Category: Caterpillars

A Butterfly Special To Maryland

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

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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Pink Roses

Don’t be fooled. Just because a rose you find in the woods is pink does not mean it is a native rose. Though a bit unusual this picture above is of a Multiflora Rose (Rosa multiflora). Multiflora Roses normally are white but on occasion a huge bush of this rose will decide to be independent and its flowers will emerge as pink roses.

These roses, white or pink are aggressive plants, native to China, Japan, and Korea, forming huge thickets that overtake our native plants, not giving them a chance.

There are native pink roses though. Pretty pink and no worry about taking over the whole mountain. This one is a Pasture Rose (Rosa carolina). Just one to three feet tall. Quite understated.

A difference between the two plants — Thorns: Pasture Rose has straight thin thorns sometimes two opposite each other on the stem. Multiflora Rose has thick backward pointing thorns.

Ah, if only I had all the time in the world to get rid of the Multiflora Roses to give our native plants a chance.

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Iris For Mom

My Mom loved Iris.

I think perhaps purple Iris were her favorite.

Butterflies love them too.

This is a species I enjoy. A tiny Iris that is short in stature with a flower that measures 2.5 inches across. Native to southern and midwestern United States. Dwarf Crested Iris (Iris cristata).

Happy Mother’s Day.

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Happy Astronomical Spring

I’ve been watching for the first signs of Twinleaf (Jeffersonia diphylla) making its spring appearance. And today, this is what I found. Perfect timing!

In just a few days the plant will develop flowers and green leaves. You can see a leaf on the left which looks like a green butterfly. This “butterfly leaf” is why the plant has its “twinleaf” name.

Here’s a better look at the leaves and a seed pod that is just beginning to develop.

And this funny looking guy is actually an opened seed pod ripe and ready for ants which love these seeds, to come along and take the seeds to their nests. The seeds have appendages called elaiosomes which is what the ants love about the seeds. The ants will bring those seeds with the elaiosomes back to their nests and feed their larvae those elaiosomes. That will leave the seeds in the nest in a perfect spot to take root, spreading the Twinleaf plants, thanks to the little ant farmers.

All this will take just a few days to develop. I’ll be checking on the new plants everyday to see what is going on. And for tonight — Happy Astronomical SPRING!

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Turkey Tracks

Wild Turkey tracks (Meleagris gallopavo) on the lane coming in to my cabin. I knew right away what the tracks were since they were so large. Wild Turkeys are a common visitor around here.

They’re mighty big birds that leave a footprint of 3¾ to 5 inches long.

BIG BIRD!

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A Dusting

What a delight, to wake up this morning and realize that it is snowing. Already a dusting of snow over everything. Pure delight!

This picture, snow gets caught in any spot it can, on the bark of a Persimmon tree (Diospyros virginiana).

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Winter Food For Finches

Leave the seedheads! That’s what this is. Seedheads of Spotted St. Johnswort (Hypericum punctatum).

Seeds that finches will enjoy during the winter.

A picture from February 25, 2014, when there was snow, lovely SNOW!

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Traffic Jam Resolved

A traffic jam on the back porch. All those little footprints. Goodness! How many were out there? This was Valentine’s Day, 2014. It was quickly resolved when someone went out the back door. The only thing left, the tiny prints.

I love the patterns that are made by the birds with their little feet in the snow.

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Spring On Its Way

Daffodil (Narcissus) leaves emerging today.

Pushing their leaves up through leaf litter. Leaf litter in which there could be many butterflies, moths and other insects waiting for winter to shake off its snow and let spring go on with her warmer weather.

Just a few weeks is all that is needed.

A few weeks, sunshine and maybe a little bit of warmth.

Lookout. Here it comes.

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