Green Moths

I was looking at the online BugGuide section on moths and noticed they had a section of green moths. I thought that was a great idea especially since a lot of the moths coming to the light this month were green or had green in them.  At first it seemed like an odd color to me but once I thought about it, I realized it was the perfect color for hiding during the day time.  All of these except the Parasa chloris (Smaller Parasa) and Cerma cerintha (Tufted Bird Dropping Moth) came to my light this month. The two exceptions were photographed June 2004.

So far this year I have had 4 Luna Moths show up which is a record for me.

Chlorochlamys chloroleucaria

Subfamily Geometrinae – Emeralds

Dyspteris abortivaria (Bad-wing)

Dyspteris abortivaria is different from some of the other green moths because the to the head, thorax, abdomen and even legs are green. If you compare it to the Chlorochlamys chloroleucaria you will see that the wings are longer narrower and a different shape which helps to identify it. This moth is known as the Badwing, because it is apparently difficult to position for spreading. I have a lot of Virginia creeper around my house so I should look for the caterpillar since that along with grape leaves is it’s plant of choice.

Leuconycta diphteroides (Green Leuconycta)

Lithacodia muscosula (Large Mossy Lithacodia)

Cerma cerintha (Tufted Bird Dropping Moth)

This interesting little moth is a member of the very large Noctuidae (Owlet) family. Like this one most of the Owlets are draw to the night light. Cerma cerintha larva feed on the leaves such as apple, cherry, hawthorn, all in the rose family. A lot of birds also feed on these plants so I suspect that might have something to do why it has evolved to look like similar to bird poop. In the remarks section of the BugGuide someone humorously wrote, “Although the common name is often spelled with a hyphen (bird-dropping), this moth does not pick up birds - and does not drop them!”

Maliattha synochitis (Black-dotted Maliattha)

Parasa chloris (Smaller Parasa)

Their caterpillars have no legs and move - sluglike - on the undersides of leaves

Violets

I saw so many wonderful plants while on the Blackwater Falls Wildflower Pilgrimage that I have decided to not post it as walk but rather group them to give each one the attention it deserves. The Fern Walk included wildflowers, moss, lichen, birds and just about everything we found interesting. My head was spinning trying to keep up with the 5 experts we had leading the walk. So, first I want to show the Family: Violet (Violaceae). I don't think I have seen so many different varieties in one location. We were on a country road walking along a large stream so, imagine the sounds of the stream and bird songs as you look at these photos.

First is Viola blanda (Sweet White Violet). They are low to the ground and almost like the common purple ones in my yard except they are white.

Below is Viola conspersa (Dog Violet) Dog violet can be distinguished from other purple violets by the long spur and by the "beard" of white hairs on the two side petals.

Here is a side view showing the long spur.

Next is the Viola canadensis (Canada violet) and it can be distinguished from other white-flowered violets by the yellow base of the petals, and by the purple tint on the back of the upper two petals. These were also the tallest violets that we saw that day.

Viola rostrata (Long-spur Violet). This was my first time noticing this violet. I say notice because there is a good chance I have just walked right over it in the past. I can't honestly say that I have paid much attention to violets in the past but you can be sure that I will in future now that I know there are so many different varities right in my own stomping ground.

All violets are edible. The leaves and flowers can be eaten raw in salads. The look very pretty around a plate of fresh baked cookies. Violets are high in vitamins A and C. When added to soup they thicken it in much the same way as okra. Some people use then in jellies to add flavor or color.

Be sure to visit Outdoors Wednesday.

Laying Low

What a raucous the birds were making. The Blue Jays and Cardinals seemed to be having a shouting match. I had just chased a squirrel out of my flower pot on the deck when they started up. The Blue Jays sounded like a Hawk and as I looked for it I noticed the squirrel hunkered down and not taking any chances. I had never seen a squirrel be so still for such a long time.

Sometimes when there is a lot of commotion and others are fussing I suspect it is a good time to just sit quietly with your tail down and stay out of the fray like this little squirrel.

See more fun Camera Critters here.

Blackwater Falls

Last weekend I attended the West Virginia Wildflower Pilgrimage at Blackwater Falls State Park. I saw so many beautiful flowers and sights it will take me forever to blog about it all. I drove down on Thursday and just enjoyed the scenery and the views that the park had to offer. Here is a view of the Black Water River as it runs through the park.

I'm standing on a bridge and looking in both directions. No matter how you look at it it is beautiful. Blackwater Falls is in Tucker County, WV and I do believe it is one of the most beautiful areas in West Virginia.

All around on the ground were dandelions and these English Daisy.  Both flowers are about the same size and it looked like a lot of little bouquets on the ground.

Here is the view of the falls from the handicapped accessibility location. It is really my favorite view because you can see up the river and take in the whole thing.

The forest here has a lot of Hemlock that the forest service and parks are trying to save from the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid.  This one is winning the battle but not all of them are so successful.

The first order of business was to put my tent up before I did any more exploring. The first night it was very very cold and the second night was a lightening and thunder storm.  When I returned for the 3rd night it was blown down do I just wadded it all up and stuffed it in the car and came home.  Trying to fix it or fold it was like battling a giant kite and the kite was winning.  I took a Beauford wind measurement and it was 5 which makes it around 20-24 miles per hour.

So after I got the tent up and my bedding all set I went back for another, closer view of the falls. I forget how many steps it is down to the falls but it was a lot. On the way down I passed these lovely Hobblebushes.

Here I am about half way down the steps.

See that boulder in the bottom of the photo above...below is a closer view showing the rainbow.

By now I am down at the bottom and next to the full force of the water.

Next I drove up to Lindy Point Lookout.

No matter what direction you look it is beautiful.

See more scenic locations at Scenic Sunday.

Spring Variety

I have been so busy lately and have not had a chance to share all of the exciting things I have seen lately. Last night I downloaded over 500 photos of moths that I had taken this month but I will save those for a later blog.  Among them was another visit from a Luna moth.

I will try to take up where I last left off and that would be a trip to Cacapon State Park with my Naturalist friend who is surveying native bees for a National survey. Specifically we were looking for bees that pollinate blue berries. We found lots of Huckleberries and no Blueberries but that did not deter us. Our best location was this Wild Cherry tree that was laying on its side but was still alive and in full bloom. There were so many bees it was like a soft roar in our ears.

Besides bees I noticed this Eastern Tent Caterpillar nest full of colorful larva. I think there are beautiful; too bad they do so much destruction.

You can see the egg case that they came from. It is located just a little higher up on the same branch. They overwinter in these cases and emerge in the spring.

Here is a photo of one caught in the act of emerging that I took with my microscope. They are tiny and look like hairy mice poop.

A lot of Juvenal’s Duskywing butterflies (Erynnis juvenalis) were flying where I stoped on my way to Cacapon. I believe the first photo is a male. The females have bigger spots. In doing research on this species I discovered that Duskywings are named after Roman poets. Cool uh? Juvenal, as the English called him, was a Roman poet during the laste 1st and early 2nd centry AD and author of the Satires. His Roman name was Decimus Iunius Iuvenalis. Horace of Horace's Duskywing is another one in my area that comes to mind. 

Juvenal’s Duskywing - male

I think this is the female Juvenal’s Duskywing.

In abundance were caterpillars of all sorts but most of them were still very young and hard to identify. Well, actually they were more than hard, I didn’t know what any of them were. My favorite of the day was this red one on the Cherry tree. Doesn’t it blend in well? You might want to click photo to see a larger view.

Here is another one in the typical inchworm crawl. It is a member of the Geometrid family the type that the migrating warblers are so fond of gobbling up. They also make good food for baby birds. They are soft and easy to digest and full of needed protein to grow. I’ve seen Carolina Wrens hold 5 or more in their bills to take back to the chicks. They look like someone holding a handful of those long skinny balloons.

I found this next one on the underside of a leaf. When I approached it with my camera it began tossing it's head back and forth like a little boy trying not to have his face washed.

I didn’t see a lot of new wildflowers but this small patch Birdfoot Violets (Viola pedata) stood out. It was right next to the parkling lot.

Another blue flower that we were surprised to see was the Blue-eyed Grass. Sisyrinchium angustifolium as it is called in scientific terms is a member of the Iris Family.

Here is a new grasshopper for me. I almost didn’t see it because it blended in so well in the crevice of the tree that it was resting on. I believe it is the Robust Shieldback (Atlanticus gibbosus) but that doesn't make sense because I found it out of its range.  I think it is a male because I don't see the ovipositor that the females use to dig a place to lay their eggs. Anyone else have an opinion?

And then there were the ever present mating insects, this week it was the Locust Leaf Miner, Odontota dorsalis. The little one on top is the male.

Lastly I want to mention the lichen.  I think this is Common Toadskin Lichen (Lasallia papulosa) but I am not certain because I have not see the black dots (friuting body) on it before.

That day was one of discovering new species and seeing some familiar ones. I certainly didn't know everything that I found but it is the journey and exploration that is so exciting. The wonder of it all.

Visit other interesting blogs with animals at Camera Critters.

Dandelion

Did you ever look at a Dandelion? I mean really look. I thought I had until I noticed this one. For some reason it just stood out, perhaps it was the light, I don’t know.

Anyway I pulled out one of the seed (achene) with the fluffy stuff (pappus) attached and took a close look. Whoa…are those little barbs?

I went inside to get my hand magnifying lens for a closer look and yes, they are barbs. When the seed bumps into something as it is blown by the wind, the stem, called a beak, along with the pappus breaks free of the seed and the seed falls to the ground. It looks like when the seed lands it would lodge itself into the ground and never move again. It reminds me of a fish hook that can go in but is hard to come out. Sometimes plants are as amazing as insects…well almost. Hee hee.

I took this last photo with my microscope but it is not needed to see it these details. A good little magnifying glass will do just fine. It is always amazing what I find in the yard when I look closely, really closely.

Visit other outdoor places at Outdoor Wednesday.