Deer Track

 

This track was made in compact ground, and it looked several hours old. Since I took it in the evening, I believe the deer passed through sometime in the mid morning hours. You can tell this by the way the grass has sprung up around the track and the way the dirt has dried. This was probably a buck in a fast canter as the other tracks around it were just as deep and even more sprawled out.

Sachems

 

Mainly, I'm posting this because of the bleak day. These little gals make me happy. They are called Sachems, a type of Skipper moth in the family Hesperiidae. I know they are females because of the dark, greyish brown wings. Males have yellowish wings. They can stray up to Missouri, but they usually don't get much farther north. Every so often, you'll have an abundance of these little moths. Oh, and you'll recognize the Canadian Thistle below them.

Scientific name:
Atalopedes campestris

Ambush Bug

 

A great big thank you goes out to Marvin, who correctly identified this insect. Please visit his blog from the Arkansas Ozarks at the link on the left (Three Steps Foreward).

This is the first time I have ever encountered this insect, and I wasn't trying to be lazy in the last post; I really did not know what it was. The wonderful thing about blogging is the electronic community which comes to the aid of others. So, I'm quite grateful at understanding something I didn't know before.

With that said, this insect might look like a mantid, but it is not. It simply has the large forelegs and similar eyes. It is also a predator bug, which means it attacks other insects in an ambush-like way. According to what I've read, it can attack insects much larger than itself. It also loves to sit on Asters and other similar flowers with large, yellow cones, which is what we see here. It is characterized by the pale-green color and the large abdomen with brown spots on its backside.

Scientific name:
Phymata americana

When working with nature, it is a humbling thing to remember how ignorant one can be. However, it also empowers us to be curious, and forces us not to give up. Perhaps I gave up a little too soon, but I also have the fortunate experience of 20/20 hindsight in which I now understand another weakness in my nature observations. I was focusing on the mantis family only, not thinking that there could be a similar species out there. I also forgot to look into copycats or habitat-specific insects. Usually, I just take pictures and note where I found them, what time it was, and any unusual conditions. Since the winter has put a damper on a few of my outdoor activities, I am going to use the extra time to create a better nature journal. My first inclination is to become more meticulous in my work and just jot down everything. Then, I'll sort out the things which become cumbersome and rarely used. These will go into an "extra info" section of my texts. Hopefully, it'll also add to this blog.

Mystery Mantis

 

When I first saw this little nymph, I did a double take. It's obviously a mantis, but there was no egg sac, nor were there other nymphs around. I didn't even see a mother. The other puzzling part of this whole story is that I can't identify it based on the photos I took. It's either not known in Missouri, or it's just too young to identify. So, I'm throwing it up to my audience for help. If you know what it is, please post it in the comments. I'd appreciate it. I also have another pic that shows its back better, but this is the clearest overall pic of the nymph.

Thanks, and happy hunting!

Creeks...

 

Thousands of creeks run the landscape of Missouri. They are usually clear because of the limestone bottoms, which filter water and reflect just the right amount of light. This creek here, Clear Creek, runs through Pierce City. It is a cool, spring-fed creek. Waterways such as these are home to Missouri wildlife and not just fish. Beavers, Salamanders, Turkeys, Woodchucks, Deer, etc all have some reason to be near a creek, if only for water. The Missouri Department of Conservation sponsors water clean-up crews across the state. They pull tons of waste and garbage out of the streams each year. They are known as Stream Teams.

Yellow Garden Spider

 

Although it's known by several names, it is usually associated with gardens. The Yellow Garden Spider is active in the later summer and early fall in Missouri. Obviously, it's characterized by its black and yellow banding. It loves close-quartered plants, corners, and rises near more open areas. This is the spider that builds the zig-zag or X-shaped web known the world over. This is likely a female as it is more than an inch long. I caught this one in the act of binding up its prey.

Scientific name:
Argiope aurantia
Class:
Chelicerata

Shelf Mushroom

 

This is an example of a growing Shelf or Sulfer Mushroom. The name comes from the strong smell and taste of the mushroom. It tastes either like bitter chicken or smells like terrible sulfur. Supposedly it's edible, but I tend to avoid mushrooms, because I'm not an expert at identifying them.

This mushroom was growing on a rotting tree, and it is nearly all orange without its usual ringed edge. It will come back in full glory next year. Then, I think it will actually have a ring on it, making it more identifiable.

Scientific name:
Laetiporus sulphureus or
Laetiporus cincinnatus

The Passion's Not Dead...

It's only in remission. This is the fruit of the Passion Flower after it has withered up for the winter. The seed pod inside will spread come springtime when birds and other animals knock the fruit off of its vine. Then, the plant will find its way around and pop up again in the early summer. Notice the bulb stands out against the rest of the world. It is shiny and bright even in the dead of winter.

Common Blackberry... in the snow

Even in the coldest parts of winter, animals have a way to survive. They either store food or seek out plants that are still green or giving up fruit. In this case, a Common Blackberry is still green long after its fruits are gone. This plant probably survived the harsh cold snaps due to its sheltered life under trees, leaves, and other plants.

Notice the three coarse, compound leaves. They are not attached to one another as in other brambles or members of the Rubus genus. All brambles fall under the same family as roses, and you'll notice a slight rose smell as you get near them.

Scientific name:
Rubus fruticosus

A thank you...

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Victoria formally for asking me to help with her blog. She is the one who made me the most interested in "photoblogging." Before this blog, I did have several plain ol' blogs. I had also done a thesis on the blogging phenomenon. However, I had never really had any use for my own photoblog. But, she did. It is her hobby and a great relaxer after a stressful day. I admire that and hope to contribute in a respectful way.

This also prompts me to update my blog. I too have been busy these past few weeks and had to give into the needs of school, work, life, etc. My work on this blog will continue, and I hope you will give it a few lookovers yourself. It is more of a personal study of nature, so any comments will be appreciated.

Take care,
Nate
AKA Missouri_Wilderness

Ice Storm

Just under a year ago we had a heavy ice storm hit this area. But, it wasn't the last of the ice. Two weeks ago, ice hit again. And, though there wasn't much left to fall from the last storm, there was still quite a bit of damage.

This picture was taken in the woods near my home. The foreground tree is a hickory, and most of the background trees are walnuts, sassafrases, paw-paws, and Osage Oranges. All of these are tough plants and could withstand most of the force exerted by the ice. The problems come from large, older trees which either stand alone or along the edge of the woods. These trees branch much further out than the inner trees because of space. Inner trees tend to grow straight and have fewer branches to snap. Although there is some snapping, the trees usually survive. Woods and forests simply compound the problem by having many trees that drop maybe one or two branches each. This causes a fire hazard and is a good reason to look into prescribed burns and brush cleanups.