A Prominent Caterpillar

Top Photo: Black-spotted prominent caterpillar. Ranger Becca radioed me saying she had located a couple of caterpillars munching on a plant in our Into the Mist exhibit in Catch the Wind. I went out to see if I could identify the beasts. I knew right away the caterpillars were a species of prominent, they had tail-like projections on their posterior ends. Many of the prominents have these so-called tails which are actually modified anal prolegs. If you’re having trouble remembering,Read more

A Cosmopolitan Dragonfly and other Interesting Creatures

I’ve been expecting to see a Wandering Glider for some time now. On the 23rd of July one appeared at the Sailboat Pond in Catch the Wind. As their name implies, Wandering Gliders can show up just about anywhere. These nonstop dragonflies are widespread in their distribution – cosmopolitan. They’re migratory. They lay eggs in just about any temporary body of water including ditches and rain puddles. Wandering Gliders prefer open spaces like fields, mud flats, and ponds where theyRead more