Barred Owl

Spring Wildflowers: Nature’s Stunning Ephemerals

/ TheNextHalfInOhio / 1 Comment

Spring is my favorite time of year. It’s when ephemerals emerge in miraculous colors, shapes and sizes without the need to be planted, weeded, watered or pampered. They’re a rite of spring that begs to be noticed and appreciated.

Spring beauties are some of the first flowers you will see in my area. Honey bees, Mason bees, sweat bees and bumblebees seek the nectar and pollen these flowers offer. It’s an important source of food for bees early in the season. Spring beauties’ bright pink stripes guide the way for bees seeking the nectar source.

Bloodroot is one of my favorite spring wildflowers. It’s very unique. Its single leaf wraps around the flower stem until it’s warm/sunny enough to bloom. Then the magnificent white-petaled flower with its yellow/orange center emerges. The bloom is closed at night or on dark days though the flowers don’t last long. Bloodroot seeds are germinated by ants which love the seed appendage (elaiosome). Ants take the entire seed back to their nests, eat the part they like, then ditch the seed in the equivalent of an underground trash can. Bloodroot leaves can grow to be as large as 12″ across. You’ll find this plant in moist areas that are either in shade or partial shade.

Dutchmen’s Breeches is another spring ephemeral in the same color tones as Bloodroot and has something else in common. Both plants have a seed appendage and rely on ants for seed dispersal. This allows the seeds to grow in nutrient rich soil. This plant gets its name from looking similar to a pair of Dutchmen’s trousers hanging upside down. Primarily only long-tongued bumblebees can reach inside to pollinate them (though they can be pollinated by other long-tongued bees). In Ohio, long-tongued bumblebees would include Two-spotted, Black & Gold and American bumblebees. This plant is an important source of food for newly emerging Queen bumblebees that are establishing their nests in the spring.

Hopefully you’ve been lucky enough this year to see the Yellow Trout lily. This plant gets its name from its mottled colored leaves which can remind one of a brown trout. Its flower head nods downward, with pedals curled up. The exterior of the bloom is an amazing bronze color, as seen in the second photo below.

Virginia bluebells were also abundant this year with their profuse blooms carpeting the floor of many wooded areas. Often times you will see very large patches of bluebells growing together in the same area. We have one such spot on a sloped hillside near a small stream that’s absolutely beautiful.

Jacob’s ladder is also in the “blue family” of spring wildflowers, although I believe this one looks a bit more violet to me perhaps because of lighting. The blooms are typically low to the ground and the plant has a tendency to sprawl a bit. It’s pollinated by both bees and butterflies. The plant tends to like shaded moist woody areas. I love how the center of the plant in the photo below almost appears to glow like it has its own internal light.

Speedwells grow very low and close to the ground with tiny 1/3″ wide flowers. The plant is undoubtedly considered by most people to be a groundcover weed. You really have to be looking closely to see it. I find the tiny flowers beautiful. It’s non-native to the U.S. and can become quite aggressive. I believe this may be Birdseye Speedwell but am not sure. On a positive note, the plant attracts bees and butterflies.

Here’s one plant I rarely see. Redstem Storksbill is an annual (or biennial in warmer areas of the country), originally native to the Mediterranean. The thing I found interesting about this plant is that I read its seeds “spring” from the plant when they are dry, though they don’t go far. I’ve never seen it in action, but wish I could.

The photos below are Dames Rocket, which can be purple, pink, white and even a mottled pink and white color. It’s often mistaken for Phlox, but Dames Rocket has only four petals. It’s highly invasive but it’s a source of nectar for hummingbirds, moths and butterflies.

It seems Mother Nature loves purple, as with this delicate little flower, Miami Mist shown below. This native plant can be found near moist meadows, along streams and even at the perimeter of forests. It’s delicate little petals look fringed and lacy. Its always a treat for me to see this little flower in the spring.

I’ve probably given you enough spring flower photos for now, but just in case you need additional incentive to get out there and look at what nature provides, here’s a few photos of things I encountered on my wildflower walks that are NOT wildflowers. A baby Barred Owl…a Red Admiral butterfly, a Green frog and a Chipmunk (who was as curious about me as I was about it). You never know what you might see when you go exploring with a camera in your hand!

I hope you’ve been able to get out and see some of Nature’s springtime wonders yourself this year. It almost feels like I’ve have a little mini-vacation when I do. And it always brings a smile to the face.

Until next time, keep exploring nature up close.

Exploring Cedar Bog

/ TheNextHalfInOhio / 1 Comment

If you’ve never been to Cedar Bog Nature Preserve (just south of Urbana OH), I’d highly recommend it. If you enjoy seeing nature at its finest, this is the place to explore. A 1.2-mile boardwalk guides you through the interesting ecosystem of the preserve. Wetlands, meadows and Northern white cedar embrace you as you meander some of nature’s finest. Conveniently placed benches invite one to sit a while and enjoy the coolness that comes from this unique area.

The name “Cedar Bog” makes one naturally assume that this preserve is a bog. It is not. True, there is a lot of water throughout, hence the need for the boardwalk. But Cedar Bog is actually a “fen.” A fen allows water from an aquifer to come above ground in places and continuously flow through the area. A long time ago, Ice Age glaciers buried the Teays River (just east of this area), and it is this aquifer that comes above ground in two places within the preserve. The alkaline water is cool and maintains the ambient temperature at a cooler level during the summer and warmer during the winter. So…water continuously flows through the area. Hence, it is a fen and not a bog.

Cedar Bog is said to contain the widest diversity of plants within the state and features 40% of the rare and endangered plant species in Ohio (https://historicsites.ohiohistory.org/cedarbog/). With such a diversity of plants, you will always find something new to attract your attention, regardless of the season. June is a great time to see the Showy Lady’s Slipper, which is said to be one of the tallest orchids in North America.

These delicate pink and white plants grow primarily in wetlands and wooded swamps. The fen is a perfect place for them. They thrive in this environment. And that’s a very good thing because these orchids are rare and considered threatened in Ohio. According to the U.S. Forest Service, these plants can take up to 16 years to flower for the first time. It’s especially amazing when you find that these orchids have a special symbiotic relationship with mycorrhizal fungi. They won’t just grow anywhere. So when you see them you will recognize that this is a rare plant indeed.

But orchids aren’t the only thing you will see as you wander.

There are open areas where wildflowers abound, such as (what I believe to be) Foxglove Beardtongue (Penstemon genus). It’s a beautiful little white flower with delicate purple stripes to guide bees inside for nectar. It’s a favorite of bumblebees. The plant is said to thrive in moist meadows but also tolerates compact urban soils – possibly a flower for all of our yards!

Here’s something that stopped me in my tracks.

The leaves on this plant looked to be a type of rose, but what is the spikey red ball? Not a flower. It’s a Spiny Leaf Gall Wasp (diplolepis polita). In the spring the larvae inside the gall will become mature wasps which will chew their way out and fly off to find a mate. The fertilized female will lay eggs in a leaf bud. The eggs will hatch, begin feeding, and the plant will grow a layer of cells around the larvae. (Amazing how nature protects itself.) Larvae will continue to grow inside the gall and eventually enter a pre-pupa stage which lasts throughout the winter. In spring it enters a pupa stage until it’s time for the wasp to chew its way out of the gall. And the life cycle will begin anew. Why is the gall spikey and red, and not smooth or otherwise shaped? Good question. I’m not sure. Perhaps a reader knows the answer to this?

Painted Skimmer dragonflies are out and about quite a bit in May and June. They enjoy marshy areas. This one posed quite nicely for a bit, though it was a distance away.

This male Ebony Jewelwing decided to sit a spell as well. Males have black wings and iridescent blue/green bodies which can be 2 1/4 to 3 inches in length. Females have brown wings and are a bit less colorful. These damselflies love shaded, cool, moist areas with slow-moving water and lots of vegetation. You’ll find them throughout the eastern United States. I’ve read they have a habit of turning their heads to watch us as we watch them. Certainly looks like that is the case here!

This Silvery Checkerspot butterfly is sometimes confused with the Pearl Crescent. It certainly confused me at first glance. They’re both small orange and black butterflies, although the Silvery Checkerspot is slightly larger. One way to distinguish them is the small dots along their hindwings, which can be white-filled dots, and they also have more black around the outer wing edges. Easier to identify if they’re sitting still with wings outstretched, but much more difficult if they’re flitting about. They do seem to like being near water, while Pearl Crescents you will see in varying environments.

And sometimes you find things you don’t necessarily expect…

Like this baby Barred Owl having breakfast, although it did stop long enough to take a look at the humans on the boardwalk below before quietly enjoying it’s food. Food undoubtedly provided by a parent owl which was in a nearby tree keeping a watchful eye on the little one.

Cedar Bog can offer much to those who love nature and slow down to explore its depths. It’s a great place to wander and learn.

Until next time, keep exploring nature up close.

A Walk in the Woods

/ TheNextHalfInOhio / 1 Comment

There’s nothing like a walk in the woods to bring things back into perspective. Sometimes I find myself contemplating too many “what ifs” and “what might be’s” and not focusing on the here-and-now. A walk in the woods can help realign what’s important and help one let go of those things that are simply out of one’s control.

My walk in the woods on this day brought some of the unusual and unexpected, like this Barred Owl. I think it was watching me as much as I was watching him (or her). It did surprise me that it was roosting in an area that had dense tree branches and leaves. Normally I would expect it to be in a dark shaded area with tall trees and a bit more open space, but perhaps he was en route to a better roosting area. The Barred Owl is one of eight types of owls found in Ohio, and its call is readily identified as “Who cooks for you.” The Barred Owl has a rounded head, dark eyes, yellow bill and rounded tail. Perhaps you’ll see one on your next walk in the woods.

The trail was primitive in that it wasn’t the typical gravel path that one finds in a lot of parks these days. It was what I would classify as a good trail to hike. There were areas with large trees and those with more thicket-like areas like the one below. It’s always a treasure to find a quiet spot with few people and lots of nature. It’s also cool on hot summer days.

A number of birds were scouting for food among the trees and shrubbery (and mostly eluding my camera) except for this Prothonotary warbler and Scarlet Tanager. Both of which just popped up on the trail in front of me. Little brilliant bits of bright color that one can’t ignore and wouldn’t want to.

I also came across one of the largest Sassafras trees I’ve ever seen. The leaves of the Sassafras look rather like the shape of a mitten. The bark is very dense and somewhat resembles a Black Walnut tree. I’ve seen lots of Sassafras trees in the past, but none that were nearly this large. It was impressive.

This year I’ve seen very little fungi on my walks. Perhaps because it’s been too dry lately? I did happen upon this vividly colorful one. iNaturalist seems to think this may be a Wax cap, but I’m not sure about that. Fungi identification isn’t my strong suit.

Out in a sunny area, I found even more colorful species like this Blue-fronted dancer and Black Swallowtail butterfly – both enjoying the sunshine. They’re beautiful creatures that can be fascinating to watch and very challenging to photograph.

BLUE-FRONTED DANCER DAMSELFLY
BLACK SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLY ON CLOVER

This year I’ve noticed more milkweed than I can remember seeing in past years. They’re in fields, along roadsides and even in yards. It would be nice to think that people are planting more milkweed (or allowing it to grow) due to the awareness that we’ve lost a good percentage of our Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) in the past 20 years. The loss has occurred due to a number of things including breeding habitat loss and pesticide usage.

Douglas Tallamy’s latest book, Nature’s Best Hope, promotes the value of incorporating native plants in yards, regardless of yard size or even if it’s just a pot on the patio of an apartment.

A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your Yard.

While I didn’t see a Monarch on milkweed this day, I did find bees and beetles on them, like these two guys hanging upside down. I loved the fact these two critters were similarly colored and were working side by side. Diverse, yet harmonious. I think we can learn from that.

Until next time, keep looking at nature up close.