Will any flowers start to bloom in December? Yes! You might have seen some Japanese mazus (Mazus pumilus) in the grass. I have a lot in my back yard. Although Japanese mazus in seen for most of the year, the experts say that it begins to bloom in December. Of course, there are a few… Continue reading What Flowers Will Bloom in December?
Blogs
Turkey Tail Mushroom
In honor Thanksgiving, enjoy this image of turkey tail mushroom (Trametes versicolor). You can find this mushroom growing right now on decaying logs. I saw this log on the Hatcher Creek Greenway earlier this week. Happy Thanksgiving!
Rough Green Snake
Look carefully. Can you see it? A rough green snake (Opheodrys aestivus) is hiding in the bush. Rough green snakes are friendly snakes. They are active during the day, usually climbing on trees. They typically eat insects and do not harm humans. Rough green snakes can be difficult to find. Their thin, green bodies match… Continue reading Rough Green Snake
Picture of the Day- November 19, 2024
A busy squirrel on the Hatcher Creek Greenway.
Field Report- November 14, 2024
What’s happening out on the trails right now? We’re still enjoying the colors of autumn. It seems like this year, the trees are changing a little bit at a time. Last year, everything seemed to change color all at once. So, while we’re not seeing magnificent splashes of color this year, we can at least… Continue reading Field Report- November 14, 2024
Handsome Meadow Katydid
Katydids are pretty common in North Carolina, but have you ever seen a Handsome Meadow Katydid (Orchelimum pulchellum)? We found this katydid on a fence over a creek. We noticed the rainbow of colors on her body and wondered if katydids changed color as the cold weather approaches, or if this was a different type… Continue reading Handsome Meadow Katydid
Quiet Nature- November 10, 2024
Enjoy some quiet nature today with this curving vine.
Autumn Beauty
I hope you’ve had a chance to get outside and enjoy the beautiful colors of autumn!
Consumption Weed
I’ve had a couple of people ask me this week about the tall bushes with white feathers that seem to be everywhere right now. These bushes are consumption weed (Baccharis halimifolia). It goes by many other names including groundsel tree, silverling and sea myrtle. The feather-like flowers are the female flowers (shown above). The male… Continue reading Consumption Weed
Happy Halloween!
Here’s a scary sight for your Halloween. A Florida predatory stink bug (Euthyrhynchus floridanus) feeding on a European hornet (Vespa crabro). The stink bug harpoons its prey with its beak. The prey is immobilized as the stink bug injects it with digestive enzymes. The stink bug then sucks up the digested insides of its helpless… Continue reading Happy Halloween!