Fall is a great time to observe spiders. This is a black and yellow garden spider (Argiope aurantia). The female spider, shown above, can be over an inch long! Notice the zigzag pattern inside the web. This is called the stabilimentum. It is unclear what its function is, but it might be a warning to… Continue reading Black and Yellow Garden Spider
Blogs
Quiet Nature- October 8, 2024
Golden asters and blazing stars on the Shiloh Greenway.
What’s That? October 5, 2024
Have you seen these tiny white fingers coming up out of the ground? What is that? This is a mushroom commonly called fairy fingers or white worm coral fungus (Clavaria fragilis). I’ve seen it in the woods on the Shiloh and Indian Creek Greenways. It is very small: no more than an inch tall and… Continue reading What’s That? October 5, 2024
Biting Insects
Have you ever been bitten by a horsefly? Wow, that hurts! When I’m outside, I expect ticks to jump on me and mosquitos to bite me. Otherwise, bugs tend to leave you alone if you leave them alone. Right? I guess not. I walked out my front door and felt something like a razor hit… Continue reading Biting Insects
Field Report- September 30, 2024
What has been happening on the trails in September? We’ve had over 12 inches of rain this month, and a lot of interesting things have been happening. As expected, the midwestern tickseed-sunflowers put on quite a show during the first half of the month. The common partridge pea was also at peak bloom at the… Continue reading Field Report- September 30, 2024
What Flowers Will Bloom in October?
Fall has arrived and we have reached the end of growing season. Will any new flowers bloom in October? I don’t have any flowers on my list. I checked a couple of reference books, and they don’t list any flowers that start to bloom in October either. Is there anything to look forward to in… Continue reading What Flowers Will Bloom in October?
What’s That? September 23, 2024
We went for a walk this weekend and came across these colorful berries. They look like Easter eggs! What is that? These are the fruit of porcelain-berry (Ampelopsis glandulosa). Before it had fruit, it looked like a frost grape vine with its forked tendrils. Porcelain-berry is in the grape family, but its berries are poisonous.… Continue reading What’s That? September 23, 2024
Triangle Orchid Society’s Fall for Orchids Show
We had the great pleasure to attend the Triangle Orchid Society’s Fall for Orchids show at the JC Raulston Arboretum last weekend. We enjoyed beautiful displays of orchids, listened to informative talks from orchid experts, and even got to shop for orchids and supplies. The orchid show happens every year at the JC Raulston Arboretum.… Continue reading Triangle Orchid Society’s Fall for Orchids Show
Tickseed-Sunflowers are in Full Bloom
Have you noticed the beautiful displays of midwestern tickseed-sunflowers lately? The flowers can be found on each of the trails in Morrisville. These are some pictures from the Shiloh Greenway taken on September 15th.
Discovering Something New in the Ordinary Routine
I always get so excited when I find a new flower. I kind of expect to see new plants when I visit a new garden or a park. It’s especially exciting, though, when I see a different flower on the trail that I walk on almost every day. This week, I was lucky enough to… Continue reading Discovering Something New in the Ordinary Routine