about Bird's Foot Violet (Viola pedata) is that it grows well in waste places, locations with dry, rocky and not very fertile soil -- like on the embankment along our road out. Oddly enough, the Missouri Botanical Garden site linked above says Viola pedata is "Considered more difficult to grow than most other violets." Around here, they seem to be doing well growing and spreading with no attention from us.

On our Friday walk, we saw one Bird's Foot Violet blooming. Dozens were blooming on Saturday.

The flower's common name is based on its deeply divided leaves which somewhat resemble a bird's foot.

Please visit Today's Flowers and Macro Monday for more photos.

Garden 2011: Planting Potatoes

2011-03-18T00:37:00.000-06:00

Jo planted potatoes on St. Patrick's day, our first planting for Garden 2011. We always divide gardening chores equally: Jo plants and I photograph and document her work.

Potatoes like lots of mulch. Fortunately, this bed had mulch remaining from last fall. As the potatoes sprout and grow, I'll need to apply more mulch.

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Serviceberry (Amelanchier sp)

2011-03-17T22:33:00.000-06:00

The serviceberry trees in our woods are starting to bloom. This is probably a Common or Downy Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea), but there are several different species of serviceberry and they hybridize easily, so I'm not certain.

General characteristics: "Downy serviceberry is a deciduous, early-flowering, large shrub or small tree which typically grows 15-25' tall in cultivation but can reach 40' in the wild. A Missouri native plant [and native to most of eastern and central North America (range map)] that occurs most often in open rocky woods, wooded slopes, and bluffs. Features 5-petaled, showy, slightly fragrant, white flowers in drooping clusters which appear before the leaves emerge in early spring. The finely-toothed, obovate leaves exhibit good fall color. Flowers give way to small, round green berries which turn red and finally mature to a dark purplish-black in early summer. Edible berries resemble blueberries in size and color and are often used in jams, jellies and pies. (Source: Kemper Center for Home Garden of the Missouri Botanical Garden)

Other common names include: Shadblow, Juneberry, Shadbush, Sarvis-tree.

The berry of a serviceberry looks much likes a rose hip, which makes sense since it a member of family Rosaceae. The berry is edible, but there is debate about its quality. Some sources say it just barely palatable and is best left for the birds. Other sources claim a serviceberry fruit has a delicious, blueberry-like taste. I've never sampled one because the birds usually beat me too them, and when they're not covered with beautiful white flowers, the small serviceberry trees are difficult to re-locate in the woods.

Sources and additional links:
Vanderbilt (photos only)
Trees of Wisconsin
Missouri Plants
Oklahoma Extension Service
hort.net
Dave's Garden

To see more nature photos or participate in Nature Notes, please visit Rambling Woods.

SkyWatch Friday: Dogwood Buds

2011-03-17T13:35:00.000-06:00

The dogwood (Cornus florida) buds are swelling on the trees in our woods, but it will be a couple of weeks or so before they open. Then, they will look like this:

Join the fun at SkyWatch Friday.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-03-15T11:01:00.000-06:00

Please visit Wordless Wednesday to see and share more photos from around the world.

Io Moth (Automeris io) Life Cycle

2011-03-14T21:29:00.001-06:00

Female Io Moth: Tend to be a reddish brown color. White-filled, black and blue eyespots on hindwing are distinctive for this species.

Male Io Moth: Tend to be a more yellowish brown color. Were his wings open fully, you'd see the male also has the distinctive eyespots on his hindwings.

Io Moth eggs: Normally, the female would lay her eggs on a larval host plant -- and the list of host plants includes over 100 different species, but for some reason these eggs were laid on the framing of our porch.

Io Moth caterpillars emerging from eggs after approximately ten days. Early larvae (caterpillers) are gregarious (i. e. They stay together.). Early instar caterpillars are often seen moving around a host plant in a "train".

Final instar caterpillars vary from green to yellow. These caterpillars will leave the host plant and form a papery cocoon usually in leaf litter. They emerge from the cocoons as adult moths. In the south, up to four generations per year are possible, but only one generation is common in northern latitudes. (The above photo is by Sturgis McKeever via Forestry Images and is used in accordance with Creative Commons copyright protection.)

CAUTION: Io Moth caterpillars should not be handled. They have urticating setae (barbed hairs that break off and inject a poison). The degree of resulting irritation varies depending upon the amount of contact and the sensitivity of the individual.

(Editors Note: This post originally published on 11/7/09)

Please visit ABC Wednesday to see and share more photos brought to you by the letter "I".

Longhorned Beetle (Stenosphenus notatus)

2011-03-14T10:12:00.003-06:00

Longhorned Beetle
(Stenosphenus notatus)

Identification: Combination of red pronotum with black spot and shiny black elytra with white hairs is distinctive.

Range: Eastern North America, west to Rocky Mountains.

Habitat and Food: Larvae feed in dead limbs of various hickories. Found in decidious forest with these host species.

Remarks: Most wood boring beetles overwinter as larvae. When warmer spring weather arrives, they develop into adult beetles and emerge in the late spring or early summer. S. notatus is different. Adult beetles develop in the fall, but overwinter inside the wood, finally emerging in the very early spring. (Source: Ted MacRae @ Beetles in the Bush) This particular beetle had actually not yet emerged. I found it inside a piece of hickory I split for firewood.

Join the Macro Monday fun at Lisa's Chaos.

Cutleaf Toothwort (Cardamine concatenata)

2011-03-13T11:03:00.000-06:00

Cutleaf Toothwort

Other Common Names: Pepper Root
My best guess at an ID: Cardamine concatenata
Plant family: Brassicaceae (Mustard)
Habitat: Woodlands
Range: Throughout eastern and central North America
Plant Type: Native perennial
Lore: The roots (rhizomes) are said to have a peppery taste and can be eaten pickled, fermented (to make them sweet), boiled and eaten raw with salt. I haven't done a taste test.

This plant is the most prolific early-blooming wildflower in our woods. It doesn't have the most showy bloom, but is appreciated for it's abundance when little else is blooming. Cutleaf Toothwort is just starting to bloom in our woods.

Bloodroot will be the next early spring wildflower to bloom in our woods.

Yellow Fumewort (Corydalis flavula)

2011-03-09T14:59:00.000-06:00

On March first, the blooms on the Yellow Fumewort down in our woods had not yet opened

Yellow Fumewort

(Corydalis flavula)

Other common names: Yellow Corydalis and Yellow Harlequin.

A native herbaceous perennial with a small (.5"/1.3cm or so) bright yellow flower that blooms early and continues blooming for a couple of months. The plant ranges from ground cover height up to around 15"/38cm.

Range and Habitat: Minnesota, Iowa and Michigan in the west to New York in the east, southward to Florida and Louisiana. (USDA Range map) Found in open woods, primarily on rocky or sandy soil.

Herbal Lore: As is typical for a member of the Poppy order, Yellow Fumewort contains alkaloids. Native Americans placed the root on coals and inhaled the smoke to "clear the head". In earlier times, doctors may have used the astringent root to stop bleeding, for irregular menses, pain, diarrhea and dysentery. These past medicinal uses of Corydalis flavula are presented only for their historical value. Even small doses of Corydalis may be toxic. Symptoms include trembling and convulsions.

By March sixth, a few of the blooms were just beginning to open.

Sources and additional information and photos:
2bnthewild
Nearctica
Connecticut Botanical Society
Missouri Plants
Vanderbilt

To see more nature photos or participate in Nature Notes, please visit Rambling Woods.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-03-09T03:16:00.000-06:00

Eastern Hognose Snake (Heterondon platirhinos)

2011-03-08T11:17:00.001-06:00

Eastern Hognose Snake trying to escape by heading for the weeds at our road's edge.

"H" is for Hognose

Eastern Hognose Snake (Heterondon platirhinos)

Also sometimes known as: Blowing Adder, Death Adder, False Cobra, Hissing Adder, Opossum Snake, Puff Adder, Sand Viper, Spreadhead and Spreading Adder.

Description: Herps of Arkansas calls the Eastern Hognose "one of the most variably colored and patterned snakes found in Arkansas." This statement probably holds true for most states. It can be black, brown, dark olive, yellow, or red. Some individual are highly pattered while others are solid colored.

Food: All sources agree that a Hognosed Snakes eats toads. The upturned snout which gives Heterondon platirhinos its name is used for digging up buried toads. Likewise, fangs at the rear of its jaw (photo) are used for puncturing ballooned toads so they can be swallowed whole. Some sources say a Hognose has a more varied diet that also includes frogs, salamanders, insects, worms, and newts. Others say it eats toads almost exclusively. Diet may vary depending upon location.

A Hognose is considered non-venomous, although some researchers claim its saliva contains a mild venom that will effect small amphibians. Regardless, a Hognose is harmless to humans, especially since it almost never bites.

With escape prevent, the Hognose flattens its neck and hisses.

Range: The eastern half of the United States from southern Florida north to central New England and west to Texas, the Great Lakes Region, and some regions of southern Canada.

Habitat: Many sources indicate that Hognose Snakes prefer woodlands with sandy soil usually near some type of water source. However, I tend to agree with Herps of Arkansas: "This species can be found in a variety of habitats, especially where there is an abundant population of frogs and toads." Our place is mostly rocky hills and water can be scarce in summer, but Hognose Snakes have no problems living in these conditions.

Note upturned snout that gives the Hognose Snake its common name.

Defense: Like almost all wild critters, a Hognose Snake's first line of defense when confronted by an animal too large to eat is usually escape. The top photo shows this Hognose attempting to crawl off into the weeds when I first found it crawling across our road. However, if it cannot escape, the Hognose has one of the strangest defense strategies I've ever encountered. It will first flatten its neck and hiss loudly. If the source of harassment comes too close, the snake makes striking movements, but these false strikes are usually closed-mouthed and often made away from the harasser.

If this cobra-like display fails to intimidate, a Hognose usually proceeds to part two of it's act which is playing dead. It deflates and writhes about for a few seconds while excreting and covering itself with a foul smelling musk. It then flops onto its back with its mouth gaping open. The Hognose remains completely motionless until the source of harassment is gone. If turned upright, it will immediately flop back onto its back and return to its dead-snake routine.

I've provoked several Hognose Snakes into their dead-snake routine, but this particular snake would not cooperate. After a few minutes I decided it was time for me to stop bothering the snake and let it go on its way. If you want to see a photo of a Hognose playing dead, there is one here.

(Note: I took these photos on November 3, 2010. I've yet to see any snakes this spring. They're mostly still hibernating.)

Please visit ABC Wednesday to participate or see more photos from around the world.

Snail Shell

2011-03-06T02:55:00.000-06:00

Visit Shadow Shot Sunday hosted by Hey Harriet.

Visit Macro Monday hosted by Lisa's Chaos.

Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)

2011-03-05T12:02:00.000-06:00

"The male Northern Cardinal is perhaps responsible for getting more people to open up a field guide than any other bird. They’re a perfect combination of familiarity, conspicuousness, and style: a shade of red you can’t take your eyes off. Even the brown females sport a sharp crest and warm red accents. Cardinals don’t migrate and they don’t molt into a dull plumage, so they’re still breathtaking in winter’s snowy backyards. In summer, their sweet whistles are one of the first sounds of the morning." (Quote from Cornell Lab of Ornithology All About Birds.)

During winter Cardinals tend to aggregate in loose flocks. Seeing several males sitting together provides a welcome contrast to an otherwise drab winter scene. In late spring and summer, cardinals form pair bonds and a male will vigorously defend his territory against incursion by any other male. It is not unusual to see a male fighting with his own reflection in a car's outside mirrors.

Cardinals seem determined to stretch their day out for as long as possible. The Cornell site notes "... their sweet whistles are one of the first sounds of the morning." During the summer, I often work out in our garden until very late in the afternoon. Many times I'm finishing a project or gathering up my tools as the sun sets. As I wrap up my gardening chores, there's often a male Cardinal perched in a nearby tree singing.

Please see the Cornell Labs site for species details about range, behavior, nesting, etc.

Post photos of your favorite critters and share the link at Camera Critters.

Daffodil Blooms

2011-03-04T12:14:00.000-06:00

The daffodils out in the woods at the edge our yard are finally blooming. The first opened on the last day of February, but gusty wind prevented me from taking photos for a couple of days.

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Skywatch: Fog Moving In

2011-03-03T14:23:00.000-06:00

Monday night we experienced thunderstorms and and earthquake. Fortunately, the most severe thunderstorms were to our north and east -- and the quake was minor. We felt a brief tremor, but that was all.

Tuesday morning dawned partly cloudy. Our sky seemed well on its way to clearing after the passage of a new cold front. Not so. An hour or so after sunrise, fog/clouds quickly covered our ridge. My wife captured this shot while on her morning walk. When she left the house, it was partly cloudy. When she returned, it was so foggy she could barely see our outbuildings. Our sky finally cleared again during the middle of the afternoon.

Join the fun at SkyWatch Friday.

Common Blue Violet (Viola papilionacea)

2011-03-03T11:42:00.000-06:00

Our homestead award for first wildflower bloom of the spring goes to a Common Blue Violet (Viola papilionacea or Viola sororia), and I am not surprised. I first found this little violet several years ago. It has garnered the first bloom of the spring award every year since. The violet is growing out of a crack in the south-facing side of a large (small house sized) rock. Sun shines on the rock face and the rock retains the sun's warmth creating a microclimate that allows this particular violet to bloom a week or more ahead of its more conventionally located kin.

Viola papilionacea is a native perennial that grows throughout most of eastern and central North America. Both flowers and leaves are highly variable. Flowers can range from white, to blue, to deep purple. They can also be variegated. The taxonomy of the plant is also questionable and some authors place the plant as a variety of V. sororia. V. pranticola is another synonym. Finally, the Common Blue Violet can hybridize with at least four other species of Viola.

Bees and other insects do sometimes visit and pollinate violets, but they have no reliable pollinators. Hence, violets also produce cleistogamous flowers, flowers that never open and are automatically self-pollinating.

Nature Notes

Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele)

2011-03-02T01:29:00.000-06:00

Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele)

From Butterflies and Moths of North America:

Life history: Males patrol open areas for females. Eggs are laid in late summer on or near host violets. Newly-hatched caterpillars do not feed, but overwinter until spring, when they eat young violet leaves.

Caterpillar hosts: Various violet species (Viola).

Adult food: Nectar from many species of flowers including milkweeds, thistles, ironweed, dogbane, mountain laurel, verbena, vetch, bergamot, red clover, joe-pye weed, and purple coneflower.

Habitat: Open, moist places including fields, valleys, pastures, right-of-ways, meadows, open woodland, prairies.

Range: Throughout most of central and northern North America. (See link above for distribution map.)

Join the fun at ABC Wednesday.

Banded Hairstreak (Satyrium calanus)

2011-02-28T03:03:00.000-06:00

Banded Hairstreak Butterfly (Satyrium calanus)

Yes, I'm again trying to prime the pump for Spring, 2011, by posting photos from a past spring.

Range: Maine across southern Canada to North Dakota; south to central Texas and the Gulf States.

Life History: Males perch on low shrubs and tree branches during the day, watching for females. Eggs are laid on twigs of the host during the summer, and hatch the following spring. Caterpillars eat catkins and leaves.

Caterpillar Hosts: Many species of oak (Quercus), walnut (Juglans), and hickory (Carya).

Adult Food: Nectar from flowers -- in this case, an Ox-eyed Daisy.

Habitat: Forest areas and neighboring open edges and fields.

Source: Butterflies and Moths of North America.

Macro Monday hosted by Lisa's Chaos.

Carolina Wren - Nesting

2011-02-26T02:25:00.000-06:00

Carolina Wrens (Thryothorus ludovicianus) are cavity nesters. In the wild, they nest in places like a woodpecker hole, the open crotch of a tree or tangled roots of an uprooted tree. Birdhouses 101 says the male begins nest construction with sticks and then follows with softer materials like grass, moss and bark strips. The male may start several nests so the female can choose the one she prefers. After the female makes her choice, she often tosses out some of the material collected by the male and finishes the nest with her own choices of interior decor.

Carolina Wrens are monogamous. The male often brings food to the female while she incubates their eggs. Both feed the young after the eggs hatch. One hardcopy field guild we have said males will sometimes finish raising a brood while the female begins incubating another clutch of eggs on another nest.

Birdhouses 101 says, "Carolina wrens prefer natural nesting sites located in woodlands, thickets, brushy hollows, and swamps and along the banks of streams where there is plentiful cover." The site continues, "Due to the growing density of human population Carolina wrens do not always have the option to build nests in wild spots like that. However, Carolina wrens do not have a really difficult time adapting to their environment and are fairly tolerant of human activities. In fact they often use man-made objects..." Both of the statements are true, but I tend to disagree with the word "prefer" in the first sentence. We live in a very rural area with abundant natural nesting locations for the wrens. While I'm sure many wrens do choose natural nesting sites, others seem determined to use man-made locations.

The jar-style bird feeders Jo makes are one of the Carolina Wren's favorite nesting sites. We only feed the birds during the winter. There is often a time lag between the time we stop feeding and when we get around to taking down and cleaning the feeders. Wrens often take advantages of the empty feeders.

We'd watch a wren building a nest in this feeder and thought the nest was nearing completion. As it turned out, we'd been watching a male preparing a nest for his mate's inspection. She accepted this bird feeder nest, but then immediately began remodeling it to her satisfaction.

Once the female wren got the materials of her choice arranged the way she wanted them, she laid her eggs and incubated them.

The eggs hatched and the young wrens were fed by their parents until they successfully fledged.

The bird feeders obviously mimic the woodpecker cavities wrens might choose for nesting in the wild, but wrens also nest on the ground in dense undergrowth. As far as wrens are concerned, a fern growing in a hanging basket is a suitable substitute for "dense undergrowth".

In this case, we'd missed seeing the wrens' nest building and remodeling activities. Jo became aware of the nest because of the female's indignant response when watered. Subsequently, Jo carefully watered around the wrens and these young birds also fledged successfully.

While it's easy to understand that a bird feeder mimics a tree cavity and a fern in a hanging basket seems like dense undergrowth, it takes a bit more imagination to visualize pots sitting atop a stereo speaker resembling a tree crotch or tangle of roots.

The speaker, pots and nesting wren are over in Jo's pottery studio. "Studio" is a glamorous sounding word for an Arky cabin that was in pretty bad shape when we bought this place. Its condition hasn't improved in the past thirty years. The wrens can easily get into and out of Jo's studio even when the door is closed.

In past years, wrens chose to nest inside the pots. This pair decided to build a nest among the pots. Wrens are very tolerant of a human presence. They fuss a little and make you feel guilty for bothering them, but don't abandon their nest or neglect feeding their young. Jo enjoys watching wrens come and go while throwing pots.

This previous post provides more species details about Carolina Wrens and photos of a wren feeding at our suet feeder this winter.

Post photos of your favorite critters and share the link at Camera Critters.

Skywatch: Upper Pasture

2011-02-24T02:19:00.000-06:00

Oak on our neighbors upper pasture.

Join the fun at Skywatch Friday.

Nature Notes: Daffodils Will Bloom Soon

2011-02-23T02:13:00.000-06:00

Photo by Jo (2/22/11)

Our daffodils will soon bloom. These are a hardy group of bulbs scattered about at the edge of the woods. They were transplanted to this location when our water line was laid (i. e. dug up by a backhoe and replanted by a bulldozer).

To see more nature photos or participate in Nature Notes, please visit Rambling Woods.

ABC Wednesday: Frog (American Bullfrog - Lithobates catesbeianus)

2011-02-22T03:17:00.000-06:00

"F" is for Frog.

In this case, an American Bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus or Rana catesbeiana), sitting at the pond's edge and waiting for prey to come within range.

Food: Bullfrogs are carnivores. They will eat anything they can subdue and swallow, including insects, fish, snakes, small mammals and other frogs. They often use their front legs to help shove food down their throats. Bullfrogs (and other frogs) even retract their eyes as an aid to swallowing. (Eye retraction helps push the prey toward their esophagus.)

Range: The native range of bullfrogs was eastern North America. However, they've been introduced and naturalized throughout much of the continental US, and as far south as Mexico and Cuba. They have even found their way to Europe, South America, and Asia. Introduced bullfrogs often cause ecological problems because they eat all the native frog species. In the wild, bullfrogs can live up 7-9 years and a female can lay as many as 20,000 eggs.

Habitat: Freshwater ponds, lakes, and marshes. The bullfrog in the photo above was in a small stock pond on our neighbor's cow pasture.

Respiration: Frogs in the family Ranidae absorb oxygen and eliminate carbon dioxide through their moist skin, the lining of the mouth, and the lungs.

Territory: Males are highly territorial and will aggressively guard their plot of pond.

Hearing: The circular disc on the side of the frog's head is a tympanum which functions like a eardrum.

Human uses: Fried frog legs and dissection specimens for school biology labs.

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My World: Rock Bluff (Ozarks Geology)

2011-02-21T12:32:00.001-06:00

Rock bluff along the route of a recent afternoon walk.

I usually say I live in the Ozark Mountains, but "mountain" is a generic term largely based upon appearance. If you have hills and valleys, the combination of the two is called "mountains". In geologic terms, it would be more correct to say I live on the Ozark Plateau because the Ozarks are actually a dissected plateau. Most mountain ranges were formed when geologic events -- like the collision of tectonic plates -- caused the earth's crust to buckle and fold, uplifting mountains and leaving valleys between them. By contrast, the entire area known as the Ozarks (northern Arkansas, southern Missouri, a bit of eastern Oklahoma and a tiny corner of southeastern Kansas) was uplifted as a plateau with relatively little buckling and folding.. Over millions of years since the uplift, valleys eroded into the plateau leaving hills behind.

Being a dissected plateau gives the Ozarks some unique features. Our mountain tops tend to be flat. The decent into valleys is rugged and steep. The various strata of sedimentary rock deposited before the Ozark Plateau was uplifted remain in place just like they were laid down millions of years ago. There is little of the scrambling of strata that occurs when the earth's crust is folded and buckled. Geologist can easily follow a particular rock stratum over a wide geographic area.

Overview of the Ozark Plateau and its four main regions. (Wikipedia)

Side Note: The origin of the name "Ozarks" is disputed. Many think it is a linguistic corruption of the French abbreviation aux Arks (short for aux Arkansas, or "of Arkansas" in English) which originally referred to the French trading post at Arkansas Post, but eventually came to refer to all Ozark Plateau drainage into the Arkansas and Missouri Rivers. Other possible derivations include aux arcs meaning "of the arches" in reference to the dozens of natural bridges formed by erosion and collapsed caves in the Ozark region. (Source: Wikipedia)

Join the fun by posting photos of your world. Please visit My World Tuesday to participate.

Macro Monday: Johnny-Jump-Up

2011-02-20T03:11:00.001-06:00

Carly Simon sang about Anticipation.

Heinz thought she was referring to ketchup.

She told NPR the song was about waiting on Cat Stevens,

AKA: Steven Demetre Georgiou

AKA: Yusuf Islam

No matter.

My anticipation is spring

and early spring wildflowers

like Johnny-Jump-Ups.

"Anticipation, Anticipation
Is making me late
Is keeping me waiting."

Join the Macro Monday fun at Lisa's Chaos.

Shadow Shot Sunday: Tree Shadow

2011-02-19T11:44:00.000-06:00

Though our snow is long gone, I'm still working on a backlog of shadows in the snow. In this image I was taking a shot of the tree shadow and the thousands of little bird prints in the snow when a bird (a Dark-eyed Junco, I think) decided to contribute its shadow too.

Please visit Hey Harriet to join in the Shadow Shot Sunday fun.

Sweet Gum Ball

2011-02-19T10:22:00.000-06:00

Sweet Gum Ball

Sweet Gum/Liquidamber styraciflua

The fruit, popularly nicknamed a "space bug", "monkey ball", "bommyknocker", "bir ball", "gumball", "conkleberry", "cukoo-bir" or "sticky ball", is a hard, dry, globose, compound fruit 2.5–4 cm in diameter and composed of numerous (40-60) capsules. Each capsule has a pair of terminal spikes (for a total of 80-120 spikes), and each capsule contains one to two small seeds. When the fruit opens and the seeds are released, each capsule is associated with a small hole (40-60 of these) in the compound fruit. The seeds are mostly spread by wind.

The dried ball, an inch to an inch and a half in diameter, hangs on the branches during the winter. The woody capsules are mostly filled with abortive seeds resembling sawdust.

(Source: Wikipedia)

Guest post by Jo Smith.

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Celebrate a tree in 2011. It's easy: Observe, photograph, sketch, or discuss and share with other tree huggers. Please visit The Tree Year 2011 to participate or find other blogs post dedicated to trees from around the world.

Tree Year 2011: American Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) #4

2011-02-19T01:19:00.000-06:00

"My" American Persimmon and "Jo's" Sweetgum tree in the fog.

A weak cold front moved through our area on Friday. Heavy fog accompanied the slight drop in temperature.

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Previous American Persimmon posts here.

Camera Critters: Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)

2011-02-18T03:02:00.000-06:00

"The Carolina wren, Thryothorus ludovicianus, is mostly brown with a light yellowish-beige belly. It has large white stripe over each eye like an over-extended eyebrow and has a white throat. Its wings and tail are barred with black and it has thin white bars on its wings. Its legs are pink. Carolina wrens have long tails which they hold upright frequently especially when perched. The adult wren’s average length is 5 to 6 inches and it stands at approximately 4 inches in height. Carolina wrens of different sexes look similar with the males only slightly larger in size." (Source: Birdhouses 101)

Range: Most of the eastern United States, north into southern Ontario and south into northern Mexico. Carolina Wrens do not migrate. They are sensitive to cold weather. During warmer winters, individuals may shift their range northward, but then suffer high mortality during colder winters. Some researchers speculate that the "normal" range for Carolina Wrens is gradually shifting north as a result of climate change. Their range has expanded significantly since the early 1900s. (Source: Cornell Labs Range map: Cornell Labs)

Habitat: "Found in a wide range of habitats, from swamps to forest to residential area. Requires moderately dense shrub or brushy cover." (Source: Cornell Labs)

Food: In the wild, Carolina Wrens eat mostly insects and spiders. They glean insects from the ground, tree trunks and tree branches by probing with their bills and turning over vegetation. At bird feeders, they will occasionally sample almost anything offered, but have a preference for suet.

Mating: "A pair bond may form between a male and a female at any time of the year, and the pair will stay together for life. Members of a pair stay together on their territory year-round, and forage and move around the territory together." (Source: Cornell Labs) Males present nesting sites to females, but the female makes the final choice. "After the eggs are laid the male Carolina wren remains attentive to its mate and helps it by bringing food for the incubating female. After the eggs are hatched both birds help in the care of the young birds." (Source: Birdhouses 101)

Nesting: When it comes to to nest locations, Carolina Wrens may be the least picky of all birds. Nesting will be the subject of a second blog post.

Post photos of your favorite critters and share the link at Camera Critters.

Skywatch: Fall Clouds

2011-02-17T11:55:00.000-06:00

A little time traveling back to late fall when a herd of clouds was moving across our sky.

Join the fun at Skywatch Friday.

Nature Notes: Snow Stories

2011-02-17T01:15:00.001-06:00

There are many things not to like about the ground being covered with snow, but one of the good things is being able to glimpse the previous night's events written in the snow. Rabbit, deer and even coyote tracks are fairly common, but this was the first time I've seen evidence of an owl pouncing on prey.

To see more nature photos or participate in Nature Notes, please visit Rambling Woods.

Shadow Shot: Cow Trails

2011-02-12T10:53:00.000-06:00

Cow trails through the snow.

This is our driveway, which is around .8 of a mile long (1.3 km). We are snowbound until the snow melts. Three days of sunshine and daytime temperatures above freezing have melted a lot of the snow, but there's still much left to melt before we can make a trip out.

Please visit Hey Harriet to join in the Shadow Shot Sunday fun.

Nature Notes: Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius)

2011-02-09T12:28:00.000-06:00

Identification: A medium-sized woodpecker, white strip running up its side and "messy" black and white barring on its back. The throat and crown are completely red on a male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker while the female throat is white. Both have a pale yellow underside. (These are not very good ID photos. Cornell Labs has much better.)

Range: The Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker is the only woodpecker in eastern North America that is completely migratory. Females tend to migrate farther south than males, often traveling as far south as Panama. Here in the Ozarks, we are in the bird's winter range.

Food: A sapsucker eats fruit and forages in tree bark for insects, but is most noted for consuming tree sap. It bores distinctive rows of holes in tree trunks and limbs. From these holes, it laps (not sucks) sap with its brush-like tongue. In the summer, a sapsucker feeds on the “phloem” sap, the sticky fluid that carries the nutrients produced in the leaves downward to other parts of the tree. This sap is much thicker and contains more nutrients than the “xylem” sap tapped by humans in the spring for making syrup. Researchers speculate that a sapsucker's saliva contains some kind of anticoagulant that inhibits the tree from sealing over the holes and stopping the sap flow. A sapsucker will often choose to tap a wounded or weakened tree. The sap of these trees may contain more amino acids and proteins. Many other birds and other critters partake of the sap flows created by sapsuckers. (The Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center has much more information on Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers.)

Photo by Cephas via Wikipedia.

The White Birch above shows the distinctive rows of holes bored by a sapsucker.

The Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers overwintering here readily eat from our suet feeder.

To see more nature photos or participate in Nature Notes, please visit Rambling Woods.

Downy Woodpecker - Female (Picoides pubescens)

2011-02-08T03:38:00.002-06:00

At around 6 3/4" (17cm) long, the Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) is the smallest of North America's classic-shaped woodpeckers. It is found throughout almost all of North America in a variety of habitats. The Downy is the woodpecker most likely to visit backyard feeders. It is by far the most common woodpecker at our feeders here in the Arkansas Ozarks.

The Downy Woodpecker looks very similar to the Hairy Woodpecker, but the Hairy is larger -- around 9 1/4" (24cm) long. The Hairy also has a proportionally larger bill, (usually almost equal to the depth of the head). Finally, the outer tail feathers of the Downy usually have faint dark bars or spots while those on a Hairy are pure white.

A male Downy Woodpecker has a red patch on the back of its head. A juvenile has a red cap.

The Downy Woodpecker sharing our suet feeder with another "D" bird, a Dark-eyed Junco.

The Downy Woodpecker partaking of the pseudo-suet mixture of peanut butter, cornmeal and lard we provide.

Please visit ABC Wednesday and Camera Critters to participate and/or enjoy other photos from around the world.

My World In Black and White

2011-02-07T12:37:00.000-06:00

An "X" in the snow marks the location of my world in recent days.

How was the "X" formed? Ice accumulated on the power lines above, forming an ice tube around the line. When the sun came out, it melted the top off the tube and the remaining ice fell to the ground. These two pieces just happened to land on the snow in the pattern of an "X'. The rake-like tines on one side were caused by icicles hanging down from the tube's bottom side.

An additional couple of inches of heavy, wet snow fell overnight. This photo was not converted to black and white. My world IS black and white on Monday morning.

Please visit My World to participate and/or find links to other photos from around the world.

Macro Monday: Fruticose Lichen

2011-02-07T03:15:00.000-06:00

Fruticose lichen covered with ice after freezing rain.

Fruticose lichens are the most three-dimensional lichen type. They're usually round in cross section, and most are branched, looking like small shrubs. The lichens in the lower right are foliose. They are leaf-like and look something like foliage. Neither are harmed by ice nor freezing temperature, though dry conditions will cause them to go dormant.

Fruticose lichen with apothecia (fruiting bodies).

The same type of lichen a few inches up the branch are "blooming", producing fruiting bodies called apothecia. All lichens are an alga and fungus living in a symbiotic relationship. Most (but not all) of the fungi involved in producing lichens are Ascomycetes, which reproduce by growing a cup-like fruiting body called an apothecium. The apothecium's spores will only reproduce a fungus. To form a lichen it must combine with the appropriate algae.

Macro Monday is hosted by Lisa's Chaos. Please visit this site to participate and/or see more macros.

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Tree Year 2011: American Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) #3

2011-02-06T12:10:00.000-06:00

Our American Persimmon enjoyed a variety of weather over the past week. Tuesday (2/1/11) began with light rain. Our temperature dropped below freezing mid-morning, the rain became freezing rain and ice began accumulating on everything that was up off the ground. The freezing rain lasted for several hours, but fortunately, there was not enough ice accumulation to cause any limbs breakage or other visible damage to our trees. Sleet and the a light dusting of snow followed the freezing rain.

Wednesday was mostly clear and cold yielding lots of sparkling ice, but little melting.

Snow began mid-day on Friday (2/4/11) and kept falling throughout the afternoon and evening. We were predicted to receive a couple of inches of snow, but about twice that amount actually fell. It was a wet, sticky snow that clung to the trees, but caused no damage. Saturday was sunny and our temperature climbed up to around 40°F/4°C. There was much snow melting, but plenty of it is still around.

Celebrate a tree in 2011. It's easy: Observe, photograph, sketch, discuss and share with other tree huggers. Please click the logo above for participation details.

"Frozen" Birdy

2011-02-05T02:33:00.000-06:00

It was so cold last week the birds kept freezing up in mid-air.

White-throated Sparrow ( Zonotrichia albicollis)

(For more species details on the White-throated Sparrow, please see this previous post.)

To participate in Camera Critters and/or find links to other critter photos, please click the logo above.

Shadow Shot:: A Shadow in Black and White

2011-02-05T01:44:00.000-06:00

The remnants of our last snow were reduced to hiding in the shadows when I took this photo. Now we have 6+ inches of new snow on the ground.

To participate in Shadow Shot Sunday and/or get links to more shadow shots, please click the logo above.