Author Archives: Brenda Clements Jones

About Brenda Clements Jones

Brenda is a certified Virginia Master Naturalist, a Habitat Defender for Shenandoah National Park, and a devoted fan of Mother Nature. She lives in a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Shenandoah National Park, and hikes up to the higher elevations of her mountain often to see what nature is up to. Her constant hiking companion is a camera that captures nature as it unfolds through the seasons. It’s her goal to share the natural world around her through her photographs.

Passing Through

Normally I go out and holler, in my most threatening voice, at White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) that come by to nibble in my yard. I seldom have to do that though, since there are Black Bears (Ursus americanus) up here and deer tend to avoid areas where there are bears.

BUT rather than holler at this precious little fawn following along behind its mom, I chose just to enjoy the moment. BTW, those spots help camouflage the fawn and will stay on its reddish-brown coat for 3 to 4 months.

These visitors made my day!

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Flowers To Look For

Roam the trails up here in the mountains and you might find some Smooth Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum biflorum).

Herbaceous perennials, native to eastern and central North America. Growing two feet tall and on occasion will grow to three feet tall.

Bees harvest nectar and pollen from the flowers that grow in pairs along the arched stalks.

Quarter inch green berries become bluish-black in late summer, which will be eaten by birds.

Look as you hike. There’s so much out there to see.

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Gathering Berries

Today I was out enjoying the perfect weather as I gathered more Blueberries to go into the freezer. A couple birds joined me but then realized I was there and took off. A Cardinal in one moment and a Cedar Waxwing in another.

I was able to get four pints. Many, many more to go.

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Tiger Beetle

I love seeing these Six-spotted Tiger Beetles (Cicindela sexguttata). Their metallic bright green or blue-green color is such a treat. Those six spots that their common name is from, that’s a bit misleading, there are not always six, sometimes none, sometimes as many as eight.

These Tiger Beetles are about 1/2 inch long. They eat many kinds of insects and other arthropods.

Mighty easy to spot with their bright color!

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Buzzing Bushes

Native to the eastern and central United States and Canada, Gray Dogwood (Cornus racemosa) is in bloom right now.

As I approach the tall bushes I can hear them as I get near. A very loud buzzing. The creamy white flowers have all sorts of insects collecting pollen.

A few days ago I mentioned these buzzing bushes to a friend who raises Honey Bees, since many of the insects I see are indeed Honey Bees. She asked me if the blooms are fragrant. I hadn’t even noticed but this afternoon I checked it out. Bad news, they do have an aroma but it’s not nice. I looked it up on the Internet to see what other people think and I see others do agree – “musky skunk”, “somewhat musky”, and “considered unpleasant by many people”. I didn’t see any positive description.

Oh well, the buzzing is mighty fascinating!

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Mom Wolf Spiders

A female Wolf Spider (Lycosidae) and a very dedicated mom.

The female Wolf Spider wraps her (one hundred or so) eggs in a silk sac which provides sustenance and protection. The sac is attached to her abdomen and as she goes about her daily life, she lifts up her abdomen as well as the egg sac to protect the eggs from harm.

After the babies hatch and leave their protective sac they climb their mom’s legs to the top of her abdomen. She carries them for about two weeks as they grow reaching a point where they are able to fend for themselves.

The usual life span of a male Wolf Spider is about a year. Females usually live for several years.

Oh my, nature really amazes me!

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Next To The Wild Blueberries

Deerberry (Vaccinium stamineum), growing way up the mountain, next to a Lowbush Blueberry. Both bushes were about the same height, maybe 2 feet tall. The Lowbush Blueberry typically doesn’t grow any taller than 3 feet but I’m surprised to read that Deerberry bushes sometimes can grow to 15 feet tall. I’m going to have to look for more of these bushes. I’d love to see one that is much taller, even 10 feet tall would be fun.

Deerberry is native to Ontario Canada, the eastern and central United States, and parts of Mexico. It produces berries that ripen to a purplish-black in late summer into fall which are eaten by deer and other mammals, and birds. For us humans, the berries are edible but aren’t very palatable. That’s a bummer.

Oh well, I’ll enjoy seeing the flowers.

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Ornaments On A Yucca

I’ve been paying close attention to my Yuccas the past week or so, since they have sent up spears, looking like asparagus spears. These Yucca spears are actually spikes with buds. I’ve got two plants, one is Yucca gloriosa which has just started blooming. The other, this one, is Yucca filamentosa, which will begin blooming shortly.

Yesterday afternoon in one of my frequent checks, I got quite a treat. Several Goldfinches decided to entertain me. They looked as if they were decorations on a Christmas tree jumping from one branch to another, uncertain on which would make the best presentation.

These blooms are special to me. The state flower of New Mexico. During the time I lived out there they were blooming all over. Maybe the Yuccas are special to Goldfinches as well. Maybe.

Part Of The Cleanup Crew

American Carrion Beetle (Necrophila americana). Feeds on decaying plants and animals, also on fungi and rotting fruit. Other fly and beetle larvae that are feeding at the same food source may find themselves as part of this Carrion Beetles’ (both adults and larvae) meal.

The adult is approximately 1/2 to 3/4 inch long. Keep the scientific name Necrophila americana in mind if you are going to do any research on this beetle since there are many other Carrion Beetles with many common names.

So glad these critters are around to help clean up our world.

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A Skipper

This winged creature is a Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus), which can be found in North and South America, from Canada to Argentina. It has even become an invasive species in Hawaii presenting a problem because this Skippers’ larval host plants are various species of grasses and often turfgrass.

Certainly not a problem here in the woods at the cabin.

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