It has been widely reported over the last week or so that Eastern Tiger Swallowtails are being seen in large numbers throughout our area (the Carolinas). Listservs such as Carolina Leps have had posts which speak of “an explosion of Tiger Swallowtails” and subject lines like “Tigers!” and “Day of the Tiger.” It’s no different here at the Museum. Tiger swallowtails are back! Tiger swallowtail numbers peak in April/May and again in late July/August here in the Piedmont, although they canRead more
Posts tagged: #Monarch
A Common Thread
Each fall it seems that spiders appear from nowhere, crawling along the ground, stretching out their sticky webs across our favorite hiking trails, and even entering our living spaces. The truth is, they’re with us the entire summer, we simply may not notice them because they, along with their webs (if they construct them), are much smaller and less obvious than in fall. Above and below you will see some of those spiders, all of which were found along theRead more
The Wheel, a Hopper, a Borer, and a Carpet Beetle
Dragonfly and damselfly species are picking up. Seen this period were (dates next to names indicate day in which that species was first observed this season) Fragile Forktail, Citrine Forktail (4/18), Orange Bluet (4/27), Skimming Bluet (4/28), Common Green Darner, Swamp Darner, Common Baskettail, Eastern Pondhawk (4/25), Blue Corporal (4/25), Blue Dasher (4/27), Common Whitetail, and Black Saddlebags (4/27). The Skimming Bluets in the image at left are configured in what is referred to as the “copulation wheel.” This configurationRead more
Citrine Forktail and a Crowned Slug
Much to my surprise, and delight, there was a Citrine Forktail (several in fact) in the Wetlands on the first day of the month. The temperatures made it up into the mid 70s and the winds were calm, which is helpful for spotting these dainty little damselflies. Although the males have bright yellow markings on their abdomens (the thorax is mostly light green), they can disappear easily among the vegetation along the shore. I also saw a few of whatRead more
Autumn Meadowhawk
Right on cue, Autumn Meadowhawks have appeared on the scene (see Autumn Meadowhawks, Explore the Wild Journal, September 16-30, 2008). The first one that caught my eye was on October 19 following the rains brought in by a passing cold front. These rather small dragonflies have a red abdomen and yellowish or straw-colored legs (they were formerly known as Yellow-legged Meadowhawks). Although I’ve seen them in May, they’re typically late-season fliers. The best place to look for Autumn Meadowhawks onRead more
Locust Borer and Late Butterflies
Although mentioned in the last installment of the Explore the Wild Journal, a picture of a Two-lined Spittlebug was not displayed. More spittlebugs have been showing up and I was able to get a nice shot of one (image at right). There was a Locust Borer on the Goldenrod alongside the Wetlands (photo at left). Although I’ve seen Locust Borers on other flowers, Goldenrod is a good place to look for them. They blend in very well with the flowersRead more
Late September Insects
Despite a general decrease in dragonfly activity, several dragonflies are still being seen in small numbers including Common Green Darner, Black Saddlebags and Wandering Glider. All three of these dragonfly species are known to move with the seasons. With the winds out of the north, mostly northeast for a good part of the period, I’m inclined to think that the individuals that are being seen are indeed migrants. Not on the move but still fairly common are Blue Dashers. SoRead more
Some Most Unusual Beetles and other Goodies
While watching a small Northern Water Snake stalk frogs from the Wetlands Overlook, I happened to see something wiggling amongst the dense plants in the water. A quick look through my binoculars revealed two large Predaceous Diving Beetle larvae locked in mortal combat, one had a death grip on the other. These larvae were quite large. Depending upon the species, Predacious Diving Beetle larvae, or Water Tigers as they’re sometimes called, can get to 70 mm (2.75”). They have largeRead more
Dragonflies, Two Orange Butterflies, and a Hummingbird Moth
Top Photo: Slaty skimmer (male). Three new Dragonfly species showed up during the past few weeks, bringing the total number of Dragonfly and Damselfly species seen so far this spring to fifteen. Comet Darners, Slaty Skimmers, and Black Saddlebags were spotted over the Wetlands. Comet Darners and Black Saddlebags also made appearances at the Sailboat Pond. Monarch and Viceroy Butterflies were both seen during the period. Viceroys are mimics of the Monarch, although they are a bit smaller than theRead more