Top Photo: Tiny monarch caterpillar (1st instar) feeds on milkweed. At hatching, monarch butterfly larvae are small, about 2 – 5 mm small. They molt four times during their caterpillar phase (five instars) growing larger each time. The larva in this post, since being photographed, has disappeared. If it made it through the caterpillar stage it would be a chrysalis or perhaps an adult butterfly by now. I looked over the milkweed the original adult oviposited on, and the caterpillarRead more
Posts filed in: Fall
Ode, Lep, Vespid, and Herp
Top Photo: Blue dasher obelisking. ODE Certain dragonfly species, when perched in bright sunshine, may raise their abdomens upward to varying degrees to align with the sun. They do this, according to researchers, to minimize the surface area which is exposed to direct sunlight, thereby avoiding overheating. The behavior is called obelisking. An obelisk is a square or rectangular structure, usually stone, tapered to a point (picture the Washington Monument). Researchers thought the dragonfly’s abdomen resembled an obelisk when describingRead more
Fall Butterflies Plus
Top Photo: Painted lady butterfly nectaring on Joe-pye weed. It will be in the 90s all week. Regardless of the high temps we have just moved into meteorological fall. Let’s have a look at a handful of butterflies that are out there braving the heat. Painted lady butterflies are cosmopolitan. Here in North America they’re migratory spending the winter months in the southwest and moving north in the spring and summer in varying numbers each year. Sometimes the numbers areRead more
Turning the Corner
Top Photo: Monarch larva. Fall is creeping up on us. And though it’s forecast to be in the 90s all week I can feel, and see, the season turning. Here’s what’s going on in our neighborhood. Amanita mushroom (Amanita jacksonii) is a common mushroom of the Piedmont. The one pictured was along the path in Explore the Wild. They’re edible, but I’m not recommending eating them. It looks as though something has eaten part of the mushroom. Buttonbush is wellRead more
Great Blue Heron
Top Photo: Great blue heron relaxes alongside Floating Walkway in wetlands. Over time, I’ve seen six different species of heron in our 3 acre wetland at the Museum of Life and Science. They include great blue heron, great egret, little blue heron, green heron, black-crowned night heron, and yellow-crowned night heron. By far, the most often observed species is the great blue heron (GBH). GBHs are year round residents, they nest locally and they’re used to sharing their habitat withRead more
Berries in Winter
Top Photo: American robin forages for worms and grubs. Many birds rely on insects and other invertebrates for food especially in the nesting season when protein is a priority. But what do they eat in the cooler months when insects are less active and not readily available? Though many insects are still preyed upon in winter, mostly as eggs or grubs, some birds often rely on various fruits for nourishment during the slow winter period. Fruits like beauty berry, hollyRead more
Finally!
Top Photo: A pair of hooded mergansers in the museum’s wetlands. Finally, a pair of hooded mergansers dropped into the wetlands. This is the latest arrival date in my time here at the museum (I spotted the pair on Tuesday, December 2, but they may have been here Sunday [11/30] or Monday [12/1] and not reported. I was present neither day). I traditionally get a peek at them by mid-November. I’m anxious to see how long they stick around. RangerRead more
Meadowhawks, Mistletoe and a Hawk (bird)
Top Photo: Autumn meadowhawk (male). Autumn meadowhawks, formally known as yellow-legged meadowhawks, are late season dragonflies. I’ve seen them here at the museum as late as December and certainly in October and November. The former name of yellow-legged meadowhawk was changed to autumn meadowhawk about 20 years ago to indicate the species behavior or seasonality rather than the color to its legs, which are not particularly yellow. Other look-a-like meadowhawks in the genus Sympetrum have black legs. The meadowhawk shownRead more
Welcome Jacques and Carolina
Top Photo: Red wolves Jacques (left) and Carolina. We have two new red wolves residing at the museum as of Wednesday (11/19/25). While they familiarize themselves with their new surroundings please give them the benefit of low volume conversation while at the Red Wolf Overlook. Now, down to business. Who’s who. Our new 6 year old female Carolina looks to be slightly larger than our male, maybe a bit taller as well as heavier built. She has a “neat” coiffedRead more