Caterpillar Evidence Falls From the Trees

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Now I know that all those big-sounding rain drops that I hear the day after a storm, well, they aren’t always water. And those falling leaves aren’t always from the activity of mischeivious squirrels, either!

I made a strange discovery today when surveying the land for damage from the storm last night. We did lose at least three good sized trees due to lightning. We’re thankful to have such nice neighbors with chainsaws, but that wasn’t the strange part.

Feces of striking similarity to that of tomato hornworms, which is found on and around tomato plants in the summertime, littered the tops of everything under these oak trees! The red surface of the farm truck hood made these “caterpillar berries” stand out – otherwise, I’m not sure I would have seen them at all.

Caterpillar dung fallen from the oak trees.

Caterpillar dung fallen from the oak trees.

The old farm truck caught a lot of these caterpillar berries.

The old farm truck caught a lot of these caterpillar berries.

Nature intertwines us all. Indirectly, these oak trees are fertilizing themselves in the midst of being eaten by insects. Voracious insects were helping to spread nutrients to the grass and herbs that lie in the understory and eventually to the tree itself. One doesn’t need to go to the Amazon Rain Forest to find examples of organisms being dependent on one another for survival.

Leaf damage as evidence of caterpillar occupation.

Leaf damage as evidence of caterpillar occupation.

Now, my curiosity needs fed…is it a certain type of caterpillar that leaves such symmetrical, tell-tale poop? Or is it that all caterpillars are so geometrically inclined?

Spiderwort Blooming in the Morning and Black-Eyed Susan and Purple Cone Flower Just Starting to Bloom

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Late Spring flowers made an appearance this past week in between the rains. Yarrow and foxglove are blooming and the orange day lilies first bloomed three days ago.

The bright purple triangles of spiderwort have been beautiful and blooming for a week now. Not that each individual flower has been blooming that long – on the contrary, both the day lily and spiderwort flowers last only for a day.

Spiderwort flowers really don’t even last the whole day. You have to see them before noontime, or you will find them with their petals curling up, their flower heads drooping, and finally all of it wilting into a mass of gelly.

Purple petals and stamens of spiderwort contrast with the yellow anthers and green foliage.
Purple petals and stamens of spiderwort contrast with the yellow anthers and green foliage.
Spiderwort flowers droop in the afternoon after showing off their purple and yellow beauty.
Spiderwort flowers droop in the afternoon after showing off their purple and yellow beauty.

This morning the first Rudbeckia flowers to show any signs of yellow pointed straight up as if to thank the heavens for last night’s rain. In the heat of midday the new growth of these black-eyed susans gets a bit droopy. The coolness of the night seems to revive them for another day in the sun.

Black-eyed Susan just starting to open its bright yellow flowers.
Black-eyed Susan just starting to open its bright yellow flowers.
Rudbeckia flower opening itself to the sunshine.
Rudbeckia flower opening itself to the sunshine.

Echinacea flower structures are assembled although they are still green. They will have to put on some size before they turn out their purple-pink blossoms to be recognized as Purple Cone Flowers.

Green flower starts of echinacea.
Green flower starts of echinacea.
Purple cone flower leaves, stems and sepals feel sticky due to the fine, stiff hairs that cover the plant.
Purple cone flower leaves, stems and sepals feel sticky due to the fine, stiff hairs that cover the plant.

Partridgeberry, a.k.a. Squaw Vine, Beautifies Our Pennsylvanian Woodland Paths

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Partridgeberry, Mitchella repens, blooming along woodland paths in central Pennsylvania lends a bit of color to the brown forest floor. Dark green foliage, accented here and there with white or light-colored veins, still bears crimson berries left over from last year.

Partridgeberry gives an evergreen feel to the mixed hardwood forests of Pennsylvania.
Partridgeberry gives an evergreen feel to the mixed hardwood forests of Pennsylvania.

The white, tubular-shaped flowers come in pairs at the ends of creeping branches along the ground. The fringy blooms coalesce to create a single, edible fruit in the fall, which can last the whole year long.

The trumpet-shaped flowers may be pinkish to white and usually have four petals.
The trumpet-shaped flowers may be pinkish to white and usually have four petals.

Nature guide books indicate that Partridgeberry, also known as Squaw Vine, has 4 regular parts, and so, most of us would look for flowers having 4 petals, 4 stamens, and so on, if we were looking for a specimen. Indeed, a majority of the partridgeberry flowers do have four petals, but I found quite a few examples having five petals.

The more common four-petaled variety of Squaw Vine.
The more common four-petaled variety of Squaw Vine.
A few examples of the five-petaled variety of Squaw Vine.
A few examples of the five-petaled variety of Squaw Vine.

Growing along the same path, but not on the same plant, and separated by some 50 feet or more, this large grouping of five-petaled partridgeberry illustrates one of the tenets of nature that states diversity rules. Perhaps this small freak of nature will some day benefit the species to it’s continued survival.

At the least our five-petaled partridgeberry is a curiosity!
At the least our five-petaled partridgeberry is a curiosity!

Violet and Yellow Wood-Sorrel Flowers Brighten Up the Edges of the Yard

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Violet and Yellow Wood-sorrel are brightening up corners of the gardens and the edges of the yard, but their blooms are only out in the sun. Afternoon-shaded areas will have the ‘lucky clovers’ closing up their flowers.

Wood-sorrel flowers close up in the afternoon shade or at nighttime and re-open in the sunshine.
Wood-sorrel flowers close up in the afternoon shade or at nighttime and re-open in the sunshine.
Yellow wood sorrel, Oxalis europaea, flowers arise in clusters on flower stalks that are separate from the notched, clover-like leaflets.
Yellow wood sorrel, Oxalis europaea, flowers arise in clusters on flower stalks that are separate from the notched, clover-like leaflets.

As kids we pulled off the erect seed pods and ate them for a sour treat! The leaves are edible, too. Just add a few leaves to salads or make an iced tea from the steeped leaves, sweeten with honey or stevia and chill. The yellow or pink blossoms make great looking garnishes.

Violet wood-sorrel, Oxalis violacea, flowers seem to flare open their violet-pink petals.
Violet wood-sorrel, Oxalis violacea, flowers seem to flare open their violet-pink petals.

Late Spring Blooming Solomon’s Seals in Pennsylvanian Woodlands

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Solomon’s Seals grow in open woods where sunlight reaches the forest floor. They co-exist with the viburnums and other woodland herbs.

Smooth Solomon’s Seal, Polygonatum biflorum, has one to four creamy-white to yellow-green, bell-shaped flowers dangling from the leaf axils along an arching stem. If you don’t look under the leaves, you’re bound to miss the flowers.

Smooth Solomon's Seal's dangling, tube-shaped flowers.

Smooth Solomon’s Seal’s dangling, tube-shaped flowers.

False Solomon’s Seal, Smilacina racemosa, is blooming now, too — it’s flowers are much more noticeable than Smooth Soloman’s Seal’s blooms. At the end of an upward-arching stem projects out a pointed cluster, or raceme, of white flowers, which lends it an alternate name of Wild Spikenard.

Blooms of False Solomon's Seal projecting upward at the tip of the zig-zag stem.

Blooms of False Solomon’s Seal projecting upward at the tip of the zig-zag stem.

Looking down on a group of False Solomon's Seal with the terminal flowers still in their yellow-green buds.

Looking down on a group of False Solomon’s Seal with the terminal flowers still in their yellow-green buds.

A close up view of the flower cluster of False Solomon's Seal shows the stamens projecting out in all directions, which make the individual flowers appear as starbursts.

A close up view of the flower cluster of False Solomon’s Seal shows the stamens projecting out in all directions, which make the individual flowers appear as starbursts.

Viburnum Bouquets in the Forests of Pennsylvania

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This past week saw an end to the blooming of the locust trees. The spikes of white blossoms can be noticed from afar and so can their putrid scent. Not really putrid, but what would you call a cross between body odor and cat pee? I think the folks living nearest the rivers are glad that their blooming is over!

The forests are still alive with Spring blossoms. The Viburnums and Solomon’s Seals are making a great show along the wooded paths.

Maple-leaved Viburnum likes the filtered sunlight found in open wooded areas. The short-stalked leaves remind one of the leaves of, you guessed it — maple trees.

Pairs of leaves on this woodland shrub, Viburnum acerifolium, are similar to maple tree leaves.

Pairs of leaves on this woodland shrub, Viburnum acerifolium, are similar to maple tree leaves.

Broad clusters of several small, white flowers are at the tip of the growing branches. The flower buds are pinkish-white before opening up into five-petaled, white blossoms. Five stamens project upward and make the clusters appear fuzzy from a distance.

Small white flowers cluster together in maple-leaved viburnum.
Small white flowers cluster together in maple-leaved viburnum.

Wild Geraniums, a.k.a. Cranesbill, Blooming in Pennsylvania

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The most popular Springtime wildflower color seems to be white, so it is rather pleasing to find flowers of different colors. Wild geraniums that grow along our lane and in the open woods sport light violet to pink flowers.

Also known as Cranesbill, Geranium maculatum, the Wild Geranium has five-parted, deeply lobed leaves and occurs in shady, wooded areas and roadsides.

Wild geranium in the mountainous forest of central Pennsylvania.
Wild geranium in the mountainous forest of central Pennsylvania.
Lilac-toned flower of Cranesbill.
Lilac-toned flower of Cranesbill.

Flowers with five large, rounded petals occur in small clusters with only one or two blooms open at a given time. The “cranesbill” — which is the future seedpod — lies at the center of each flower. Stems and sepals are very hairy.

Erect seedpods that become elongated as they mature give this woodland Geranium its common name, Cranesbill.
Erect seedpods that become elongated as they mature give this woodland Geranium its common name, Cranesbill.

Later in the season, when the seeds are fully mature, the seedpods burst open and forcefully eject the seeds to colonize new areas.

Deerberry Shrubs Blooming in the Mountains of PA

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Deerberry occurs as a small shrub in the undergrowth of the oak-white pine-hickory forests of the Northeastern United States. In Pennsylvania this colony of deerberry is predominately 2-3 feet tall, but one shrub has grown to about 6 feet in height.

Deerberry blooming in the woods of Pennsylvania.

Deerberry blooming in the woods of Pennsylvania.

Foliage consists of alternating leaves that grow to larger sizes nearer the distal end of the branches. Oval, pointed leaves measure 1-3 inches long.

Leaves of the deerberry shrub are entire, alternating, oval, pointed and pale on the underside.

Leaves of the deerberry shrub are entire, alternating, oval, pointed and pale on the underside.

Deerberry flowers hang from racemes that have smaller leaves and bracts.

Deerberry flowers hang from racemes that have smaller leaves and bracts.

Hanging blossoms of Deerberry, Vaccinium stamineum, have flower stems longer than the blossoms. The light green, cup-shaped calyx contains five white petals that flare out to the side.

Stamens protrude beyond the edge of the deerberry flower bell, which alludes to the species name.

Stamens protrude beyond the edge of the deerberry flower bell, which alludes to the species name.

Deerberries are inedible, so perhaps the value of this shrub is in providing habitat for wildlife. It grows in shady areas and, apparently, is not browsed by deer.