The fields are full of beautiful white, daisy-like flowers right now. You might think they are all the same, but look carefully! There are two different flowers out there: ox-eye daisies (Leucanthemum vulgare) and chamomile (Anthemis). Both flowers are daisy-shaped. They both have many white petals and a bright yellow center. They both grow in… Continue reading Daisy or Chamomile?
Blogs
What’s That? May 14, 2024
What’s that? What is making those piles of tunnels in the dirt hills along the trails? Miner bees! Miner bees look like bumble bees. They are fuzzy and yellow on the top half of their back, and black on the bottom half. Miner bees are ground nesting bees. Each one of those tunnels is a… Continue reading What’s That? May 14, 2024
Field Report- May 8, 2024
Have you been distracted by the cicadas? Don’t forget to look at the plants! In the last week the new blooms I have seen are: narrow-leaf evening primrose, Carolina rose, Carolina horse-nettle, Queen Anne’s lace, musk thistle, winter vetch, lanceleaf coreopsis, daisy fleabane, southern magnolia, delphinium, yellow flag iris, slender blue iris, creeping lespedeza, hemp… Continue reading Field Report- May 8, 2024
What’s That? May 6, 2024
What’s that? It looks like someone sprayed the blackberry plants with bright orange spray paint. Unfortunately, it isn’t paint. This is a fungal infection known as orange rust. It is two fungal species, Arthuriomyces peckianus and Gymnoconia nitens. Orange rust fungus infects the entire plant: the roots, crown and shoots. This fungus doesn’t usually kill… Continue reading What’s That? May 6, 2024
Cicada Brood XIX Molting
I went for a walk around 9am today. I headed for the Shiloh greenway and was welcomed by the sound of the periodical cicadas! I posted about my first sighting earlier this week. I headed for the older trees to look for cicadas. I found a bunch of discarded shells on the trees, leaves and… Continue reading Cicada Brood XIX Molting
Cicada Brood XIX is Happening Now
The periodical cicadas are here! Brood XIX is scheduled to emerge from the ground this summer. This brood has a 13 year life cycle (other broods have a 17 year life cycle). Above ground, they live for 3 to 4 weeks, just long enough to find a mate and lay their eggs. When the eggs… Continue reading Cicada Brood XIX is Happening Now
Field Report- April 27, 2024
There are so many changes happening out there! This week, I made sure to touch all four trails to take note of all the new spring growth. The blackberries are in full bloom everywhere. Look carefully, though, and you might notice another showy white flower: the multiflora rose. You’ll notice the smell of the roses… Continue reading Field Report- April 27, 2024
What Flowers Will Bloom in May?
The month of May is the busiest month of the year for newly blooming flowers. You can easily see a new type of flower every day, so keep a watchful eye out for them! These are the top five new flowers that I saw in May last year. Don’t forget to check the May flower… Continue reading What Flowers Will Bloom in May?
Identifying Blue Eyed Grass
One of my favorite springtime flowers is blue eyed grass. The leaves of this plant look like grass, and it’s called a grass, but it isn’t grass. Blue eyed grass is actually a member of the Iris family. For the untrained eye, there are two different kinds of blue eyed grass. The first is annual… Continue reading Identifying Blue Eyed Grass
A Springtime Walk in Carpenter Park
I took a walk around Carpenter Park in Cary this week. It didn’t seem like much was happening. There were a few turtles and a duck in the pond. There were a some eastern redbuds blooming at the front of the park, and some large white hydrangeas in full bloom in the back corner. Otherwise,… Continue reading A Springtime Walk in Carpenter Park