Tag: Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Woodpecker Colors

My first thought when I think of the color of woodpeckers is black, white, and red. Though that is not always the case. This woodpecker, the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius), is a good example. Look at it and, “Well, almost,” comes to mind. The breast of the bird, in a herringbone pattern, black and pale tannish-gray. Other places where one might expect to see white, a soft butter-yellow has been inserted instead.

This woodpecker is only in my woods during the nonbreeding/winter season. I enjoy having them around because of their habit of creating sapwells on some of the trees. Certainly not for the purpose of decoration, though I like to think of the sapwells that way. Small holes tapped into the bark of trees, leaving beautiful patterns. A Yellow-bellied Sapsucker’s calling card.

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Winter Woodpecker

The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) is a woodpecker that is only in my woods during the winter. Showing off a speckled look, rather than the striking black, white and red that I usually see on woodpeckers.

They leave marks on tree trunks that look to be a cryptic messages to some other part of the natural world. Rows of dots carefully placed.

These dots though are actually sap wells. The Sapsuckers drill the sap wells into the xylem tissue, where the sap is transported from roots up to branches of a tree. They dine on the sap, as well as insects that are attracted to, and often trapped in the sap.

I love to see the designs that they create in the tree trunks. So neat and tidy.

Red Admiral

2-7-1997

A beauty, though small, stirs my curiosity as he flutters by, giving me very little time to capture his image with my camera. A Red Admiral, Vanessa atalanta. A butterfly that you just might see if you put overripe fruit out on your back porch, since this is a favorite food. Also at the top of the culinary treats they enjoy, are sap flows in trees such as these, pictured below, created by Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers.

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The Red Admiral has a wing span of about 2 inches or just a smidgeon more, and appears to have bunches of nervous energy, much like a fidgety little kid.

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Here in central Virginia, in the Blue Ridge Mountains, there is an abundance of the native plant, Wood Nettle. As larvae, Red Admirals dine on plants of the nettle family, including Wood Nettle, Laportea canadensis. The image below is Wood Nettle, a perennial herbaceous plant with upper leaves that are alternate. The flowers you see in this photo are male flowers.

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Female flowers form on the same plant, and bloom at the top of the plant, as shown in the next image.

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This is not a plant that you want to brush against, since it causes an instant, unpleasant, burning and itching feeling. Fortunately this irritating sensation lasts for just a short time, but it’s best just to avoid it.

Given the wealth of Wood Nettle along the trails here in the mountains, I do not wonder at all why these beautiful butterflies accompany me as I hike these mountain trails.

2-7-1997

Butterflies mostly black, with brilliant red, bright blue, and striking white dots. I welcome their company.