Admiring Trees

This week has been peak bloom for mid-Ohio's native Black Locust trees.  Their Latin name  Robinia pseudoacacia is a reflection of its Acacia-like flowers. You need to look no further than Ohio's highways and byways to find their white blossoms standing out like a beacon. The extra inches of rain we had this winter/spring must have super-sized their fragrant flowers. 

Two landscape specimens near Chesterville, Ohio.

 Any landscaper or nurseryman would be likely to snuff and dismiss this native tree with a "too weedy, too thorny." However, I am noticing the spectacular beauty of specimen trees from long-ago landscapes.  I never realized Black Locust could become such a sizable tree.  Each of these two are about five feet in circumference, and the older trunks are thornless.

The Acacia like flowers of Black Locust.

These flowers are the real selling point.  Giant pea-like blossoms waft an incredible fragrance across the country-side.  Bee keepers know that Black Locust is favorite for their striped wards. I've been told the honey tastes like cotton candy.

In honor of pollinators, let's all plant a few of these bee trees.

This unexpected behemoth resides in Ontario, Ohio.

It did my heart good to find this venerable old locust on the edge of a landscaper's parking lot of a in Ontario, Ohio.  One can only hope the owner appreciates the size and age of this over-sized tree and continues to allow it to grace the property. It would take the outstretched arms of at least two adults to encircle this massive tree.

Who is this funny-looking caterpillar?

 Black locust are not just beneficial to bees.  They are also the host plant to the strange stripey caterpillars of the Silver-spotted Skipper.

Silver-spotted Skippers... doing what they do.

 The only Silver-spotted Skipper photo stored in my files was this mating pair.  Funny how we forget to photo document the most common butterflies and birds we see. This should be a lesson to us. Five  years ago when the Monarch butterflies were in the worst year of their decline, we all wished we had taken more photos of them when they were considered commonplace.

If you want to know what a person treasures, look at their photographs.  As for me, I am taking more photos of Black Locusts, bees and butterflies.

I'll BEE there: Native Plants and Pollinators

Our friends at the Midwest Native Plant Society are hosting a Pollinator Workshop at Caesar Creek on August 13th, 2016.  In my book, this is a not-to-miss event.  There is a tremendous amount of interest in pollinators all across the country and it is not all European honeybees doing the work!

Get ready to "Bumble"!

Bumblebees come in many "flavors."

 There are several types of bumblebees native to Ohio. It would be great to understand their differences!

Tiger Swallowtail and Spicebush Swallowtail!

 Butterflies are pollinators, too! And while we have heard plenty about declining numbers of Monarchs, there is more to the world of Lepidoptera than all gloom and doom.

We can help you sort out the common butterfly species on our  afternoon field trips.

Native bees and pollinating flies abound!

I can't wait to learn more about the unique relationships between native plants and pollinators.

Good thing we have Heather Holm speaking at this Pollinator Workshop at Caesar Creek on August 13th, 2016.  She will have her awesome book for sale too!

Pollinators of Native Plants is "an excellent guide that will help you attract, observe and identify native pollinators! Her presentation is a fascinating journey showcasing the development of different flower types and the presentation of floral resources to pollinators.  Heather will provide many specific examples of how native plants are pollinated and what pollinator is most effective and why."*

Heather Holm and her fabulous book.

"Author of Pollinators of Native Plants, Heather Holm owns a Minnesota-based landscape design and consulting firm specializing in pollinator landscapes and native landscape restorations. She is currently working the University of Minnesota Extension faculty on a three year study to determine the types of native bees that visit cultivated blueberries in Minnesota. The study includes developing customized forage plantings for the native bees identified, and providing additional or enhancing existing nesting sites within the farms. Heather is an environmental educator and frequent presenter at conferences in the Midwest and Northeast. She writes for Houzz, a social media website, about pollinators, beneficial insects and native plants."*

I'll be there leading field trips for this event and I hope to see you there, too!

 Registration at http://www.midwestnativeplants.org/

*Quoted text from Midwest Native Plant's website.

What's the Buzz...

Forgive the obvious title. It seems a forgone conclusion to name pollinator programs for the bee.  But bees are not the only pollinators, and many of the sexual surrogates for plant reproduction don't buzz at all.  Take moths and birds for an example.  

If you haven't thought much about this before, I hope you will join us this Saturday at 7:00 pm at Gorman Nature Center in Mansfield, Ohio.  Prepare to have your mind blown.

It is my honor to be the keynote for this first (annual) event, so come out and help me kick this thing off right!  I have just put the final touches on my program and I am happy to share some new information (at least it was news to me!)  I am no neophyte regarding pollinators, so prepare to be edu-tained!  We will talk about all kinds of pollinators!

Our native bees hold a special spot in my heart and these work horses haven't been given the credit they deserve.  They definitely need an Emmy for "Best Supporting Actor."

Sure honeybees are great, but we have a lot of interesting things with wings getting in on the pollination act.

Moths and butterflies are also pollinators.  There is a direct correlation between botanic diversity and pollinator diversity.  Don't believe me?  Ask Darwin.  He suggested the basis of this a very long time ago.

So why all the interest in pollinators?  You might have heard of a little thing called Colony Collapse Disorder.  This is has had a major impact on bees, bee-keepers and farmers all across the country. But it is not only the Honeybees that are having a rough time of it.

Come on out and will discuss some very cool local pollinators and learn more about their preservation and protection.  

Love to mulch your landscape with wood chips?  We'll discuss why that could be bad news for your bees. 

Hope to see you there!

Spring into Action

Spring teased us with a sneak preview this past weekend, before snow slapped us back to the realities of April.  But even a couple inches of snow and near freezing temps can't diminishing my joy.

A Red Admiral butterfly basks in the sun.

 For I have looked into the eyes of spring, as it came in the form of a butterfly.  
This Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) butterfly is collecting sun rays in order to start the day.  Butterflies, like many insects and reptiles, are exothermic. Most butterflies will not start flying until it is near 50 degrees outside. Frequently, you can find them warming their wings in this fashion on cooler mornings.  They gather heat from the sun.

Trout Lily  in full bloom

The Trout-lilies (Erythronium americanum) were in full bloom at the Highlands of Ohio Sanctuary near Bainbridge, Ohio.  Our spring display of ephemeral flora is generally short lived, and this year will probably be shorter than ever, due a long lasting winter.

Look closely!  Not all pollinators are bees.

"Now" is your opportunity to study the pollinators of these short-lived spring flowers.  It is fascinating to note that most are pollinated by creatures we do not see the rest of the year! Much of our local flora is pollinated by tiny fly-like bees.  Some are pollinated by beetles! If you look closer you will see two beetles* working around the pollen laden stamens of this miniature lily.

* It turns out these beetles are Red-necked False Blister Beetles, Asclera fuficollis. It is more likely they are feeding upon the pollen.  Maybe they do some "collateral pollination" in the process!

Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers like insects too.

 We were not the only ones looking for insects.  This yellow-bellied Sapsucker was tending some sap "wells" he had drilled on a Sugar Maple tree.  Insects are also attracted to the sap, where they often become a little "protein side dish" for Mr. Sapsucker.

Dolomite outcroppings festooned with flora.

If you are into outrageous displays of spring ephemerals and rock-covered flowers are your thing, you simply must go here: http://arcofappalachia.org/events/wildflower.html   All spring-starved eyes will be sated in the preserves set aside by the Arc of Appalachia.  If you are not already otherwise engaged this Easter weekend, you may still be able to register for their Wildflower Pilgrimage by calling ahead.  Don't miss the trip to Barret's Rim!

Look deep into the "eye" of this trillium.

This weekend will be prime for Ohio's state wildflower the Large White Trillium, Trillium grandiflorum. The weather should be lovely and the pollinators will be in full force.  How many "new" pollinators can you find?

Please notice there is much more in our forests than "trees."  A healthy forest ecosystem is filled with biodiversity. Forests include everything from salamanders to butterflies, and all the creepy-crawly, buzzing, bumbling pollinators that service our flowers, shrubs and trees.  Where would we be without them? 

Too often our state and national forests are "managed" for the benefit of one species or another; the losers are often the innocent and very essential forces that make life in the forests bloom.  Birds and small mammals feed on caterpillars and countless moths, gnats and beetles round out the Masterpiece Theatre of everyday life and death struggles in the forest.  Generally they don't need us to intercede in their ecosystems. They have been at this a long, long time.

If you have not done so ready, please read my last blog post and consider signing the Sierra Club's form encouraging the state to stop spraying in our forest.  Our much needed pollinators are trying to make a living out there!

Wings

You may not think insects are all that interesting. Sure you like plants and birds, but bugs? Who cares? If you like plants and birds, you better care- because bugs are a huge part of their life.

Pollinators have been big in the news the last couple of years, since Colony Collapse Disorder. Our government is concerned, because bees provide the pollination of all those food crops we rely upon. Go here to learn more about pollinators.

Tricolored Bumblebee, Bombus ternarius
Canada and Michigan have bumblebees which are a little different than the standard yellow and black job found in Ohio. These colorful cruisers had my attention from the onset, and I wasted plenty of other-wise good birding time trying to photograph them.

Tricoloreds, also commonly called Orange-belted Bumble bees, are three colors and this picture shows it well. I haven't run across much info about these cruisers, but I did note they spent a good bit of time in solitary efforts of digging tunnels or holes in the sand. If anyone has an explanation for that behavior, certainly we would all like to know. Please pass it on!

Chalk-fronted Corporal, Libellula (Ladona) julia

This dragonfly is a major rarity for Ohio, but they were as common as dandelions in the UP of Michigan. They hang out on the roads by the hundreds!

Four-Spotted Skimmer, Libellula quadrimaculata (quadri = four and maculata= spotted)

Seney National Wildlife Refuge was an excellent location for many species of dragon and damselflies, many not commonly found in Ohio. It was fantastic to see a whole new range of species!

Elfin Skimmer, Nanothemis bella in a mating "wheel" ( female curled below)

The smallest dragonfly in North America is found in Ohio, but it is rarer than hen's teeth. This mated pair is no bigger than a singular wing of the previous skimmer. Denizens of bogs and fens, Michigan has plenty of Elfin Skimmers, while Ohio has only a few known locations. The best place to look for them is at Cedar Bog.

If you like interesting insects- be sure to join us at the Bobolinks at Byers Woods festival this Saturday (June 25th.) Guy Denny will be leading a walk at 11:00 am to help us identify all the dragonflies and butterflies in the surrounding fields. Hope to see you there.

Nature's Early Shift

Several signs of spring have announced the floodgates of rain and warmer weather are not far behind. The bird-watchers can attest, the overhead movement of migration has started. Pintails, wigeon, redheads and the like are seeking out refuge in the icy waters, open within the ice flows, on their path northward.

Salamanders and frogs have started their migrations to vernal pools, for fabulous nights of free love and egg laying. It is a short lived affair, oft lit by the lanterns of awe-struck herpetologist. I confess, I have been known to don the waders and partake in a bit of voyeurism, myself.

But nothing says "spring" like the pollinators.



The earliest of pollinators for the earliest of flowers- Harbinger-of-Spring (or Salt and Pepper), Erigenia bulbosa. This hairy little bee has his winter coat on, to protect it from the cool spring temps. These early bees are a short-lived seasonal occurrence.

The Witch Hazel, (Ozark witch-hazel) Hamamelis vernalis is now being pollinated by a very early spring bee. Unfortunately, I can't ID either of these interesting native insects. A fact I can tell you: since the threat of colony collapse disorder and the demise of many European honeybees (non-native imports), scientists are taking a hard look at these important native insects. Without pollinators, mankind would be seriously challenged to find food sources.

With a great interest in these little work-horses of the insect world, I am really looking forward to Judy Semroc's pollinator program at the ...

Be sure to check out the schedule on line and join us on August 6-8th for some amazing speakers and a whole lot of fun. I'll be covering the butterfly plants, and get to lead a trip with Jim Davidson, one of Ohio's finest lepidopterist. Sure hope to see you there!