Up until May 27th of this year I had seen 39 species of odes (odonata – dragonflies and damselflies) here at the Museum. There are now 40 species on the list. Common sanddragons (Progomphus obscurus) are not rare. In fact, as the name implies, they are quite common, although they’re probably more common on the coastal plain than here on the piedmont. These dragons prefer sandy bottomed streams and rivers. Sandy bottomed streams are more prevelant east and south ofRead more
Posts filed in: Summer
Fall Happenings
My calendar reads fall. Most of the growth that trees will be doing this year has been done, caterpillars are becoming more noticeable, and orb weaver spider webs are beginning to appear in the morning mist. There’s no turning back now, the season is changing. What have I been seeing on my walks around the outdoor exhibits? Continue reading and you shall see. One morning as I ventured into Explore the Wild, Animal Keeper Katie pointed out to me a largeRead more
Visiting Sumac
Dwarf sumac was in bloom this past week along the north side of the Wetlands. There were many insects visiting the tiny greenish flowers. Here, in the photos below, are a handful of those visitors. Carpenter bees drill holes in trees, or the wood facia or siding of your house, creating separate chambers within the tunnels, and stocking each chamber with pollen and nectar. They lay an egg in each chamber and seal it off. The young thatRead more
The Struggle for Survival
My pace was quick for a hot August morning, but the scene before me stopped me in my tracks as I rounded the curve in the path in front of the Sailboat Pond in Catch the Wind. It was a clash of two mighty predators, a classic battle for survival, which has played out over and over again since the beginning of time, or at least since animals have roamed the earth. In front of me were a female northern cardinal and aRead more
Emeralds, Tigers, Titans, and Nymphs
Top Photo: Male eastern tiger swallowtail. The flowers in the photo are black-eyed Susan. But, notice where the arrow points. It’s pointing at what appears to be debris on the disc of one of the flowers. The debris is actually a caterpillar, a camouflaged looper, the larva of a small moth. Still doesn’t look like a caterpillar? These small caterpillars attach flower and plant parts to themselves in order to disappear into the flower. In truth, I’m notRead more
Orchids, Trumpets, Passion Fruit, Sawflies, and Oakworms
Thanks to Richard Stickney (Butterfly House Conservatory) I was able to get a look at, and a few photos of, an orchid growing here at the Museum. Richard spotted the leaves of the orchid last winter and had been waiting for the flowers to appear. It’s now in bloom. The orchid is a crane-fly orchid (Tipularia discolor). These orchids show leaves on the forest floor in fall and winter. The leaves disappear as the flowers emerge the following summer. It’s not aRead more
Things To Look For
If you’ve been out strolling the outdoor areas of the Museum you may or may not have noticed some of the many creatures we have living here alongside our exhibits. Here’s some suggestions as to what to look for. If you’re down by the Wetlands in Explore the Wild or up near the Bungee in Catch the Wind you could possibly hear what may sound like the bleating of a lamb. Rather than a lamb, it’s probably a small amphibian that you’reRead more
Bluebird Update 7.21.15
This morning’s (7/21) check of our six bluebird nest boxes indicated that the season is at an end. There will be no further nesting this season. The three nest boxes that had nesting material within have not been added to or manipulated in any manner. A paper wasp lives in the nest box at the Sailboat Pond and an orb weaver (spider) resides at the Picnic Dome nest box. The Cow Pasture nest box produced fourRead more
Gulf Fritillary
The butterfly above is a gulf fritillary (Agraulis vanillae). It was in the garden along the ramp leading down to the Butterfly House here at the Museum (7/18/15). Is this a big deal? It wouldn’t be a big deal on the southern coast or mountains, but here on the north-central Piedmont a sighting of a gulf fritillary tends to raise eyebrows. It perks me up no matter where I see one, it’s a beautiful butterfly. This long-winged butterfly is tropicalRead more