A Fortnight of Night Moths - Part II

A crazy month of weather - a tropical heatwave surrounded by two polar vortexes.  In the middle, there was a flurry of moth activity around the garage light at night.  Once again, I am amazed at the variety of moths (and other critters) that are out and about while we are inside either sitting by the woodstove or wishing for air conditioning...

Marsh Dagger Moth (Acronicta insularis)

Hitched Arches Moth (Melanchra adjuncta)

Red-fringed Emerald Moth (Nemoria bistriaria)

Virginian Tiger Moth (Spilosoma virginica)

Caspian Tern

I am sitting on the gravel beach at the Round Pond State Park - not really paying attention to anything in particular.  Suddenly a Caspian Tern (Sterna caspia) appears, soaring along the shoreline directly towards me.  It hovers for just a second and then dives into the water after a fish.  No luck.  It rises and continues on its way.

There are three terns common to Lake Champlain.  The Common Tern (Sterna hirundo), the Caspian Tern (Sterna caspia) and the Black Tern (Chlidonias niger).  Common Terns are considered "endangered".  Black Terns and Caspian Terns are considered "critically imperiled".  So, a chance to see any of the three "Vermont" Terns is a real treat.

A Minute of Nature - Red-winged Blackbirds

Click here to see A Minute of Nature - Red-winged Blackbirds.

At the margins of the cattail marshes of the Roy Marsh / Rail Trail in South Hero, VT the male Red-winged Blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) are singing and displaying.

Baltimore Oriole

The fruit trees are coming to bloom and flocks of Baltimore Orioles (Icterus galbula) are feasting on insects and taking nectar from the fragrant flowers.

While brilliant orange, Baltimore Orioles are actually members of the blackbird family - the Icteridae.  The Latin genus name, Icterus, means yellow - as many of the blackbird family, especially the Orioles, have bright orange or yellow plumage.

Orioles weave basket-like nests that hang from the upper branches of the tallest trees.  Finding one is the fall after the leaves have dropped, is a special treat.

A Minute of Nature - Chipmunks

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Leaf out is rapidly progressing at the Landon Community Trail in South Hero, VT.  Skittish Eastern Chipmunks (Tamias striatus) scurry about in the leaf litter and brush piles, stopping for an occasional snack.

Twinleaf Toothwort

I have walked this same trail hundreds of times and feel like I know the denizens of these particular woods like the back of my hand.  Yet, I can always seem to find something new!

This week, I stumbled upon a large patch of Twinleaf Toothwort (Cardamine diphylla) at a trail juncture I have passed on so many other occasions.

Finding something new in a very familiar place is what keeps me going back time and time again.  What will I see next week?  A new flower, a new butterfly or a new bug?  We will see.

A Minute of Nature - Red Trillium, White Trillium and Trout Lily

Click here to see A Minute of Nature - Red Trillium, White Trillium and Trout Lily.

In this minute of nature, we venture to the woodlands of South Hero, VT where the Red Trillium (Trillium erectum), White Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum) and Trout Lily (Erythronium americanum) are in bloom.

A Minute of Nature -- Hepatica and Bloodroot

Click here to see a Minute of Nature - Hepatica and Bloodroot.

In this minute of nature, we journey to the Landon Community Trail in South Hero, VT where the Sharp-lobed Hepatica (Hepatica acutiloba) and Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) are celebrating the arrival of spring.

Great-horned Owl and Owlet

How something so awkward and vulnerable can turn into something so majestic and intimidating is amazing to me.  The owlet was obviously oblivious to my presence.  The adult was sizing me up as a possible next meal.

This nest was home to a pair of Red-tailed Hawks last year.  Earlier in the spring, a pair of hawks arrived and was roaming the area.  Too late though, for the nest was probably already occupied by the Great-horned Owls (Bubo virginianus) and eggs were already in the nest.

A Minute of Nature -- Canada Geese

Click here to see A Minute of Nature - Canada Geese.

These are crazy times...  And while we have been sheltering in place and keeping social distances, we should remember the health benefits of being in nature.  And, if you can't get outside, studies have shown that even watching shorts clips of nature can improve one's well-being.

So, I decided to create a videos series - A Minute in Nature.  Once or twice a week, when not trying to capture still photos of nature, I will be creating short videos from a variety of natural spots in Grand Isle County.

I hope that you will find them relaxing, maybe a little distracting and hopefully a bit inspiring.

This first minute takes us to the Roy Marsh / Rail Trail in South Hero where a pair of Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) are bathing and preening in the shallow marsh waters in the late spring.

Canadian x Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Somewhere in the past, the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) and the Canadian Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio canadensis) hybridized to form the Canadian x Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio canadensis x glaucus) that is common to the areas of Southern Ontario, New York State, Vermont and Massachusetts.

This swallowtail can be seen flitting above trees, shrubs and meadows searching for nectar sources that include lilac, thistle, aster, coneflower, milkweed and other late summer / early fall flowers.

A Fortnight of Night Moths

I have been amazed by the number and variety of moths that have visited our outdoor garage light over the last few weeks.  Here are a few of the ones I was able to "capture" -- numerous others got away before I could get a photograph.  What amazing colors and patterns...

Banded Tussock Moth (Halysidota tessellaris)

Green Leuconycta Moth (Leuconycta dipheroides)

Harnessed Tiger Moth (Apantesis phalerata)

Pearly Wood Nymph Moth (Eudryas unio)

Rosy Maple Moth (Dryocampa rubicunda)

Three-spotted Fillip Moth (Heterophleps triguttaria)

Virginia Ctenuchid Moth (Ctenucha virginica)

Eastern Phoebe -- nestlings

What started off as four to five eggs that were no more than 3/4 of an inch long, has turned into a nestful of baby Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe).

The male arrived first, with his incessant calling.  The female arrived shortly thereafter.  This year, they built their nest on the beam of the porch.  (They have been building their nest under the eave of the porch roof for the last several years).

The female laid her clutch and incubated the eggs.  Together, the male and female have fed the hatchlings.

Now, they are just days away from first flight.

Dragonflies

Beaverpond Baskettail (Epitheca canis).

Stream Cruiser (Didymops transversa).

There are just over 100 species of Dragonflies in Vermont.  They are commonly seen cruising back and forth over meadows and ponds looking for prey.  They are incredibly agile fliers -- able to fly in four directions.  They are also voracious predators, taking other insects out of the air as they sweep across the landscape.

Dragonflies are under threat from loss of wetland habitat.  And, they are particularly vulnerable to "car crashes" as they fly low and fast across roads in search of food.

Taiga Bluets

Taiga Bluet (Coenagrion resolutum) male.

Taiga Bluet (Coenagrion resolutum) female.

If you stand with the sun to your back and look down into the vegetation on the opposite side of the trail, it appears as if silver needles are dancing gently in the air.  Tiny damselflies are on display.

These Taiga Bluets, as well as other damselflies, are flitting about looking for food and each other.  No more that an inch or two in length and as slender as a finishing nail, they glide between landing spots.  If careful, you can watch them nibble on their prey.

Clavate Tortoise Beetle

The Clavate Tortoise Beetle (Helocassis clavata) has been described as looking like a teddy bear living under a clear turtle shell.

This little beetle is just over a quarter inch in length.  The bright green larval stage has a special tail-like appendage (a "fecal fork") that it uses to hold a mixture of feces and molted "shells" over its body for protection.

The beetle feeds on the foliage of the nightshade family (Solanaceae) that includes tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes and peppers.  The Clavate Tortoise Beetle, however, does not appear to be a major garden pest.

Flat-backed Millipede

Vermont millipedes have two basic body plans -- "round-backed" and "flat-backed".

This is Rudiloria trimaculata (it has no common name) - a member of the flat-backed group.

The most common round-backed millipede in Vermont is the North American Millipede (see my previous post for a picture https://champlainislandsnature.blogspot.com/2016/05/north-american-millipede.html)

Millipedes are believed to be one of the oldest groups of insects -- being one of the first organisms to inhabit the land.  Today, they can be found under the leaf litter eating decaying organic matter.

They have a variety of defense mechanisms.  One of which is a hard "shell".  If you look closely at the picture, you will see that this millipede most likely had a encounter that left a few dents in the fenders and a few scratches in the paint.  It didn't seem any worse for wear.

Bellworts

There are two species of Bellwort common to our area.  They are distinguished by the relationship between the stems and the leaves.

In Large-flowered Bellwort (Uvularia grandiflora) the stem passes through or perforates the leaves.

In Sessile Bellwort (Uvularia sessilifolia) the stem is free from the leaves -- the leaves clasp the stem, but do not surround it.



Other species of flowers are also distinguished by this difference in leaf / stem structure.  Why does such an trivial difference exist?  What evolutionary force was at play?  What advantage does one arrangement provide to each of the species?

Garter Snake

In a shameless act of self-promotion, I was showing off my blog to a friend.  As we were talking about snakes, I searched the blog for Garter Snakes -- certain that I had posted something about them.  However, when I was mistaken my face probably turned as red as the belly of a red-bellied snake...

I have seen countless Garter Snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis) on my adventures over the years.  This time of the year they are emerging sluggishly from their winter dens.  In the summer, they can be found resting in warm places -- wood piles, edges of trails and / or piles of rocks.  And, I knew I had taken a picture of at least one...

So, I sorted through my files for this picture.  One of the first "nature photos" I ever took.  This was a garter snake that frequented our wood pile.  It was there most days, usually sunning itself in the late afternoon.

The wood pile is still there.  The snake has long gone.  But, this image reminds me of that red-rimmed eye that carefully watched me as I watched it.

Spring Peepers

I have been watching a Masterclass by the adventure photographer Jimmy Chin.  He relates that for one spread of 10 to 15 photographs published in National Geographic, he will take between 30,000 and 45,000 photos.  He gets to the final set of photographs by what he calls "ruthless editing".

The the past two weeks, I have probably pushed the shutter on my cameras 200 times, "ruthlesslessly edited" down to twenty-two images, and finally arrived at one photograph that I thought rose to the top.

While there is the old adage that "a photo equals a thousand words", I always feel that there is more story to tell with a photograph.  So, here is the story...

I went out looking for spring peepers.  The sun had long set.  The stars were covered by clouds.  A misty fog was rolled over the fields.  I was wading at the edge of the pool, muck and slime swirling around my boots as I moved.  I could hear one or two peepers sending out their calls.  But hidden under the mat of reeds, I was darned if I could find one.

More and more peepers joined the chorus until the din was quite deafening.  Now it was impossible to find any one particular peeper because they all blended into to one ear-splitting peep.  Then, like a slow eruption, peepers began to emerge everywhere.  You suddenly couldn't miss them.

These two seemed keen on possessing the same section of reed.  They peeped in turn, their throat sacks bulging in and out.  Like miniature sumo wrestler they pushed and shoved each other.  Finally, one seemed to gain the upper hand.  It was his section of the marsh and his alone.  Battles like this would continue until the sun came up in the morning.

Chipmunk, Red Squirrel and White-tailed Deer

I have become somewhat obsessed with submitting nature observations to iNaturalist.  So, much so, that I have set a goal of photographing 100 species (species that I have not documented before) in 200 days (April 1st to October 31st).  Every week, I will try to publish a few of the highlights.  So, as winter turned to more winter, here is the first crop.

Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus)

 

American Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus)

 

White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

(In an act of shameless self-promotion, you can follow me on iNaturalist at "clhulse" or on instagram "chuck_hulse" to see more photos and a few short sound bites.)

And, feel free to send your comments to the email link listed to the right.

American Robin

It is the first of April and I have been remiss in getting out and taking photographs.  But, then again, it still feels like winter.

The arctic buntings have just passed by on their trip north.  The ducks, geese and gulls are crowding the infrequent open waters of the lake.  The red-winged black birds are calling from the tree tops, waiting for the marshes to melt.  The killdeer wonder why there is still ice covering parts of the corn fields.

The American Robin (Turdus migratorius) has returned (actually there are flocks that spend the whole winter in Vermont).  This one has been pulling up worms in the backyard.  So, I therefore declare that spring must finally be just around the corner...

American Mink

There was quite the commotion brewing on the front lawn.  An American Mink (Neovison vison) was taking on a full grown Cottontail Rabbit.  As I arrived at the front door, the mink was wrapping itself around the rabbit.  The rabbit was bucking and squirming to get free.  Screams, squeals and hisses came from both sides.  The battle was short and the mink, of course, prevailed.

The mink dragged the rabbit to the woodpile, becoming somewhat frustrated when its large prey would not fit into the tiny crevice it had chosen.  The rear legs of the rabbit stuck out into the snow.  I grabbed them and pulled the carcass away from the wood pile.

The mink popped out wondering what had happened to its dinner.  It looked at me with some disdain as I was certainly interrupting its busy schedule.  It scurried back and forth, darting and dashing about.  Disappearing, only to reappear in some other corner of the woodpile.

When it decided that I might make an admirable meal and scampered towards me, I decided that it was time to head back to the safety of the house.  When I checked later, the cottontail was gone -- taken to a mink dinning room that was serving a tasty midwinter treat.

Netted Stinkhorn

The recent rains and cool weather are putting a damper on my ability to tackle a long list of fall clean-up projects.

But in elating compensation, the soggy weather has provided an excellent excuse for going into the woods to look for fall mushrooms that seem to be sprouting up in every nook and cranny.

On the path, a Netted Stinkhorn (Dictyophora duplicata) has broken out of its egg-like base, unfurled its lacy veil and started producing an slimy, foul-smelling ooze from its cap.  The odor and ooze will attract flies that will help disperse the stinkhorn's spores.

In a day, the mushroom will be gone.

Good thing I took the afternoon off...

Red-whiskered Clammyweed

I often wonder who gets to name wildflowers...

Slogging through ankle deep mud and waist high swamp grass, I come upon this odd looking plant.  Brown cupped flowers with white petals that look like sails lost in the wind.  Long green pods standing upright around the edge.

I can't find it in my field guide - can't quite figure out how to describe its parts.  Further searching in books at home leaves no better answers.  Finally a naturalist friend points me in the right direction.

Red-whiskered Clammyweed (Polanisia dodecandra)!  A name as odd as the plant itself.  And, I wonder how "whoever" came up with that name.  I suggest "Weird-white-flowered-large-podded Weed"?

I'll be back in the field looking for red whiskers and checking for something clammy...


[Thanks to Tom Norton for helping me with the identification]

American Pelecinid Wasp

Several weeks back, we were going for our evening swim in the lake.  The water was like glass.  As I waded out from shore, I saw a bug fluttering on he surface of the water.

Thinking it was most likely a mayfly in distress, I was shocked when I realized that I had come upon an American Pelecinid Wasp (Pelecinus polyturator).

As it sat on the tip of my fingertip drying off, I carefully walked toward the shore.  Having left my cameras at home, all I could do was appreciate its beauty.  I left it on a stick on the beach -  frustrated that I might never see one again.

However, several days later and armed with my camera, I was walking along a trail when I spied another Pelecinid Wasp resting a leaf of a Honeysuckle Bush.  I carefully approached.  Camera set.  Bug set.  Then snap, a branch under my foot gave way -- the wasp was gone.

Yesterday.  Walking in the woods.  Another wasp graced me with its presence and its patience.  This time, better luck.

I wondered if this was a bit of bug karma -- one wasp paying me back for saving one of its own...

Oblong-winged Katydid

There are three sounds that remind me that we are in the midst of high summer.

The first, is the constant chirping of the field crickets.  Sometimes they sound like a chorus.  Other times you can hear individuals singing their solos.  Whether alone or in concert, they sing all day and all night long.

The second, is the buzz of the annual cicadas.  High in the tops of the trees there is the electric "zzzzz".  It rises and falls, sometimes seeming like it will go on forever.  The cicadas do there singing in the heat of the day.

The third, is the nighttime call of the Oblong-winged Katydid (Amblycorypha oblongifolia).  On a calm, quiet night the Katydid's begin to sing -- a intermittent, single, scratchy "zitiz".

With flashlight in hand, you can play a pretty quick game of Katydidian "Marco Polo".  Listen, turn.  Listen, turn.  Listen, turn.  Finally, there in front of you is the Katydid -- doing its leaf-like dance and calling to its friends.

Great Golden Digger Wasp

I'm sitting on the bank of "Folsom Pond" looking for dragonflies and damselflies that might be playing amid the reeds and cattails.

Off to my left, I see a flash of red on a cluster of swamp milkweed.  It is gone as quickly as it appears.  This happens several times.

As is often the case when I am out looking about, the object of my attention shifts. 

I move so I am literally staring only at the milkweed flower.  The flash suddenly reappears -- a Great Golden Digger Wasp (Sphex ichneumoneus) is right before my eyes.

These solitary wasps hunt grasshoppers and crickets that they provision their underground tunnel nests.  While rather intimidating looking, they very rarely sting.

Meadowhawk

It is a hot, humid summer day.  My shirt and pants are soaked with sweat as I wander through the meadow.  Cicadas sing in the distance trees.  Crickets chirp at the edges of the path.

Robust dragonflies perform acrobatic tricks in the air.  Delicate damselflies flit back and forth between the tall blades of grass.

In the shade of a cluster of Staghorn Sumacs, a Meadowhawk (Sympetrum spp.) settles for a rest on a Common Milkweed leaf.

Canadian Tiger Swallowtail

It is that crazy time of summer...

The list of chores seems to be growing as fast as the weeds in the garden.

Had just enough time to run in side and grab a camera before this Canadian Tiger Swallowtail (Pipilio canadensis) finished its drink at a local day lily and headed off across the yard.

Dusky Hooded Owlet Moth Caterpillar

I have been reading Niko Tinbergen's classic book Curious Naturalists in which he describes his research studying the behavior of various animals in their natural environment.  Many of the chapters deal with the strategies caterpillars and moths use to avoid becoming prey - camouflage, mimicry, noxious hairs and unpalatable tastes.

As I was weeding the garden this past weekend, I came face to face with a Dusky Hooded Owlet Moth caterpillar (Cucullia intermedia).  I must say that it was not hard to miss -- two to three inches long, the width of a pinky, dark black against the greenery and a row of orange spots that called out for attention.

What strategy was it using to avoid becoming someone's dinner.  It certainly wasn't its coloration.  It didn't look like anything else that was alive or dead in the garden.  It did not have any blatant defenses -- no sharp spines or bristly hairs.

If its defense was that it leaves a foul taste in its predator's mouth, that would be an answer left to speculation...

Northern Leopard Frog

A early July heat wave has now entered its sixth day.  Daytime temperatures have routinely been in the nineties.  Humidity levels have been described as uncomfortable to oppressive.

I ask myself why I am outside in this type of weather?  Sweat is running off my brow, forearms and legs.

On the path, in the shade of a tree and amid the leaf litter on the ground, a Northern Leopard Frog (Lithobates pipiens) takes a short break.

I join it for a moment.  Maybe we both are thinking about how nice it would feel to be soaking in a cool body of water -- mud puddle, seep or lake -- with just our noses sticking above the surface.

Dark Fishing Spider

I was cleaning up a pile of old wooden fence railings in the backyard -- in the process, disturbing the many pillbugs, centipedes, carpenter ants and slugs that were calling the pile their home.

Lifting one board, I chanced upon a Dark Fishing Spider (Dolomedes tenebrosus).

While normally found near bodies of water, they can be found in upland sites.  And, they are commonly confused with Wolf Spiders (Wolf Spiders have stockier legs and more hairy bodies).

This Fishing Spider measured close to 4 inches in length (Just for scale -- it is sitting on the four inch wide side of a length of rough-cut two-by-four).

And, it did not seem at all intimidated by me.  Several times, as I tried to herd it into a nearby brush pile with a stick, it scurried up the stick toward my hand.

I turned over the remainder of the boards a little more slowly.

Common Snapping Turtle

It is the time of the year when the Common Snapping Turtles (Chelydra serpentina) are on the move -- either to and from nesting areas or to and from new feeding grounds.

Two emotions come to my mind when I find a snapping turtle.  The first is respect.  The second is sadness.

My sense of respect comes from wondering just how old a turtle might be.  This one, being about two feet long from the front to back of its shell could be close to my age.

What has it experienced in its lifetime?  What changes has it seen in the landscape?  What disruptions have we created in its life?

My sense of sadness comes from the negative feelings many people have about snapping turtles -- most based on deep seated myths and mistruths.

They are usually docile when in water, and for the most part avoid troublesome interactions.  On land, they are at a disadvantage and usually only "snap" or "claw" in self-defense.

Upon encountering a snapping turtle, I usually take a few minutes to peacefully gaze upon it -- expecting it to impart some wisdom of the ages.  Then, as safely as possible, I try to assist it on its journey.

Like we humans, snapping turtles can be a little crotchety when rushed.  But with a little respect, patience and understanding, both of us can be led to the other side of the road...

False Crocus Geometer Moth

Gathering information about the things I find in the woods can sometimes seem like a "wild moth chase"...  Especially, it seems, when I am searching for the derivation of the creature's name.

This is a False Crocus Geometer Moth (Xanthotype urticaria).  That would distinguish it from the True Crocus Geometer Moth (Xanthotype sospetra).

However, neither of them evidently feeds on crocuses.  That stymies the "Crocus" monoker as well as the True / False distinction.

They do, supposedly, feed on buttercups.  That, or their underlying yellow color, may explain their genus name - Xanthotype ("xantho" meaning yellow).

The species name "urticaria" can either mean nettle (another possible food source) or hives (a common reaction to the bristles found on some caterpillars).  I could not find which definition applied.  I could find no accounts of the caterpillar or moth causing an allergic reaction.  So, maybe the food reference is a better choice.

For comparison, I could find no useful information on the derivation of "sospetra" -- which I am assuming has nothing to do with nettles or hives.

On a positive note, they are both members of the Geometer family of moths -- a name derived from the Greek for "earth"-"measure", or as we know them -- the inch worm family.

Finally, the True and the False Geometer Moths are evidently genetically identical -- meaning they should actually be the same species.  But, nature always likes to play tricks on us.  The two species have different colored spots (X. sospetra's are more purple) and the males of the two species can evidently be distinguished by their "parts".

This one flew away before I could check...

Blue-eyed Grass

I don't have a formal list of favorite flowers.  But, if I did, Blue-eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium montanum) would certainly be on that list.

I find something striking about the brilliant yellow pattern sitting in the field of royal purple.  It always catches my eye -- grabs my attention.

I can't remember where I first saw Blue-eyed Grass -- it may have been in Virginia or North Carolina.  Several years ago, I noticed one plant growing at the border of the vegetable garden.  Then this year, I have found it all along the roadside.

[Blue-eyed Grass is not a grass at all, but a member of the iris family].