September 16

The late morning sky is sunny with temperatures in the upper 60’s and a gentle westerly breeze as I begin hiking in Forest Hill Nature Area. Proceeding through a meadow, blanketed in yellow blossoms of Goldenrod, my ears perk up to a loud chorus of insects, including the continual trill of Tree crickets (stock photo). These rarely-seen, delicate, lime-green insects are a far cry from the sights and sounds of ground-based, dark-colored field crickets (stock photo). Moving to the muddy shore of a nearly-dried up, vernal pond, I spot a ½ inch Marsh Rams-horn snail shell. This gastropod is a detritivore, grazing on decaying plants, dead organism and algae. They also play a role in the aquatic food web by serving as prey for fish, turtles and birds. Following an earthen trail, the bright red fruit on a Winterberry shrub catches my eye. While many mammals and bird eat these berries, they are considered toxic to humans.. Ingestion of the fruit is known to cause dizziness, stomach pain, nausea and low blood pressure. Looking up, I spot an oak tree where some leaves are curled and covered with bumps, a condition called Jumping Oak Gall. Caused by a very tiny wasp (stock photo) that laid eggs in leaf buds, each pinhead-size gall contains a developing larva that eventually falls to the earth. Fallen galls are sometimes observed to “jump” due to vigorous movements of larvae within each gall. Further ahead, I pause and scan a large wetland as a loud Blue Jay adds to the sound effects. Looking near shore, I spot a 6-inch Painted Turtle basking on a log. These reptiles have few predators. However, skunks, raccoons and foxes may eat the eggs from their subterranean nests. They are diurnal, being most active in the morning. At night they may sleep at the bottom of a pond or on a partially submerged rock. Painted turtles hibernate at the bottom of a pond during the winter to avoid extremely cold temperatures. Turning back toward the car, I first see a colorful Autumn Meadow-hawk dragonfly. These insects feed on small, soft-bodied invertebrates that they spot from a perch and then fly out and “hawk” from the air. Nearby, I notice a Viceroy butterfly, perched on a folded-up, flowerhead of Queen Anne’s Lace. Unlike a similar-looking Monarch, this insect does not migrate. Instead, it will spend the winter in a caterpillar stage (stock photo), rolling itself up in a leaf. When the temperature warms in spring, it will leave the leaf shelter, resume feeding on willows and poplars, pupate and finally emerge as a butterfly. 

September days unfold

Way it’s always been

Mother Nature artist

Dips her brush again

On the forest canvas

Dabs of orange and red

Among leaves of maple

Some yellow is spread

In the open meadow

Prairie grasses seen

Late summer palette

Few strokes of green

 

D. DeGraaf