Have you ever seen a passion flower (Passiflora incarnata)? I’ve seen them planted in gardens over the years, but for the first time this week, I saw one growing in the wild! Take a walk down the Crabtree Creek Greenway if you’d like to check them out.
Blogs
Field Report- August 16, 2024
What’s been happening on the trails during the first half of August? You might have noticed that the trails have been maintained recently. What I mean is, the lawn mowers have come through and cut a few feet on either side of the trail. I get a little discouraged when I finally see flowers starting… Continue reading Field Report- August 16, 2024
A Closer Look at Ragweed
As I am patiently waiting for summer’s grand finale of asters, goldenrods and tickseed-sunflowers, I can’t help but notice the large patches of ragweed growing alongside them. Yes, ragweed season is almost here. Have you ever looked at ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia)? Many people think the showy yellow flowers filling the roadsides in the late summer… Continue reading A Closer Look at Ragweed
Cranefly Orchids
Ever since I saw these leaves with purple bottoms years ago, I have been on the hunt to see cranefly orchid flowers in person! You’ll see their leaves in the woods in the winter or early spring. They are eye catching when they are upside down, displaying their purple color. But by the time summer… Continue reading Cranefly Orchids
Mushrooms
With all the rain we’ve had recently, it’s a great time to observe mushrooms! I saw this large mushroom on a hillside in the woods this weekend. Did you know that mushrooms are the fruit of the fungus growing under ground? Have you seen any interesting mushrooms lately?
Green June Beetles
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
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