Learn About | Greg Dodge Journal: August 1-15, 2008
|
Greg Dodge Journal, August 1-15 |
|
|
|
Flora Morning Glory is blooming at the small Wetlands Overlook near the Lemur House, and Goldenrod is in bloom at various locations around the Explore the Wild and Catch the Wind Loop. There should be more Goldenrod flowers as the season progresses. Goldenrod attracts many insects to its tiny, clustered flowers.
Insects All grasshoppers are well camouflaged, usually for life, in the grass or on leaves. Pinetree Spurthroated Grasshoppers (Melanoplus punctulatus) look a bit like lichen-covered tree bark. I found one on the trunk of an Oak Tree. As you can see from the two images on the left they blend in quite well. Treehoppers are small insects which are often shaped like various tree or plant parts: thorns, buds, or perhaps tiny leaves. When disturbed they often quickly “hop” away. The treehopper in the photo on the left was down in the weeds. Thorn Treehoppers (Campylenchia latipes) seem to prefer herbaceous plants instead of trees. For the past several weeks I’ve noticed some of the leaves folded over on many of the Redbud Trees on the Explore the Wild/Catch the Wind Loop. Small leaves had been folded completely in half while some of the larger leaves of the trees only partially folded (image at left). The caterpillars of some species of moth and butterfly roll up leaves and tie or seal them with silk to help conceal themselves while feeding on the leaves, or while resting after having fed. Curious, I decided to have a closer look. I opened a dozen or so of the folded leaves and found a single, tiny (about 1/2” or 13 mm) black and white banded caterpillar in each leaf that was occupied (some leaves had no caterpillar, although the silk and frass were still there). Redbud Leaffolders (Fascista cercervisella) are small moths. When the caterpillars of these moths move about, they move very rapidly as if in fast-forward mode. If you see any Redbud leaves folded in the manner depicted, take a look inside. How do these tiny caterpillars fold the leaves? On one Redbud Tree (on the back side of the Loop between Explore the Wild and Catch the Wind), there were many Red-humped Caterpillars (see Explore the Wild Journal, July 16-31 ). Unlike the Redbud Leaffolder above, these moths seem to be a bit less particular in their choice of host plant. There’s a long list of woody plants on which you can expect to see Red-humped Caterpillars munching. One of the staff at the Museum told me that he had seen a Cow Killer. A few days later I saw one myself. July and August seems to be the time to see Cow Killers. These large wasps, also called Red Velvet Ants due to their hairy, velvety appearance, are flightless – that is, the females are flightless. And, it’s the females that sting. I hear it’s a painful sting (I’ve yet to tease one sufficiently to test how painful the sting is). I’ve rarely seen a Cow Killer stand still long enough to have its picture taken (the one pictured is from video and is moving fast). These wasps are constantly on the move, running around the ground searching, hardly stopping. They’re looking for a ground-nesting bee’s nest in which to lay their eggs. After digging into a bee nest chamber, these wasps lay an egg on a bee larva. When the egg hatches the wasp larva eats the bee larva.
Reptiles and Amphibians In a previous Journal entry (Explore the Wild Journal, July 1-15) I mentioned having seen a Stinkpot, or Eastern Musk Turtle, in the Wetlands. I also mentioned that they’ve been known to climb trees, as high as 6 feet up. On August 3rd I saw one in a Willow about 50 feet off the Wetlands Overlook (image on left). However, this little turtle was only about 3 feet above the water’s surface. I saw a young Snapping Turtle (4-5 inches from front to back of shell) hurrying along the bottom and through the aquatic vegetation of the Wetlands as if on some urgent business. A few days later, while standing at the same vantage point on the boardwalk in front of the main Black Bear Overlook, I saw a large individual doing just the opposite. No hurry here. In two hours time it had moved perhaps ten feet! Out of sight, its presence revealed by the subtle movement of the vegetation and tiny air bubbles rising up from below. Occasionally the turtle stretched out its long neck and took a deep breath of air, its massive head poking up through the vegetation. Its nostrils alone breaking the water’s surface. There have been so many young Bullfrogs floating out in the water off of the boardwalk that it’s no wonder that the Museum’s rather healthy population of Northern Water Snakes has been particularly active lately. I’ve received many reports from Museum staff and guests of snakes stalking the frogs. I’ve also witnessed it myself. They’ve put on quite a show. I even saw one chase after a small Yellow-bellied Turtle. Turtles can move rather quickly when they feel the need! Following the morning showers of August 10, Green Treefrogs of all sizes seemed to be everywhere in the vegetation along the north side of the Wetlands. Many Museum guests got to see the frogs, even a few “brown” Green Treefrogs. Days before, I plucked one of these brown-colored Green Treefrogs from the Sailboat Pond after a Museum guest spied it swimming on the bottom of the pond. I’d only seen brown individuals once before, on the coastal plain along the Neuse River, but never at the Museum. In the past two weeks I’ve seen three.
Birds A Wood Duck flew into the Wetlands at dusk during the Museum's Black Light Insect Hunt (see below). Yellow-billed Cuckoos spend much of their time lurking about high up in the trees. I most often see them when they’re flying from one tree to another, and it appears that they’re always in a hurry to get to the other tree. They search for caterpillars on tree branches or on leaves, slowly and methodically hopping along from tree limb to tree limb. They’re usually fairly well hidden among the foliage and can be easily overlooked. I hadn’t seen or heard one on the Explore the Wild/Catch the Wind Loop until the first week in August. Traditionally, I hear them when the summer heat arrives. That arrived long ago. Perhaps there weren’t many caterpillars around until recently?
Black Light Insect Hunt It was still light as I arrived at the Museum of Life and Science’s Third Annual Black Light Insect Hunt. Many Chimney Swifts along with a few bats were flying low over the Wetlands, hawking insects. As the light faded, more and more bats joined the swirling mass. Soon, the swifts disappeared leaving the night skies to the bats, and to the insects of the night. Mercury vapor and black lights were set up in front of white sheets in hopes of attracting night-flying insects. The lights were placed at the midway landing on the boardwalk leading down into the Wetlands and at the Wetlands Overlook. Hundreds of caddisflies, moths, including Sphinx and Underwing Moths, several beetle species, an owlfly, lacewing, and even a mantisfly were seen. The frogs in the Wetlands were in rare form that night as they loudly called out from the water and the willows. Two large Bullfrogs grappled with each other, rolling and tumbling in the water. At one point it seemed that every kid had a treefrog in their hands. Frogs were hopping along on the boardwalk, clinging to the Wetlands Overlook exhibits.... I certainly had fun, and I saw only smiles on the faces of all who were there!
Thanks to the Museum Staff and Guests who have pointed out their sightings to me or who have shared their 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
|
Back to current Greg Dodge Journal entry
