A native plant that is quite insistent. It keeps showing up in my gardens. With stems that are more like vines than stems, creeping along the ground. Stems that have little stickers. Stems that form roots when they touch the soil. Making its presence known. Dewberry (Rubus invisus) is native to the eastern and east-central United States. The flowers produce black or deep purple berries very much like the very closely related Blackberry bushes that grow wild and are also native. If I would just give it a chance it would give me berries. Lovely berries much like those on the Blackberry bushes.
I’m ready for an experiment. Let those vines grow under certain conditions. Just see what happens. See how the berries are. I’ve got my fingers crossed. Stay tuned.
A goal of my hike this morning was to find a cover shot for my Facebook timeline. I was collecting images of tree bark, lichen, and beautiful mosses, all possible candidates. At a mature sassafras tree, as I worked around some poison ivy vines, I came upon a surprise: two BIG eyes looking back at me. Turns out, it was an Eyed Click Beetle, Alaus oculatus, one mighty funny looking creature.
This beetle is pretty large, almost 2 inches long. He has enormous fake eyespots on his back, which are a means of protection. The eyespots and the pattern on his back are composed of scales, much like on the wings of butterflies. These eyespots are to startle predators, perhaps making them think that they have run into a critter much larger than the Eyed Click Beetle actually is. The Eyed Click Beetle’s real eyes, one on either side of its small head, are located at the base of its saw-toothed antennae.
The name “click beetle” comes from another means of protection. When a click beetle finds himself on his back, or when being held by a predator, the beetle will create an unnerving snapping or clicking sound by bending his head backwards and suddenly snapping it straight. This action creates the sound, and sends the click beetle several inches into the air. That is something that sure would shock me, if I wasn’t expecting it. The catapulting can put the beetle right side up, but if it doesn’t, he’ll try again until he is successful.
The larvae of most click beetles are called wireworms. Some of them are serious pests that feed on the roots of crops including potatoes, strawberries, corn and wheat, and also the roots of lawns. These destructive wireworms find their food by following the carbon dioxide produced by their foodplants in the soil. They often use preexisting tunnels to travel through the soil to get to their food. However, the larvae of the Eyed Click Beetle are well behaved predators, that prefer to eat caterpillars and the larvae of wood boring beetles and flies. The Eyed Click Beetle lives in the larva form (as a wireworm) for two to five years and spends that time underground or in rotting logs.
I’m hoping I’ll find another Eyed Click Beetle as I hike up my mountain tomorrow. Perhaps I can get him to do a catapult for me.
*Bloggers note:
This blog was originally posted in a slightly different form, in the summer of 2013. At that time, I was participating in a group blog (BeautifulWildlifeGarden.com), with smart, dear, nature loving friends. Unfortunately that website has gone belly up. I am resurrecting this post so that those of you who have not seen it, can read more of my ramblings.
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.
I am highly allergic to Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans). As a youngster, I never got a Poison Ivy rash, though I loved to romp in the unending woods directly behind my house. Vines to swing over the creek, forts my friends and I were out there constantly. In 1985 I had a wakeup call, with an extremely painful rash on my arm. My luck had run out. A trip to the doctor’s office got me temporary relief with steroids. I have a quilt to show for the time I was on those steroids and bouncing off the walls. I resorted to creating a quilt to help my addled brain. I quickly learned to avoid at all costs the beautiful plant.
Beautiful Plant?
Yes, I think Poison Ivy is quite a beautiful plant. Just look at its scarlet leaves in the first photograph. This is the scarlet of spring, with leaves that are often very shiny, whether scarlet in spring, or green in summer. As spring turns to summer, the plant puts out flowers. Large clusters of soft, pale green, with brilliant school bus yellow centers.
More Color In Autumn
As trees are putting on their autumnal show, Poison Ivy whether in its vine form, climbing way up into trees, or trailing along the ground, or taking on the form of a small bush, puts on its own show with bright color. Either sunshine yellow, crimson red, or pumpkin orange.
Sculpture
The vines, creeping up tall trees, only know sky as the limit. They climb as high as a tree will grow, with their thread-like hairs. The vines make me think of sculptures, wrapped up and around lovely textured bark. Those thread-like hairs of the Poison Ivy vine, can sometimes be found in the nests of cardinals and goldfinches. A helpful building material.
Berries
As the autumn leaves fall, they leave behind berries. Off white berries, speckled with a bit of bitter chocolate brown. These berries attract many birds. Bluebirds, crows, turkeys and all manner of woodpeckers.
The wonderful winter of 2009–10 which covered the ground here on my mountain with 72 inches of snow, created a Poison Ivy fruit cafeteria of berries for a remarkable number of woodpeckers. Many pileateds, and yellow-shafted flickers descended upon a large oak tree covered with Poison Ivy in front of my cabin. They returned day after day, until the many vines were stripped of their berries. That winter gave me new respect for what Poison Ivy can do for birds in my area.
Redosier Dogwood, Cornus sericea, berry stems, on main stem of deep red.
As I snuggled in my bed last night, I was prepared for nothing special in the weather this morning. Yesterday‘s forecast had been for snow, sleet and freezing rain.
Flowering Dogwood, Cornus florida, in bud, patiently waiting for spring, in soft green and muted red.
Mother Nature skipped the snow part, and went straight to sleet, and it kept going, all day long. The temperature remained steady at 27 degrees during the whole day, but as bedtime drew nigh, it began to rise quickly and by the time I went to bed it was 32 degrees with no signs of leveling off. So my thoughts of a beautiful morning were of a beautiful rainy, wet morning.
Blue Spruce, Picea pungens, and this year’s Christmas tree, in lovely pale blue-green.
The little girl within me was more than delighted this morning as daylight revealed a thick coating of ice over everything!
Winterberry, and one of my goals accomplished, with a wintery photo of this beautiful shrub. Complete with scarlet berries and white diamond ice!
I very quickly put breakfast on the table for the family, gobbled mine down, and went out into the wonderland of diamonds and ice.
The very sharp end to a bluish green Yucca leaf, edged in golden yellow, complete with ice.
Thank goodness I have trekking poles! The ice was thick and not forgiving for a false move, and to further complicate things, I’m on the side of a mountain! Every surface is on a slant. With the poles though, I didn’t take a spill.
Virginia Pine, Pinus virginiana, like green flowers.
When I left the cabin, the temperature was 32 degrees and it was very cloudy.
Grape Vine Tendrils. showing a bronzy glow.
There was no dripping. Everything in a frozen, fairlyland.
Blueberry Bushes, with a blush of Christmas red, with their buds all set for spring.
As I returned to my cabin, the sun was just beginning to break through the clouds, and like magic, it seemed to begin raining. Of course it wasn’t rain, but melting ice, dripping down on me.
A tan Seed Head of Queen Anne’s Lace.
Now this afternoon most of the diamonds and ice are gone from the trees and bushes.
Crimson, Smooth Sumac Berries, Rhus glabra.
But no worries! There is snow in tomorrow’s forecast!
Like A Maroon Pinecone Dipped In Molten Glass.
How cool is that?
A Toast-brown Seed Head Of Echinachea purpurea.
Stay tuned! I may be in my element tomorrow again, wandering with my hiking companions, my two cameras, taking snow pictures!
Soft Butter-yellow and Toast-Brown Seed Head Of Tall Anemone, Anemone virginiana.
Virginia Creeper is a very common plant here in the Blue Ridge Mountains. I enjoy seeing it, with its five leaflets radiating out in its palmate fashion.
Five Leaflets
Those five leaflets create one leaf. They are so precise with their sawtoothed edges, like a seamstress has taken her pinking shears to each one.
A Climber
The vine loves to climb trees, like a child in an apple orchard. This beautiful creeper, above, is clinging to a Persimmon tree. A tree with a gorgeous checker board pattern, that it earns as it ages.
A Garland
I’ve been watching this garland of Virginia Creeper, draped over a downed tree since spring. I’ve imagined that it would be so lovely in the fall, in scarlet. As you can see, I’m still waiting. Sometimes things don’t go as I had imagined. Will those leaves turn a brilliant shade of red, or just wimp out on me? Stay tuned. I’m still watching and hoping!
The days recently have been absolutely yummy. Blue skies, low humidity – perfect for hiking during the day and wonderful for sleeping at night. It’s been a dream, being able to hike up my mountain and watch as the leaves change from their summer blue-greens to their autumn tones of chartreuse, lemon, lime, golds, mango, crimson and every color in between. The colors are changing much more rapidly than I ever expected. Of course, I’ve never in my life observed nature so closely as I have the past many months.
Sassafras, Going From Rich Deep Emerald To Lemon And Lime
Changes
Some things are slowing down. I’m not seeing nearly as many new flowers now. Goldenrod season seems to be coming to an end. Asters in shades of snow white, lavender and grape are still going full speed ahead but I don’t see many buds left on them, to open when I’m not looking. The next big floral display I’m awaiting, is the opening of the Witch Hazel. That will be a delight when it happens, and I’ll photograph the blossoms and share them with you. I expect that won’t happen for another several weeks though.
My Turn-Around Point
Ferns
I’m watching, each trip I take, out the gate and up the road, to see what happens. I’ve spotted many patches of beautiful ferns along my daily route. My turn-around point is marked by Maidenhair Fern on one side, and Sensitive Fern on the other. The Sensitive Fern has been given that name because it quickly withers and dies back when the temperatures get to be too cold. I’m watching to see at what point in the season that will happen. Fortunately the woods are also filled with many evergreen ferns, such as Christmas Fern, so I’ll be seeing that finery as I go about my observing during the winter. Another beautiful season to look forward to!
