Have you ever noticed the large ant mounds that always seem to appear after the rain? The ants are busy rebuilding and relocating their nests. We saw at least 8 large ant hills on our walk today, all of them swarming with activity. This ant hill didn’t appear to have much going on. But look… Continue reading Ants
Category: Animals
Backyard Visitor
It’s always a special treat when the deer come to visit. This one actually came out of the woods and very close to the house before retreating back to the cover of the trees.
Bald Eagle Sighting
We had quite a surprise yesterday at Umstead State Park. A bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) was gathering some brush for its nest as we walked by Reedy Creek Lake. We noticed it when it took off from across the lake. Luckily, it landed on a tree for a brief moment. It was just long enough… Continue reading Bald Eagle Sighting
Banded Woollybear Weather Folklore
I saw a banded woollybear caterpillar (Pyrrharctia isabella) this week. Have you heard the folklore about their ability to predict the coming winter’s weather? Some people say that the wider the rusty band, the milder the winter will be. There’s a Woolly Worm Festival in Banner Elk, NC every October. They have a caterpillar race,… Continue reading Banded Woollybear Weather Folklore
Beaver Dam at Bond Park
Have you seen the beaver dam at Bond Park? This is a stream at the south end of Bond Lake, where the Lake Trail and Oxxford Hunt Greenway intersect. It’s amazing what a couple of beavers can do!
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
Black and Yellow Garden Spider
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
Black Swallowtails
Black swallowtails (Papilio polyxenes) can easily be misidentified if you’re not paying close attention. Black swallowtail caterpillars can be mistaken for monarch caterpillars (Danaus plexippus). They have very similar coloring. The key difference is that black swallowtail caterpillars have yellow spots, while monarch caterpillars only have stripes. Monarch caterpillars feed exclusively on milkweed plants. Black… Continue reading Black Swallowtails
Blue Grosbeak
I saw a different bird in the neighborhood this week. This is a male blue grosbeak (Passerina caerulea). He seemed to be enjoying the scrubby brush filled with blackberries. I learned that they typically build their nest in vines or briars, shrubs or small trees. So, there could be a nest somewhere close by. I’ll… Continue reading Blue Grosbeak
Box Turtles
Have you seen any box turtles (Terrapene carolina) this summer? I’ve seen three box turtles just in the last week, so I decided it would be a good time to learn a little bit more about them. Box turtles move very slowly. Their territory is usually under two acres and they have a very strong… Continue reading Box Turtles