June 24

The mid-day temperatures are in the low 70’s, under mostly sunny skies as me, Caroline, our dog Riley and good friend, Brenda Pratt begin hiking toward Lake Michigan’s Cable’s Bay, on the SE shore of Beaver Island. On a narrow earthen trail through a dense forest of Striped Maple, Cedar and Douglas Fir, I spot a blossom of Bunchberry and dainty blossoms of Twinflower. The common name arises from the twin-like nature of its plant parts. The bell-like nodding flowers are born in pairs on short, thin Y-shaped stalks. The round and leathery leaves are also twins, paired on opposite sides of the stem. Exiting the woods, I proceed across the foredune toward the beach where I come upon a patch of Beach Pea blossoms while listening to crickets. Up ahead, I notice a ¼-inch Jumping Spider resting on a Milkweed Leaf. These spiders are known for the spectacular leaps they make pouncing on prey such as insects and other spiders. They do not spin webs but make little silken shelters under leaves or bark. Jumping spiders make great pets but do require proper care and attention. Some owners will even acquire fancy habitats for their pet spider (stock photo). On another Milkweed leaf, I observe a resting, ¼-inch, bi-colored Banasa Stink Bug. Stink bugs possess piercing-sucking mouthparts to inject enzymes into plants or insects to help break down tissue and allow them to more easily consume its choice of food. They also possess a rather noxious defense from which they get their common name. When threatened by a potential predator, they will emit a foul smelling odor that is designed to deter their attacker and give them a chance to escape. On the sandy ground, I see a 2-inch Club-tail dragonfly. These dragonflies are adorned with flared segments at the end of their abdomen that give them their name (stock photo). Males have a larger club-tail and will often raise their abdomen to display it. Blossoms that catch my eye, include white Sand Cress and yellow Hoary Puccoon. The name “Puccoon” comes from the word “poughkone,” which is the name given to this plant by the Powhatan tribe who used the roots to make a red dye. Ponca children used bark of the taproot as a colorant, chewed with gum to impart a red color. Down on the beach, close to the swash zone, I kneel to examine the decomposed carcass of a 5-inch Round Goby fish. This small, bottom-dwelling invasive fish, native to the Black and Caspian seas in eastern Europe. was first found in North America in 1990 (stock photo). In less than a decade, it successfully spread through all five Great Lakes and has begun to invade inland waters. Their aggressive eating habits and ability to spawn several times each season, have helped them spread quickly.

Gulls in my view

Sand in my track

Beaver Island

Welcomes me back

Milkweed blossoms

Monarch Butterfly

Water snake

Slithers by

Yellow Primrose

Purple Beach Pea

Nature’s wonders

Again to see

 

D. DeGraaf

For my 6th encounter with Honeyoye Creek, I’m standing on the east side of Winans Rd listening to birdsongs and watching creek water flow slowly downstream. The early morning skies are sunny with temperatures in the upper 40’s as I pause to look and listen to water flowing from a drain tile into the creek. Exploring the lush buffer zone, I spot white blossoms of Hoary Alyssum, pink blossoms of Dame’s Rocket as well as an 8-inch diameter web made by an orb weaver spider. These spiders are typically nocturnal. During the day, they either sit motionless in the web or move off the web. At night, they become more active, working to repair any damage on the web or sitting in the middle waiting for prey. For some species, once morning comes, the spider will tear down the web, eat most of the silk and rebuild the web by nightfall. Looking down from a steep bank, I spot the narrow leaflets of Chinese Bush-Clover plant. This species was introduced in the late 1800s by federal and state agencies for use in bank stabilization, erosion control and soil improvement. It has been escaping from plantings for many years, evolving into an invasive species. Once established, it out-competes and displaces native plants forming extensive monocultures. Its high tannin content makes it unpalatable to livestock and most native wildlife. Nearby, I come upon a 1/16 inch Shiny Flower Beetle and a perching Firefly. Also known as lightning bugs, these insects are winged beetles. They aren’t endangered, but scientists are worried about them. In recent years, fewer fireflies have been spotted during the summer. Pesticide use and loss of habitat have likely impacted the population, as has light pollution. For fireflies, light pollution interferes with their attempts to signal each other. After watching the creek water flow under Winans Rd, I follow a nearby 2-track where far ahead in the shadows a whitetail deer stares me down. Next, I come upon a deer carcass being consumed by hundreds of blowfly larvae (maggots). Adult female blow flies (stock photo) lay their eggs on a food source, such as this decomposing flesh. The eggs hatch into maggots within 12–24 hours. The maggots feed on the food source while molting through three stages. The third-stage maggots leave the food source and move into dry soil to pupate. Pupation lasts 6–12 days after which adult blow flies emerge. Back in the car, I drive a short distance to pause and watch the creek water flow south under Jackson Rd.

Out of the water

Climbing the reed

No longer a nymph

Ready for speed

Cruising the creek

Hunting the edge

Cellophane wings

Landing on sedge

Darting and dipping

Beauty you bring

Searching for prey

Dragonfly of spring

 

D. DeGraaf

June 10

It’s early morning as I leave my car parked on the side of Ennis Rd to make my way east toward another encounter with Honeyoye Creek. With temperatures in the mid 60’s, under partly sunny skies, I pass an Opossum carcass before pausing in a patch of Mayapple where I spot my first Ebony Jewelwing of the season. This attractive damselfly will eat almost any soft-bodied flying insect, including mosquitoes, flies, small moths and mayflies. Continuing toward the creek, blossoms that catch my eye include white Multiflora Rose and yellow Goat’s Beard. Exploring the dense vegetation at my feet, I notice one of many ¾ inch Amber snail. These semi-aquatic gastropods with translucent shells eat plants, algae and fungi. They are not considered plant pests but wet conditions can encourage more activity. They start life as males and become females as they age. They lay transparent eggs in sticky bunches on plants, in the soil, or on the undersides of stones. The eggs hatch into tiny snails in about two weeks and mature within a year. While trudging through tall patches of flowering Reed Canary Grass, I hear the sound of an approaching male Redwing Blackbird. Soon, he’s right overhead, noisily swooping and hovering to chase me away as he defends a nearby nest. Finally, making it to the creek, I’m being serenaded by a Song Sparrow, while watching the gently flowing water pass by a suspicious drain tile. Looking far downstream, I observe a Whitetail doe with her newly born fawn on the water’s edge next to the steep, lush bank. Moving away from the creek, I notice a small, ¾ inch Least Skipper butterfly perched in the tall grass. This species rarely flies higher than a couple feet above the ground as it slowly and somewhat choppily moves through the vegetation.. Also, in the undergrowth, I spot a Nimble Meadow Katydid. These small, ½ inch insects with their distinctive nighttime sounds are found from central Michigan south to the lower third of Ohio and west to extreme eastern Kansas and Nebraska. Nearing the car, I stop to observe a Four-line Plant Bug on a leaf with damage spots caused by its feeding behavior. This extremely rapid damage is due to the insect’s enormous salivary glands, which enable it to inject copious amounts of enzyme-rich saliva into the plant tissue. This bug is a common garden pest that can attack many different types of plants, including mint, dogwood, forsythia, marigold, peppers and potatoes. Back in the car, I drive a short distance and stop on the shoulder of M-46 to watch the creek water flow southwest toward Winans Rd.

Who enslaved you

I wish to know

Altered your ways

Flow, water, flow

Drained the fields

Crops could grow

Tainted runoff

Flow, water, flow

Back to nature

You’re free to go

A creek unique

Flow, water, flow

 

D. DeGraaf

June 3

It’s mostly cloudy with temperatures in the upper 50’s as I stand on the edge of Winans Rd while the water of Honeyoye Creek flows eastward through a narrow buffer zone of vegetation that is supposed to protect it from tainted cropland runoff. Looking more closely along the bank, I notice white blossoms of Wood Anemone and multi-colored blossoms of Dame’s Rocket. Despite its attractiveness, Dame’s Rocket is an invasive species in Michigan. It can spread quickly and replace native wildflowers, disrupting the local ecosystem. Moving to a new access point, I make my way toward the creek bank while spotting one of many 1-inch, Red Admiral caterpillars feeding on Nettle leaves. After it pupates in a chrysalis, a colorful adult butterfly will emerge (stock photo). Nearby, I notice a 1½-inch Northern Bluet Damselfly resting on a leaf, covered with raindrops. Bluets don’t sting or bite humans but they are formidable predators of other insects, including flies, mosquitoes and bees. Up ahead, I come upon a ¾-inch, Black-banded Owlet Moth, perched on a blade of grass. This species has been known to slow its metabolism and freeze solid to survive winter, thawing and reviving as temperatures rise. Arriving at the edge of the creek, I pause to watch its water flow gently to the south while listening to a Song Sparrow. Heading back toward the car along a wooded bank, I come upon a cluster of Scaly Ink Cap Mushrooms. These mushrooms are edible but only if alcohol is avoided. Eating them within a few days of consuming alcohol can cause flushing, dizziness, headaches and stomach aches. Still making my way through the woods, I pass by a large patch of Skunk Cabbage as well as the femur and tibia bones of a Whitetail deer. Approaching the car, I look down to see a scattering of several 1/8-inch instar nymphs of Box Elder Bugs. These nymphs feed on leaves, fruits and soft seeds by inserting their beaks into the tissues. They continue to feed throughout summer until they reach adulthood (stock photo). Near the car, I spot a 1/3-inch, pink spotted ladybird beetle crawling over a blade of grass. A native North American insect, it is found throughout the eastern two-thirds of the US from Canada through New England and into many southern and midwestern states. Both adult and larva (stock photo) are important predators of aphids. Adults can consume 50 aphids per day, while larvae kill 10 to 25 per day. Back in the car on my way home, I stop on Madison Rd to view the creek one last time as it flows south toward M-46.

Concert opens the month of June

Sounds of spring, creatures in tune

On the blossoms, buzz of the bees

Westerly wind rustles the leaves

On the maple, fox squirrel chatters

Music of the wild, all that matters

On the pond, green frog croaks

Cardinal calls, high in the oaks

Robin, the melody, Downy, the beat

Nature in harmony, choir’s complete

 

D. DeGraaf