Common Whitetail (female) on Black-eyed Susan

This dragonfly species, common whitetail (Plathemis lydia), is probably the most often encountered of all the 188 species of dragonflies and damselflies in the entire state. It’s found at or near just about any slow or still body of water in the state and often far from the lake, pond, or puddle of origin. The picture above was taken in Wander Away in Catch the Wind here at the museum. The dragonfly, as the title of this post states, isRead more

In Disguise

Top Photo: Camouflage looper on right side of seed head. It’s time to start looking for camouflaged loopers. If you’re not familair with camouflaged loopers, they’re the small larvae of the small green moths in the family of moths known as Geometridae, geometrids or geometer moths. The adult moth of the camouflaged looper is called a wavy-lined emerald (Picture Here). These caterpillars (about 1/2” – 5/8”) are well known for covering themselves with the plant they feed on. The caterpillarRead more

Tres Orugas Camufladas (Three Camouflaged Caterpillars)

Caterpillars are consumed by everything from wasps, birds, and even people. It’s in their best interest to conceal themselves from potential predators. Three caterpillars that do their best at making themselves invisible are acitve now. All are moth larvae. If you know their language, where and when to look for them, they can be spotted fairly easily. The first, the Common Pug (Eupithecia miserulata) can be found on herbaceous flowers growing along the pathways in Catch the Wind. We’ve seen theRead more

Early June Color

Rudbeckia, or Black-eyed Susan, with its showy multi-rayed yellow-orange flowers, is currently the most abundant flower in Catch the Wind. Mixed in with the Rudbeckia, look for the flowers of Butterfly Weed (Asclepia tuberosa), a favorite of many butterflies and other insects. Elsewhere around the Explore the Wild/Catch the Wind loop Daisy Fleabane, Queen Anne’s Lace, Showy Tick-trefoil, and down in the Wetlands, Swamp Rose (Rosa palustris) are blooming. I spotted one small patch of Bergamot in bloom near theRead more