Learn About | Greg Dodge Journal: July 1-15, 2008
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Greg Dodge Journal, July 1-15 |
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Flora Thistle is in bloom just to the right of the “Seed Tower” in Catch the Wind. Passion Flower, or Maypops as it’s sometimes called, is blooming as well. I’ve only seen Passion Flower in bloom in one location on the Explore the Wild/Catch the Wind Loop and that is on the Wetlands side of the path directly in front of the Lotus (the Lotus is nearly all “shower heads” at this time – seed heads). Passion Flower is the host plant for two fritillary butterflies in our area, Gulf Fritillary and Variegated Fritillary. Gulf Fritillary is a more southern species but does show up in our area (I saw one two weeks ago in Hillsborough). I haven’t seen either butterfly at the Museum this season, so I’m anxious to see if caterpillars turn up on this particular vine in the weeks to come.
Insects I found a metallic woodboring beetle on the paved path in Explore the Wild. It was one of the large metallic woodborers, Chalcophora virginiensis (pictured at left). Its larvae bore into pines. One reference calls this beetle the Large Flat-headed Pine Heartwood Borer (the thoracic section of the larva or grub is flattened). I think it’s much easier to say Virginia Pine Borer, so that’s what I call it. Adult beetles have a bullet-shaped body, as do the other beetles in the family of metallic woodborers. Many of the metallic woodborers are striated and brightly colored, although this one is rather cryptic and roughly textured. I briefly saw another slightly smaller but more brightly colored member of this family of beetles earlier in the first week of July, Buprestis rufipes. The only common name I could find for it (from several sources) was Red-legged Buprestis, which is pretty much the same as saying Buprestis rufipes (Buprestis with reddish feet/foot). I also found the same beetle referenced as Buprestis fasciata and Cypriacis fasciata. Taxonomy! Fasciata means banded but I didn’t see any bands on the beetle. I didn’t get a picture of it. Fortunately, one of the staff here at the Museum did (image at left labeled by me as Red-legged Buprestis was taken by R. Stickney). On the surface, Net-winged Beetles may be mistaken for moths with their textured forewings folded on their backs. I came upon a number of Banded Net-wings one calm morning in a shaded area of the Loop. These 1/2- to 3/4-inch beetles were apparently looking for mates as they flew from plant to plant, some of them indeed finding mates. Within an hour they had all dispersed. Over the past few weeks I’ve seen many fresh Pearl Crescents and Eastern-tailed Blues; apparently a second brood of these small butterflies has emerged. I continue to see Silver-spotted Skippers and a few American Lady butterflies, although the latter have all been quite faded. I managed to catch a glimpse of a Cloudless Sulphur (only one) as it swiftly and erratically flew off to the northeast, never stopping to nectar. Eastern Cicada Killers are large wasps. The males emerge in late June or early July. The first order of business after emerging is to stake out a territory and establish a regular perch from which to patrol that territory and wait for the females to arrive. One such male has staked a claim on the rocks outside the Lemur House. While intimidating for their large size and habit of flying out to investigate anything that wanders into their territory, including you, these male wasps can’t sting. The females, which are larger than the males (about 2 inches), will emerge later, towards mid summer. They, the females, burrow into the ground to prepare a nest for their young. As their name implies, they hunt for Cicadas. The Cicada is stung, paralyzing it, and carried back to the burrow. As large as these wasps are, Cicadas are often a bit larger, so it’s quite a sight to see one of the wasps flying along with a Cicada “tucked in” below. Once in the burrow, an egg is laid on the Cicada, which will hatch a few days later. The larva will feed on the Cicada, prepare a cocoon for itself and overwinter underground, pupating and emerging as an adult the following year.
Reptiles and Amphibians The first week of this period brought daily thunderstorms towards the end of each day. Before each day’s rain, Gray and Green Tree Frogs and Narrow-mouthed Toads began calling from the dense cover surrounding the Wetlands. While it’s difficult to impossible to actually see it happening, many new eggs were being deposited in the Wetlands each night. On a smaller scale, and easier to see, small patches of eggs have been seen floating in the water of the U-shaped pond next to the Ornithopter on the mornings following the rains. I saw a Stinkpot, or Eastern Musk Turtle, poking its head out from under a log in the Wetlands. They have a musky odor to them. While very common, I’ve personally only seen one in the Wetlands. Others have been reported by staff at the Museum. These small turtles tend to stick close to the bottom. Curiously, they have been found dozing as much as 6 feet up in trees along the edges of ponds and slow moving rivers! Good climbers. A rather large Snapping Turtle sauntered across the path at the base of the boardwalk at High Noon on the 14th of July. I hadn’t seen a Snapper in several weeks.
Birds Look up! I see Chimney Swifts hawking insects above the Explore the Wild/Catch the Wind loop every day. The number of swifts will no doubt increase as more young of the year leave their nests and join in on these foraging flights. If you’re not familiar with Chimney Swifts, they’re the small, acrobatic, black birds swiftly flying overhead, often in small family groups. At times, it appears that they flap their narrow, stiff wings alternately while flying, one wing, then the other. Of course, they don’t flap their wings independently but this apparent irregular wing flapping is one way to help identify them – to distinguish them from other little dark birds flying overhead. The Museum’s four recently fledged Cooper’s Hawks were busy the last few days of this period. I saw one of the youngsters soaring over the Wetlands and heard and saw the others perched in the pines across from the Lemur House. One was calling from the Willows behind the Wetlands Overlook. They’re experimenting with their flying and hunting skills and becoming more independent everyday, although still begging for food from their parents. One of the hawks unsuccessfully took a swipe at the birds in the Bird Feeder area. The hawk’s lack of hunting prowess was apparent as it flew in, this direction and that, unable to decide which Cardinal or Goldfinch to focus on as it swooped through the feeders. I did happen to see one of the adults carry in prey to one of the young hawks, so the birds are still relying on their parents for the basics. If you’ve ever stopped by the Bird Feeder area in Catch the Wind you may have noticed a small, rather nondescript little bird with a gray back and brown cap at one of the suet feeders. You may have even heard its “Rubber Duck” squeaky-toy calls as you strolled around through the pines on the Explore the Wild/Catch the Wind Loop. Brown-headed Nuthatches regularly visit the bird feeders. They’re not often found far from pine trees. Brown-headed Nuthatches are one of two species of Nuthatches at the Museum during the summer months (the other is the larger White-breasted Nuthatch). The Bird Feeder Exhibit is a good place to see them.
Mammals Another reason to look up. A Red Bat was seen flying over the Wetlands during the 4th of July weekend. It seemed to have a direction and purpose to its flight as if hurrying off to a daytime roost. In other words, it wasn’t flying around in circles hawking insects, it looked to be going directly to a known destination. I’ve seen Red Bats flying about in the middle of the day scooping up insects, but this one seemed to be going somewhere in a hurry.
Marine Animals On July 12th sharks, stingrays, porpoises, whales, sea urchins and other marine life were discovered at the Museum – at least in part. Scores of kids, and yes, their parents too, got down and dirty in the “Fossil Pit” digging for fossils along the Museum’s future Dinosaur Trail. Thousands of shark’s teeth, whale and porpoise bones, sea urchin spines, crab claws and other marine fossils were unearthed, packed into bags and carried off home by the many happy participants in the Dino Day Fossil Dig at the Museum. A great day was had by all!
There’s no guarantee that you’re going to see any of the plants or creatures mentioned in this journal on your visit to the Museum. However, you can be certain that you won’t see any of them if you’re not there. You have to be there to see it! Thanks to the Museum Staff and Guests who have pointed out their sightings to me or who have shared their own experiences with me out on the Explore the Wild and Catch the Wind Loop. As always, if you see me out there, stop and ask what’s new, or let me know what you’ve seen.
Have a good one,
Greg
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