Pincushion Moss (Leucobryum glaucum) provides a soft landing spot for a leaf of Red Maple (Acer rubrum).
This moss can be found in many spots around the globe. In North America it’s found in the eastern and northern US and further north into Canada. In Europe it’s found in the United Kingdom and Ireland to Scandinavia and central European countries. It’s also found in China, Korea, and Japan.
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The remains of Hurricane Helene came through with her wind and rain, leaving many branches and some trees down on the mountain. Nothing serious thank goodness and how nice to have neighbors that travel with a chain saw in their truck. Many of those branches and trees were taken care of before it was even known that the road was blocked.
This picture is of American Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) branches that came down during the event. Loaded with many Persimmons just waiting to be discovered by the Black Bears (Ursus americanus) around here that love those fruits to gobble down.
There’s a pile of bear scat on our lane as a testament to their consumption.
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Looking to me like a Yorkshire Terrier dressed for Halloween, this is actually a Milkweed Tussock Moth caterpillar (Euchaetes egle), out and about in late summer and now, early autumn. These larvae principally choose Milkweed (Asclepias) or Dogbane (Apocynum) as their host plants.
Not to be of concern though. These caterpillars generally go for older plants which are more tough, for their meals. Monarch caterpillars will choose more tender, younger plants to sustain themselves.
The Milkweed Tussock Moth caterpillars might leave the Milkweed plants looking a bit bedraggled but those plants will survive to sprout up again next year, for another year of supporting Monarchs and these Milkweed Tussock Moth caterpillars.
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A picture taken here on the lane, last year (November 16, 2023) as the Sugar Maple leaves (Acer saccharum) were at their most brilliant.
Much to look forward to.
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Lesser Maple Spanworm (Speranza pustularia) with a wingspan of 3/4 to 1 inch.
Their favorite host plant is Red Maple but will settle for other Maple trees, and many others trees like Birch, Poplar, Fir, and Hemlock.
This moth can be found in the United States east of the Great Plains and in adjacent Canadian provinces.
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Unicorn Caterpillar (Coelodasys unicornis)
Caterpillars are amazing creatures that take on all sorts of shapes and colors. This one, of course, takes its name because of its unique shape.
They’re not particular about what they eat, munching on the leaves of a variety of woody ornamental plants such as apple, cherry, and rose.
The Unicorn Caterpillar becomes a dark gray and brown moth.
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The Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes) is the largest butterfly species in North America, with a wingspan of 4 to 6 inches.
The larval host plants of Giant Swallowtails are trees in the citrus family including Lemon, Lime, Orange, Prickly Ash, Hoptree and also Common Rue.
These caterpillars have an interesting sort of protection from predators, having the look of bird droppings.
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Brown isn’t an unusual color in a butterfly, but green is unusual. This is a Juniper Hairstreak (Callophrys gryneus). It’s a small butterfly with a wingspan of just 3/4 to 1 1/4 inches.
Native to North America. Here in Virginia the larval host plant is Eastern Redcedar (Juniperus virginiana).
This guy in the photo is getting nectar at the flowers of an Applemint (Mentha suaveolens).
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A Baltimore Checkerspot (Euphydryas phaeton) seen at Brookside Gardens in Montgomery County, Maryland. It’s the Maryland state insect. I grew up in Maryland and this, the first time I’ve ever seen this beautiful butterfly.
Just a short while after seeing that butterfly I happened upon this caterpillar at Buck Hollow, in Shenandoah National Park, where I was working at invasives removal as a Master Naturalist. It is the caterpillar of the Baltimore Checkerspot.
Since then I’ve added White turtlehead (Chelone glabra) to my garden. That’s a larval host plant of Baltimore Checkerspot. So far I haven’t seen any but I’m still hopeful.
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One reason that I am so interested in nature is my Dad. Here he is in 1991 stretched out on the driveway, having a heart to heart talk with a Gopher Tortoise about the state of the world. As always, I’m thinking of you Dad!
Gopher Tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus) live in a small area, from southern South Carolina west through Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana, and south through the peninsula of Florida, including the islands along the Gulf coast of Florida. They have an expected life span of 50 to 80 years in the wild.
These tortoises dig burrows which provide them an escape from predators and protection from extreme weather. Burrows which are 15 feet long and 7 feet deep or more. The burrows also provide shelter for at least 360 other animal species, because of this Gopher Tortoises are considered a keystone species meaning extinction would result in big changes in the natural world around them. Their conservation status: threatened to endangered.
Gopher Tortoises, are just one aspect of the wondrous world of nature.
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