Spiders – Page 2

Yellow-rumped Warblers

An occasional visitor to my bird bath, in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. A Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata). Fondly called Butterbutts by birders. If you don’t have a bird bath, I sure recommend one equipped with a water warmer to keep the water from freezing during the coldest that winter can throw at you.

These warblers don’t partake of the beautiful bird buffet that I put out for them but I’ve read that they do enjoy suet, sunflower seeds, peanut butter and raisins at back yard feeders. AND down at my Mom’s feeder in Citrus County, Florida, they enjoy her suet. Maybe I should ask my sister for her recipe. They don’t seem interested in MY recipe.

When they’re not at a feeder during the winter they will feed on the berries of juniper, poison ivy, poison oak, greenbrier, grapes, Virginia creeper, and dogwood. Butterbutts also eat the seeds of grasses and goldenrod.

During the summer while they’re up north they eat spiders, and many insects like beetles, caterpillars, gnats, wasps, aphids, and grasshoppers.

Best of luck at getting to see Yellow-rumped Warblers and don’t forget, if I didn’t have a bird bath equipped with a water warmer I doubt I’d get to see these sweet little birds.

Cute Spider

Jumping Spiders (Phidippus) are to me nothing but charm. All of 1/8 to 3/4 inch long. They are not a threat to humans, but if they feel trapped or threatened they will bite. And they are venomous but that venom is not dangerous to people.

They are carnivorous, eating for the most part small insects and spiders. But there are a few that will also eat nectar and one Central American species that will eat mostly plants. AND the Regal Jumping Spider (Phidippus regius) can kill and eat small frogs and lizards along with the usual insects and spiders.

There are more than 6,000 species of Jumping Spiders, the largest taxonomic family of spiders. This one (above) is the Daring Jumping Spider (Phidippus audax). One frequent characteristic of this species is the iridescent green hue of the chelicerae (mouthparts).

And just to illustrate that I am not the only one that thinks these spiders are CUTE, here is a “teddy bear” of a spider made by Steiff. This one sits next to me on my sofa every day.

Winter Magic

Magic. A long abandoned silky spider web. A burst of inches of snow. Decorations for a wonderful winter. Today’s lunch was accompanied with snow showers. Not enough to provide trimmings but enough to fill my heart with joy.

And now, this afternoon, a tiny rush of snow looking like a miniature blizzard to someone with a wild imagination. Leaving a dusting.

Image Dec 2017.

Poison Ivy

Poison Ivy, Toxicodendron radicans

I’m feeling itchy already just anticipating writing this blog. It was not until I was well into my adult life that I first got a Poison Ivy rash, complete with huge blisters. OH! How very painful it was. Fast forward 30 years or so and I’ve grown to love, or at least truly appreciate the native plant.

Yes I do hold the plant in high regard, even though I am now extremely sensitive to urushiol, an oil found in all parts of the plant. The urushiol is not a defensive mechanism but rather aids the plant with retention of water. Urushiol is also found in Poison Oak, and Poison Sumac. A similar oil is found in the skin of Mangoes, and its leaves and bark. Nice to know about this. I won’t be chopping any Mango anytime soon, and will leave the preparation to someone else if it is on the menu. Eating the flesh of the Mango is no problem for me. The shell of the Cashew nut also contains a similar oil, and only creates a skin reaction until the Cashew is roasted. After roasting, the Cashew shell is problem free for those sensitive to urushiol.

This (photo above) is how a Poison Ivy plant starts out in spring, a brilliant crimson announcing its entry into the world. Perhaps the color is a warning. It certainly tips me off.

As spring begins to think of summer and warmth, as the Poison Ivy bursts forth with a thick growth of leaves, the plant blooms, with tiny pale yellow-green petals in clusters. The stamens are a standout color of school bus yellow.

As I’ve hiked my mountain trails I’ve noticed that one butterfly in particular will seek refuge on the leaves of the Poison Ivy plant. Time after time, individual after individual, Northern Pearly Eye butterflies (picture above) will alight on those leaves as if they provide some safety zone. These butterflies can feel safe. I will not hunt them down, except with my camera, while they are sitting on the Poison Ivy leaves!

Those leaves that are safety zones for some butterflies, can compete with any of the trees of autumn with their outstanding colors. Turning bright sunshine yellow, pumpkin orange or a rich deep red, they bring on an artist’s palette of warmth.

I am a big fan of Mother Nature whether it is birds, trees, flowers, frogs, toads, snakes, spiders, geology, weather – all aspects of it. This brings me to the above picture. The fruit of the Poison Ivy plant, drupes. Birds depend on these drupes as midwinter leaves them with few things to eat. I have seen many woodpeckers congregating on the Poison Ivy vines that wrap, cling and climb my huge oak trees in front of my cabin in late January. Little to eat but salvation in the Poison Ivy drupes.

The woodpeckers are not the only critters that find a meal at the Poison Ivy vine. Here a Chickadee dines on the drupes, keeping an eye on me, as he does.

I remove Poison Ivy when it emerges in one of my gardens, or on my paths that I regularly use, but if it is growing where only birds and the creatures of the woods venture, I leave it for them. I appreciate the beauty and the need for this native plant.

Fall Shutdown

Autumn is doing its thing. Leaves turning brilliant colors. Spiders with black and orange stripes on their legs, spinning intricate webs. Black walnuts thumping to the ground with loud warning, as they cascade through leaves, high in the forest canopy.

And a favorite of mine, maidenhair fern, in the genus, Adiantum, shutting down. Turning straw color, and purple. Preparing for the cold winter. Anticipating a spring in which it will send out graceful fronds. Fronds that will thrill me, once again.

Blue Plate Special With Crab

**A White-banded Crab Spider Waiting For Lunch**

I love to photograph the Chicory plant, Cichorium intybus, when it is in bloom. Its periwinkle blue coloring is such a cheery sight! Today, as I hiked up the mountain, I didn’t intend to capture this particular flower in pixels but I took a peek and there was a spider looking back at me! So I couldn’t resist getting a photo! This guy is a White-banded Crab Spider, Misumenoides formosipes. He’s got a magic trick up his sleeve too. Given a couple days, he’s capable of changing color to better blend in with his surroundings. Wonder if I’ll find him on the same flower tomorrow. I’ll have to check in on him!