Απρίλιος 26, 2018

Spring Observations Notes (work in progress)

As of April 25th:

Pink ladies seem to be in peak bloom, noticed them in abundance along 199 on drive home

Starting to see iNat posting for the Painted Bunting (hopefully get some at my feeder this year)

Bluebonnets still around, but appear to have reached their peak

Indian Blankets are starting to bloom everywhere, have noticed this for the past couple of weeks

What appears to be Texas Toadflax is also blossoming

Posted on Απρίλιος 26, 2018 0120 ΠΜ by birdsandbugs27 birdsandbugs27 | 0σχόλια | Αφήστε ένα σχόλιο

Νοέμβριος 12, 2017

American Snout, Libytheana carinenta

Classification:
• Order: Lepidoptera
o Family: Nymphalidae
o Subfamily: Libytheinae

Identification: Labial palps long and extended forward. Tip of forewing squared off. Upperside brown, forewing with orange at base and inner margin, and white spots on outer half. Underside of hindwing mottled or smooth violet-gray.

Wing Span: 1 3/8 - 2 inches (3.5 - 5 cm)

Life History: Adults perch on branches and imitate dead leaves by holding palps and antennae downward to look like petioles. Males patrol near host plants to seek females. Eggs are laid in small groups on leaves of the host tree; caterpillars eat young leaves. Adults overwinter in the southern part of their range.

Flight: Two broods; May-June, and August. These butterflies sometimes undertake huge migrations.

Caterpillar Hosts: Several species of hackberry (Celtis).

Adult Food: Nectar from flowers of aster, dogbane, dogwood, goldenrod, sweet pepperbush, and others.

Habitat: Forest clearings and edges, thorn scrub, brushy fields, roadsides.

Range: Argentina north through Mexico and the West Indies to southern United States. Migrates to central California, southern Nevada, Colorado, and most of the eastern United States.
Conservation: Not usually of concern.

Information from: https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Libytheana-carinenta

Posted on Νοέμβριος 12, 2017 0351 ΠΜ by birdsandbugs27 birdsandbugs27 | 1 παρατήρηση | 0σχόλια | Αφήστε ένα σχόλιο

Carolina Snailseed, Cocculus carolinus

Classification
Menispermaceae (Moonseed Family)

• Plant Characteristics
o Duration: Perennial
Habit: Vine
Size Notes: 3-15
Flower:

Fruit:

Bloom Information
• Bloom Color: Green
Bloom Time: Jun , Jul , Aug
Distribution
• USA: AL , AR , FL , GA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MO , MS , NC , OK , SC , TN , TX , VA
Native Distribution: N. FL to TX, n. to NC, KY, s. IL & s.e. KS
Native Habitat: Moist, rich woods; roadside thickets; rocky
• hillsides; limestone cliffs
Growing Conditions
Water Use: Low
Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist
Soil pH: Circumneutral (pH 6.8-7.2)
Cold Tolerant: yes
Heat Tolerant: yes
Soil Description: Various wet to droughty soils. . Sandy, Sandy Loam, Medium Loam, Clay Loam, Clay
Conditions Comments: Cocculus carolinus is a common vine with deep green heart shaped leaves. Some of its leaves can be mistaked for Smilax bona-nox, but C. carolinus does not have prickles or tendrils. It has clusters of lustrous red berries. Stems are not very woody and easily broken. Root system is shallow and suckering. Fast-growing and short-lived. Dies back considerably each season. Best in a naturalistic garden where some spreading is appreciated. Can be an aggressive colonizer.
Benefit
Use Ornamental: Attractive, Fruits ornamental, Twines on fences & other plants, Fast growing
Use Wildlife: An intermediate source of food for wildlife. Fruit-birds
Interesting Foliage: yes
Deer Resistant: Moderate
Information From:
https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=coca

Posted on Νοέμβριος 12, 2017 0325 ΠΜ by birdsandbugs27 birdsandbugs27 | 2 παρατηρήσεις | 0σχόλια | Αφήστε ένα σχόλιο

Οκτώβριος 21, 2017

Green Lynx Spider

Green Lynx Spider, Peucetia viridans

The genus name Peucetia was chosen by the Swedish arachnologist Tamerlan Thorell; it is the mythological proper name of one of the fifty sons of Lycaon, the son of Pelasgus (Cameron 2005). The specific epithet, viridans, is Latin for “green,” describing the coloration of the spider.
Source: http://www.spiders.us/species/peucetia-viridans/

Can be found in:
Open fields, especially those with tall grasses
Shrubs

Generally lives one year

Posted on Οκτώβριος 21, 2017 0612 ΠΜ by birdsandbugs27 birdsandbugs27 | 1 παρατήρηση | 0σχόλια | Αφήστε ένα σχόλιο

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