Field Biology in Southeastern Ohio

Jim McCormac photo
Abbott's Sphinx, Sphecodina abbottii 7870. Regardless of the subject matter I post, I always mention that we have favorites in a group. For the Sphinx Moths, this is it, maybe because it's so different. The body is not long and torpedo shaped like most. It is short and fat, with tufts of light hairs sticking out the rear. The forewings are deeply scalloped, and the pattern reminds me of finished wood grain. The bright yellow hindwings, and the noisy flight pattern make this a Bumble Bee mimic.

Of all the caterpillars I wished I had photographed, this is by far the neatest. It's brown and covered with lime green circles. Instead of a horn at the back end, it has a rather intimidating, 3D fake eyeball.

Tersa Sphinx, Xylophanes tersa 7890. I have found this moth to be plentiful in Texas and Florida, but still haven't seen it here. Most of its food plants do not occur in Ohio, with the exception of the introduced Catalpa trees, on which it may be feeding. Records indicate it is widely spread in Ohio. This species is quite sleek. Very narrow wings and a long pointed body. The hindwings are lined with yellow shark teeth.

Nessus Sphinx, Amphion floridensis 7873. This small hawkmoth has rich chocolate forewings and burnt orange hindwings. The real field key to look for are the two yellow stripes across the abdomen. This is one of the oldest moths I have in my collection. It dates to my high school days back in...... well never mind.

Hydrangea Sphinx, Darapsa versicolor 7884. Another showy species with bright green forewings and orange hindwings. The white stripe down the body aids in identification. As the name indicates, it feeds on Wild Hydrangea, as well as Buttonbush (Cephalanthus). Both are frequently encountered plants, but this moth is uncommon in the state.

Hog Sphinx, Darapsa myron 7885. Like the Hydrangea, this species is green and orange, but the green is more patchy rather than striped. The body lacks any white stripe. This is another Wild Grape and Virginia Creeper feeder. It's easily the most common Sphinx moth in Ohio.

Azalea Sphinx, Darapsa choerilus 7886. Our third Darapsa species in Ohio also has orange hindwings, but they really don't stand out. The base and tips of the forewings are gray. The middle brown section contains a row of stitches or zipper marks. It feeds on azalea, something we don't have a lot of here. This is a common moth because you can also find it on Blueberry and Viburnum. It was formerly known as Darapsa pholus.

Bumble Bee Clearwing, Hemeris diffinis 7855. The Clearwing Hawkmoths lack any dark scales on most parts of their wing, making it rather transparent. These are commonly seen hovering in peoples gardens. I call this one the Bumble Bee Sphinx because it is primarily yellow and black. The other two species have more red throughout. The arrow points to an elongated open cell in the wing. This cell is longer than the other species, and has no vein crossing through the center.

Alex Webb photo

Hummingbird Clearwing, Hemaris thysbe 7853. Well the name is self explanatory. People really do mistake these for hummingbirds. In flight they show more red and green than the Bumble Bee Sphinx. Up close, look again at the forewing. The open cell is smaller and more round. Most importantly, the cell is dissected with a vein through the center.

Slender Clearwing, Hemaris gracilis 7854. The Slender Clearwing is rare in Ohio, and I have no picture of one. It looks very similar to the Hummingbird Clearwing except for the cell in the wing. It's small and round, but has NO vein in the center.

Photo Needed

Pink-spotted Hawkmoth, Argius cingulata 7771. Pink hindwings and body make this easy to recognize. This and the few species to follow are large moths recognized by their spotted bodies. Look for the adults and larvae feeding on Morning-glories. Should the wings be folded at rest, look for the big dark patch on each forewing.

Jim McCormac photo
Tobacco Hornworm, Manduca sexta 7775. It's also known as the Carolina Sphinx. It looks nearly identical to the next species, the Tomato Hornworm. On this species there are 6 pairs of yellow spots on the abdomen, but the last pair is small, and not always easy to see. The first pair of yellow spots is bordered by a very small white line and essentially borders a large black spot. The overall color is brown. The hindwing has one thin brown line near the base, and two thick brown lines further out.

Tomato Hornworm, Manduca quinquemaculata 7776. Similar to the above, but the latin name tells us to look for only 5 pairs of yellow spots. Also notice the first yellow spots do not border the black patch, but are separated by a large white spot. The overall color is gray, and the hindwing has but one thick dark band, followed by several thin lines. Both these species can become pests on members of the Tomato family.

Rustic Sphinx, Manduca rustica 7778. Here's a pic from Jim Vargo, and one of mine. What should stand out is the dark brown patch on the forewing, similar to the Pink-spotted Hawkmoth. This is another species with pairs of yellow spots on the abdomen, but they don't really stand out. The species is also a rare stray from the southern states.

Jim McCormac photo
Great Ash Sphinx, Manduca jasminearum 7783. The black U shaped marks coming down into the forewing are often absent. Same goes for the orange spot. The horizontal black lines are more reliable for identification, as are the black hindwings. Currently this is s common species in Ohio, but with the Emerald Ash Borer problem, we'll have to see what happens to the populations.

Here are a couple more species that are rare strays in Ohio. You are unlikely to come across these. I will put up photos once I have found a source.

Titan Sphinx, Aellopos titan 7849.

Fadus Sphinx, Aellopos fadus 7850.

Tetrio Sphinx, Pseudosphinx tetrio 7830. Found an old specimen laying around and decided to use it for an illustration. This very large moth is native to south Florida, but has been known to stray into some of the midwest states. The forewings look similar to some of our native species, but the dark hindwing and black abdomen spots are good for indicators.

This is the first of hopefully many comprehensive posts on the distribution and identification of various moth families in Ohio. I have several other groups mapped out, but these take a lot of time (I do them by hand). So it may be awhile before the next one goes up. I doubt I can afford mapping software.

As a nature blog, my objective is simple. I wish to show illustrations from as many species in each family that I can find photos of. Maps will indicate where in the state they have been recorded, and hopefully give the viewer an idea of how common or rare they may be in Ohio. I'll throw a few live shots of mine in from time to time, but I will use mostly pinned specimens. They show both front and hind wing characters, and many times both wings are needed for proper identification. Numbers follow the Hodges checklist for moths of North America.

All records are property of the Ohio Lepidopterists database, and used by permission. Unless otherwise indicated, all photos belong to Jim Vargo, and are also used with permission.

Twin-spotted Hawkmoth, Smerinthus jamaicensis 7821. The key feature used to separate this from the other eyed species is the black line that splits the blue eye spot in half.

One-eyed Sphinx, Smerinthus cerisyi 7822. This species is similar to the previous, but the forewings contain a larger spattering of white and gray marks. The blue hindwing spot is not divided, but contains a smaller black circle instead. This species is not as commonly seen as the Twin-spot.

Blind-eyed Sphinx, Paonias excaecata 7824. The latin is sometimes spelled with a us at the end. It's called the Blind-eye because the blue spot lacks a black eye or line. That's fine, except the next couple of species have similar eye spots. This species is a richer brown than the others. I often notice 2-3 short dark streaks across the upper forewing. In the right light, you may get a purple sheen in the middle, as seen here in the live shots. Another character is the wing margins are much deeper scalloped than the others.

Small-eyed Sphinx, Paonias myops 7825. Size wise, this is one of the smallest of the eyed sphingids, hence the common name. It too has a black bordered eyespot, but that really doesn't stand out. What is more noticeable is the large amount of yellow in the hindwing. There is some yellow in the forewing also, but the fine etched lines of pink-purple dominate the wing. This is a very common species in Ohio.

Huckleberry Sphinx, Paonias astylus 7826. I don't bother with looking at the eye spots on this species. Yes there are some nice pink-purple wing markings, but look at both pairs of wings and the body. Think ORANGE! The margins of the wings lack any scalloping when compared to the others. While it feeds on several types of plants, the primary food source for caterpillars is Huckleberry (Gaylusaccia) and Blueberry (Vaccinium). There's plenty of both here in southern Ohio, but this species is not seen very often. Here are a couple live shots from Jim McCormac.

Walnut Sphinx, Laothoe juglandis 7827. As the name indicates, it feeds on Walnut and Hickory, as well as members of the Birch family. I have always noticed the abdomen on this species is distinctly ringed or even raised with tufts of hair. The abdomen itself appears very long and sticks out well past the wings, even at rest. That is a superficial ID character that may not hold up all the time. It's just something that I notice a lot.

The wings are highly variable, with patterns often different on every specimen. One thing that is fairy consistent is the dark brown patch at the center bottom of the forewings.

Big Poplar Sphinx, Pachysphinx modesta 7828. It's not called big for nothing. Never mind millimeter measurements, this thing is ginormous! (is that a word?) Typically coming in with a 4 inch wingspan, I've seen them over 5. With the extra weight of that huge abdomen, it's quite the clumsy flier. The forewing is essentially gray brown. Light on the inner half, dark on the outer. The mix of gray, black, and maroon on the hindwing makes it quite showy. It feeds on Aspen, Cottonwood, and other members of the Willow family.

Ello Sphinx, Erinnyis ello 7834. Considering most of its food plants are tropical in nature, I doubt we'll see any of the caterpillars up here. This is one of our southern strays up from Florida. The forewings are gray, and the hindwings orange. There are subtle differences in the wings with the next species, but all one has to do to recognize it is look for the Zebra striped abdomen. Some of the records go back a century or more, with the most recent in Ashtabula in 1986.

Obscure Sphinx, Erinnyis obscura 7837. Speaking of rare strays from Florida, this one is even more uncommon than Ello. As for the subtle differences I mentioned above, obscura has a short black line on the margin of the hindwing, and the black stripe in the forewing breaks apart mid way up. In ello, the black band is more complete on the hindwing, the the black stripe of the forewing reaches all the way to the top. Enough of that, just look at the body, it's solid colored, no zebra pattern.

There are two records for it in Athens County, and one from the Tiffin area dating back to 1891. Just this year Alex Webb captured a third county record from the Ashland area.

Jim McCormac photo
Pandora Sphinx, Eumorpha pandorus 7859. Pink and green, what a combination. This is another very large and colorful species. No detailed description is really needed. Upon first sight you'll recognize this. People who keep these in collections will notice the green completely fades away over time. It's a vine feeder, and with the food plants everywhere, (Virginia Creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia, and Wild Grapes Vitis), it's no wonder it is a very common moth.

Achemon Sphinx, Eumorpha achemon 7861. Related to the Pandora above, it has similar black markings in the wings. The base color though is brown, not green. One look at those bright pink hindwings, and you'll have no doubt what this is.

Sometimes what one thinks just isn't true. I have never seen this in Ohio, and didn't think it occurred here. My only experience with it is in the south. After examining the records, it seems to be more common then I would have imagined. It's also a Wild Grape feeder, so I shouldn't be surprised. Guess I just need to look a little harder.

Lesser Vine Sphinx, Eumorpha fasciatus 7865. Also known as the Banded Sphinx, this is another southern species. As a group, Sphinx moths are some of the most powerful and rapid fliers in the moth world. Perhaps this contributes to so many 'strays' found in the northern states. This species travels up the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers, and has even been recorded in Maine and Canada. Pink and green bordering black in the hindwing add to its color. Pay attention to the two white lines that intersect in the forewing.

White-lined Sphinx, Hyles lineata 7894. Superficially similar to the above, but this is the real abundant one people see in Ohio. It lacks any green in the hindwing, has only one white band in the forewing, and the abdomen has black and white squares. This species is commonly seen hovering like a Hummingbird while nectaring at plants.

Galium Sphinx, Hyles gallii 7893. While most strays I have mentioned come up from the south, the range for this species is north of Ohio. This is smaller than the White-lined, and with a more stunted appearance. The thorax is solid colored. It's striped in the White-lined. The thick white wing band is bordered only by solid brown. In White-lined, it is crossed by numerous white veins.

The only record I had for this dated back to before Ohio was a state. I just examined the Ohio Lepidopterists collection and found a much more recent record from Athens County.

Lettered Sphinx, Deidamia inscripta 7871. Inscripted with letters? I don't see any, but that dark curved line in the middle of the forewing is helpful. It's usually bordered out to the edge by a large rusty patch. That pattern is variable, so I always look for the sickle-shaped white mark surrounded by black spots up by the wing tip. The hindwings are a dull orange. This is one of the smallest species in Ohio.

Spiderman, Spiderman, does whatever Richard Bradley can. Well it goes something like that. At the Natural History Conference, I finally got to meet Dr. Bradley. Although retired, he is swamped with a backlog of spider specimens. Knowing that, I greatly appreciate the time he has spent with me exchanging emails. My primary question of course, "Can you identify the 700 species in Ohio by photographs?" I already knew what the answer was, a resounding NO! So why am I bothering? Because the second part of that answer is "some of them, yes."

So I gathered many of my old photos and decided to put them together for a spider post. Some of the pics are new, and were previously stored as 'unknown'. With the help of Dr. Bradley, I'll get as close to a species as possible, and hopefully disseminate some new information. The above species is probably one of the easiest to recognize. The common Garden Spider, Argiope aurantia. This is one of the Orb Weavers. The picture is a female. The males are small, skinny, and drab in comparison.

Here are some more of the common members of the Araneidae family. Marbled Orbweavers, Araneus marmoreus, are highly variable. They can be distinctly patterned like this, all brown, or just have a huge abdomen that appears like a yellow or orange ping pong ball. This is just one example of how color alone is not reliable.

Furrow Orb Weaver, Larinioides cornutus. They only come out at night, and are common on buildings.

The Arrowhead or Triangulate Orb, Verrucosa arenata. The pointed yellow abdomen is easy to recognize, plus they almost always sit facing up in their web.

The Spiny Orb or Spined Micrathena, Micrathena gracilis. If I had a dollar for every face full of web I've received from these guys, I'd be retired.

Neoscona arabesca or N. crucifera. Here's an example where a photograph can't narrow it down for sure. There are 4 species of Neoscona Orb Weavers in Ohio. They don't have a common name.

Spiders as a whole do not have established common names. You may see different names applied to the same species. Overall the vast majority have never been assigned any common name.

Thomisidae, the Crab Spiders. They can walk sideways, and they hold their two front pairs of legs in a semicircular shape like pinchers or claws. This is Misumena vatia, the Goldenrod Crab. This is one of several species that hide in flower heads while hunting. If you see a yellow crab spider with this pink stripe, it's the same species.

Speaking of yellow crabs, this is Misumenoides formosipes. Look for the black dots that form a V on the abdomen. Dr. Bradley also says the yellow line below the eyes is also important.

In these specimens, you can see that V shape beginning to fade out. There is a white form of this, and it's often called the Red-banded Crab Spider. The white spiders often have the dark spots colored red.

This little crab is Misumenops oblongus. I call it the Green Crab Spider, and yes, I just made that name up. I usually see it in forested areas rather than open fields.

Oxyopidae, the Lynx Spiders. We have only two species in Ohio. The other one is highly striped. This is the Western Lynx, Oxyopes scalaris. The black marks on the body got me to the species. I narrowed to this family because of the long spines or setae on the legs. They are indicative of the group, but by no means unique to this family.

Dr. Bradley sent me this picture to point out another feature of spiders in the field. This is also the Western Lynx, but looks nothing like the above. The colors are washed and faded because this is in a pre-molt stage. Spiders shed their skin, just like insects and snakes. When a snake is ready to shed, it's eyes become opaque, and the scales all turn dull colored. The same thing is happening here.

The gargantuans of all Ohio spiders, these babys scare the heebee jeebies out of people. Often called Wolf Spiders by mistake, this is a Nursery Web Spider, Dolomedes tenebrosus. Their large relatives you see around ponds are known as Fishing Spiders.

Here's one of them, Pisaurina mira. Some of the Fishing Spiders are adept at catching tadpoles and fish larger than them.

This is "probably" the same species as above, but there's a problem. It's an immature. Young spiders are difficult if not impossible to identify correctly. 90% of the spiders we see in the field are immatures. Only about 5% of them show the typical ID characters used to identify adults.

There are 76 species of Salticids or Jumping Spiders in Ohio. This is the only one I've ever shot. I need to get busy. The Emerald or Golden Jumper, Paraphidippus aurantius, is easy to recognize, once again, if you have an adult. Jumping Spiders have very intricate mating behaviors. Yes they can jump. Often when approached, they raise their front legs like a Mantis, and may even lunge at you.

Don't sweat the small stuff. Get down on the ground and investigate the tiny guys. This is one of the Sheetweb Spiders.

Notice the curvature to the web design inside. This is the Filmy Dome Spider, Neriene radiata.

I'm learning that even a closeup like this is not close enough. From now on I will take shots from every angle, and try to get as close to the eyes as possible. The eye arrangement differs among many of the families.

The smallest spider I ever photographed was this. I had no idea where to begin. Thanks to the expert, I now know this is Theridion frondeum, a Cobweb Weaver. There are 12 species from this genus in Ohio. I'm not sure I want to tackle the other eleven!

The Orchard Spider, Leucauge venusta. It's mixture of yellow, black, white, green, and orange, make this species quite ornate. You have probably literally run into it many times walking in forest understories. It's a member of the Tetragnathidae, the Long-jawed Orb Weavers.

Here is another Long-jawed Spider. Either Tetragnatha versicolor or T. guatemalensis. You can't tell which from the pictures.

I got Richards attention when I pointed to a certain picture in his book and said that I photographed this in Ohio. His eyes lit up and said that would be something, since it's only found in Florida. After checking my photos, I realized it was these. I was wrong. I'm a beginner, he forgave me.

But I redeemed myself when I sent him this photo. I first posted on this back in 2011. It is a Bolas Spider, most likely Mastophora bisaccata. If so, there are less than a half dozen records of this ever documented in Ohio. There are three other Bolas species in the state. Look up the behavior of these spiders, they will amaze you.

If you have followed my blog regularly, you know how thrilling it is for me to find rare or unusual things. It's even more special when others get equally excited.

Once again I want to thank Richard Bradley for all his help. This is his latest book, and I highly recommend it. Spiders do not have hard exoskeletons. They can not be pinned and displayed like insects. Most are locked up in museums, stored in alcohol vials. Dr. Bradley estimates of the 4700 species in North America, only 30% have ever been photographed in the field. Are we up for the challenge?

Back in November, several area workshops were given on the threat to our Eastern Hemlocks, Tsuga canadensis, from the latest invasive species, the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid, Adelges tsugae. Most people are unaware that this species is found along the west coast of North America, and is considered native in that area. Those populations remain in balance, and are not usually fatal to the trees. They are non-native here, as there is no historic record of them ever being in the eastern U.S.

Cantwell Cliffs State Park is where the outbreak was discovered. For those who have never been there, a very narrow and slippery set of stone stairs lead down to the main area of the park.

As the rocks widen, a hemlock filled gorge soon becomes apparent.

As with other beautiful scenic areas of the Hocking Hills, Cantwell Cliffs is named that for a reason. The cliffs are high and dangerous. You should always stay on the trails when visiting these areas. It's much too far from Old Man's Cave to suffer an accident.

With the help of my Forest Entomology students, we begin the search. This is Pat Quackenbush, naturalist for the Hocking Hills region. Notice how we start by looking on the bottom of the branches. On a mild outbreak such as this one, they will only be visible under the needles. A heavy infestation will have them on both sides.

Stephanie Downs, of the Ohio Division of Forestry, braves climbing on rock outcrops to check hemlocks.

Should you decide to except this mission, the public must not know the exact location of the enemy. Your mission may involve the thrill of victory, or the agony of defeat. Here Pat climbs along the cliff face on snow and ice in search of adelgids. Because of the seriousness of this insect, we often have to check locations we normally wouldn't venture to.

I have known about this outbreak for some time now, but was sworn to secrecy until the government agencies could release an official statement. By the way, this tape will self destruct in 5 seconds.

Rather than wander aimlessly throughout the park, Dave Apsely of the Ohio State Extension Service checks the exact known GPS locations in the park. There are several spots in the park they have been found. I won't disclose those specific locations. We don't want the public to carry them on their clothes by accident to other hemlock dominated parks in the area.

Here was our first success. One insect on each left branch, three on the right. Can you imagine checking countless hemlocks for something so small?

As we moved around, we found trees with many more insects on them. These branches were easier to spot. Below is more information from a variety of powerpoints on the biology, spread, and control of this insect.

The Hemlock Wooly Adelgid belongs to the order Hemiptera. In particular the sub-order Homoptera, which consists of Cicadas, Aphids, Scale, Leafhoppers and Treehoppers. Adelgids are very small insects, often mistaken for Wooly Aphids. Below is some information on the difference between the two groups.

The White Pine Adelgid, Pineus strobi, is a different insect entirely. It concentrates its attack to the trunks of several pine species, most often White Pine, Pinus strobus. It is rarely fatal to the tree. The Hemlock Adelgid positions itself at the base of each leaf petiole.

Another similar and confusing species is this Scale insect. Notice the dirty cobweb like appearance to the needles.

Wet bubbles are larger than Adelgids, and much fewer in numbers. Certain spiders lay white egg sacs on plants, but they too will be few and more scattered.

Upon hatching, these Adelgids look like black pepper grains sprinkled among the branches. As they grow these "crawlers" will turn more gray. This one has already increased in size. Upon settling down to feed, (where they will no longer move), they begin to emit the white waxy or wooly coating that we recognize them by. They do not chew the tree, but have piercing/sucking mouthparts. The date on the slide refers to the infestation at Smoky Mountain National Park.

Here are some of the Hocking adelgids coated in white. You can see one of the gray critters not yet covered. Surveying hemlocks when covered in snow is not a good idea. It's too difficult. They are laying eggs for the next generation right now. About the time the Redbud trees come into bloom in our area, the nymphs or "crawlers" will begin to move around the trees. This is a crucial time to make sure you don't let them attach to you or your clothing.

Speaking of the Smokies, here is a picture of the damage inflicted by this little guy. This species of Adelgid is definitely fatal to both Eastern and Carolina Hemlocks, Tsuga caroliniana.

Here is a bit of history on the spread of this insect. It came over on a Japanese species of hemlock being used for landscaping. Though these insects are the same species as in Western N.A., the genetics do show differences in the Asian populations. Because of this, the invasion is being called an exotic pest.

The green indicates the range of Eastern Hemlock.

To my knowledge, these are the only known locations of the insect in Ohio. Keep your fingers crossed, but it is likely this map will be changing. It has spread rapidly through Kentucky and West Virginia. We haven't been able to stop it, so all we can do is try to slow it down.

During the workshop, estimations of their arrival varied from 1-5 years. Knowing they can hitch a ride on birds feet, I personally felt they would be here this year.....and now we know.

Spraying foliage has been one method of direct control.

Soil or basal injections are another option. As the chemical travels up the tree, it kills the insect upon ingestion. There are several kinds of these kits, ranging from $300 to $3,000. Besides the cost, the real problem is that you have to inoculate each tree one at a time. This will be impractical on a forest wide basis. Management decisions will have to be based on which trees are deemed most important, and which areas are subject to recreational use. A heavily visited area by people introduces the possibility of more hitch hiking.

Biological control, together with chemical control, are both being used to battle this insect. It's funny how some eyes roll when you mention the introduction of bio control. Just because of the Asian Ladybird Beetle. Far many more biological controls have been successful in both controlling, and eliminating certain pests. People just don't remember those. Out of sight, out of mind I guess.

Special attention is being paid to the middle one, L nigrinus. This little black beetle, only a couple millimeters long, is the native control species found out west. Even if they only eliminate half the Adelgid population, that's enough for the trees to survive. Depending on how many beetles are released, some studies show over 90% of the Adelgids are eradicated.

The Hemlock Adelgid produces two broods a year. It remains mostly dormant during the hot summer months. Winter time is when it feeds. Extremely cold winters have knocked back populations in the New England states, but studies also show that warming temperatures and mild winters contribute to its spread. The great thing about this beetle is it too comes out in winter to attack Adelgids. In the previous photo, Scymnus coniferarum is another western native beetle that feeds in summer. Thus we can attack the pest year round.

For people or landowners concerned about what they can do on their own property, look to the internet for information that is constantly being updated.

For permission to use many of these illustrations and photographs, thanks go to
Stephanie Downs-Ohio Division of Forestry
Dave Apsley-Ohio State University Extension Service
Jesse Webster-Smoky Mountain National Park

And for the construction and presentation of the aforementioned powerpoints:
Dr. Curtis Young-Ohio State University
Dave Adkins-Ohio Department of Agriculture
Brad Onken & Bill Oldland-U.S. Forest Service, Morgantown WV

Dr. Richard McDonald-saving hemlocks (a nice YouTube video)

It's that time of year again. May brings a peak in spring wildflower species. What is different this year is the fact that Ohio colleges switched to the semester system, so I am not used to being off during the month of May. While doing a bird survey in the Hocking Hills, and visiting Wahkeena, I decided to bring the camera to see what I could find. Before I start making comments on certain plants, here were a few common ones.

Large Toothwort, Cardamine maxima (diphylla).

Golden Ragwort, Packera (Senecio) aurea.

Butterweed Ragwort, Packera (Senecio) glabella.

Cynthia, Krigia biflora.

Bluets, Hedyotis (Houstonia) caerulea.

Symplocarpus foetidus. Skunk Cabbage in leaf.

Dwarf Iris, Iris cristata.

Robin's Plantain, Erigeron pulchellus.

Forget-Me-Not. This particular hairy species is not native, and probably Myosotis scorpioides.

Another non-native species commonly forming mats in lawns is Bugle or Carpet Bugleweed, Ajuga reptans.

There are also many introduced species of Speedwells found in disturbed sites and yards. Due to their size, they can be a tough group to work with, and many are not found in a typical field guide. Three things I look for; are the flowers long or short stalked, terminal or blooming in the axils, and are the leaves opposite or alternate.

This is Slender Speedwell,Veronica filiformis. The flowers are long stalked, often with one white petal. The leaves are opposite, rounded, and have slightly toothed or wavy margins. The leaves remind me of the mint Gill-over-the-Ground. This is a delicate species that usually loses its flowers when handled.

While the leaves of this are similar to the previous species, it's a much more rigid plant. These flowers are half the size of Slender. They are white with blue stripes, short stalked, and clustered in a spike. This is Thyme-leaved Speedwell, Veronica serpyllifolia.

Here's one I found last year, the Southern Wood Violet, Viola hirsutula. Look for this in upland situations, especially under Hemlock trees. The leaves are hairy and give the appearance of a more gray color. The veins are lined in purple.

Here is a common species throughout our area, the Long-spurred Violet, Viola rostrata. What if you find a violet similar to this, but with a spur only half as long?

Here is an example of one such species.

These have an average length spur, petals two-toned in color, and with a very prominent beard in the center. Their look seems to match the Dog Violet, Viola conspersa. The thing is, that species doesn't occur in southern Ohio. So I sent them off to the violet man again, Harvey Ballard. Just like last year, these came back as Braun's Hybrid Violet, V. x brauniae. It's a cross between the Pale and Long-spurred Violet (striata and rostrata). It's the most common hybrid violet in Ohio, and occurs wherever Pale and Long-spur grow together.

Here's another attractive violet that I thought was just a variant of sororia, the Common Blue Violet. Thanks again to Harv for verifying that. This "partial albino" has the blue deep into the throat, and closely resembles the often cultivated Confederate Violet (form priceana), but that plant has more gray than blue in the center. I mentioned a lot about violets last year in May on my Hockling Hills posts.

I travelled through several areas in the Hocking Hills looking for Red Trilliums, Trillium erectum. I searched high and low in places I was told had populations in the past. I could find none. One spot in particular had thousands of these plants blooming. I dismissed them as the Drooping Trillium, T.flexipes. Drooping Trillium does NOT have to have its flowers below the leaves.

The more I examine these, the more I'm changing my mind. These look more like the white form of Red Trillium. The distinguishing factor is suppose to be the dark red ovary found on erectum. But look at the color variation in the center of these three. I am leaning towards sticking with Red Trillium, and I welcome comments from anyone who sees any other key features.

As a side to this flower post, I was walking along Ash Cave looking for Warblers, and came across this thrush hopping in front of me. I don't have a zoom or telephoto, but couldn't resist trying to sneak up on this guy with the macro lens. I would have got even closer if it wasn't for its mate coming along and chasing him off the path. This is the Hermit Thrush, Catharus guttatus. It doesn't have enough spots, or orange on the back for a Wood Thrush, has too much orange for Gray-cheeked or Swainsons, and too many spots for a Veery.

All of those thrushes pass through here. Hermits usually keep going to Canada, but have been known to nest here in these Hemlock forests. Hermit Thrushes have even been seen here on Christmas Bird Counts in December.

Of all the local places I like to visit, Log Cabin Hollow is one of my favorites. It's just around the corner from Nelsonville, and one of the non-timber areas of Zaleski State Forest. Before I get into the uniqueness of the site, let's discuss the other part of the title, Forest Ecology. While I've touched on many of these things before, I wanted to put them all together in one rather long post.

This is an old slide I took from a fire tower of Shawnee State Forest back in the 70's. Just using it as an illustration of understanding a Formation, the largest classification after a continent. Formations like Tundra, Desert, Prairie/Grasslands are familiar to many. Formations are also referred to as Life Zones or the old term Biome. We are in the Eastern Deciduous Forest formation.

Within a formation are smaller classifications known as Associations, or what we commonly call Plant Communities. This is Log Cabin Hollow, courtesy of Google earth. In S.E. Ohio, communities are not only based on their successional stage, or how old they are, but also on what slope they occur. The red line community faces south and west, the purple line is facing north and east. Before getting to those, lets discuss the white, yellow, and the middle black lines first.

Log Cabin Hollow is not an official name, just something we use. The name derived from the fact that an old wooden cabin once stood here. It has long since deteriorated. The 'front yard' has become an Early Successional Forest dominated by these very tall tuliptrees, Liriodendron tulipfera. You would think the forest to be much older by the size of the trees, but tulip is a fast growing species. A few sycamores, hickories, and sugar maples also dot the setting. The dominant understory tree is Musclewood, Carpinus caroliniana.

As I arrived, I was greeted by Spicebush Swallowtails and this Tiger Swallowtail actively puddling for minerals.

The soils are moist to wet here in the bottomland. Pennywort is a common species here.

Greek Valerian and Wild Ginger are also abundant.

Sweet Cicely, Aniseroot, Dwarf Crested Iris, Wild Blue Phlox, Blue-stemmed Goldenrod, Clustered Snakeroot, Cleavers, Long-spurred Violet, and Purple Cress are just a few of the many species found here. Because I'll be mentioning SO many plants and animals, I will skip many of the latin names to save time and space.

The yellow line on the map is actually private property bordering the area. While it doesn't look exactly like this today, it is an example of an 'old field' successional stage. The site had a mobile home and a mowed yard. Once that is abandoned, you can see changes take place. Sumacs, crabapple, hawthorn, and blackberries move in. Pioneer species as we call them. Examine this spot for open field summer flowers, and it's the only place here you can find Yellow Warblers and Common Yellowthroats.

As we move back into the woods, Ebony Jewelwing Damselflies can be seen along the stream. Also found here are members of the rare dragonfly family known as Spiketails.

The black line on the overview follows the ravine community. This steep banked hollow is lined with River Birch, Sycamore, Beech, and Yellow Buckeye.

The stream is clean, cold, and with a high dissolved oxygen content. Mayfly, Stonefly, and Caddisfly species abound.

Red-backed, Two-lined, and Dusky Salamanders are common. The rare Spring Salamander, Gyrinophilus porphyriticus has also been found here.

Moss covered rock outcrops are often full of Christmas Fern, Bishop's Cap, Wild Stonecrop, and Stinging Nettle.

Jewelweed, False Solomon's Seal, Jack-in-the-Pulpit, and Maidenhair Fern are typical of these shady moist ravines. The big leaves behind the Jack are Large-leaved Waterleaf, Hydrophyllummacrophyllum, a very hairy species when in bloom.

Not often seen is another treat on the rocks, the Walking Fern, Asplenium rhizophyllum.

Besides ferns and moss, many rock faces are entirely covered with Liverworts.

As you approach the back half of the hollow, the sides become steeper. The going gets rough as the bottom is full of large boulders and many fallen trees blocking the way. This is the habitat of the Louisiana Waterthrush.

Vegetation changes at this point also. Yellow Birch, Betula alleghaniensis, is another uncommon plant in the area. Many of the larger trees have now fallen, but the saplings now dominate the understory.

Besides Yellow Birch, Witch-hazel and Wild Hydrangea are the other understory dominants.

The end of the Hollow has a nice waterfall, and the rocks are covered with Partridgeberry, Mitchella repens.

Time to head up the slopes. We'll start with the North-east facing side. This slope is cooler and moister. The soil is rich, has a higher pH, and the diversity of plants is greater here than any other spot.

Wild Geranium is just one of the many typical flowers you expect on these slopes. Large-flowered Trillium, Drooping Trillium, Spring Beauty, Hepatica, Rue Anemone, Bloodroot, Bellwort, Baneberry, and Blue Cohosh are all here. Those long narrow structures are the fruit of Wild Geranium.

Bladdernut, Staphylea trifolia.

The white lines on the twig of Wahoo, Euonymus atropurpurea.

Pawpaw, Asimina triloba.

Spicebush, Lindera benzoin.

Blackhaw, Viburnum prunifolium. These are some examples of the understory species that are found here. I wish to concentrate on the diversity of tree species instead. Most plant communities are named for the 2-3 dominant species found. Examples include Elm-Ash forests, Beech-Maple, Oak-Hickory, etc. There are many more than just a couple dominants in this canopy, let's look at the make up.

Green Ash, White Ash

Bitternut, Mockernut, Pignut, and Shagbark Hickory.

Wild Black Cherry

Red Elm, American Elm

Black Maple, Sugar Maple, Red Maple.

Red Oak, White Oak, American Beech.

Like a torpedo shot from a sub, this fallen Buckeye flower appears to have embedded itself on this smartweed leaf.

Yellow Buckeye, Aesculus flava, is an important component of these forest types.

A second important species is once again, the Tuliptree.

A third indicator species is American Basswood, Tilia americana.

Multiple species in a canopy, especially with Basswood, Tulip, and Yellow Buckeye, tells us we have a Mixed Mesophytic or Appalachian Cove forest. Environmental conditions are just right for all these species to thrive. In some areas, given enough time, Beech and Sugar Maple will end up the most dominant because of their shade tolerance.

Animals found here include the Skunk, Raccoon, Opossum, White-tailed Deer, Box Turtle, Grey Squirrel, Flying Squirrel.

And what of the birds? Turkey and Ruffed Grouse will prowl these grounds. In the upper canopy look for Scarlet Tanagers, Red-Eyed and Blue-headed Vireos, and Eastern Wood Peewees. The understory is rich with Acadian Flycatchers, Wood Thrush, Cuckoos, Hooded, Kentucky, and Ovenbird Warblers.

Here is the hollow in the autumn. Notice the black arrow shows the changing of fall colors. These are the multiple tree species I just discussed. The orange arrows show large patches of trees still bright green. These are mostly Oaks. They keep their leaves on much longer. Those are the West and South facing slopes.

These slopes are drier because they are exposed to the sun during the hottest time of day. The soils are rocky, poor, and usually acidic. More tolerant species of Moss and Lichens cover the ground and rock outcrops.

Just a snowballs throw away from the other side, these are Mixed Oak forests. White, Red, Black, Chestnut, Scarlet, and Post Oak. The understory is dominated by Sawbrier, Smilax rotundifolia.

Low Blueberry, Deerberry, and Huckleberry are other occasional shrub species. Blackgum, Black Locust, and Sourwood can also be found.

When you combine the measurements from plot data, (density, dominance, and frequency), the most abundant plant of the understory here is Sassafras. As a pioneer species how can that happen? Sassafras comes in between the oaks from breaks in the canopy. None of them are more than ten feet tall, and none will tend to survive because they are too shade intolerant.

We'll quickly run through some of the more upland oriented plants found on these slopes. This is 3-lobed Violet.

Violet Wood Sorrel

Rough-fruited Cinquefoil

Yellow Star-grass

Pussytoes, both Field and Plantain-leaved.

Rattlesnake-weed

Dwarf Larkspur

Indian Tobacco

What better way to end than with Fire Pink. Very few of the plants will be found on both slopes. Most of the same animals will occur on either hillside. Many upland dry forests will include Blue Jays busy gathering acorns, Fence Lizards, and Copperheads! That was a long way to go, but I hope you can see how plant communities can vary so much depending upon their habitat.

Now why would anyone waste their time trying to photograph birds with a close-up lens? Because I can't afford the $10,000 telephoto that would give me those ooh-ah shots. So it's either give up on birds entirely, or at least try.

No works of art here. Distant pics that I have to crop and lose pixels. So why bother? I got to thinking. I teach Ornithology, and realized this is what they look like in the field. This is what you see through binoculars. This is how you learn them!! A 105 macro lens does give you some telephoto ability, and the word 'some' is being generous. You can always click on the photo for a (better?) look.

An all yellow bird with orange streaks on the breast is a male Yellow Warbler, Setophaga (Dendroica)petechia. Yellow Warblers are not woodland species. They are found on woods edges, old fields, or in Willows and Box-elder Maples around wetlands.

American Goldfinch, Carduelis tristis. Beginning students often call these yellow warblers. I think this is because they see them in winter plumage, when both sexes are all dull yellow. The males molt into this bright, neon, federal safety yellow as I call it. Black wings and a black spot in the front of the head will separate this from any warbler. Goldfinches are here year round, are active at feeders, and will be found in any open area habitat. People not into birds often call this a 'wild canary'.

Here is another example of sneaking up on a bird, which is what you have to always do using a small lens. A black head and back, white front, and orange-brown or rufous sides. This is a male Eastern Towhee, Pipilo erythrophthalmus.

Towhees can be found in any habitat, commonly foraging on the ground. Like most male birds though, they will find a favorite perch from which to sing. It was formerly known as the Rufous-sided Towhee, until they found the spotted versions out west were a different species. Females are similar, but the colors are bleached out or faded.

Redwing Blackbirds are easy to identify. The males display a bright red spot on the wings in flight or when showing off to females. When sitting, the red is often covered up. You can see a hint of it here, but the other field mark is the cream colored stripe on the wing. Females are totally different. They are all brown, with a streaked breast, looking something like a giant Song Sparrow.

Cedar Waxwing, Bombycilla cedrorum. Cedar Waxwings show a light yellow belly and buffy upper parts. That's not really a reliable field mark. Look for the black mascara through the eyes, a crest on the head, and a yellow band on the tail. These birds are big fruit eaters, and often forage in large groups. Don't park your car under any berry producing trees, especially Mulberry, or your car will be covered with the remains of their feeding.

You may be surprised by the number of birds you can identify in flight. That includes small songbirds as well. This Pterodactyl of birds is of course the Great Blue Heron, Ardea herodias. Herons and Egrets keep their legs hanging out back, and their necks in a bent form. Some people want to call these 'Cranes'. In Ohio, the one you might expect to see, the Sandhill Crane, keeps its neck straight out when flying, much the same way as a Canada Goose.

Mallard Duck, Anas platyrhynchos. Everybody knows the look of the green headed male mallard. Female ducks, both the surface feeding dabblers, and the divers, often are hard to tell apart. In spring migration, the females are usually following the males everywhere. That's because they have already paired up by the time they get here. Solitary females often need a second look.

As soon as you see the speculum, you know for sure. Female Mallards have a purple-blue patch surrounded by both a white and black bar.

Tree Swallow, Tachycineta bicolor. The female on the left is a rather dull colored bird. The males have a bright metallic or iridescent green on their head and back. Depending on the light angle, they may look bluish. On an overcast day, you may see only black. Tree Swallows are cavity nesters, and although they may often utilize a Bluebird box, unlike House Sparrows, this should be encouraged! They will do a better job at mosquito control than any bug-zapper.

A tiny bird with a black chin and head, white front, and grayish back tells us Chickadee. But in Ohio, you have to consider where you are before you go any further.

Here it is pounding a caterpillar on a branch before eating it. All these pictures were taken in Mahoning County south of Youngstown. Being that far north, this is a Black-capped Chickadee, Poecile atricapillus. Down here in southern Ohio, we only have the Carolina Chickadee, P. carolinensis.

Geographically, Route 70 in Ohio from Springfield to Columbus to Zanesville, has always been the dividing line between populations. That demarcation line is actually further north than Columbus now. This is the area where both species occur together, and they have been known to hybridize, making identification between the two more difficult.

The songs are distinct, but after that it gets iffy. Experienced birders often say they can see the slightly larger size of a Black-capped. Their call, "chickadee-dee-dee" is slower. Their neck area is more white than Carolinas. Generally speaking, I look for the tail and wings to have more distinct white marks. For beginning birders in the overlap zone, if the two aren't side by side, well, good luck.

And what do you know. A day after I posted this, along comes another cooperating bird. A shiny blackbird with a brown head. This is a Brown-headed Cowbird. These birds don't build nests, they lay their eggs in other birds nests. Some people think they were an introduced pest, but they are native. Their parasitism is a habit they have practiced for thousands of years. Only in the endangered Kirtland's Warbler habitat is it necessary to control their populations.

As a young student I took a class in Nature Interpretation. Our teacher was one of the first ever state park naturalists in Ohio, the late Bill Price. If anyone knows that name, you know I am really dating myself. He would let us wander in the woods looking for things to talk about. When we got back together, we'd ask each other, "you see anything? no, how about you? nope". No birds, snakes, frogs, etc. What were we supposed to talk about?

Bill would just grin, then stand in one spot and discuss our surroundings for the next 45 minutes. Oooooooooh, bow down, we are not worthy! In the nearly 40 years since then, I have realized it simply takes time to learn about a wide variety of subjects. I've also come to find out, there isn't a habitat anywhere that you can't stop and find something interesting to identify, collect, photograph, or interpret.

I didn't post much this past winter, so I'm getting out more and shooting just about anything. The following is just a miscellaneous collection of plants and critters I'm seeing. This is Black Locust, Robinia pseudoacacia in bloom.

Wild Black Cherry, Prunus serotina.

High-bush Cranberry, Viburnum opulus var. opulus. Unlike the other Viburnum shrubs, this species produces bright red fruit like a Cranberry. The fertile flowers are the small ones in the center. The large outer white portions are infertile. The stipules end in narrow points, and the glands are disc shaped with a hollow center. That makes this the European variety, not the native species.

Dame's Rocket, Hesperis matronalis. This multi-colored plant is common along wood margins throughout the state right now. Their four petaled flowers make them a member of the Mustard family. They are often mistaken for a Phlox from a distance. Phlox flowers have 5 petals.

Tall Buttercup, Ranunculus acris. This is a very common plant in any disturbed open field. Go figure, it's introduced from Europe.

Little Wood Satyr, Megisto cymela. Satyr butterflies are brown and fly low to the ground in fields and woods. There are several species in Ohio, differentiated by the size and arrangement of spots on the wing.

I recently posted a couple other Speedwells, this one is native though. It's called Common Speedwell, Veronica officinalis. It creeps along the ground in fields and woods. The stem and opposite leaves are covered in dense hairs. The ends of the plant curve upward and produce a raceme of purple or lavender striped flowers.

Stitchworts are a type of Chickweed. These are just beginning to bloom, or the notched petals would be even more obvious. Lesser and Long-leaved are the two I see most often, and that look the most alike. The petals on this are just slightly longer than the sepals. But for me, I use the leaves. These have leaves just about an inch long, and wider than Long-leaved, making this the Lesser Stitchwort, Stellaria graminea.

Here are a couple shots of Long-leaved Stitchwort, L. longifolia for comparison. Of course it would be better if I shot the leaves of Lesser. These leaves are more than twice as long and much narrower.

Want another challenge? Try tackling the Pondweeds. I once learned about a dozen of these in a day. Of course we know what happens if we don't keep practicing..... These are important plants in wetland ecology and management. Some are native, others exotic, and can choke certain aquatic systems. More than flowers, both the surface leaves and those underwater are crucial for identification. I'm thinking this is American Pondweed, Potamogeton epihydrus. But that's a guess.

In my previous post I mentioned sneaking up on birds and remaining motionless. While doing so this critter appeared, and wasn't a bit bashful. It probably thought I had a handout for him. This is a small squirrel, identified by the red fur down the back, and the big white eye ring.

American Red Squirrels, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus, are often referred to as Pine Squirrels because they are usually found in conifer forests. Squirrels being squirrels, I should have known. Turns out this guy was sneaking fallen bird seed from the feeders above.

Blackberry shrub in bloom. It looks slightly different than the ones I see down here. There are probably a dozen species of Rubus in Ohio. That includes Blackberry, Raspberry, and Dewberry. There is a workshop in Ohio this summer on how to identify all the Rubus species. I thought about going, but balked. It's one thing to know them all, it's another to ask yourself if you'll ever use it. Like Carex sedges, Pondweeds, Ferns, etc., the rule is use it or lose it. I'd probably lose it.

30 years ago when surveying Ash Cave State Park, I remember seeing a little purple flower called Meehenia. Since them I could never find it to photograph. Turns out my timing was simply off. They are now peaking throughout the park. So I got busy 'peeking'.

Meehenia, Meehenia cordata, is a member of the Mint family. It grows low to the ground and is often obscured by taller plants. The flowers are pink to purple, and the lower lip looks like a hairy tongue.

Cherish the wild places that you have, because over time some of them may disappear. Also cherish your memory. I recall in 1980-81, a small 100ft strip of grass down the road from Ash Cave that contained this plant, Indian Paintbrush, Castilleja coccinea. What were the chances it was still there?

Sure enough, there they were, still preserved up on a rise next to a power line. The divided leaves are found lower on the plant. It's the bracts that give it the red-orange look. The actual flowers are the green structures looking like antennae. The blooms peaked a week ago, and are normally yellow. This plant is also called Scarlet Blanket or Painted Cup. I prefer Paintbrush, but all these common names are also applied to different species in the south and west.

Also mixed in this upland forest edge was a profusion of Yellow Stargrass, Hypoxis hirsuta.

I mentioned in my last post how even the most mundane looking areas can produce interesting things if you just explore. But sometimes you have to seek out those "special" areas you've heard about. I finally decided to check out a nature preserve, now open to the public, called Rhododendron Cove near Wahkeena.

While driving down the highway, (notice I didn't say speeding down the highway). I think I'm the last man alive who actually pays attention to speed limits. Anyway, my eye caught a field of all yellow. I knew it wasn't Butterweed, and thought maybe Yellow Bedstraw. Upon stopping, it turned out to be something non-native. Oh well, it was new for the camera.

This is Charlock, Brassica kaber, another Mustard. The leaves are heavily serrated, and look like they want to divide into sections. They do on the lower portions of the plant.

Upon arriving at Rhododendron Cove, I found the path that leads up to the preserve. There were enough interesting things in just that spot to do a whole different post, but I'll keep many of those for another time.

I was greeted by this Honey Locust, Gleditsia triacanthos. As common as this tree is, I had never photographed this 'hairy caterpillar' bloom.

Whether it be dry or wet areas, I always seem to find Blue-eyed Grass everywhere. What I really need to do is learn how to separate all the species, I simply haven't worked on them.

It's hard to argue the beauty of Yellow Iris, Iris pseudacorus, even though this is non-native. They often escape from cultivation into wet ditches.

As I turned up the hill, I began to see some other familiar plants. Mayapple, Podophyllum peltatum, is now past bloom and beginning to produce its namesake, a green apple like fruit. While green they are poisonous. They are edible once they turn yellow.

Wild Madder, Galium mollugo, is sometimes called White Bedstraw. This one is non-native. Bedstraws have extremely tiny 4-petaled flowers.

Since Bedstraws all look similar in their flowers, you need to look at two things to separate them. How many leaves in a whorl, and are the stems rough or smooth. If I ever get enough photos, I'll do a post on all of them. Wild Madder averages 8 leaves a whorl. The leaves feel thick and rubbery to the touch.

In contrast is this native species with 4-whorled, very broad leaves. It's called Wild Licorice, Galiumcircaezans. The whole plant is fuzzy to the touch, not smooth. Notice again in the upper right, just how small the flowers are.

They are so small, it's hard to get a good photo, (well for this amateur anyway). One other hint on identification, this one has green flowers, not white.

Speaking of plants with small flowers, here's one that I missed by about a week. I found a plant still hanging on to a single flower. Recognize it?

Considering just how large the stem and leaves of this plant are overall, you could easily miss the tiny blooms. It's Wild Comfrey, Cynoglossum virginianum. This is an upland dry forest species, and a member of the Boraginaceae family. Flowers in this family have stems curled like a scorpion tail when they first come out.

Rattlesnake-weed, Hieracium venosum.

Deerberry, Vaccinium stamineum. Both of these are indicator species of this site. Not to repeat my Log Cabin Hollow post, but plant communities are determined by those trees most dominant in the canopy. Indicator species reflect what type of habitat you are in. These two tell you that you're in a dry, acidic, upland forest. Also here were other typical clues such as Wintergreen, Huckleberry, Low Blueberry, Serviceberry, Sourwood, Sawbrier, Chestnut Oak.

That's all fine and dandy, but at a turn in the bend along this ridge-top came another indicator, the Mountain Laurel, Kalmia latifolia. This was no surprise, but then I was mesmerized!

Shrub after shrub after shrub. It was overwhelming. I had never seen this many Mt. Laurels in one spot anywhere in Ohio. I know it's called Rhododendron Cove, and yes there were many, (not yet in bloom), but if it were up to me, I would have called this place Mountain Laurel Cove. There had to be a hundred times as many as the Rhododendrons.

I love how the stamens stay hidden down in those red dot cavities. They spring forward like a mouse trap, covering any bee with pollen when they land.

This batch was in more open sunlight. They haven't been blooming longer, as many haven't opened yet. I don't think the acid content of the soil is different here either. Mountain Laurel commonly occurs in both white and pink forms. Cultivated varieties tend to favor the dark pink-red forms.

I didn't see a lot of insects on Mt. Laurel. This Hemiptera though is associated specifically with this plant. In fact it's called the Mountain Laurel Bug, Neolygus laureae. I once had a book on the biology of this bug family. I can't find it, or I'd tell you more about it. Having a library as large as mine, things get lost.

As an acid dweller, Mountain laurel is a poisonous plant. The honey produced is also toxic to humans. Is this the immature of the ML Bug? Can't be sure, but it wouldn't surprise me. To openly walk around this plant carefree, the red color I'm sure, is a warning to any predator.

I did find a few other critters in the woods. This rather drag white moth is an inchworm. It's called the White Spring Moth, Lomographa vestaliata. Besides the caterpillar, broad wings and a narrow skinny body is what puts it in the Inchworm family.

There are many moth families that have representatives that look like bird droppings. This is one of them. It's an Antaeotricha moth, one of the Grass Miners. All the specimens I find are leucillana. A. schlaegeri is about 8 mm larger, but identical in appearance, and often requires genitalia be examined to be positive.

One of my favorite things about Hocking County is showing a group of people why the sandstone outcrops look like this. First I ask them if they all know the behavior of woodpeckers. Then I explain these holes were created by the long extinct, prehistoric Rockpecker. What, not buying it?

There will be no moth pictures in part 2. Hope that doesn't disappoint anyone, but like I said earlier, the field trips encompassed so much more natural history. For someone interested in multiple subject matter, like myself, this was a nice break from the night time mothing. A new species for my plant list was this Downy Wood Mint, Blephilia ciliata.

The beauty of mints are best appreciated when looking up close. Downy Wood Mint is similar to Hairy Wood Mint (hirsuta). On Downy, the petioles are shorter, and the hairs tend to hug the main stem. They spread out on Hairy Mint. Most importantly, the flowers of both are purple speckled, but are entirely purple on Downy, and white on Hairy.

Another new plant for me was this Waxy Meadow Rue, Thalictrum revolutum.

Meadow Rues as a group tend to be fairly tall species. Early Meadow Rue is a woodland species of the spring. Tall Meadow Rue is found on woods edges. I found Waxy on the edge of a slope. They all have divided leaves like this. Waxy has thicker, leathery or waxy feeling leaves. If you crush them, they smell like a skunk.

As a rule, Meadow Rues tend to have their flowers drooping down, with long protruding stamens. These flowers look more curly, like overcooked rice. Flowers on Waxy occur in both forms. This is because the species is dioecious.

Dogbane Leaf Beetle, Chrysochus auratus. A very common species, but always a favorite to photograph. It's usually found walking around on Dogbane or Indian Hemp. Being relatives of the Milkweeds, it also contains similar toxins. This beetle shows its bright colors as a warning to predators not to eat it.

Here is another insect that advertises a warning. Remember your traffic signals, red means stop! Its not that it's poisonous to eat, but it will spray a chemical out its butt at predators. This is the nymph of the big gray Wheel Bug Arilus cristatus.

We move from warning coloration to mimicry. It's not a bee, but a fly called the Drone Fly, Eristalis tenax.

Bees have four wings, flies only two. But when they sit like this, you can't be sure there isn't another pair folded up. Look at those giant eyes, that's usually a giveaway it is a fly. Click on the photo and look at the face. There is a little black knob, followed by a thin wire. That's typical fly antennae, totally different than bee or wasp antennae. So what does this introduced fly from Europe mimic? Why the European Honey Bee of course.

Drone Flies belong to a family known as Syrphids, more commonly referred to as Hover Flies. Unlike the one above, not all are necessarily mimics. This one with the army helmet look on the abdomen is Toxomerus geminatus.

I usually hike alone, so I have no reason to vocalize what I see. The nice thing about being with a crowd is every time someone saw something interesting, they would yell it out for everyone to see. Such was the case here. This very drab looking butterfly is something I probably would have ignored, assuming it was a worn Little Wood Satyr. But you know what they say about the word 'assume'.

Turns out it is the Carolina Satyr, Hermeuptychia sosybius. When you think of the Carolinas, think south. This species is found only in the southern counties of Ohio. It's smaller than the Little Wood Satyr, which is common statewide.

This is the Little Wood Satyr I posted last month. Satyrs usually sit with their wings folded like this. The Carolina sat with its wings open the entire time. For comparison, the back side of the Carolina has smaller spots than these, and fewer of them.

At the edge of the preserve was some private property, whose owners we happen to have met. They didn't mind us photographing things at all. That's good, because at that moment I saw this. Now I never pay attention to potted plants like Gardenias and such, but there was movement between the leaves that caught my attention.

This is the Eastern Fence Lizard or Fence Swift, Sceloporus undulatus. There aren't but a hand full of lizards in Ohio, and other than the Five-lined Skink, this is one of the more common ones. They tend to be found in hot open areas or dry upland oak woods. Andrew Gibson was just returning from his hike, so we got busy shooting.

Andy and I conferred on some plant identifications, and the following are some examples. This is Ruellia. For those interested in the taxonomy, there are 3 likely species. R. humilis has sessile leaves. These clearly have petioles, so it's not that. R. caroliniensis reaches its northern limit at the Ohio river. Andy has never confirmed its existence in Adams County. That leaves Ruellia strepens, the most common and likely candidate. Ruellia is often called Wild Petunia.

This is Climbing Milkweed, Matelea obliqua. While no longer on the threatened species list for Ohio, it is still quite rare. We all have our favorite phrases or favorite sayings, and this allowed me to repeat one of mine. (and no, it's not "do you come here often?") Instead it's-another new species for me!

While everyone was boarding the vans, Andy rushed to show me a neat little wet seep on a hillside. On it was this plant known as Sweet Flag, Acornus calamus. Most invading plants like this tend to establish in disturbed ground, restored wetlands, or wet ditches. Sweet Flag occurs in more "natural" settings. It's circumpolar, and has caused debate as to whether or not this is a truly native or introduced species. The other true native species, appropriately named americanus, occurs further north than here. This species of Sweet Flag has one main vein visible in the leaf center, where as americanus has several distinct veins.

Finally, for the Sedge lovers, Andy showed me this recently described new species, Carex viridistellata. I'll end the way I started, Mothapalooza was a huge success.

For those who thought Mothapalooza was going to be for just moth experts, it wasn't, and you missed a good one. For those who thought it was going to be a bunch of moth collectors ravaging the sheets, you thought wrong. The event was full of well rounded naturalists. Bird trips, wildflower walks, and butterfly surveys were part of the fun. I think I collected a total of four moths all weekend. It was about being a teacher, and I found it rewarding to help people identify what they were seeing. I can't whip out every name on the spot like Dave Horn and Dave Wagner, but I could show people in their field guides the names of things. From the feedback I received, the talk is already centering around doing it again next year.

When I arrived, everybody was leaving for early field trips. With nobody around I decided to walk the grounds myself. I spent the summer of 1976 in Shawnee Forest, and have a lot of fond memories. I had not walked far before coming across this plant. At first it looks like any other sunflower, but I found it to be Whorled Coreopsis, Coreopsis major. I photographed this plant back in the 70's, and haven't seen it in 37 years. Some would say it's because I don't get out of the house enough, but the real reason is you can't find it anywhere in the state but for a couple of counties along the Ohio River.

I call it Whorled Coreopsis because of the leaves. There is another plant with that name, but it has thin grass like leaves. Perhaps Greater Coreopsis is the better common name. The leaves aren't really whorled. They are opposite and split into threes. This is a dry soil species.

Growing right next to it was this plant I often see on prairies, Spiked Lobelia, Lobelia spicata. This is a fairly tall species whose flowers may be white to light blue.

Also on this dry hillside was this bushy flowering plant called New Jersey Tea, Ceanothus americanus. I see it in Athens County here and there, but it was abundant throughout the park.

If not in bloom, you can use the leaves to help identify it. Three deeply impressed veins branch out from the base.

The flowers remind me a bit of Trumpet Honeysuckle, only white. This is a showy native shrub that ought to be planted more than it is. It serves as a nitrogen fixer, so it can only enrich your soil. In pioneer days it was used to make a tea.

As I left to woods and walked the road back, this introduced species was in full bloom. Scarlet Pimpernel, Anagallis arvensis, only grows a few inches tall. I don't usually speak highly of exotics, but how can one resist this tiny attractive plant, and orange to boot.

Friday and Saturday night we split the group in half. Some stayed at lights set up around the lodge, while others came out to the Eulett Center at the Edge of Appalachia Preserve. This Wave-lined Prominent, Heterocampa biundata, was just one of many species encountered.

Moon-lined Moth, Spiloloma lunilinea

Streaked Ethmia, Ethmia longimaculella. This is new to the preserve list. There are two species nearly identical. In the other one, zelleriella, those black streaks are usually longer, and often connected. As with many moths, including the micros, such characters don't always hold up. zelleriella usually also has yellow legs and underparts, they are black and white on the Streaked Ethmia.

A Givira moth of the Cossidae family. It is related to the giant wood boring Carpenterworm. Givira species are rare this far north, most species being western and southern. It looks like Givira anna, which has been recorded here before. Dave Wagner wasn't so sure, and wanted this for his research, wondering if this might be a prairie associated species. Look closely at all the black pepper marks. This separates it from similar looking Clostera Prominent moths.

Here's another example of looking close. This could easily be mistaken for a Drepanid Hook-tip Moth. It's actually the Juniper-twig Inchworm, Patalene olyzonaria. The females tend to have these sharply pointed wing tips.

Here's one you don't want to look at too closely. If you stare at the back of this long enough, you may see a pink-orange elephant. Then again, it might be what your drinking.

Here's the same species from a different angle. Its the Bisected Honey Locust Moth, Syssphinx bisecta. It's a member of the giant silkworm family. There are a half dozen species of these I usually lump into the "oakworms". That straight black line is used to separate it from another honey locust moth. Those bright red hind-wings made this a crowd favorite over the weekend.

This is a terrible photograph, but I post it to once again make a point. Something I've beaten into the ground on my site many times. This is a species of Zale, and that's all it is. A few years back I used to hang out at Bugguide on a daily basis helping people. You'd be amazed at the number of folks who get down right angry when you tell them it can't be identified by a photograph. It's probably why I don't go there much anymore. (Still the best, most complete insect site in the world by the way).

I sent these off to the Noctuid man himself, Eric Metzler. Within an hour, and I quote, " These are a group of pine feeding Zale's that can not be identified by wing pattern pictures, they need to be dissected". Everybody at the conference was very cordial and understanding of this. Many people I talked to were happy just to get a genus name. What friendly people, can't wait to do this again.

Not everything found were moths. The yellow spots and mottled appearance led to this being a Juniper Stink Bug, Banasa euchlora, another new species for me.

"Eww, gross" were a few of the comments flying around about this. This burying beetle went about its business, oblivious to all the mites actively crawling on its back. These beetles serve as a taxi, transporting mites to the next road kill. One orange spot on the side, followed by two small spots near the rear, make this Carrion Beetle Nicrophorus orbicollis.

Saturday was field trip time with Dave Wagner. We weren't even out of our vans before Dave yelled Edward's Hairstreak!! There, and there, and over there. Good thing we were in the boonies, because nobody looked before crossing the street. Cameras were clicking. This Hairstreak, Satyrium edwardsii, was once considered so threatened or endangered, as to be found only in the three surrounding counties of this site for Ohio. It has since been found in another half dozen southern counties, one in central Ohio, and two sites outside Toledo. It's still considered rare.

Edward's Hairstreak can be found around Juniper Glades, a rather specific habitat. This is the third species in this post that has something to do with Juniper, or Red Cedar in this case, Juniperus virginiana.

This species can be mistaken for the more common Banded Hairstreak, and I've done so myself. Look at the upper wing. Banded Hairstreaks have more perfect rectangular spots, often connected into a line. In Edward's, each gray spot is separated by a wing vein, and the spots are more rounded.

This moth just refused to land and stay on any leaf surface. Crawling underneath, I did my best to get it. This view doesn't do much for color, but it's the pattern that's more important. This is a Haploa Tiger Moth. They can be quite variable, but this streaked pattern leads me to Haploa lecontei. The dark stripe in the back middle of the wing is "usually" connected to the brown stripe on the top of the wing in other species of Haploa.

Feeding on Butterfly Milkweed was another species I had never encountered, and didn't expect to see. It's called the Unexpected Tiger Moth, go figure, Cycnia inopinatus.

The adult of the Unexpected Tiger looks nearly identical to this Dogbane Tiger, or Delicate Cycnia, Cycnia tenera. The Dogbane species has a yellow head and thorax, and a yellow band running down the edge of the wing. The unexpected tiger is slightly smaller, and the yellow is very reduced, hardly visible on the wing at all. Sounds pretty close to me. So how do we know they really aren't the same thing?

This is the Dogbane Tiger caterpillar. Not-even-close.

Another very striking caterpillar we found was the Pipevine Swallowtail, Battus philenor. Not rare by any means, but still not nearly as common as Black, Tiger, Zebra, or Spicebush, all of which were also seen this weekend.

So how do we top off a great day? How about with the least common of all the species, the Giant Swallowtail, Papilio cresphontes. This guy just refused to land on anything, and I was lucky to get him in flight. That meant ME in flight chasing him.

It's been a few years since I posted anything on ferns. I am way overdue. The first post goes back to when I just started blogging. You can find the other species here, a few ferns

We start our journey with these old rotting beams that once belonged to a coal tipple. Coal was hauled out of the hills behind our campus. During that time a lot of spill occurred. This bottomland is quite acidic due to the slag piles that still exist. A patch of wild Cranberry, probably deposited by migrating birds, used to be found here. It has since been out competed by other plants. One of those is this batch of ferns in the background.

This is Netted Chain Fern, Woodwardia areolata. I consider it uncommon, though it is more widespread in Ohio than I once thought. This is an acid tolerant species that prefers shady bottom woods. Because of the winged center, at first it looks very similar to Sensitive Fern.

Netted Chain has a glossier look than Sensitive, and the frond margins of Netted Chain are unlobed.

Netted Chain gets its name from the many round veins that form a chain like pattern above and below the leaf.

This species sends up its fertile fronds on a separate stalk. These are pictures of last years plants, as this years were not present yet. The sporangia are elongate, forming two lines, also somewhat chain-like. Twenty years ago this species occupied a small 15 foot circle. Being a colony former, it has now spread into a large 100 foot long section of the woods.

Robyn from Wahkeena sent me this from our recent Mothapalooza trip to Adams County. This is Smooth Cliffbrake, Pellaea glabella. The blue-green color is the first thing to stand out. The fronds have their pinnae widely scattered along the stem, and each has an entire margin, sort of like Royal Fern. Many refer to this look as "un-fern-like" in appearance.

Smooth Cliffbrake has a preference for limestone outcrops. It's an evergreen species that looks nearly identical to Purple Cliffbrake, P. atropurpurea. Both have dark purple to black stems. The difference is in the look or feel of the stems. The latin glabella comes from 'glabrous', meaning hairless or smooth.
If this was Purple Cliffbrake, those stems would be completelyhairy.

Since there are more ferns at Wahkeena Nature Preserve than any other place I know, I went back for a second round. Sticking with ferns that don't look like ferns, this 'Parsley' looking species is Rattlesnake Fern, Botrychium virginianum. It looks similar to the Cut-leaved Grape Fern, B. dissectum, but that species doesn't come out till late summer or fall.

The common name comes from the arrangement of the sporangia, ball like clusters resembling a rattlesnake tail. The fertile frond grows directly up through the middle of the plant. The leaves are sessile, remaining attached to the main frond. In the other Botrychium species, the leaves have a petiole that branches off the main fertile stalk.

Looking like the top of a plant eaten away by caterpillars, this is the fertile stalk of the Daisy Grape Fern, Botrychium matricariifolium. This is an extremely small plant easily missed unless you are specifically looking for it.

It's a species of rich woods that produces a single frond only. The leaves are divided and resemble those of Ox-eye Daisy.

Sticking with that look of "Is this really a fern?", we find the Adder's Tongue, Ophioglossum vulgatum.

While hiking around Wahkeena, we were keeping an eye out for Pink Lady's Slipper and Puttyroot. Since those orchids have broad basal leaves, it was easy to spot this fern. This species produces a single leaf that somewhat clasps the stem.

This is another species that produces a single stalk. It ends in this sharply pointed tip, shaped like a zipper or the beak of a Sawfish. The cup shaped sporangia hold white spores, which are visible stuck to the green center.

Okay, now that's a fern! Notice how all the fronds tend to arise from a center spot. This is known as a "clump" forming species. This is a large 3 foot fern called Ostrich Fern, Matteuccia struthiopleris.

Ostrich Fern is more common in Northern Ohio. The name comes from the resemblance to bird feather plumes. This is a basal shot. The stem is smooth, and the brown area is indented or U-shaped.

You can still see the groove in this upper portion of the stem. Each pinna is very long and may contain up to 60 pairs of leaflets.

Another fern that will grow over 3 foot tall is Bracken, Pteridium aqualium. These aren't the greatest pics to represent this species, but these were struggling a bit in this particular habitat. This fern is found in many countries around the world. I used to see them in early successional forests of White Birch in Michigan. Bracken was the dominant plant of the understory.

It's easy to distinguish, as it grows in a 3-pronged, triangular growth form. The pinnae start out with one basal lobe, similar to Christmas Fern, but with maturity they become much more divided. The early fiddleheads of this species are edible. Once the leaves have spread out like this, the plant becomes carcinogenic.

Bulblet Fern, Cystopteris bulbifera. This is a long narrow fern that often has a curved growth pattern.

Up close the stem is smooth, and the leaflets are serrated, ending in sharply pointed tips. The sori are located in the middle of each pinna.

In the center of the picture, you will notice a round BB or bulbet. These will increase in size and eventually fall off. A new fern will grow from this. Besides the spores, these bulbets will allow the species to spread asexually, or by vegetative reproduction.

At first glance, this looks very similar to the previous species. But you can't identify many ferns with just a quick glance. This is Hay-scented Fern, Dennstaedtia punctilobula. It's a long triangle shaped fern with a lacy appearance. It's a medium sized fern that forms colonies in acid soils.

To some it still looks a lot like Bulblet Fern, but the devil's in the details. The plant is lighter green than other similar looking species. The serrated leaflets are more blunt tipped, like stubby fingers rather than sharp points. The bulbs will be absent underneath, and it has a fuzzier texture. When you rub the fronds some of the pinnae will stick together like this.

The stickiness is due to the gland tipped hairs found throughout the plant. The name comes from the smell of hay when you crush the fronds, especially on dead portions.

As the sori begin to develop, the the tips of each leaflet fold over backward to form the lid of the cup shaped sporangia. In Ohio, this species is most common in the eastern half of the state.

As before, my guide through Wahkeena was Robyn Wright. In order to get some cliff ferns, she wanted me to follow her into the deep dark abyss. That's Robyn Wright-Strauss by the way, not the actress Robin Wright. Had it been Robyn from 'The Princess Bride' telling me to head down this steep hill, I would have yelled.....AS.....YOU.....WISH!!

That was fun, felt like a kid sliding through a water park tunnel. Judging by the leaf accumulation, this is not a frequent method of travel through here. My only concern was getting all that dirt stuck in the crack of my.......camera bag.

Well it was worth it, rock faces covered in a variety of species. This is Common Polypody, Polypodium virginianum (vulgare).

Polypody is evergreen. Each leaflet is widest at the base. They have no petioles, and stay attached to the main stem, forming a slight wing-like pattern.

It appears smooth edged, but up close you can see it has a few serrations on the margin. The sori will turn brown with age. They occur in pairs, opposite the main vein.

Resurrection Fern, P. polypodium, reaches its northern limit in a few southern Ohio counties. It is similar in appearance, but is strictly an epiphyte found growing in trees. The name comes from its ability to shrivel up and look dead during droughts, yet resuming normal growth after a rain.

Fragile Fern, Cystopteris protrusa. This and the next couple species are rather small in stature. The two pictures show that it grows in both the ground and on cliff faces. The leaves are finely dissected and bipinnate, with a look sort of like Dutchman's Breeches or Squirrel Corn.

Fragile Fern was known as C. fragilis, but has since been split into 3 species. The texture of the rhizomes are different between them. One other difference with this species: The leaf veins reach all the way to the ends of each lobe. They stop before the margins on the other two. The spores are produced in June, and are released throughout the summer. The main stipe or stem is weak, and easily broken, hence the common name.

Common on sandstone outcrops, this small fern resembles, and is related to the Walking Fern. This evergreen species is Lobed Spleenwort, Asplenium pinnatifidum.

The fronds are winged at the base and taper into a narrow point. They often curl at the tips. The main difference between this and Walking Fern is the fronds are lobed throughout.

I wonder how many times in the past I have walked right by these, thinking they were just young Adiantum Maidenhair Ferns. It's that circular growth form that can fool you.

It's called Maidenhair Spleenwort, Aspelenium trichomanes. These evergreen ferns are found on rock faces. The leaflets are rounded and usually paired, with wide spaces between them. The margins are wavy.

The stems are black, shiny, and smooth. Those stems appear round, but actually have a raised wing on the edge. You can see it with a hand lens, or feel it with your fingers. By enlarging the previous picture, you may see them on the dead stalks.

Here is Maidenhair Spleenwort with Fragile Fern growing beneath it. There were one or two others I had targeted for this post, but couldn't find. If I do, I'll probably add them later.

One last interesting find for the day was of an archeological nature. This is an ancient rock carving of a ceremonial mask from the Inca culture. To find Inca artifacts this far north is extremely rare. I am sure you are saying, he's full of it. Perhaps I am wrong, it's probably Aztec.

It has rained in Athens County for 21 straight days!! Yes, someone was counting. It's summer break, and I'm stuck watching movies instead of getting out in the field. So here are a few random shots of things I found while dodging raindrops. Look close, that red-orange spot is not the head of the inchworm, but an oak bud.

Our campus prairie is just starting to pop out a couple species. This is Crowns-beard, Verbesina helianthoides. It tends to be a more western species. A couple years ago, I could find but one plant. Now there are several in bloom. Remember the golden rule when managing such areas, prairies=patience.

One of my better finds was this Coral Hairstreak, Satyrium titus. It's occurs state wide, yet this is only the second time I've seen one. It's a gray hairstreak with a row of black spots that parallel a row of orange circles. Their peak flight period has already passed, so on freshly hatched specimens, that orange is much more brilliant.

Nice and juicy. Well maybe not as tasty as a true Blackberry. Essentially, that's what this is. Blackberries that grow along the ground are referred to as Dewberry, Rubus spp. Some fruits stay red, most turn black. I didn't recognize this species. It was very hairy with many leaves undivided. In the Woody Plants of Ohio, Lucy Braun lumps most of them together. In the Flora of West Virginia, there are a million of them (well almost). After looking through that book, I think I'll stay a lumper not a splitter on these!

Common Wood Nymph, Cercyonis pegala. Like other members of the family, these butterflies have a row of circles down the wing. Unlike the Pearly Eye, Eyed Brown, or the recently posted Carolina Satyr and Little Wood Satyr, this species is dark brown rather than light brown. In the typical form, the blue-black circles of the forewing are surrounded by a large patch of yellow. This is also visible on the inside. Don't be surprised if you see other forms of this butterfly that show little to no yellow at all.

Black Swallowtail, Papilio polyxenes. This is a female, showing only small yellow spots in the forewings. The males have large yellow triangles on their wings.

Black Cohosh, Actaea racemosa. Black Cohosh is a striking plant reaching 9 feet tall. It starts flowering from the bottom up, and within two weeks the blooms are concentrated at the tops.

The leaves are bi-pinnately compound, 2-3 feet in width.

I didn't have my macro when I found this, but there is enough here to put it in a group. I have become interested in Centipedes and Millipedes of late. Derrick Hennen of the Normal Biology Blog continues to work on a list for Ohio. This is one I had not payed attention to before. A brown millipede with a dark spot on each abdominal side, and a black head and rear portion. I believe it's a type of Cylindroiulus. Without a specimen under a scope, I wouldn't dare venture any further on ID.

Excuse the graininess, but I had to crop a lot to see the details. This is the queen of the Eastern YellowJacket, Vespula maculifrons. Queens are always larger than workers. The species is recognized by several characters. The top of the thorax is black, the back of the thorax has a black triangle. The first two abdominal segments have Batman capes. The rest of the abdomen have black stripes and spots separate from one another. In the workers, the spots and stripes blend together.

Not five minutes after spotting the last one, this lady came along. This is the queen of the Southern Yellow Jacket, Vespula squamosa. One ID feature of this queen is she is orange, not yellow. Usually only one black abdominal stripe is visible. The others are seen when she pulsates her body.

Only the queen yellow jackets overwinter. Come spring she builds a small nest, rears the young, then that brood takes over building and rearing the colony for the rest of the summer. This queen has even been known to crawl into the nests of other yellow jackets, steal their eggs or larvae, and raise them as her own.

People ask me what 'officially' do you call a Yellow Jacket? I have heard some very colorful names from people who have been stung, but I'll not use those here. A Yellow Jacket is simply a type of wasp or hornet, not a bee. Here she is taking flight. Notice the McDonald's golden arches on her thorax, another key identification feature. Ya, I'm lovin' it.

This Heterocampa Prominent welcomed us to another night of mothing at Wahkeena Nature Preserve. There was nothing I wanted to collect that night, so I spent it helping people with identifications. This annual event is not something advertised to the public. Robyn invites a small circle of friends. Lisa, Roger, and myself were the usual suspects. We met David and Laura Hughes at Mothapalooza, and they brought a light setup of their own. A couple of other moth photographers showed up, so we had quite the busy night.

As we usually do, Lisa and I showed up early in hopes of shooting other things before dark. Here are some of the plants we found. Royal Catchfly, Silene regia.

Blue Vervain, Verbena hastata.

Rattlesnake Master,Eryngium yuccifolium.

Wineberry, Rubus phoenicolasius. Wineberry is an imported Asian species of Raspberry. It spreads incredibly fast. If you grow it, you have to keep an eye on it to prevent escape. For those who hate the seeds of Raspberry and Blackberry, fear not. This is a seedless variety that is absolutely scrumptious to the palette. They practically melt in your mouth.

The leaves are divided into threes, and the twigs are purple-red. Be careful handling it, the stems are covered in bristly hairs and thorns much like that of Bristly Greenbrier (Smilax).

Always a highlight finding Orchids, this is the Green Adder's Mouth, Malaxis unifolia. A green flowered, single leaved species, you have to look real carefully along the ground to find it. They only grow about six inches tall.

Back to Lepidoptera. Moths, like their ancestors the Trichoptera, have hairs covering their bodies. Unlike Caddisflies, in the Butterflies & Moths, most of the hairs have flattened out to form scales. Essentially, Lepidoptera are covered in scaly fur coats.

Elm Sphinx, Ceratomia amyntor. The larva is known as the Four-horned Sphinx.

Maple Looper, Parallelia bistriaris.

Red-lined Panapoda, Panapoda rufimargo.

Upon approach to landing, catocala flight 101 caught a wind sheer and crash landed head first. Fortunately, nobody was hurt. It is mid July, and for the next two months, the bulk of the Underwing species will be hatching. This one tried hiding with its head under the grass. It's Catocala ilia, the Ilia Underwing, a large species with bright orange hind wings. It is easy to identify, especially the forms with those white spots on the wings.

Tulip Tree Silk Moth, Callosamia angulifera. This is a male, which looks very similar to male Promethea Moths. In Promethea, the white spots in the center of the wing are missing. Both were present that night, along with IO, Imperial, and Rosy Maple Moths.

A gathering of Silk Moths. Here's a photo from Laura showing the abundance from that night.

Straight-lined Plagodis, Plagodis fervidaria. The so called 'straight line' is a bit faded in this inchworm specimen. It's not that they are worn away, this is a highly variable species. Sometimes those gray spots are purple, and the hindwings often yellow.

Too much light on the sheet, and too much flash. One of these days I'll learn. This is one of the micro moths known as Leafrollers, a Tortricidae. Probably an Argyrotaenia species, possibly pinatubana. These are species you have to have in hand, and compare to a reference collection to be sure.

Another micro moth from the Pyralidae family. The genus is Salebriaria, and that's as far as one should go with just a picture. There are many species that look similar. Did you notice the mohawk buzz-cut on top of the head? Those are actually mouth palps that they keep curved upward instead of below.

Oh boy, this was not a welcome sight. It's the one and only Gypsy Moth, Lymantria dispar. I've been dreading their arrival, but the front edge of the movement is now down to Hocking and Athens County. There was a Gypsy Moth outbreak in Hocking back in the late 90's, but it was contained. Here they come again. This is the male of course, the females being white and incapable of flight.

Here he is with the large feathery antennae sticking straight up, just waiting to pick up the pheromone scent of the female.

It was a cloudy night, the stars and moon peeked through the frozen sky. Everyone was huddled close together in anticipation of what would appear. There was a deep chill in the air. Deep chill? What is this, a novel? I've been complaining about all the rain lately. Then I realized the alternative, it could be WINTER! I decided not to whine so much.

I recently visited Cedar Bog just outside of Urbana Ohio. The so called 'bog' is actually a fen. In simple terms, a bog is an acid lake with stagnant water. A fen is more alkaline with constant running water. Different vegetation zones occur in these spots such as marl flats, sedge meadows, prairie fens, and bottomland hardwood forests. Several prairie grasses and flowers, usually more common in dry sites, but are tolerant of these soil types, can be found here. Enlarging the picture, you can see the SpikedBlazing Star, Liatris spicata, just beginning to pop out behind the sign.

Jim McCormac of the Division of Wildlife, was our program leader for the day. I am so glad he gave a talk on fen plants before we went out. With three dozen people on the single file boardwalk, there was no way I could here everything he was talking about. So I lingered in the back, patiently waiting till I saw many of the plants in his presentation. One of those was this Bog Birch, or what I know as Dwarf Birch, Betula pumila.

Dwarf Birch is exactly that, a birch tree that grows small like a shrub. The leaves are round to spatula shaped and heavily serrated. You can see the areas namesake plant in the background, White Cedar, Thuja occidentals.

At the opposite end of the spectrum is this Cinquefoil. Most of its relatives are small herbaceous plants. This is Shrubby Cinquefoil, Potentilla fruticosa. Because of its woody nature, you'll often see the name listed as Pentaphylloides floribunda. This plant will reach 3-4 foot in height.

Pussy Willow, Salix discolor, is a common species on the area. Their leaves are wider than many other willows, and the margins have large serrations. After seeing a lot of it, you may just start to ignore it. Watch closely, as there are other, more uncommon species mixed in.

Blue-leaved Willow, Salix myricoides, is one of those rare species in Ohio. Also called Bayberry Willow, and listed in older texts as S. glaucophylloides. The glauca name coming from the bluish-white undersides of the leaves. The leaf margins are more finely serrate then Pussy Willow, and the surface has a smooth, more shiny appearance.

In the forested edges, you may find a three-leaved tree that looks very much like Poison Ivy. The fact that it's a tree will remedy your worry, but small saplings like this may still fool you. It's called Hoptree or Wafer-ash, Ptelea trifoliata. The fruit look similar to those on Elm trees. Round wafers that are flying saucer shaped.

Hoptree may look like Poison Ivy, but there is no rash it can give you. This plant on the other hand is one you want to avoid at all costs! Poison Sumac, Toxicodendron vernix. It can reach 20 feet in height. That means your head or face can easily brush up against it where it grows along a trail. Due to the many leaflets on each stem, people might mistake it for an Ash.

The twig is thick like other sumacs, but that is about all it has in common with its relatives. There are more then 3 leaflets, so it's not Fragrant Sumac. There are no thick velvety hairs, so it's not Staghorn. The leaflets are not serrated, so it's not Smooth Sumac, and there are no wings between the leaflets, so it's not Winged Sumac.

One of the easiest ways to identify it is by the fruit. These green berries will eventually turn white, and look just like Poison Ivy fruit. The key feature is they droop down beneath the leaves. As with Poison Ivy, probably 10-20% of the population is immune. Don't take my word for it, but listen to other peoples stories, and they are not just folklore. Many find they have much moresevere reactions to Poison Sumac than they do to P.I. Poison Sumac is not common in Ohio, but can be found where there are large bottomland swamps.

I mention the sumac, birch, willow, cinquefoil, white cedar, and hoptree, not only because they are indicator species, but for those of us down in Athens County, we don't see these much in our area. Other woody plants of fens not common in S.E. Ohio include Red-osier and Gray Dogwood, Ninebark, Nannyberry Viburnum, and Yellow Birch.

As we travelled through the forested area, many plants, both common and unique were found. This is Death Camas, Zigadenus elegans. A beautiful 6 parted flower with grass like leaves, and green glands in the middle of each petal. With a name like Death Camas, you guessed it's probably poisonous. How about, all parts are toxic and fatal.

Water Hemlock, Cicuta maculata. Looking similar to its relatives Queen-Anne's Lace, and Poison Hemlock, Water Hemlock prefers shaded areas of wetlands and swamps. One of the things I notice is that in full bloom, there is an open circle in the center of each flower cluster. That may not be unique to this species, just something I see.

The leaves are divided or compound like other members of the family. What I find is that there is a gap between each set of leaflets. As I mentioned above, whether that holds up as absolute compared to similar species, I'm not sure. I just like pointing out things that work for me. By the way, all parts of this plant are poisonous too.

Gees, between this, death camas, and poison sumac, maybe I shouldn't go. Now who is going to visit a fen that isn't interested in finding such plants in the first place? Just don't eat everything you see!

This plant isn't in bloom yet, but those leaves caught my eye. It's Canadian Burnet, Sanguisorba canadensis. A very showy plant with large white spikes of flowers, similar to the Black Cohosh I recently posted.

Here is what it looks like come August.

Do you recognize this plant without the flower? The nut like fruit and perfoliate leaves are a clue. It's Large-flowered Bellwort, Uvularia grandiflora.

Here is another gone from flower to fruit. Goldenseal, Hydrastis canadensis.

Wild Sweet William, Phlox maculata.

Whorled Rosinweed, Silphium trifoliatum.

A cluster of white ball like flowers in the center brings to mind a bur-reed. But those bi-pinnate leaves that spread out 3-4 feet will dispel any bur-reed thoughts. This is Spikenard, Aralia racemosa.

People were asking about the egg like structures all over the Stinging Nettles. These are Dasineura Midge Galls, created by a fly.

As we move into the open marshy areas we find totally different species such as this Cyperaceae member. This is Twig-rush,Cladium mariscoides, in full bloom.

Yellow Sedge, Carex flava. I was hoping to find more of the rare Carex species, but they were well off the boardwalk, out in the middle somewhere. These Sedges and Rushes aren't as colorful as wildflowers, but are still important indicators of fens.

You really can't mistake these bright pink plumes with any other flower. Queen-of-the-Prairie, Filipendula rubra, is a species of wet prairie soils. It provides insects with pollen, but not nectar.

These conspicuous white flower heads make the Fen Indian Plantain easy to identify. Arnoglossumplantagineum is also a wet prairie species, but in Ohio it's now restricted to fen locations in the west-central counties of the state.

A five-parted yellow flower, with a point on each petal tip. The flowers point downward. Looks like the common Fringed Loosestrife. That's the beauty of being in these unique habitats. What you take for granted might just be something else.

This is Prairie Loosestrife. The latin name is Lysimachia quadriflora. The flowers look like Fringed, and the latin name is similar to the Whorled Loosestrife. Consider your location first, then look at those thin linear leaves. Other Loosestrifes have much broader leaves.

This 1/8th inch flower is often bypassed because people simply miss it. The plant is more familiar to many from the leaves rather than the bloom.

It's the Round-leaved Sundew, Drosera rotundifolia. These are the carnivorous plants you've heard about. The green leaves have red hair like projections covered with a sticky glue. When an insect gets stuck in the droplets, the leaves fold over and digest the bug. An extra protein source for the plant.

I picked up four new species of plants that day. The other exciting highlights for me were of the entomological nature. Two new species of Odonata. At first glance, this looks just like any common bluet or dancer damsel.

Up close, we can see the details of the Seepage Dancer, Argia bipunctulata. The last three abdominal segments are sky blue, and the proceeding segment is all black. This is the male. Because of its habitat limitations, this species is classified as rare to endangered in Ohio.

So what could top a rare Damselfly? How about an endangered Dragonfly. I thought the Amberwing was small, this is barely an inch long, and holds the record for the smallest Dragonfly in North America. The Elfin Skimmer, Nannothemis bella. This is a female, recognized by the black and yellow stripes. The male is a chalky blue.

Unlike Beaver Creek, this is a better representative of a less disturbed fen. The limey muddy marl coats the surface along these narrow streams that originate from underground seeps. Gallagher has recently been opened up to the public. We noticed someone had been there just before us. Turns out Bob and Deb from TrekOhio website beat us by 24 hours. To see flowers from all seasons, check out their site, (and their photos are far superior to mine).

In August, the dominant plant of this fen is Cut-leaved Prairie Dock, Silphium terebinthinaceum var. pinnatifidum.

What gives it the variety name is the appearance of the leaves. Rather than being a single broad leaf, it is cut or dissected into many parts. Some leave it as a variety, while others elevate it to a distinct species.

Orange Coneflower, Rudbeckia fulgida. Some people call this a type of Black-eyed Susan, as they do with many species of Rudbeckia. I don't like using the same common name over again, so I stick with Orange. The flowers are never really orange, but yellow orange. Some varieties show more orange around the center disc.

The key feature to look for are the leaves. Black-eyed Susan R. hirta, has elongate leaves that are very soft or fuzzy. Orange Coneflower has shorter, more rounded leaves, and feel more rough or sandpapery. Black-eyed Susan tends to be a spring to early summer bloomer.

This particular fen variety is sullivantii. Thanks to Andrew Gibson for that addition. Andy was going to be our guide for the day, but he got called away to another location. Because of that, we decided to skip Prairie Road Fen, which is accessible by permit only.

Though not in bloom yet, these short clasping leaves make Stiff Goldenrod, Oligoneuron rigidum, easy to identify. Riddell's Goldenrod, Ohio Goldenrod, Nodding Wild Onion, Tall Larkspur, and the plants above are more typical of drier sites. Gallagher is technically known as a prairie-fen. To paraphrase Guy Denny, the water is so cold and calcareous, the plants don't really derive any nutrients from it. So it's like they were living on a dry prairie anyway.

As I mentioned, we were just a bit early for the Goldenrod blooms. Most of those ready to come out had the spreading plume-like inflorescence. This one plant, blooming in a narrow spike, looks like Solidago uliginosa, the Bog Goldenrod. They are a wetland species, and it also occurs in the three counties around this site.

Another fen indicator is this small blue flower, Kalm's Lobelia, Lobelia kalmii. It looks similar to Spiked and other species, but many of the lobelias are habitat specific.

While walking the boardwalk, there were a lot of these damselflies. I was confused as to which species it was.

Most damselflies that are that bright blue in the front, usually have blue or some other colorful spots on the abdomen. That's true with the males at least, and that's where the problem comes in. This is a brightly colored female. Most female damselflies are rather dull. Turns out this is a Blue-tipped Dancer, Argia tibialis.

Two things to look for. The broad black shoulder stripe splits near the wings and forms a blue triangle. Secondly, the very last abdominal segment is light brown, not black.

The trail leading back to the fen is a wooded area full of Oak and Hackberry. It came as no surprise to see plenty of the Hackberry Butterflies, Asterocamps celtis.

Along that same trail was this Beggar-tick in full bloom. No bright yellow rays like the ones you see in ditches. I'm always on the lookout for species in this group. It's Bidens vulgata, recognized by the 15 leafy bracts behind the center disc. They average 13-18 bracts. The other non-rayed species have far fewer.

Back on the fen, I noticed this little caterpillar chewing away on the willows. When they are in an early instar like this, it's hard to tell what species it is. The humped back, saddle pattern, and two tentacles protruding from the rear, make it one of the Prominent moths.

Looking on other willows, I found a more mature one. These humpbacked caterpillars with the tentacles in the back are either Furcula or Cerura moths. I believe it's the Black-etched Prominent, Cerura scitiscripta. The markings on the back can be purple, green, or brownish-orange.

Here's a picture of it rearing up its head in a defensive manner, trying to look intimidating with those false black eyes.

Like a blanket of snow in the middle of August. In the meadow between the forest and fen edge was a large patch of Thoroughwort or Boneset.

Those two common names are applied to a lot of closely related species that have these white flower tops. You have to look at the leaves to differentiate between them.

The leaves have no petiole, so they are sessile. The leaves are not perfoliate on the center stem either. They are elongate and coarsely toothed. That 'leaves'Upland Thoroughwort, Eupatorium sessilifolium. While not a fen associate, any new species to my list is worth noting. I hope between Cedar Bog, Beaver Creek, and Gallagher, you can see the importance of preserving fen habitats. Visit them in spring, summer, and fall to capture their real diversity.

This is sort of a P.S. I threw in. Growing among the thoroughwort was a plant I took for a Gentian, but the fruit is all wrong. That led me to the Horse-gentian group Triosteum. Question, does this fruit turn orange? If so, does one consider these leaves truly perfoliate? That would make it Tinker's-weed. If those leaves do not qualify as perfoliate, then it's T. aurantiacum, Wild Coffee. The leaves are at least clasping. Somebody make up my mind.

After visiting Cedar Bog, I wanted to get exposed to more fen environments. Lynn Holtzman and I decided to make a list of places to visit. Lynn spent a couple decades working in this part of the state, so he knew all the good places to hit. We started at Beaver Creek Wildlife Area. This fen is not as pristine as others in the area. Water levels have been manipulated and Turtlehead, the food plant of the Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly has virtually disappeared, and Cattail has invaded heavily. Still, there were plenty of interesting things.

One of the first things I saw along the boardwalk was new to me. It reminded me of a Harebell. I knew it couldn't be that, but I was in the right group. This is Marsh Bellflower, Campanula aparinoides. It's a five petaled flower with very thin leaves.

The stems and leaves tend to grow in a ball, and remind me of Spanish Moss.

Growing among the Water Cress along the streams was American Brooklime, Veronica americana. If it looks like a Speedwell, well, it is.

Also common in wetlands are Bur-reeds. These with the large golf ball fruit are Giant Bur-reed, Sparganium eurycarpum, the most widespread species in Ohio.

Great Water Dock, Rumex orbiculatus. Nobody pays much attention to Docks. They are usually considered weedy plants. Remember, this is a wildlife area. These wetlands are important for waterfowl during nesting and migration time.

Ducks go crazy in consuming Dock seeds like this.

Another important food for waterfowl are the seeds of sedges. This is Gray's Sedge, Carex grayi. These 'spiked' sedges remind me of Sweetgum, ball and chain weapons like the mace, or the old WWII underwater mines. Carex intumescens looks similar to this, but is not as widespread in Ohio. Plus the base of each spike or perigynia is not as swollen as these.

Another new one for me was the Sweet-scented Indian Plantain, Hasteola suaveolens. This plant is restricted to aquatic environments, or what is classified as a FAC wetland species. Though similar, it is not the same as the Fen Indian Plantain I posted from Cedar Bog.

The main identification feature on this species are the arrow-head shaped leaves.

A plant I mentioned in the Cedar Bog post, but didn't illustrate is Nannyberry. Viburnum lentago. It prefers moist to wet soil. Viburnums are opposite branched shrubs that provide fruit for birds and other wildlife.

Besides their leaves, Viburnums can be recognized by the buds. The terminals look like spears, and the lateral buds don't protrude outward, but tend to hug the twig. Nannyberry buds range from gray to rusty orange. The leaf petioles are flattened and wing like, with the edges being bumpy or rough to the touch.

This delicate looking plant is common in shallow wetlands. Water Parsnip, Sium suave, looks a lot like other members of the Apiaceae. This one happens to be edible.

The leaflets are once divided and in pairs. Again I refer back to Cedar Bog, and the similar looking Water Hemlock I posted. That has leaves in threes. This one also lacks the purple spotted stem of Poison Hemlock.

I have a bad habit of walking past these and saying "Skullcap", and that's it. I should know better. There are 10 species in Ohio, so let's try and figure this one out. Flowers are solitary or in pairs, medium sized as skullcaps go. Leaves are short and sessile, slightly serrate. That makes it Marsh Skullcap, Scutellaria epilobifolia. (S. galericulata)

As always, not everything that catches my eye are plants. At first I passed this off as the common Pearly Eye. Closer examination finds it to be a much more uncommon species known as the Northern Eyed Brown,Satyrodes eurydice.

What separates this from the similar Pearly Eye and Appalachian Eyed Brown, is the dark line on the hindwing. The brown line is sharply angled near the bottom. It's much more rounded or wavy on the other species. To a lesser extent, the four circular spots in the upper wing are often more distinct as well.

Flying in profusion was one of my favorite Dipterans. The Phantom Crane Fly,Bittacomorpha clavipes. The larvae are orange, and look like a giant rusty maggot with a long breathing snorkel. The adults aren't called the Phantom for nothing. They fly just like this, with their legs spread out. The black and white pattern may be spotted by you easy enough, but within a second they disappear right in front of your face. Oh, they're still there, just very hard to follow.

They are slow fliers that never seem to want to land. I had to crawl through thickets of Rice Cutgrass to find one resting. That plant will tear you up. Five days later the cuts are still covering my arms. Hey, when in the field, you gotta do what you gotta do!

Bob Patterson photo
Scoopwings, Uraniidae (Epiplemidae), are a small family of moths that also resemble some Inchworms. There are only two species here. 7653 Calledapteryx dryopterata, the Brown Scoopwing. The wing edges are scalloped in this species. Rather than paying attention to the small stripes, I look for a dark patch at the base of the forewing, and one at the outer edge of the upper forewing section.

When at rest, Scoopwings frequently sit with their front and hindwings apart from one another. This gives the appearance that a portion is missing, as if they were bitten by a bird or bat.

7650 Callizzia amorata, the Gray Scoopwing. Similar to the above, but overall base color is gray not brown. The forewings are less scalloped, and the hindwings contain more black. Records indicate it is found from coast to coast. I have collected it in Michigan, but haven't seen it yet in Ohio.

Mimallonidae family, known as the Sack-bearers. The name comes from the behavior of the larvae. Caterpillars build a purse, or sack of silk around their bodies, and spend the winter in a sleeping bag. They pupate the following spring. The adults are fat bodied and hairy. They may be mistaken for a small Silkmoth. This one is Lacosoma chiridota 7659, the Scalloped Sack-bearer. This is the female. The name points to the obvious irregular pattern of the wing margins.

7662 Cicinnus melsheimeri, Melsheimer's Sack-bearer. This species is larger than the previous. The color is a light pink-orange, and the wing edges are much more uniform. I made up my own name for this. I call it the peppered sack-bearer. It looks like the wings and body have been dotted with black pepper. Again, there are several Inchworm moths that have similar looking stripes in the wings, but Inchworms don't have bodies this fat.

Thyrididae, the Window-winged Moths. Well they may be called that, but you can't really see through the windows. They are translucent at best, but not transparent. These are small moths often seen at flowers during the day.

6076 Thyris maculata, Spotted Thyris. The thorax is bright yellow, and the wings will be spotted with small orange-gold dots. These moths tend to show both sets of wings when hovering, so the white spots are easily seen.

6077 Thyris sepulchralis, the Mournful Thyris. It's in mourning, so it's wearing black. With that background, the white spots make this easy to identify. This species also wears a white collar around the neck. The short blunt wings serve to separate it from any other black and white moth. There are a few records north of Ohio, but this is a species of the southern states.

6078 Dysodia oculatana, the Eyed Window-wing. You have to look close to find those window patches. The yellow orange mix give this moth a brassy, shiny appearance.

There are two species of Apatelodidae moths in Ohio. This is the Angel, Olceclostera angelica. 7665
A gray moth with two curvy brown stripes in the wing. Apatelodids sit with their wings flat over their body in a triangle shape.They often stand on their head and hold the abdomen up in the air. The wing margins are scalloped or uneven. Members of the family have one or two white, somewhat translucent spots, near the edge of the upper wing.

As with previous moth posts, all pinned specimens are the property of Jim Vargo. The live shots are mine, unless indicated otherwise. The numbers reflect the Hodges checklist.

7663 Apatelodes torrefacta. Called the Spotted Apatelodes, I have always known it as the Wild Cherry Moth. I see this more often than the previous one. Another gray winged species, the key difference is the black stripe near the base of the forewing. Large black spots on the wing and thorax are also distinct. The hindwing is rust colored. When at rest, they often keep those hind wings hidden. It's a cherry, oak, and maple feeder.

Thyatiridae moths. To me they have a mix of both Prominent and Noctuid characters. The best way to distinguish them is to simply learn the species. There are only four in Ohio. This one is Habrosyne scripta, the Lettered Habrosyne, 6235. More common in northern Ohio, it has a wide range from coast to coast in N.A. I would expect to see this in other parts of the state.

Habrosyne gloriosa, the Glorious Habrosyne 6236, is the more widespread species in Ohio. It is nearly identical to Lettered, with a couple subtle differences. The white line bordering the large gray patch is bent in both species. In gloriosa it forms a nearly square or 90 degree break. In scripta it is only slightly bent. The pink-white line that borders the wing edge is straight in gloriosa, and more curved or boomerang shaped in scripta.

6237 Pseudothyatira cymatophoroides, the Tufted Thyatirid. This moth occurs in two color forms. The black marks may be present or absent. It's call tufted for two reasons. When at rest you can see a tuft of hairs on the thorax sticking straight up. Also, follow the outer forewing down to where it meets the hindwing. Notice a "tuft" of rusty scales. These also stick out on the moth when the wings are folded.

6240 Euthyatira pudens, Dogwood Thyatirid. Another species with two color forms. Easy to recognize with the big white spots, even the lighter form still shows some of the same spots. In fresh specimens, those white spots are often tinted with pink.

The Drepanidae family, commonly known as Hooktip Moths. You can see the wing tips curve into a sharp fish hook shape. That is typical, but not all species show those tips. Seems there are always exceptions in every group. This one is Drepana arcuata 6251, the Arched Hooktip. Yellow-brown in color, often lighter on the outer portions, with a dark curved line up the middle. A thinner brown line often borders the thicker one. These moths can easily be mistaken for Geometrid Inchworms, but have a shorter stouter body.

6252 Drepana bilineata, the Two-lined Hooktip. Like the previous, there is a yellow-brown look to the wings. In the first form, a net-winged appearance is also helpful. The hook-tips are there, but the wing margin is more scalloped in this species. Whether a light or dark form, the name tells you what to look for, two widely separated brown stripes. This species is found primarily north of Ohio.

6255 Oreta rosea,Rose Hooktip. Although the center is still a brown color, the yellow makes this easy to recognize. The hook itself may be dark brown to purple. Occasionally this species will be found in an all orange form.

6253 Eudeilinia herminiata, Northern Eudeilinia. This is one of those species that lacks the hooked tip. Look for a dark chain like pattern on both sets of wings. Again, those short stout bodies help in separating this from several white Inchworm lookalikes. This species is found in every state surrounding Ohio. So look for it in places besides the northern counties. Not much of a common name, but it's called northern because there is a nearly identical species in Florida. On that one, the dark spots are a lighter yellow-gold.

Chestnut Oak, Quercus montana (prinus)

The sun sets earlier every day. That means school has started, and my posts will probably dwindle. These are just a batch of photos I've had sitting around for six weeks. Spiders, ferns, aphids, etc. will be placed in their respective older posts on those subjects. I pulled some pics out that were originally here and put them elsewhere, and added others to update my hiking around.

This critter decided to hang around and let me photograph him. Most of these tend to fly or jump away. It's a Meadow Katydid. They are divided into greater and lesser katydids. I think this is a Greater in the genus Orchelimum. Common Greater Katydid, O. vulgare seems most likely.

You'd think with those eyes and brown marks on the head and thorax, it would be easy to narrow down. Not really, many of the species are similarly marked. You need to see the sub-genital plates at the back of the abdomen.

Same goes for this relative I found nearby. This is a Bush Katydid of the genus Scudderia. You have to look at the genitalia. No dissection needed mind you, but you have to have the specimen in hand.

As soon as I tried to get a closeup of the abdomen rear, he turned around, and those eyes were giving me a very nasty dirty look. I decided to pass.

The Orb spider that sits facing up instead of down. Arrowhead Weaver, Verrucosa arenata, and an unlucky wasp.

Rough Bedstraw, Galium asprellum. Really, how can you tell? Well you can't by this photo.

Touch the stems and you'll see where the name comes from. They have little prickles that stick to your clothes like the larger Clinging Cleavers bedstraw. Once I have around 10 species photographed, I promise I'll do a key on separating them all.

Every late summer and fall certain numbers of American Beech trees will show white lines on the edge of the twigs.

These are Wooly Beech Aphids, Grylloprociphilis imbricator. At this time of year Aphid colonies will consist of winged males for mating. Throughout the summer many species of aphids have populations made up entirely of females only.

Beneath the Beech trees you may often notice what looks like piles of old charcoal briskets dumped on the ground. This is developing Sooty Mold Fungus feeding off the sugar water or honeydew excreted by the aphids.

Many Aphids, including the wooly ones, can be rather species specific to certain plants. This is the Apple Wooly Aphid, Eriosoma lanigerum on Wild Crabapple.

Calamagrotis canadensis, known as Bluejoint Grass. This is a clump forming species. Although this was seen in a fen, it is a widespread species found in any wetland. Ducks and Muskrats feed on the seeds, and the clumps make excellent nesting material. No surprise that it's an important species in waterfowl management, especially in the upper half of Ohio and along Lake Erie.

Wood Reed Grass, Cinna arundinacea. Maybe not as important in wildlife management as the Bluejoint, it's still common everywhere. In sunny openings, the seed heads are much more dense. In heavy shade they appear a bit sparse. This form looks similar to Slender Wood Reed, C. latifolia, but that is an endangered species in the state, found only in two counties of NE Ohio.

The best time to wander into prairies is mid to late July. But even a month later you'll still find plants in bloom. Two favorites of mine include the Spring Ladies Tress Orchid, Spiranthes vernalis on the left, and the Tall Green Milkweed, Asclepias hirtella.

A common hairy vine with three leaflets and purple flowers. This is Hog Peanut, Amphicarpaea bracteata. I have found this in just about any open area habitat. A showy member of the Legume family.

Also common in open sites is Hypericum hypericoides. Most St. Johnswort Hypericums have 5 petaled flowers. These with four yellow petals are known as St. Andrew's Cross.

Turkey Tail Fungus, or at least that's what I think. Fungi and Mushrooms is a subject I know very little about. I have enough photos to do several posts on this group, if I can ever find an expert to sit down with. I know several people who are familiar with the edible species, but I don't take a lot of pictures of toadstools and puffballs, I look for the weird instead. Things like Jelly Fungus, Coral Fungi, Dead Man's Fingers, and things like that.

In late summer, the Winged or Shiny Sumac, Rhus copallina, is an excellent source for insect photography. Most of these plants have now gone to fruit.

While working on my second post about ferns, this species eluded me throughout Athens and Hocking Counties. I had to go to western Ohio to get it, and found it in abundance in wetland habitats. Thelypteris palustris, the Marsh Fern, (palustris means swamp). The pinna, or leaflets, occur in both this skinny and broad form.

Most of the plant is smooth to the touch, but the central rachis or stem is quite hairy. One identification character I noticed that was consistent on all the plants was the basal leaflets next to the rachis are bent inward.

The sporangia are not produced on a separate stalk, but on the undersides of the pinnae. Most ferns prefer a woodland setting. Look for this in open areas.

White Wood Aster, Eurybia divaricata. This is a common shade tolerant species currently in bloom in dry forest understories. The lower leaves are arrow-head shaped, broad, and on long stalks. The upper leaves become minute.

Most of the time they have a rather flat-topped bloom, but on vigorous plants, the flower head may be more umbel shaped.

A student sent me this picture of a Tree Burl on Oak. Burls are found on many tree species. They can be caused by several factors. Fungi, a virus, insects, or some damage to the cambium layer. Sometimes stunted twigs and buds that can't break through the bark may cause it. Many trees actually have burls on their roots. Burls don't kill the tree, but a bunch of them on the same tree may be so heavy, the tree can't hold up the weight. Burls are often cut off the tree and milled into very decorative pieces highly sought by wood workers and artists.

There's a bounty in the county on caterpillars right now. So I'll try to get out and about with the camera some how. But with the semester starting, I've got other things to do, like sit a bit in the office too. I have to feed the need of students greed to learn about Dendrology. Hey, it's okay. Let's just hope I'm not stuck with bad luck, cause it's Friday the 13th.

Sphinx Moths of Ohio, Part 2

Distribution of the Sphinx Moths & Hawkmoths of Ohio: Sphingidae

Ohio Spiders

Hemlock Wooly Adelgid Reaches Hocking County

Get Aboard The May-flower

Log Cabin Hollow and Forest Ecology

Shooting Birds With a Macro Lens

Hiking Mahoning County

Hiking Hocking County

Mothapalooza part 2. More Than Just Moths

Mothapalooza-A Success

A Few More Ferns

Summer Hiking

A Night at Wahkeena 2013

Cedar Bog

Gallagher Fen

Beaver Creek Fen

Scoopwings, Sackbearers, & Window-winged Moths

Thyatirids, Apatelodids, and Hooktip Moths

Summer Wanes (updated)