Top Photo: Increasing in number on the piedmont, green anoles are expanding their range.

When I first started work here at the museum some 14 years ago, it was unheard of to see a green anole in the outdoor areas of the museum. It’s now a common sight. Even on warm, sunny, winter days you may run into one of these, largely arboreal lizards.

So far this spring I’ve seen question mark, comma, mourning cloak, falcate orangetip, eastern tiger swallowtail, cloudless sulphur, Juvenal’s duskywing, American snout and gray hairstreak. There are more butterflies to come. It’s only a matter of time.

Dogwood, redbud, paw paw, and red buckeye are all in bloom.

Eastern tent caterpillars are well on their way to defoliating select cherry trees here at the museum.

I saw a pair of wood ducks checking out the wetlands on Thursday (3/31). Perhaps they were eyeing the new wood duck nest box in the wetland’s pond.

Also checking out the nest box were a pair of tree swallows. They actually nested in a wood duck box installed in our wetlands last year. That nest box has been replaced by a new structure (above).

I mentioned in an earlier post that aquatic turtles are emerging from nests laid out last summer. I missed the digging out by the turtles, but the evidence presented here shows the occupants of a nest in Earth Moves emerged yesterday evening or very early this morning. The heavy, warm rains of yesterday afternoon no doubt prompting the action.

And finally, Ellerbe and Eno, our sibling four year old red wolves often present themselves for photography, come by and check them out.

Take a walk, it’s good for you!