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Unknown Sedges, for the experts.
#1 Zaleski. Who can tell, maybe someone that really knows these may come by and put names on them.Heavily packed Carex cristatella? YoungstownFrom the Youngstown area. Carex scoparia?#4#5 N.E. Ohio#6...
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Carex Sedges part 3, the small species
Part three consists of species with smaller fruiting structures. While most sedges are wetland oriented, this first batch of species are found in woodland habitats.Wood Sedge, Carex blanda. This...
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Carex Sedges part 2-star, spiny & bushy species
I think of star shapes or pinwheels when I see the next two species. Fruits spread outward like a rosette. Perigynia on these are much smaller than anything posted in part 1.Curly Rose Sedge, Carex...
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Carex Sedges part 1, big and showy
It has been said that any sane person attempting to learn the 160+ species of Carex in Ohio must be insane. Who said that? I did! Seriously though, I want to thank Rick Gardner for showing me the 17...
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More Moths
Last month I posted on photographing night time moths. Here are a few more. This is the Tulip-tree Silk Moth, Callosamia angulifera. I always jump to conclusions when I see one and yell out Promethia!...
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A Prairie Insect Walk
My plans to head for the western Ohio prairies isn't going to happen this year. So when all else fails, visit the prairie we manage ourselves. This is peak blooming time for prairies, and I'm always...
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A Wahkeena Insect Walk
Yes, I spend a lot of time at Wahkeena Nature Preserve in Fairfield County. It's not a far drive, it's in the Hocking Hills region, so the diversity is wonderful, and there is always someone there to...
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Exploring Mill Creek and French Creek
With school coming back in session, I wanted to hike a couple places before time ran out. Mill Creek Park in Youngstown always has things to find. I start with this photo of a very small Noctuid moth....
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Moth Hunting with Lisa
Back in July, Lisa Sells and I went out looking for moths. We decided to try again in late August. Last time I spent most of it with the camera, this time I had my jars. I didn't pay much attention to...
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Autumn, Caterpillar Time
Fall is the time when many caterpillars are maturing. I did a post on moth caterpillars at this same time last year. You can see those right here. Some are repeats, but most are new. This is Acronicta...
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Maples of Ohio
With the historical demise of the American & Red Elm due to Dutch Elm Disease, and the recent decline of Ash in Ohio, Maples remain some of the most commonly used shade trees in ornamental...
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A Fall Insect Walk (and more caterpillars!)
"Is this guy going to drive me buggy with another insect talk"? Yeeesssss!"What's with all this in-your-face stuff"? This is one of our native brown stinks known as the Rough Stink Bug, Brochymena or...
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Sure Signs of the Fall Season
Summers gone, it's getting dark earlier, time to set the clocks back, there is frost on the ground, and it is Buck Moth season. The progression of leaves and fruit changing color is the best part of...
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A Few More Ohio Spiders
It's that time of year again where my posts become few and far between. Recent cold blasts have made it even more undesirable to be outside unless one has to. To keep the blog going, I was able to...
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Prominent Moths of Ohio part 2
Oligocentria moths are those which fold their wings around the body or around a twig to blend in with their environment. Both our species show white spots at the top and bottom of the forewing. They...
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Prominent Moths of Ohio
Prominent Moths belong to the family Notodontidae. They look very much like, and are distantly related to the Owlet Moths (Noctuidae). The difference between the families has to do with how the wing...
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Pines of Ohio
Being Ohio is in the Eastern Deciduous Forest, we don't have large amounts of natural pine stands like you see west, south, and north of us. Members of the pine family are Conifers or cone producers....
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Let's Go Climbing
Climbing Milkweed, Matelea obliqua. There are countless wildflowers that are classified as vines, but you only have a limited time to observe them in bloom. Let's look at woody plants instead, and...
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More Spring Hiking
Before leaving the house I noticed this large Geometrid on my window. This is the Tulip-tree Beauty, Epimecis hortaria. This is one of our larger Inchworm moths.Shooting from the top side shows the...
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Hiking Wahkeena
I recently had the opportunity to get out in the field with Rick Gardner to survey the Carex Sedges of Wahkeena Nature Preserve. In a couple hours we found 33 species, and my brain turned to mush! I...
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Lake Katharine State Nature Preserve
Kind of gives you that feel of the tropics doesn't it? That's to be expected when you are underneath the magnificent Magnolias of Lake Katherine. I joined Rick Gardner, Andrew Gibson, Steve McKee, Dave...
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Mothapalooza II
We just wrapped up another sold out Mothapalooza extravaganza. My vial caught the attention of one or two small beetles, but I didn't grab a single moth. As I mentioned last year, this is not a...
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Dragons and Damsels
I've posted on Dragonflies and Damselflies before, but they are always mixed with other subjects. I was going to include these in my next post, but that would make for far too large a read. Maybe come...
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Nature Preserves: Mill Creek & Wahkeena
Just like I started at Lake Katherine, the first thing I saw getting out of the car was a hairstreak butterfly. Â This time it was a Striped Hairstreak, Satyrium liparops, one of the darker hairstreaks...
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A Moth Night-just for me
Several people have asked me this summer when I'm going to do another moth night at Wahkeena or elsewhere. I have done a number of them over the last couple of years, and always enjoy helping people...
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