Each prairie has its own secrets to give. This unit on the Ladonia Unit is no exception.
Spring Beauty!
A stem hosts this gall. Looks like the occupant has already departed.
Splitting one open, we could see what the bedroom looked like LOL. Some of the galls had exits at the bottom of the gall.
The shoots of Indian Plantain (Arnoglossum plantagineum). The plant can get up to 4 or 5 feet tall. The flowers will be small, creamy white with no ray flowers. The leaves will mostly remain basally. Only one in its genus.
An Io Moth’s cocoon nestled in the Wild Plums.
Alan discovered this Prairie Crawfish (Procambarus) burrow!
A few feet further on, I found part of an exoskeleton of a crawfish. Cool finds!
Lichens formed bands on the trunk of a small Wild Plum (Prunus)!
Lichens were so colorful that day because it had rained the day before.
Goldeneye Lichen (Teloschistes chrysophthalmus) is the center orange one with the flat orange disks. This species has tiny hairs called cilia on the edge of the apothecia (fruiting bodies- flat orange disks). There are many different lichens in this one small area.
Did y’all see the worm moon this morning? It certainly was big! “The third and final full Moon of winter, the “Worm Moon” came just a few days before the vernal or northward equinox on Sunday, March 20, 2022, which signals the beginning of astronomical spring in the northern hemisphere. “(Forbes.com) Happy Spring!
I have only see the Prairie Crawdads east of Wise County. Collin and I think eastern Denton counties may have them. I had seen them in Louisiana and Florida before. But never a live one, only the burrows.
I have never seen a prairie crawdad. Maybe the skeleton but not alive. Have you? Interesting critters.
I have not seen a live Prairie Crawdad. It would be cool to see. Maybe since I am doing the survey, we will run across one…fingers crossed!
Never heard of a prairie crawdad before, but they sound fascinating. Some terrific lichen photos too.
I have only see the Prairie Crawdads east of Wise County. Collin and I think eastern Denton counties may have them. I had seen them in Louisiana and Florida before. But never a live one, only the burrows.
great moon article & video
I feel like I used to see crawdad tunnels in Norman at the old park?? But Norman is directly north of Denton, so that would fit.
There are multiple species and several genera