Ice Storm Revisited

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.

.

Ice Storm Revisited

Common Oak Moth (Phoberia atomaris - 8591)

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.

.

Common Oak Moth (Phoberia atomaris - 8591)

Titmice on Suet Feeder

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.

.

Titmice on Suet Feeder

Filigreed Chimoptesis (Chimoptesis pennsylvaniana - 3273)

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

.

Filigreed Chimoptesis (Chimoptesis pennsylvaniana - 3273)

Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor )

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.

.

Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor )

Chosen Sallow Moth (Psaphida electilis - 10012)

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

.

Chosen Sallow Moth (Psaphida electilis - 10012)

Ipsilon Dart (Agrotis ipsilon - 10663)

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

.

Ipsilon Dart (Agrotis ipsilon - 10663)

Rainbow Tinted Clouds

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

.

Rainbow Tinted Clouds

Female Northern Cardinal

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.

.

Female Northern Cardinal

Another Broadwater Hollow Pool

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)

.

Another Broadwater Hollow Pool

Armyworm Moth (Mythimna unipuncta - 10438)

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.

.

Armyworm Moth (Mythimna unipuncta - 10438)

Rippled Pool

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

.

Rippled Pool

Log Hoop

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.

.

Log Hoop

Creek in Broadwater Hollow

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

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

.

Creek in Broadwater Hollow

Falls in Broadwater Hollow

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.)

.

Falls in Broadwater Hollow

Daffodils

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)

.

Daffodils