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Buzzing Bushes
Native to the eastern and central United States and Canada, Gray Dogwood (Cornus racemosa) is in bloom right now. As I approach the tall bushes I can hear them as I get near. A very loud buzzing. The creamy white flowers have all sorts of insects collecting pollen. A few days ago I mentioned these…
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Mom Wolf Spiders
A female Wolf Spider (Lycosidae) and a very dedicated mom. The female Wolf Spider wraps her (one hundred or so) eggs in a silk sac which provides sustenance and protection. The sac is attached to her abdomen and as she goes about her daily life, she lifts up her abdomen as well as the egg…
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Next To The Wild Blueberries
Deerberry (Vaccinium stamineum), growing way up the mountain, next to a Lowbush Blueberry. Both bushes were about the same height, maybe 2 feet tall. The Lowbush Blueberry typically doesn’t grow any taller than 3 feet but I’m surprised to read that Deerberry bushes sometimes can grow to 15 feet tall. I’m going to have to…
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Ornaments On A Yucca
I’ve been paying close attention to my Yuccas the past week or so, since they have sent up spears, looking like asparagus spears. These Yucca spears are actually spikes with buds. I’ve got two plants, one is Yucca gloriosa which has just started blooming. The other, this one, is Yucca filamentosa, which will begin blooming…
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A Skipper
This winged creature is a Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus), which can be found in North and South America, from Canada to Argentina. It has even become an invasive species in Hawaii presenting a problem because this Skippers’ larval host plants are various species of grasses and often turfgrass. Certainly not a problem here in the…
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Tiny Flowers For A Dollhouse
These tiny flowers are Fleabane (Erigeron). They are in the composite family, like Sunflowers, Daisies, and Asters. Flowers in the composite family all have center disk florets, and the edge or petals, which are the ray florets. Florets are actually individual flowers. Most often snow white petals with a yellow center, though sometimes the petals…
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An Oak Leaf
A leaf on the lane bring’s back memories of the house in North Arlington that we lived in and loved for 32 years. There were eight large oak trees in the yard and one of them was a Post Oak (Quercus Stellata). A tree with a unique leaf. One that with a bit of imagination,…
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Pink Roses
Don’t be fooled. Just because a rose you find in the woods is pink does not mean it is a native rose. Though a bit unusual this picture above is of a Multiflora Rose (Rosa multiflora). Multiflora Roses normally are white but on occasion a huge bush of this rose will decide to be independent…