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Bobcat
Certainly something that I would not have expected to find anywhere around my cabin. Something that doesn’t make itself known very often at all. But on rare occasions I get the thrill of my life, when a Bobcat (Lynx rufus) makes an appearance. These creatures are secretive in nature, solitary, territorial, and nocturnal, most often…
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Confusing Bumblebee
Confusing Bumblebee (Bombus perplexus). Native across Canada and south into the eastern portion of the United States. This critter surprised me when I saw it. I’m not used to seeing bumblebees are are almost entirely yellow. What a thrill to see. The flower though is not such a thrill. It’s Spotted Knapweed (Centaurea maculosa), which…
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Io Moth Caterpillar Stings!
Io Moth Caterpillar (Automeris io), a beautiful creature that feeds on an extensive collection of plants including corn, roses, sassafras, willow, linden, elm, oak, locust, redbud, apple, beech, ash, currant, and clover. Quite the wide variety. The young caterpillar is orange. As it grows it changes color, and as a mature caterpillar it is bright…
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Dark-spotted Palthis
Looking much like the Northrop B-2 Spirit, Stealth Bomber. But don’t get confused, it’s a moth. A Dark-spotted Palthis (Palthis angulalis). The caterpillar of this Palthis eats leaves (living or dead) of shrubs and trees, including Alder, Ash, Basswood, Birch, Pine, Spruce, Willow; and of forbs including Aster and Goldenrod. I love that they eat…
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In the Blink of an Eye
In just a month or two, just the blink of an eye, Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) will be emerging. Working their way up through the leaf litter of the woods. Not so long from now. A member of the Poppy Family. Native to the eastern half of the United States and southern Canada. Look but don’t…
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Malay Lacewing
An exquisite butterfly whose brilliant colors warn any predators of its toxicity. Malay Lacewing (Cethosia hypsea). It’s native from Burma to Indonesia and the Philippines. And if you’d rather not travel that far to see it, it can be occasionally found at Brookside Gardens, Silver Spring, Maryland, in their butterfly house.
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Rain in February
Rain yesterday. Rain today. Rain in February, 1.25 inches. Much needed. It should have been snow, but the temperatures were much too warm for February. But the trees, the plants, each and every one happy. And in the rain, one of my favorite things in my world of nature, here on my mountain. American Chestnut…
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More Oriental Bittersweet
More and more Oriental Bittersweet vines (Celastrus orbiculatus) seem to be magically appearing in my woods. It’s not literally magic though. The female vines produce berries which birds and other berry eating animals dine on and then distribute the seeds far and wide. And that is where the little seedlings appear. Far and wide, even…
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Oriental Bittersweet
I’m sad to say, an exotic invasive, Oriental Bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus), is spreading rapidly throughout my woods. This is what the vine looks like right now in the middle of winter. Red berries encased in bright yellow capsules, that get eaten by birds and other animals and then distributed by the critters, often long distances…
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Lavender and Cabbage Whites
Skipping months ahead, June, and Lavender will be blooming. Ah that scent! I love it. Most people enjoy it too but many insects, including fleas, ticks, flies, and moths are repelled by the scent. As you can see, apparently not Cabbage White butterflies (Pieris rapae). Along with other butterflies, bees are attracted to Lavender, who…