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Big Meal For Little Spider
This afternoon I discovered a little White-banded Crab Spider (Misumenoides formosipes) enjoying a late lunch consisting of very large meal, a Tachinid Fly (Tachinidae). The White-banded Crab Spider uses its two front pairs of legs to capture its prey and then bite it, injecting venom to disable its meal. Its strong legs and use of…
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What Color?
Viscid Violet Cortinarius (Cortinarius indes). Purple. Or as the common name suggests, Violet. Rich enough around the edge that I don’t think I could call it lavender. No matter the label, I can feel safe in calling it beautiful. Who would have thought a mushroom could be such a lovely color. Part of the world…
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Saprobic
Here is another saprobic mushroom, or mushroom that creates its energy by decomposing nonliving organic matter. That nonliving organic matter is also known as detritus. This is a fungus known as Hairy Rubber Cup (Galiella rufa). Hairy Rubber Cup is found throughout eastern North America. But you’ve got to look carefully. It blends quite easily…
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White Blue-eyed Grass
What a surprise to find that Blue-eyed Grass is not necessarily blue. This is a species in the genus of Blue-eyed Grasses, Sisyrinchium. White Blue-eyed Grass. In the family, Iridaceae, or Irises. The plant is a grass-like forb with leaves that are reminiscent of miniature Iris leaves/blades. Native to the southeastern United States.
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Late Thoroughwort
Late Thoroughwort (Eupatorium serotinum). A poisonous perennial herbaceous plant that is native to eastern North America. Many insects such as bees, wasps, flies, butterflies, skippers, moths and beetles are attracted to these flowers mostly for the nectar. Late Thoroughwort is one of the last wildflowers to bloom in the autumn, and before we know it, autumn…
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Viceroy
I’ve seen one two times, that I know of, and I’ve gotten photographs both times. A Viceroy (Limenitis archippus). The first one was spotted and photographed at my cousin’s house in Ottsville, Pennsylvania. The second photograph was taken at the bottom of my mountain, where I stopped at the stop sign and this Viceroy came…
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First Of The Summer
A male Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea) caught my eye today. How could I miss this sight, complete with knock your socks off crimson. A red that would make a male Cardinal look dull. That bill, large, thick, blunt-tipped is helpful in eating fruit and nuts. The first male Scarlet Tanager sighting of the summer. Looking forward…
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White Avens
White Avens (Geum canadense). An semi-evergreen plant that is native to the eastern two-thirds of the U.S. and most of eastern Canada. The perennial plants, which grow to 1 to 2.5 feet tall, have white flowers that are about .5 inch across, blooming from May through October. The flowers have 5 snow white, nearly round…
