Have you ever seen a Junebug, or green June beetle (Cotinis nitida)? These one inch long metallic green bugs are hard to miss! Junebugs mature in June and July and are attracted to overripe fruit. They do not bite people. I have only ever seen one Junebug at a time, but I have heard others… Continue reading Green June Beetles
Blogs
Field Report- July 29, 2024
In my last field report I was commenting on how dry and hot it had been. Now, we’re looking at the wettest July ever recorded! So what’s blooming on the trails now? I made sure to walk on each greenway over the last two weeks to get a full report. The large, yellow, daisy-like summer… Continue reading Field Report- July 29, 2024
What Flowers Will Bloom in August?
There are still lots of new blooms to see in August! Look for the many types of asters and goldenrods. Elephant’s foot, agalinis, and southern crownbeard will also start to bloom. My favorite flower this month is midwestern tickseed-sunflower. You will see large clumps of it blooming on every trail! Don’t forget to check the… Continue reading What Flowers Will Bloom in August?
Clearwing Moths
Have you ever seen any clearwing moths? There are two very common clearwing moths in North Carolina: the hummingbird clearwing (Hemaris thysbe) and the snowberry clearwing (Hemaris diffinis). I was fooled the first time I saw each of these moths. The hummingbird clearwing looks like a small hummingbird. From the back, it is green on… Continue reading Clearwing Moths
A Guide to Yellow Summer Flowers
Have you seen any large, yellow, daisy-like flowers along the trails this month? If you look carefully, you might notice that there are several different plants in bloom right now. It’s hard to keep track of all of them, so I’ve put together this list of their key characteristics. I hope you find it helpful!… Continue reading A Guide to Yellow Summer Flowers
Morning Light
I’ve been working on capturing the early morning light with my camera. Technically, it is not an easy thing to do. This was taken about 30 minutes after sunrise, as the sunlight started to filter through the trees. The golden light was absolutely beautiful. To take a picture like this, you have to find the… Continue reading Morning Light
Field Report- July 11, 2024
It has been so hot lately! Some days I look at the plants along the trails and just want to give them some water. Many plants are struggling right now. Some plants love the heat, though. In the last few weeks the new plants I have seen are goldenrod, creeping water primrose, alternate-leaved seedbox, Drummond’s… Continue reading Field Report- July 11, 2024
What’s That? July 8, 2024
Is that snow? We’re in the middle of a heat wave in July, it can’t be snow! What is that? That is woolly pine scale. It’s a bug that produces a white, waxy mass on pine trees. The bug sucks the sap and nutrients out of the tree. Can you see the tiny bug under… Continue reading What’s That? July 8, 2024
July Fourth
In honor of the 4th of July holiday, enjoy this image of a firecracker plant. Happy Independence Day!
A Trip to the Coast
Everywhere we go, we can’t help but be curious about the nature that surrounds us. We recently spent a few days at the beach here in North Carolina. While the star of the show was the Atlantic Ocean, we did take note of the plants and animals that crossed our path. Sea oats are a… Continue reading A Trip to the Coast